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As the start of the 2026 NFL league year approached, the Arizona Cardinals had decisions to make on four players who could be restricted free agents (RFA) and one exclusive-rights free agent (ERFA).
The possible RFAs were running backs Emari Demercado and Bam Knight, kicker Chad Ryland and cornerback Star Thomas V. Tight end Travis Vokolek would have been an ERFA. Knight and Ryland agreed to one-year deals to return to Arizona.
In advance of Wednesday’s opening of the league year, all were informed there would be no tender.
RFAs are players with three accrued seasons and there are five levels of tenders:
Offer sheets extended to players can be matched by the original team. The deadline for RFAs to present an offer sheet to the original teams is April 17 and the team has five days to decide whether to match.
Meanwhile, the minimum salary for players with three credited seasons is $1.145 million, so the recent trend has been for teams not to tender players and then try and sign them for lower than the tender amounts. That has already happened for the Cardinals with Ryland and Knight.
Many players end up signing with new teams, but also for salaries lower than the tenders.
ERFAs are players with fewer than three accrued seasons and teams can tender them merely at the minimum salary based on their experience.
Vokolek has two accrued seasons, so the Cardinals could have retained their exclusive rights with a tender of $1.075 million, but they elected not to.
Both were injured and ended the year on injured reserve. Thomas tore his ACL in training camp, and Vokolek suffered a scary neck injury in Week 5.
Throughout the league, there were only 12 players that received RFA tenders:
Meanwhile, there were 89 RFAs or ERFAs that did not receive tenders.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals leave 4 players untendered, 2 unsigned
Continue reading...
The possible RFAs were running backs Emari Demercado and Bam Knight, kicker Chad Ryland and cornerback Star Thomas V. Tight end Travis Vokolek would have been an ERFA. Knight and Ryland agreed to one-year deals to return to Arizona.
In advance of Wednesday’s opening of the league year, all were informed there would be no tender.
What to know about restricted free agents
RFAs are players with three accrued seasons and there are five levels of tenders:
- $8.546 million with first-round pick as compensation along with the team not able to place a franchise or transition tag at the expiration of the contract.
- $8.046 million first-round pick.
- $5.767 million second-round pick.
- $3.674 million with player’s original draft round as compensation.
- $3.52 million with no compensation for players not drafted.
Offer sheets extended to players can be matched by the original team. The deadline for RFAs to present an offer sheet to the original teams is April 17 and the team has five days to decide whether to match.
Meanwhile, the minimum salary for players with three credited seasons is $1.145 million, so the recent trend has been for teams not to tender players and then try and sign them for lower than the tender amounts. That has already happened for the Cardinals with Ryland and Knight.
Many players end up signing with new teams, but also for salaries lower than the tenders.
Exclusive rights free agent information
ERFAs are players with fewer than three accrued seasons and teams can tender them merely at the minimum salary based on their experience.
Vokolek has two accrued seasons, so the Cardinals could have retained their exclusive rights with a tender of $1.075 million, but they elected not to.
Both were injured and ended the year on injured reserve. Thomas tore his ACL in training camp, and Vokolek suffered a scary neck injury in Week 5.
What RFAs were tendered?
Throughout the league, there were only 12 players that received RFA tenders:
- 2nd round: Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey and guard T.J. Bass; Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian.
- Original round tender: Las Vegas defensive tackle Thomas Booker (5th).
- No compensation: Buffalo tackle Ryan Van Demark; Cleveland safety Ronnie Hickman; Las Vegas C/G Jordan Meredith; Minnesota LB Ivan Pace Jr; San Francisco defensive end Sam Okuayinonu and tight end Jake Tonges; Seattle wide receiver Jake Bobo; Tampa Bay running back Sean Tucker.
Meanwhile, there were 89 RFAs or ERFAs that did not receive tenders.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals leave 4 players untendered, 2 unsigned
Continue reading...
