Greetings,

Looking to understand the budget implications of a draft pick not signing. My understanding is you have to offer to meet his demands in order to get the Type D pick the next draft. Do you have to leave that money sitting there all season, essentially letting it go to waste if he doesn't sign? Or is there a point in time you can re-allocate it in time to use it on an IFA?

So, let's say he originally asks for $3mm, you offer it, then he comes back and says he's unsure. You have to leave the $3mm budget available to sign him. At some point later he'll either ask for more, or say he's not going to sign. Do they always decide by a certain time, say Game 100-ish so you still have 40ish games to use the budget on IFAs...or are there times he doesn't decide til game 145, thus too late to re-allocate the budget?

If you offer the initial demand, the player will usually first say he's thinking about it, then either reject or ask for an increase by about one week (real life) time at the latest. You'll see an X next to him on the draft results screen. Once you get that X, the money you offered is freed up.

You can't withdraw an offer and receive a comp pick. And comp picks are for players drafted in the first three rounds who don't sign.

Sounds like Drummer is saying you've got to leave the offer open, meaning it ties up the money.

Also, let's say initial offer is $3mm...player says he's thinking about it, then raises to $5mm...do you get the comp pick as long as you leave the $3mm offer sitting there, or do you have to either raise offer to the $5mm else lose the comp pick?

(I've got first pick in draft, don't like any of top prospects. Top guy says he probably won't sign, which is fine with me, I'll roll dice on next season's draft, but don't want to lose comp pick nor waste this year's budget)

You have to leave the offer there. If you pull the offer, you will not get the comp pick. But as damag said, if he finally rejects your offer and you see the big red X, the money is freed up, even though you technically still have the offer on the table. All you need to remember is, if you want the comp pick next season, and you get the big red X, just don't do anything else with him after that. He will not change his mind and later decide to sign.

My point was an aside to the point damag made (and bj backed up). Let the player reject your deal. Just don't withdraw your offer before he rejects.

Yes exactly. @ScotB - meet the initial ask, do not withdraw it. When he rejects, or asks for an increase (which is technically a rejection, you'll get an X) the money is freed up and the comp pick has been qualified.

Just keep in mind, for the best odds of succeeding with this, you need to pick a player who "Probably Won't Sign" with his mother listed as his agent. Even then there's still like a 0.1% chance he might sign. If you pick a "thinking about another sport" or "wants to be picked in the first five rounds" guy, there's a larger percentage he might sign the first offer. Aaaand you should probably leave more like $6 mil budget for his asking price. I've seen guys taken in the 20th round asking for $6 mil.

thanks, gents...much appreciated!