Niners have officially tendered four of their free agents. The San Francisco 49ers have tendered contract offers to restricted free agents QB Ken Dorsey and WR Brandon Lloyd. The 49ers also made exclusive rights tenders to S Mike Adams and RB Maurice Hicks.
Restricted free agents are players who have completed three accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They have received qualifying offers from their old clubs and will be free to negotiate with any club until April 21, at which time their rights will revert to their original club. If a player accepts an offer from a new club, the old club will have the right to match the offer and retain the player. If the old club elects not to match the offer, that club may receive draft-choice compensation depending on the level of the qualifying offer made to the player.
Exclusive rights free agents are players with two or fewer years of experience who have no outside negotiating power. His rights belong to his 2005 club, provided that club makes him a minimum qualifying offer.
Something to note if their is no CBA, restricted free agents take on a whole new meaning. Take this for example: Only players with six or more accrued seasons will be eligible for unrestricted free agency. Players with three, four, or five accrued seasons will be restricted free agents. In other words, Brandon Lloyd (who was offered a one-year restricted free agent tender), will be a restricted free agent again in 2007. Under normal circumstances, he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2007.
Sources: [KFFL, Pro Football Talk]
