Every owner, who has played one full season in the league, has the right to protect ONE player from their roster for the following year's draft. All protected players cannot be acquired on DraftDay via the normal selection process, and they will be identified & officialized as such on the website at :
2025 * Sunday, August 31, Midnight
If the opportunity is VOIDED, access to your roster is lost, but any player may be reacquired during the draft.

If owners do not submit a Protection Status, their previous season's roster will be automatically Voided.
Likewise, once protected players are officialized, they may not be retracted on Labor Day.
Plan your strategies well!

Each protected player will correspond with the first round # designated to that particular team. Each Franchised player will correspond with the second round.
Protection is optional. You may disregard this procedure if you value a better prospect in the draft pool or figure a desired player may be released by a different team.

FREE AGENCY: A player may not be protected by a team for more than two continuous years (unless franchised ).
Ex. Bijan Robinson is drafted initially by the 'Tempests' in year 1. The 'Tempests' may protect him once or twice (year 2 or both years 2 & 3). In Year 4, Bijan earns Free Agent Status and must be released into the draft pool. Robinson may still be drafted by the Tempests, but now everyone has a fair shot at him. If the Tempests reacquire Bijan, they have an opportunity to renew his protection status for two more years (thus becoming a free agent in Year 7).
Trading a player away will negate free agency but the new owner now has only ONE protection year, not two at their disposal. The Tempests may not require Bijan Robinson through a retrade; Bijan must be dropped into the draft pool.