If the NFL players association gets around to approving the basis for what will become the next collective bargaining agreement this weekend, there's a chance that NFL free agency could open late next week.
Under the new league calendar approved by the owners on Thursday, teams will be given 72 hours after the starting gun fires to attempt re-signing their own unrestricted free agents. Teams can sign any unrestricted free agent beginning on day four of the new league year, according to the calendar.
For the Texans, that means they will be making offers, some of which may be 'June 1 tenders' to guys like Vonta Leach, Mark Anderson, Rashad Butler and Jacoby Jones.
Using the previous CBA as a guide, a June 1 tender for Leach, Anderson and Butler would involve making an offer to the player of at least 110% of their 2010 salary, including base salary, roster and reporting bonuses, and pro-rata portion of signing bonuses if applicable.
A June 1 tender for Jones would be 110% of his base salary only, not including bonuses, since the expiring contract was his rookie contract.
According to the new league calendar, 'June 1 tenders' (which are really August 12 tenders) allow the current team to retain rights to their own unrestricted free agents if the player is not signed by another team by August 26.
We've discussed before that Butler is the least likely of those four to be on the Texans 53 man roster come Week 1 of the 2011 season, however Jones and Leach could also be wearing new uniforms in the fall.
During those fiirst three days of the new league year, you can bet that the Texans will be on the phones to agents of free agent defensive backs.
The Texans top five corners are Brice McCain, Kareem Jackson, Sherrick McManis and rookies Brandon Harris and Roc Carmichael. Enough said.