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Contract Negotiation NFL Players NFL Teams

I Hope That No NFL Team Will Waste His Franchise

The deadline for players who had been given a Franchise Tag to sign multi-year contracts has passed. July 16th at 4PM marked the close of any such possibility. That leaves Asante Samuel and Lance Briggs in the dust (as far as long-term contracts are concerned), with both players threatening to hold out until the 10th week of the NFL season before they begin to play.

Earlier today, Paul Schackman pointed out that NFL salaries for players on defense have been rising [Going Up: NFL Salaries]. He points out Freeney’s contract and Redding’s contract, but fails to bring up the fact that they both are franchised players. Asante Samuels may have been able to strike the same long-term deal under the clause, but Briggs had been told by his team that they are unwilling to give him a deal any longer than a one-year, $7.206 million contract [Franchise players Samuel, Briggs fail to reach deals].

Salaries may be rising, but could it be at the expense of some players? Is it fair when one team offers its franchised player a great deal while another team refuses to grant a pay day that their player deserves? Does Lance Briggs even have a right to be bitching?…that’s another question.

I have talked about the Franchise Tag at length in past posts. Some include Lance Briggs as the subject:

-Darren Heitner

Title taken from quote: “I hope that no American will waste his franchise and throw away his vote by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant.”- John F. Kennedy

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.