When does the Right of First Refusal apply?

The Right of First Refusal (ROFR) is a crucial aspect of player contracts, particularly concerning Restricted Free Agents (RFAs). This mechanism allows an NFL team to retain a player by matching any offer that the player receives from another team. If a team issues a qualifying offer to its RFA and the player then receives an offer from a different team, the original team has the exclusive right to match that offer. This system is designed to give teams some control over their players who are not yet unrestricted free agents, thus ensuring that they can maintain some level of continuity in their rosters while still permitting players the opportunity to negotiate with other teams.

In contrast, the other options are either too narrow or completely incorrect regarding the scope of the ROFR. It is not limited to quarterbacks or applicable to all free agents, as unrestricted free agents (UFAs) do not have this right, nor does it apply exclusively during the draft period. The ROFR specifically targets RFAs, making that choice the correct and most accurate representation of when this right applies.