The NFL franchise tag deadline has come and gone, as loads of groups waited till the final minute to slap the tag on key gamers to be able to stop them from being unrestricted free brokers. The Baltimore Ravens lastly put the tag on Lamar Jackson whereas the New York Giants needed to make a decision whether or not to forestall Daniel Jones or Saquon Barkley from hitting free company (they have been in a position to retain each).
The Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders wasted no time in ensuring their prime working backs did not hit the market, tagging Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs greater than 24 hours previous to the deadline. Six groups determined to make use of the franchise tag this offseason, creating much more hypothesis if these groups can attain long run offers with these tagged gamers.
With the franchise tag deadline handed, listed below are the winners and losers as free company is lower than per week away.
Winner: New York Giants
The Giants have been in a position to accomplish the targets they set — attain a long run take care of Daniel Jones and franchise tag Saquon Barkley. From an organizational standpoint, it is a win for the franchise (even when it wasn’t settled till 3:54 p.m. — six minutes earlier than the deadline).
Jones signed a four-year, $160 million take care of $82 million totally assured. Signing Jones allowed New York to position the franchise tag on Barkley and giving the entrance workplace till July to achieve a long run take care of Barkley.
The query that persists for the Giants. Was 9-6-1 and a divisional spherical playoff look with a quarterback that had a profession 12 months and a working again that is averaged fewer than 4.5 yards per carry post-ACL surgical procedure the ceiling? The Giants are going to search out out within the coming years.
For this offseason, New York is preserving Jones and Barkley. That’s a win for the franchise.
Loser: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have been sensible to not let Tony Pollard hit the free agent market, putting the franchise tag on him and giving the gifted working again $10.91 million for the 2023 season. While Dallas provides themselves extra time to work out a long-term take care of Pollard, they nonetheless are paying Ezekiel Elliott $16.72 million in 2023.
Dallas is at the moment paying $27.63 million for 2 working backs subsequent season. That needs to be corrected within the coming months. The Cowboys cannot construct a Super Bowl championship roster with over $16 million in wage cap house going to Elliott.
Elliott’s contract needs to be restructured or the Cowboys want to chop ties with him all collectively. They cannot pay two working backs over $10 million per season.
Brown desires to signal a long-term take care of the Kansas City Chiefs, however he’ll get the chance to check the free agent market this 12 months as Kansas City determined to not place the franchise tag on him. Arguably the most effective offensive lineman available on the market, groups can go right into a bidding struggle for Brown as he lastly will get the chance to showcase how a lot he is value as a left sort out.
Only three left tackles make over $20 million per season and just one left sort out (Trent Williams) has a contract that totals over $100 million. Brown seems primed to obtain over $100 million and $20 million yearly in free company.
Loser: Josh Jacobs
The Raiders actually benefitted from tagging Jacobs this offseason, particularly since Jacobs is coming off a season which he led the NFL in speeding yards (1,653) and yards from scrimmage (2,053) whereas incomes First Team All-Pro honors. Jacobs was arguably the cream of the crop of all of the working backs set to hit free company.
Then the Raiders tagged Jacobs, taking him off the market whereas incomes a wage of $10.091 million in 2023. Jacobs would have obtained extra on the open market if he have been to hit it, particularly because the Raiders declined his fifth-year possibility for 2023 (placing him in that free agent scenario within the first place).
Jacobs ought to thrive in 12 months two in Josh McDaniels’ offense and put up huge numbers, however would have have obtained as a lot cash as this offseason with extra tread on his tires? Unless Jacobs will get a contract extension, 2023 is one other “show it” 12 months.
Winner: Lamar Jackson
Jackson will get considerably of a chance to check the market, because the Baltimore Ravens positioned the non-exclusive franchise tag on their franchise quarterback. This provides Jackson the chance to barter with different groups, giving them an opportunity to supply Jackson the assured cash he is in search of in his subsequent contract.
If Jackson is obtainable a king’s ransom in his subsequent deal, the Ravens can select to match it or get two first spherical picks. If Baltimore decides to match it, Jackson returns to the Ravens and will get his cash.
Either manner, Jackson is getting his cash — type the Ravens or one other workforce. At worst, Jackson will get $32.416 million assured in 2023 (assuming he indicators the tender).
Loser: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens do wish to pay Jackson, however slapping the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson is a big gamble. Jackson goes to receives a commission by some workforce over the subsequent week, and there is going to be a bidding struggle for him.
Two first-round picks in return is not practically sufficient for a participant of Jackson’s abilities. The Ravens had over a 12 months to get a long run take care of Jackson performed. Now he could not even be with the Ravens by the tip of subsequent week.
The Jaguars wish to work out a long-term take care of Evan Engram, and slapping the franchise tag on their franchise-record setting tight finish was one of the best ways to deal with that enterprise. The tight finish market is not robust in free company and Engram would have been in excessive demand after a profession 12 months.
Engram is getting paid $11.345 million, a slight increase over the $9 million wage he obtained final 12 months. Good for the Jaguars for taking good care of one among Trever Lawrence’s greatest go catchers as quickly as potential, particularly since they’ve 4 extra months to work on an extension.
Jessie Bates leaving Cincinnati gave the impression to be a foregone conclusion as soon as the Bengals could not attain a take care of him on the franchise tag deadline final July. Bates held out for a bit earlier than deciding to play beneath the tag.
The Bengals determined to not tag Bates this time, paying him $14.46 million — lower than he would have obtained in free company. Bates will get considerably extra on the open market, and the Bengals will doubtless lose out on one of many core gamers of their franchise.
Cincinnati has to pay Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase — on the expense of shedding Bates. He was a distinction maker of their secondary.
The franchise tag was used on three working backs: Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, and Tony Pollard. Sanders wasn’t going to obtain the franchise tag from the Philadelphia Eagles, so he is arguably the most effective working again out there in a crowded market.
How a lot are groups keen to pay Sanders given he is the highest working again out there? If the three backs that have been tagged are getting $10.091 million, actually Sanders can obtain $8 to $9 million per season from groups that desperately want a working again.
Sure there are cheaper choices, however these gamers did not produce in 2022 like Sanders did. After the working backs that have been tagged, James Conner is the subsequent highest contract at $7 million per season. Certainly Sanders can obtain greater than that quantity in free company.
Loser: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs nonetheless have per week to work out a long-term take care of Orlando Brown, making a enterprise resolution to not franchise tag him this time and pay Brown $18.244 million for 2023. If Kansas City would not signal Brown, the Chiefs have an enormous void at each sort out positions — as Andrew Wylie can also be set to hit free company subsequent week.
The depth at sort out is severely questioned if the Chiefs do not retain Brown or Wylie, however Brown is a distinction maker on that offensive line. Kansas City did not have the $18.244 million in ensures and wage cap hit to get 4 further months of negotiating with Brown.
If the Chiefs do not signal Brown this week, he is getting paid by somebody in free company. The Chiefs could be again to sq. one at sort out, a daunting sight for Patrick Mahomes.
