Today is the official first day that NFL teams can set franchise and transition tags on their potential free agent players. For those of you who do not know how a franchise tag works here is an extremely simple explanation: it allows a team to tender a 1-year offer to one of its potential free agents. Because teams have a window from February 15-March 1, anything can happen from now until then. Here are the projected franchise tag numbers for this offseason:
Franchise tag period opens today. Based on a $168.1M cap projection teams are using, here are estimated tag figures. pic.twitter.com/M74za81rYp
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 15, 2017
Listed below are the players whom I think are a lock for the franchise tag. Additionally listed are other possibilities that might happen.
Guaranteed Franchise Tags:
Chandler Jones DE, Cardinals – It is extremely likely that Chandler Jones gets franchise tagged. Team President, Mitchell Bidwell, said yesterday:
“He’s a great pass rusher, but if we can’t agree to terms that work for us, we’re just going to franchise him. His people know that.”
Kwann Short DT, Panthers
Dont’a Hightower LB, Patriots
Le’Veon Bell RB, Steelers
Likely Candidates:
Dontari Poe DT, Chiefs – Because the team will not use the franchise tag on Eric Berry, they will opt to sign Poe. Poe will agree because the $13.5MM will be twice what he earned last season. This has to be the next best thing for the Chiefs. However, losing Berry can not be easy.
Jason Pierre-Paul DE, Giants
Terrelle Pryor WR, Browns
Trumaine Johnson CB, Rams
50/50 Chance:
Kirk Cousins QB, Redskins – This case is incredibly intriguing to me. Cousins was tagged by the Redskins last season, making $19.95 MM. If the Redskins were to repeat his franchise tag (two consecutive years), he would make 120% of his last season’s salary which is $23.93 MM.
Melvin Ingram LB, Chargers
Not Going to Happen:
Eric Berry S, Chiefs – He has said multiple times this past season that he would not play under a second consecutive franchise tag. Because this would be his second consecutive year with the franchise tag, (if he were to be tagged after all) he would make $12.97MM. That is $2MM over the franchise tag safety average. If the Chiefs and Berry could not come to an agreement in 2016, why would they this year?
A.J. Bouye CB, Texans
Stephon Gilmore CB, Bills
Alshon Jeffery WR, Bears
