Complete 2012 NFL Free Agent List: All 532 Players by Team

The National Football League announced that 532 players are free agents who now can negotiate with all 32 clubs. Players are either “restricted” or “unrestricted” free agents.  Within the categories are also “franchise” and “transition” players.

The time period for free agency signings in 2012: Restricted Free Agents – March 13 to April 20. Unrestricted Free Agents (who have received June 1 tender from prior club) – March 13 to July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later). Franchise Players – March 13 to November 13, the Tuesday following the 10th week of the regular season.  Transition Players – There are no transition player designations this year.

Following is a list of free agents by club in four different categories:

1. Restricted Free Agents who received qualifying offers from their old clubs and are subject to the First Refusal/Compensation system of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement:

If a new club reaches an agreement with a player in category No. 1 (above) for the 2012 season or for 2012 and future seasons, such agreement must be in the form of an Offer Sheet, signed by both the new club and the player.

The old club has a Right of First Refusal to all players listed above.  Compensation is as listed in the column on the right.  If the old club has only a Right of First Refusal but is not entitled to any compensation, the designation “ROFR” appears in the column.  In order to submit an Offer Sheet, a new club must have available the required choice, defined as its own or better choice in the applicable rounds, in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Offer Sheets may be submitted to an old club until 11:59 p.m., New York time, on Friday, April 20.

2. Players with three or more accrued seasons who have been designated as Franchise players:

The old club has a Right of First Refusal to the players listed above and compensation of two No. 1 draft choices.  In order to submit an Offer Sheet, a new club must have available the required choices, defined as its own or better choices in the first round in the 2012 and 2013 NFL Drafts.  Offer Sheets may be submitted to an old club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10^th regular season weekend (November 13).

3. Unrestricted Free Agents with four or more accrued seasons:

In the event that a player in category No. 3 has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from July 22 until the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season (November 13), at 4:00pm New York time, only with his prior club, provided that the prior club has extended such player a June 1 Tender under Article 9, Section 1(b)(i) of the CBA.

In the event the player has not signed a player contract with a club by June 1 of the League Year following the expiration of his last player contract, and if his prior club has not extended the player a June 1 Tender or has withdrawn the Tender, the player shall be completely free to negotiate and sign a player contract with any club with no signing deadline applicable to such player.

1. Players with fewer than four accrued seasons who received no Qualifying Offer or no minimum tender from their old club:

The players in category No. 4 may be signed with no rights held by the old club.  There is no signing deadline applicable to these players.