by Keith Hayes

Created on: January 21, 2007   Last Updated: March 15, 2011

Question: Why aren't there many trades in the NFL?
Answer: Free Agency, A 16-Week Season, Salary Cap & Draft Picks

The NFL implemented the Free Agency Salary Cap in 1994 to bring parity to the league after the complaint of teams running off years as Super Bowl Champions from San Francisco to the Dallas Cowboys. The idea almost worked until the Patriots came along and nailed three Super Bowl wins in five years while using a system that allows Player scout Scott Pioli to bring in players who are usually considered "journeymen".

Journeymen are guys who are "below the radar" workhorses who are usually "affordable" and "cap friendly". A great example of this is LB Mike Vrabel who is a versatile anchor on the Patriots defense, yet the Steelers had him 4 years previous his Pats career and let him go. The Free Agency period has also become one of the most interesting periods of the NFL off-season, and is one of the reasons why you don't see many trades in the NFL.

The Free Agency period runs usually from March to July, and this is the period when teams cut the fat from their salary caps to make room for drafted players, or sign a player for whatever position they may have a need for. Most teams do their homework and usually know which players are going to hit the FA wire. Most of the time they usually know what a player may be looking for in salary and bonus money. Why risk trading someone away who may end up being a great success for another team and the player you traded for is a bust, when you can sign someone in the off-season, and if they bust you release them without losing anything in the process? And not only do you have to release them for nothing teams can tender offers from other teams willing to take a risk, and may have to compensate with draft pick(s).

The second reason why you don't see many trades in the NFL is because of the short season. The NFL regular season is 16 weeks long, and the trading deadline is usually in the month of October. Teams in October are still developing, rounding out, and trying to get the guys that built a relationship sweltering in two a day training camps to gel and work as a unit. Trading a player away for another could be disastrous, and usually if it happens it's because a player isn't getting along in that environment. No team wants to risk adding a potential cancer to the locker room when you a trying to get your team to work as a unit.

The third and final reason is because of draft picks. Draft picks have become a great bargaining chip come draft time, and it's always exciting when the Commissioner comes to that podium and announces that teams have traded draft spots for present or future draft picks. Why risk trading a player away when you get an offer to move down in the draft while gaining extra picks for the present or future draft? Something several teams have made work for themselves over the years.

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