Whether or not the NFL’s franchise and transition tag deadline gets pushed back on Tuesday, the New York Giants are expected to place the franchise tag on defensive lineman Leonard Williams for the second consecutive season.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report the news.
The #Giants are expected to franchise tag standout DL Leonard Williams, source said. It’s viewed as a placeholder for a long-term deal, which the two sides will continue to work towards. On the heels of a career year with 11.5 sacks, Leo is back with NYG.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2021
As Rapoport notes, the tag is merely viewed as a placeholder while the Giants and Williams continue to work towards a well-deserved long-term deal.
However, before that can happen, the Giants must first clear additional salary cap space in order to fit Williams in under the franchise tag. Currently, the league’s deadline is slated for 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday evening.
There is also the matter of what the tag will cost the Giants. As things sit, Williams is awaiting the conclusion of his NFLPA grievances over position. If he wins his case, Williams will be labeled a defensive end as opposed to a defensive tackle, upping his projected 2021 salary from $19.4 million to $21.4 million.
While this decision demonstrates how much the Giants would like Williams to remain in East Rutherford, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that two sides still aren’t close on a new deal.
I’m told the sides aren’t particularly close to a deal. Necessary disclaimer: Things can happen fast in negotiations. And I’d imagine the Giants’ urgency to get something done will rise in the coming days so Williams isn’t counting $19.4M against the cap when free agency opens https://t.co/KQAH89nHiS
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) March 9, 2021
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