THE UNCERTAINTY around Essendon's list for next season isn't restricted to the seven banned players yet to re-commit to the club, with almost half of the Bombers' list remaining unsigned for 2017.
Aside from the suspended seven, stand-in skipper Brendon Goddard and emerging players Kyle Langford and Martin Gleeson head the list of 18 Bombers uncontracted beyond 2016.
Rookie-listed fan favourite Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is also yet to have a deal past this season.
The Bombers have been able to secure the re-signings of suspended players Cale Hooker, Travis Colyer, Heath Hocking and David Myers since they were suspended for this season, while Dyson Heppell has committed to return next year.
Michael Hurley, Ben Howlett, Michael Hibberd, Brent Stanton, Tayte Pears, Tom Bellchambers and captain Jobe Watson are yet to reveal their plans after their suspensions end later this year.
But the decision of those players to hold off creates a flow-on effect, with decisions to be made on a number of out-of-contract players at the club this season.
Goddard's initial four-year deal with the Bombers expires at the end of this year, but the 31-year-old is expected to continue his career at the club for at least a fifth season.
Langford and Jayden Laverde, both top-20 draft selections in 2014, are among only a handful of players from the early part of that draft pool not yet signed beyond this season.
Talks are more advanced for Langford, who has played 10 games this season and will stay at Essendon, than Laverde, who is set to return to the VFL this weekend after a lengthy layoff with a shoulder injury.
Adam Cooney is likely to wait until later in the year before deciding whether he wants to play on next season, while veterans James Gwilt and Courtenay Dempsey are also without contracts for next year.
Patrick Ambrose, Jason Ashby, Shaun Edwards, Nick Kommer, Shaun McKernan and Gleeson are also unsigned.
All of the club's six rookie-listed players are also out of contract, although the exciting McDonald-Tipungwuti is set to be rewarded for his form with a new deal soon and elevation to the senior list at the end of the year.
It is not unusual for the club to have a large contingent of its players unsigned to this stage of the season, but the added lack of clarity around the suspended players forces the club's list management department to juggle more scenarios.
Essendon has committed to adding an extra year to the contracts of the suspended players.
AFL.com.au reported this week that Hibberd and Howlett are likely to wait until later in the year before deciding if they will return to Essendon.
ESSENDON'S OUT-OF CONTRACT LIST
Patrick Ambrose
Jason Ashby
Adam Cooney
Courtenay Dempsey
Shaun Edwards
Martin Gleeson
Brendon Goddard
James Gwilt
Nick Kommer
Kyle Langford - new deal confirmed on Friday afternoon
Jayden Laverde
Shaun McKernan
Will Hams (rookie)
Jake Long (rookie)
Gach Nyuon (rookie)
Tom Wallis (rookie)
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (rookie)
Conor McKenna (rookie)
SUSPENDED BOMBERS YET TO RECOMMIT
Tom Bellchambers (contracted to end of 2017) - New deal confirmed on Friday afternoon
Michael Hibberd (2017)
Ben Howlett (2016)
Michael Hurley (2017)
Tayte Pears (2016)
Brent Stanton (2016)
Jobe Watson (2017)
