The Eagles offered a one-year tender to nine of their restricted free agents on Thursday night.
Cornerback Ellis Hobbs received the highest tender, a first-round level, which means that if another club signs him to an offer sheet, the Eagles have seven days to match the offer. If they choose not to match, the club will receive 2010 draft pick compensation which in Hobbs' case is a first-round draft pick. NFL teams are permitted to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets from March 5 to April 15.
See the chart below to find out what the other restricted free agents were tendered. In the case of Sav Rocca, the Eagles would receive no draft pick compensation if he is signed by another team to an offer sheet and the Eagles decline to match it. Since Alex Smith was not offered any tender, he will become a free agent at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow and is free to sign with any other team, including the Final Eight playoff teams who have limitations as to who they can sign in free agency.
Earlier today, we broke down the financial value of the one-year tenders.
Hobbs and Leonard Weaver are two of the 212 players in the NFL who would have been unrestricted free agents in a capped year. However, since there is no extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement - and it's not going to happen by midnight - players need six years of NFL service to become unrestricted free agents instead of the typical four.
Six other Eagles also fell into this category - wide receiver Jason Avant, guard/center Nick Cole, linebackers Chris Gocong and Omar Gaither, guard Max Jean-Gilles and Smith. Rocca and linebacker Akeem Jordan (each of whom have three years experience) were going to be restricted free agents no matter what happened with the CBA.
The Eagles have four players who will become unrestricted free agents at 12:01 a.m. They are defensive end Jason Babin, linebackers Jeremiah Trotter and Tracy White and safety Sean Jones.
| Eagles Tender Restricted Free Agents | |
| Player | Tender Level |
| WR Jason Avant | Second-Round Level |
| G/C Nick Cole | Second-Round Level |
| LB Omar Gaither | Original-Round Level (Fifth-Round) |
| LB Chris Gocong | Original-Round Level (Third-Round) |
| CB Ellis Hobbs | First-Round Level |
| G Max Jean-Gilles | Original-Round Level (Fourth-Round) |
| LB Akeem Jordan | Second-Round Level |
| P Sav Rocca | Right Of First Refusal |
| TE Alex Smith | No Tender Offered |
| FB Leonard Weaver | Second-Round Level |
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 7:25 p.m., March 4
