As much of American life stops briefly, and unpauses, and after that stops briefly once again, the NFL calendar is still going as scheduled (in the meantime). The franchise-tag deadline is Wednesday, July 15, and we will see big-time players either get big contract extensions prior to then or head into the most unsure season in league history on one-year deals.
The tag puts gamers in a tough position in normal times, and these are not normal times. The COVID-19 pandemic that has actually interfered with American life has made teams reluctant to sign agreements. Just 7 of the novices drafted in the very first round this year have signed agreements, compared to 27 by this point in 2015. Less than a quarter of the 255 draft picks in 2020 signed their agreement by June 15, compared to almost 90 percent by that point last year. We will see if this hesitancy among NFL decision-makers reaches signing their own veterans to long-lasting deals, however hence far none of the 15 players who were tagged have signed a long-term extension. Ahead of the due date, lets assess the circumstances of those 15 gamers who will either get offers or play on the tag in 2020– presuming football is played in 2020.
When an NFL players contract ends, they are expected to hit totally free company. However each NFL team can “tag” one free-agent-to-be, which requires the gamer into a non-negotiable one-year agreement. The tag is essentially an unnoticeable team choice year tacked onto the end of the contract that offers the gamer a significant however established raise and avoids them from negotiating with other teams. Its essentially a well-paid one-year audition for a much larger agreement. If players desire to sign a multiyear agreement extension instead of perform for that make-or-break audition, they need to do so by Wednesday at 4 p.m. EST. If no agreement extension is settled on by that due date, the player should use the 1 year tag deal and try to get a long-lasting contract next year. The tag is the most reliable method for groups to avoid star football players from leaving in complimentary firm, so the players who get tagged hate it.
Actually Paying for Past Mistakes
These 3 teams have, against all odds, lost utilize to their players in settlements.
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Quarterback franchise tag cost: $31 million
Prescotts situation is completely different from everybody else on this list, and by far the most crucial situation to enjoy prior to Wednesdays due date. Dallas and Prescott seem to have actually reached an arrangement on Prescotts typical income, which will probably be slightly under $35 million yearly. However the 2 sides disagree on the length of the deal. Dallas supposedly desires Prescott to sign a five-year agreement, while Prescott apparently wants a four-year agreement. After Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year contract extension earlier today, it sounds funny for Prescott to be defending a shorter offer. But Prescott is wagering that NFL earnings will keep growing, which will raise the wage cap and give teams bigger spending plans. Current history shows Prescotts stance is smart. The salary cap has increased practically 40 percent in the past 6 seasons, from $143 million in 2015 to practically $200 million this year. At that rate, 5 years from now the income cap will be $275 million. Prescott is betting that team budgets will grow every year and renegotiating as frequently as possible will be rewarding, though the pandemic might affect this technique.
The Cowboys have the opposite philosophy. They see NFL inflation and want long-lasting cost control. Of the 16 active NFL players with agreements of 6 years or longer, four of them are Dallas Cowboys. Dallas signs its gamers to long contracts that guarantee a great deal of money (in addition to celebrity status to Americas biggest fan base) in exchange for unusually long deals that end up being team friendly in time. Usually the Cowboys get their way, but Prescott has the leverage here. Part of that is since Dak has Campbells soup money. However the bigger part is that quarterbacks rarely get tagged. They are so vital to their teams, and the cost of tagging the position is so high, that franchises generally sign their quarterback to an extension prior to they ever get to this point. The Cowboys did not do this, and now they are likely going to pay the price. The franchise tag has a charge for repeat usage, so tagging Prescott three years in a row looks like this:
2020 tag price: $31 million
2021 tag rate: $38 million
2022 tag price: $54 million
If the Cowboys tag Prescott three years in a row, hell make $123 million over the next 3 years. For point of view, Patrick Mahomes will make $63 million over the next 3 years. Its quite the role reversal after Prescott made less than $5 million total in 4 years as the most essential gamer for the most important sports franchise on earth.
Brandon Scherff, G, Washington
Offensive line franchise tag cost: $15 million
Now its next finest linemen, Scherff, may likewise be in his last year with the group. ESPNs John Keim reported “There isnt much optimism that a long-term deal will be struck” and that Scherff will play the season on the tag.
Leonard Williams, DT, New York Giants
Protective deal with franchise tag price: $16 million
The Giants traded a 2020 third-round choice and a 2021 conditional fifth-rounder to the Jets for Williams at the trade due date in October, which was a steep cost for a gamer set to be a free agent. He gets to the quarterback often, however seldom produces sacks. Williams desires a top-tier contract, however the Giants might prefer to see him convert that pressure into sack production.
Run It Back
Matthew Judon, OLB, Baltimore
Linebacker franchise tag rate: $17 million
Judon made Pro Bowl honors for a defense that was one of the best in football last year. The Ravens might be perfectly happy getting one more year from Judon for a Super Bowl run, letting him leave in free firm, and getting an offsetting draft pick in 2022. Judon got his chance due to the fact that Baltimore refused to pay their tested pass rushes, and now that Judon has actually proved himself, he may see the other end of that cycle.
Bud Dupree, OLB, Pittsburgh
Linebacker franchise tag rate: $16 million
Protective end Cam Heyward is in an agreement year and will likely get an extension prior to Dupree does. The Steelers likewise have to extend defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, a midseason acquisition who was an All-Pro last year and was the essential to their defensive renewal that nearly brought Pittsburgh to the playoffs without Ben Roethlisberger. Dupree isnt nearly as essential as those 3 guys, so while it makes sense for Pittsburgh to keep Dupree around for 2020, theyll likely let him go next year.
Justin Simmons, FS, Denver
Safety franchise tag cost: $11 million
Simmons ranked as the highest-graded security on PFF last year, and Denver requires him this year after losing cornerback Chris Harris Jr. to the Chargers in free company. The team can use those cost savings to provide Simmons a big extension.
Anthony Harris, S, Minnesota
Security franchise tag price: $11 million
Minnesota keeping Harris was one of the few surprises among the tags this year. Vikings GM Rick Spielman let veterans like cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive end Everson Griffen go and kept Harris, who was one of the top-graded securities by PFF last year and has actually been a versatile player for defensive organizer Mike Zimmers plan.
We Like You, But Can You Do That Again?
Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee
Running back franchise tag rate: $10 million
Henry signed his franchise tender, so there will not be a LeVeon Bell situation here. The only question is whether Henry will sign a long-term extension with Tennessee or go into a contract year, which is a difficult proposal for running backs. Henry definitely wants a huge extension after leading the league in rush efforts (303 ), rushing backyards (1,540), and hurrying goals (16) last season, not to discuss 446 yards in three postseason video games. However the current history of running back extensions is devastating and prevents some teams from putting money into a function increasingly seen as replaceable. Tennessee letting Henry play on the 1 year tag and then letting him leave at 27 years old is the well-calculated however cold company relocation. Offering Henry an extension would be betting that he will not follow Todd Gurley or David Johnsons fast descent and rewarding someone who broke the NFL record for rushing lawns in an eight-game stretch (including playoffs).
Shaq Barrett, OLB, Tampa Bay
Linebacker franchise tag price: $16 million
Shaq Barrett took a $4 million prove-it deal with Tampa Bay last year and then led the NFL with 19.5 sacks, breaking the franchise record set by Warren Sapp. Whether Barrett is back for one year or multiple years, it will be great for Tom Brady.
We Like You, But Can You Stay Healthy?
A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati
Wide receiver franchise tag rate: $18 million
In theory, Green is a great figure to assist LSU quarterback Joe Burrow shift to the NFL on the field and end up being the face of the Bengals franchise off of it. However Green didnt play last season following an ankle injury, has missed out on 29 games over the previous 4 years, and turns 32 later this month. Cincinnati might let Green use the tag in 2020 and see whether he can remain healthy prior to providing him an extension.
Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
Tight end franchise tag cost: $11 million
Joe Thuney, G, New England.
Running back shift tag rate: $8 million.
Youre Plan A and We Dont Have a Plan B.
The Patriots didnt have a lot of cap space entering this offseason, specifically with a heavy dead cap hit looming if Tom Brady left, so it was a surprise the team franchise-tagged Thuney. Thuney appeared stunned too, based upon how rapidly he signed it so that New England could not rescind it. New England already has a significant $9 million invested in guard Shaq Mason, so tagging Thuney implies the Patriots are currently investing more than 13 percent of their salary cap on guards, more than two times the league average. Head coach Bill Belichick may value pass security and run blocking more in a post– Tom Brady world, and he may likewise have less faith in developing Thuneys replacement after famous offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia retired this offseason. New England doesnt have much cap space left and is not likely to sign Thuney long-term by the deadline, however Cam Newton (or Jarrett Stidham) might have the best pass defense of his career.
Offensive Line franchise tag price: $15 million.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Arizona.
Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jacksonville.
No, Really, I Wont Show Up.
Defensive end franchise tag rate: $18 million.
Henry is a timeless franchise tag candidate. His injury history is so excessive– just 35 starts in 4 seasons– that giving him a long-term extension with a great deal of ensured money would be careless. The skill he has actually flashed when hes been on the field is tantalizing enough that L.A. cant just let him go. If Henry puts together a healthy project, where he d probably damage his profession highs in a lot of receiving classifications, the Chargers may consider a long-term deal for him next season. If Henry gets hurt again, the Chargers would be wise to let him leave.
Technically Drake was not franchise-tagged, however rather transition tagged, a various classification that would allow another group to sign Drake if they sent the Cardinals 2 first-round choices. There appears to be little opportunity hes signing a long-term offer in Arizona after Johnsons deal went so poorly.
Who amongst us has not openly @ed your company owners son on Twitter requiring a trade?
The tag is essentially an unnoticeable group alternative year tacked onto the end of the contract that provides the player a considerable however fixed raise and prevents them from negotiating with other teams. If no contract extension is agreed on by that due date, the player must play on the one-year tag deal and attempt to get a long-lasting contract next year. The tag is the most effective way for teams to prevent star football players from leaving in free firm, so the gamers who get tagged hate it.
Ngakoue is an excellent protector, and excellent defenders havent lasted long in Jacksonville. Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye and defensive end Calais Campbell have all been traded in the past year. Ngakoue seems identified to be next.
The only take advantage of Ngakoue has more than Jacksonville is he has actually not signed his franchise tender yet, so he might remain and up until hes dealt. That would likewise carry the threat that Jacksonville calls his bluff and lets him sit out without making any money for the 2020 season. This appears like it will be a tough fence to heal.
Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City.
You might believe Mahomess half-billion-dollar extension would indicate the Chiefs cant pay other gamers this offseason. Presuming Jones does not hold out or get traded, that would be 20 of 22 starters. Jones tweeted last week that if Kansas City doesnt provide him $20 million annually, he may sit out the season like LeVeon Bell did in 2018.
Defensive deal with franchise tag rate: $16 million.
When healthy, Jones is among the few interior pass rushers capable of doing an Aaron Donald impersonation (Jones was the second-highest graded linemen on 3rd and fourth down last year, per Pro Football Focus). The Chiefs backloaded $300 million of Mahomess contract for 2026 and beyond exactly to keep players like Jones around on a long-lasting offer. If they keep him on the tag and then let him go next year, the Mahomes contract will be the scapegoat.
The Jaguars are mindful I no longer have interest in signing a long term agreement in Jacksonville. Duval, I enjoy you and provided you people everything I got.
The franchise tag has a charge for repeat use, so tagging Prescott 3 years in a row looks like this:
If the Cowboys tag Prescott 3 years in a row, hell make $123 million over the next three years.
