Eight days after trading for the one remaining year on Donovan McNabb’s contract, the Redskins have acquired the rights to another quarterback for one year.
This time, it’s Jason Campbell, incumbent starter and restricted free agent. Per Jay Glazer of FOX, Campbell will sign his one-year, $3.1 million tender offer. Campbell was offered an amount that would have secured the Redskins a right to match any offer, and a first-round pick as compensation if they opted not to do so. No team expressed any interest in signing him to an offer sheet. (Curiously, they could have tendered him at nearly the same price with compensation in the form of a first-round pick and a third-round pick.)
Now that he’s under contract, he can be traded without delay. It’s our understanding that this is the primary motivation for signing the tender.
For most restricted free agents, signing the tender offer guarantees nothing. Franchise players (like Steelers kicker Jeff Reed) see their base salary become fully guaranteed upon signing the offer.
The exception this year is Chargers running back Darren Sproles, who was a franchise player in 2009. The CBA suggests that all terms from last year’s contract -- including the guaranteed payout -- applies to the RFA tender.