If you're looking for compensation, there is very little risk to signing the guy before the prospect list is published and pushing the compensation out a year.  Unless of course he no longer qualifies as a Type A.  I've done that a couple of times with success, and a once without success.  Remember though, that you can't bank on compensation being good either.  A good owner will sometimes sign multiple Type A's when they shop the market, leaving you with a 5th or 6th round comp pick instead of a first round pick.  If his price is down to $1.2M and he can help you win games, it seems kinda silly to me that you don't sign him.  Not to mention that there will likely be an owner out there who has his sights set on signing him when the draft list is published.  At that time, the guy doesn't wait a cycle - he signs that instant.  You lose in that deal too.

So, if you're banking on compensation, you are more likely to be disappointed if he hasn't signed by now.  If you leave him out there to save a paltry $1M when he's better than your alternative it kinda shows your interest in winning games....