What constitutes a year of service toward free agency?

A year of service toward free agency is determined by what is referred to as an "accrued season." This means that a player must have been on an active roster for a specified period during a given regular season. In the NFL, to accrue a season, a player must be on the active roster for at least six games, which helps establish their value and timing toward free agency eligibility. This is significant as it directly impacts a player's ability to negotiate contracts and transitions in their career, allowing for movement across teams after reaching a certain level of experience in the league.

Active playing time in a season does not solely determine a year of service, as a player could participate in a game but not meet the threshold for an accrued season. Similarly, simply signing a contract does not equate to gaining a year of service; the player must also be actively rostered and play in games. Lastly, completing a mandatory mini-camp, while a valuable part of a player’s development and preparation, does not contribute to the year of service required for free agency, which is specifically tied to a player's performance in regular-season games.