Dante Cunningham-restricted free agent

[murphman]

Many might have been aware of this but it has been so long since we have been in position of keeping a 2nd round pick, I had forgotten this rule (from wiki). The part applying to Dante is in bold:

Restricted free agency exists only on a limited basis. It is allowed following the fourth year of rookie "scale" contracts for first round draft picks. It is also allowed for all veteran free agents who have been in the league three or fewer seasons. However, a first round draft pick becomes an unrestricted free agent following his second or third season if his team does not exercise its option to extend the player's rookie scale contract for the next season. All other free agency is limited to unrestricted free agency.
In order to make their free agent a restricted free agent, a team must submit a qualifying offer to the player by June 30. This prevents the team from not offering a contract and waiting to swoop in when the player tries to sign elsewhere. The qualifying offer ensures that the team does not gain the right of first refusal without also offering a contract themselves. Accepting a qualifying offer makes the player play for one season with the team that made the qualifying offer, in which case the player becomes a free agent again at the end of that season.
The amount of the qualifying offers are, for players on rookie "scale" contracts, based on the player's draft position. For all other players, it is the greater of the following:

• 125% of the player's previous salary
• The player's minimum salary plus $175,000

The qualifying offer must be for one season. A player can elect to accept his qualifying offer (the qualifying offer must be accepted by March 1) and play the following season under its terms. This is sometimes done in order to become an unrestricted free agent the following summer.
If the deadline passes and the qualifying offer is neither withdrawn nor accepted, then the player continues to be a restricted free agent. The team and player are also still free to negotiate a new contract after the qualifying offer ends - the deadline only affects the player's ability to accept the qualifying offer.

Scott Lauer confirms Dante is restricted on his newest article on Bobcatsbreak.com. Thus we have a good chance of keeping Dante without having to offer him an extension before June 30th. 125% of his current salary is only $952,744 which would be a one year steal for his services.

[Plowright]

Lauer says we can trade away both our 1st rounders, he is wrong isn't he?

[Scottley Crue]

Lauer says we can trade away both our 1st rounders, he is wrong isn't he?

As I understand it, technically yes he's wrong...we must keep our pick but would have to use it and trade the rights to the player chosen like was done with the Brandon Wright/J-Rich trade. I believe we can do what we please with the pick from Portland. But in laymen's terms, yeah, we can trade both picks.

[ND22]

We should resign Cunningham, he was a pleasant surprise, and played well despite technically playing out of position. He could become a nice player for us once he makes the full transition to the 3.

[SJackson1]

i agree, we should re-sign him !

[ammofan]

I dont see how we get away with NOT signing him. He was pretty much our best player in the last 10 games or so....

[cltblkhscoach]

I agree, definitely resign him. Nice fill-in starter and good bench player on a playoff team, these kind of guys every team needs

[LiquidWayno]

He really improved every single year in college and has continued to in the pros. Count me as a longtime fan who hopes Dante plays here for a long time.