What is the consequence of not having a tender offer for a UFA by the deadline?

The consequence of not having a tender offer for a Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) by the deadline is that they become immediately available to sign with any team. The UFA status allows players whose contracts have expired to negotiate freely with any NFL team, and the absence of a tender means that the team has not placed a formal offer to retain the player's rights.

If a team offers a tender and it is not accepted, the player's rights remain with that team, but without a tender, the player has no restrictions and can explore opportunities with all other teams in the league. This creates a more open market scenario for the player, allowing them to capitalize on possible better contract offers from different franchises.

The notion that their rights revert to the previous team only applies when a tender is offered, highlighting the importance of the tender deadline for retaining player rights. Once the tender offer is missed, the player’s ability to sign with any team makes it a strategic advantage for both the player and potential suitors in building their rosters for the coming season.