I thought it was on purpose. Kinda like a half change to allow you to locate /track FAs. Let them test the live market. Drive up or down thier value.
I resigned my great players but let a few go to FA where no one else offered contracts by FA4 so I signed them for less than what they wanted at restructures. So, in my mind that was the player renegotiating out of lack of leagues desire.
This is for URFAs.
Despite the fact that these players are classified as free agents they are only able to sign a new contract with their current team until March 9, 2016, which is when the new league year officially begins. These players are not allowed to negotiate or communicate with other teams but their agents may begin to negotiate contracts with other teams beginning on March 7, 2016.
I thought this was the first step to allow this stage of FA. Just not fully implemented. Like in FA 1 the player agent can talk to other teams, but FA 2 is where the player can actually negotiate .
Last years super bowl star has a chance to get a 100 mil dollar contract. Not a renegotiated / depleted value of that star, if they are lost the team is compensated.
Granted franchise tags and tenders could be alot work in development, because the NFL goes in to alot details for salary structure.