I have scoured the forums and can't verify this. I know the help says you must offer arbitration to potentially receive compensation for top free agents. So do you need to offer arbitration for three consecutive years to receive compensation? Is there a way to have players go to free agency before they use up three years of arbitration? Thanks for your answers.

I'd think you'd be able to sign him to a one year "long term" deal during arb1 to get it but I'm not 100% on that. Also, not sure most young stud players would accept a one year deal either.

Arbitration has nothing to do with free agency. As brianplath said, you must keep the player through the 3 years of basically the minimum and then 3 years of arbitration before free agency hits. You can sign a player to a multiyear deal during arbitration, but the AI is set up to demand more than you should pay until the third year of arb. You should try signing the player long term in that third arb season. After 6 seasons, the player becomes a free agent. Depending on certain factors, you can try signing the player long term during that sixth season (basically, early free agency). You do not need to make any offer to the player to receive Type A or Type B compensation.

Thanks. So if you sign him to a two-year deal in his second year of arbitration, he would become a free agent at the end of it. Why don't I see that happening more? It seems like you would save, if you weren't planning on keeping the player beyond six years (for a variety of reasons).

Posted by cal_bears on 7/28/2022 7:23:00 AM (view original):
Thanks. So if you sign him to a two-year deal in his second year of arbitration, he would become a free agent at the end of it. Why don't I see that happening more? It seems like you would save, if you weren't planning on keeping the player beyond six years (for a variety of reasons).

The length of contract the player demands will dictate if this would work or not.

They're usually asking for 4 or 5 year deals.

Those players with high patience ratings may demand only a 1 or 2 year deal.

Oh I see, thanks. You could arbitrate for a one year deal of course, but they may want a four year deal and not take a two year one. I see.

Posted by cal_bears on 7/28/2022 7:20:00 PM (view original):
Oh I see, thanks. You could arbitrate for a one year deal of course, but they may want a four year deal and not take a two year one. I see.

You could still offer 2 years, but it'd cost dbl per year.

Ultimately the bottom line is the total contract value.

If a guy's asking 5M x 4 years = 20M
He'll take 1 year at 20M or 2 years at 10M
So, you CAN do it, but it'll be expensive.