From what I understand, since Ricky retired while in the substance abuse program, only if he tries to unretire in the same year, does it count as a 4th positive. So in effect it keeps him from playing this year as penalty for trying to circumvent the rules of the substance abuse program by retiring.
If he were to come back NEXT year. He would no longer be subject to this penalty. But he would still be subject to the 4 game suspension for his third positive. He would miss a year and 4 games at minimum.
I haven't been able to confirm or deny this but, I think there may be a loophole that can get him out of the 4 game suspension.
If we were to trade him to the Raiders now, he could unretire and take the year suspension. Since there is no way he is going to play this year anyway, that doesn't hurt anyone. Now, I'm not sure about this part but I think that the year suspension may take precedent over the 4 game suspension or they may even run concurrent.
Like I said, I don't know this for sure but, it may be why the Raiders have reportedly offered a first, seemingly out of the blue.
What Rick is saying, is that he knows what the Raiders are trying to do and their gonna have to sweeten the offer.
The only way I can think of that this wouldn't work is that technically it's not a years' suspension, it is an indefinate suspension, and the NFL could say, that the indefinate suspension is = a year and 4 games.