UFA
Sports abbreviation · American Football
| Stands for | Unrestricted free agent |
|---|---|
| Categories | Sports |
UFA stands for Unrestricted free agent, an American football abbreviation.
Free agent who can sign with any team without the former club having a right to match the offer. In the NFL, players with four or more accrued seasons become UFAs when their contracts expire.
Example: The UFA market at receiver dried up within the first 48 hours.
Usage notes
NFL teams that lose more UFAs than they sign may receive compensatory draft picks the following year. In the NHL, unrestricted free agency generally comes at age 27 or after seven accrued seasons, with the market opening on July 1. The NBA uses the same term.