As key offseason dates go, May 10 isn’t one of them. But it carries significance for every NFL team.
Starting today, any players who became unrestricted free agents on March 9 won’t count toward the compensatory draft pick formula if/when they sign with new teams. This means that the arrival won’t change the potential haul of compensatory picks for the player’s new team, and that the departure won’t provide his old team with any extra consideration toward the achievement of more picks.
The Patriots will eventually be affected by this rule as to two former players: running back LeGarrette Blount and receiver Michael Floyd. Both became available on March 9 and remain available; once they sign, it won’t affect anyone’s compensatory picks.
Ditto for quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who voided his deal and became an unrestricted free agent on March 9. Which means that the list of pretextual explanations for not signing Kaepernick can’t include at this point a reluctance by teams to undermine their expected slate of compensatory picks in 2018.