I'm offering guys what they are asking for, but they are rejecting the contract? Any idea why this is happening?

If the contract puts you over the salary cap, it will get rejected. That was put in to prevent people from going on a spending spree on the last day of the season.

Doesn't the new contract start next season?

It starts as soon as it's signed. If you sign somebody to a 4-year contract now, at the start of the next season it will change to 3 years left.

Ok - but if I have no cap room this season it won't let me sign a guy for a contract extension starting next season? Am I understanding that correctly?

That is correct. The 1st year of the players contract will count against this season's salary cap even though we have no regular season games left to play. I'm in the same boat as I have zero cap space and multiple players in the last year of their contract. I'll have to let them become free agents and try to re-sign them (or someone else) when the time comes.

Interesting. I would think teams would start cutting guys that will be FA's next year to give them cap room in the current year? Does that not happen?

The contract is prorated. They've already been paid. Every player shows that I will save zero this season if I cut them now.

Got it.

You might be able to clear cap space by renegotiating existing contracts. In the Threads for New Users topic under the Community Help Forum there is a tool to help you do that. You can click on the Cap Cost column under the Contract section of your team home page to see where you might save money. Please, please do not use the Renegotiation Wizard. It's terrible!