| FOOTBALL RULES CONTINUED |
| IV. KEEPER RULES 1. Franchise Players a. General � Each team may designate up to two (2) players on their roster as "Franchise Players" (�Keepers�). Team defenses/special teams may be kept if an owner so chooses (hereafter "player" will include reference to both players and team defenses/special teams). There are two types of Franchise Players, and a team may only have one (1) of each, although a team may have one without the other: a marquis franchise player, and an impact franchise player. b. Marquis Player � A marquis franchise player is a keeper who was drafted in the first 3 rounds of the previous year's draft. In other words, a player that was chosen in either the first, second or third round. (1) Contract Limitations - A player selected within the first three rounds who is tagged by an owner as a "marquis franchise player" is given a one (1) year non-transferable extension. At the end of that keeper contract season, the player must be given his outright release, and that player becomes an unrestricted free agent who is placed in the pool for drafting the following year. (2) Contract Price - If an owner designates a player a "marquis franchise player," that team forfeits a draft pick in the next year's draft which is the same round that the player was selected that previous year. For example, if a player designated a marquis franchise player was selected in the 2nd round this year - that team would forfeit a second round pick in next years draft. c. Impact Player � An impact franchise player is a keeper who was selected after the third round. In other words, it is a player who was selected in the fourth round up. (1) Contract Limitations - A player selected in the fourth round and up who is tagged by an owner to be a impact franchise player is given a one (1) year non-transferable extension, with the option for another one (1) year non-transferable extension. In other words, as a reward for having the foresight to select a player you want to keep later in the draft, you have the option of extended that player's contract for up to two (2) additional years. Following the end of the second option year, the player must be given his outright release and becomes an unrestricted free agent. (2) Contract Price - For each year that an option is extended to an impact franchise player, the team forfeits a draft pick equal to the draft round that the player was selected in plus one (1) round. For example, if a player designated as a impact franchise player was selected in the 5th round in the previous year's draft, that team forfeits a 6th round draft pick for the following year. It would be the same if that player's option was picked up for a second season following the first year that player is kept. d. Restrictions On Franchise Designation � There are certain restrictions on those players that may be designated as kept players: (1) Position Restrictions - Only one (1) player is permitted per position. (2) Drafting Restrictions - Only players who are drafted may be designated franchise players. Players acquired through free agency (via drop/add) may not be kept. e. Effect Of Trading (1) Draft Position - A player acquired via trade may be kept by the new owner so long as that player was drafted by the player's previous owner. For keeper designation purposes, the round the player was drafted will be the same as the position the previous owner drafted said player at. (2) Contract Extensions - Contracts extended by previous owners are non-transferable. A player who has already be designated a marquis or impact franchise player who is playing under either their sole one (1) year extension (in the case of a marquis player) or under either their first or second extension (in the case of an impact franchise player) is released from their previous contracts for keeper purposes and may be kept by their new owners as if there had been no previous contract given. f. Designation As Optional � It should be stressed that a team need not designate any player as a franchise player, or may choose to designate only one (1) player as either a marquis or an impact player. Should an owner choose not to designate a player as a franchise player, said owner will draft just in rounds 1-14 without any forfeiture of draft picks. g. Deadline For Designation � A player must be designated as a franchise player by July 31 of the year prior to the next draft. h. Offseason � No teams can trade in the offseason. |