Football

Every position on a football field, what each one actually does, and how the 11 on each side fit together.

A group of players who practice with the team but are not on the active roster. Size, eligibility, elevations and how other teams can sign them away.

A one-year tender that keeps a player from reaching free agency. The exclusive and non-exclusive versions, the transition tag, and what it costs.

Money charged against the cap for players no longer on the roster. Where it comes from, why it cannot be avoided and how teams manage it.

Signing bonus proration, restructures, void years and June 1 designations. The mechanics teams use to fit contracts under a hard cap.

A hard limit on what every team can spend on players, identical for all 32 clubs. What it covers, where the number comes from and why it is hard.

Extra draft picks awarded to teams that lost more in free agency than they gained. How they are calculated, where they land and why they cannot be traded until recently.

The last pick of the NFL draft gets a nickname and a week of celebrations in Newport Beach. What Mr. Irrelevant is and the one who made it famous.

Every team starts with seven picks, one per round. Compensatory awards, trades and forfeitures are what make the real total different.

Worst record picks first, champion picks last, and playoff teams slot by how far they went. How the order is built and why it moves so much.