Tag: franchise tag

49ers’ window to franchise tag Arik Armstead opens

The 49ers’ window to use the franchise tag on Arik Armstead is officially open.

The 49ers’ window to make a decision on defensive lineman Arik Armstead is officially open. If they do want to use the franchise tag on the five-year veteran, they’ll have to do so by 1:00 pm PST on March 12. The date to use the tag was pushed back a couple days due to uncertainty about the ongoing CBA negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Player’s Association.

San Francisco has had all year to start figuring out what they want to do with Armstead, but now their clock is officially ticking down.

If they do use the franchise tag on Armstead, they’ll owe him around $18 million fully guaranteed in 2020, and he’d be an unrestricted free agent again next season.

Armstead wouldn’t have to sign the tag right away though. It simply wouldn’t allow him to negotiate with other teams in free agency, so the 49ers may wind up using it just to keep their negotiating window open for a long-term deal. That would be beneficial to both sides since the cash-strapped 49ers could spread out some of Armstead’s money, while the defensive lineman would have more long-term security.

San Francisco could also tag Armstead with the intention of trading him – a move we saw the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs use on defensive ends last season. That would allow the 49ers to at least gain some sort of compensation back for Armstead after he posted a career-high and team-best 10 sacks last season.

If the 49ers don’t tag Armstead, it could be a signal for their future plans. In that case they’d either be confident in getting a long-term deal done with Armstead, or they’d be comfortable letting him explore the market as an unrestricted free agent. The legal tampering period is March 16, and the new league year when UFAs would be allowed to sign with new teams is March 18.

There are several offseason dominoes to track for the 49ers, but Armstead will likely be the first and biggest one. Thursday marked the first day that piece could fall down, and now San Francisco is officially on the clock for a potentially franchise-altering decision.

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NFL franchise tag period opens, Chiefs have until March 12 to use it

The clock on signing pending free agent DT Chris Jones begins today.

The NFL’s franchise tag period officially opens today after being delayed for two days. The delay was enacted in hopes of the NFL and NFLPA being able to reach an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. That hasn’t yet happened, as players still need to vote to accept or decline the terms of the proposed CBA. Until there is a new CBA in place, the NFL will operate under current rules, which would allow teams to use both the franchise tag and transition tag in 2020.

Now that the franchise tag period has opened, the Kansas City Chiefs will have until March 12 to use the tag, presumably on star defensive tackle Chris Jones. They’ll have just 15 days of negotiation time with Jones before they’ll have to make some sort of decision regarding his future in Kansas City.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach didn’t take the franchise tag off the table for Jones when he spoke at the NFL combine earlier this week. However, It’s clear that Veach would prefer to agree to a long-term extension. There was initially some concern that Jones might hold out if the team was forced to use the franchise tag, but now there’s a growing sense of optimism that’d he’d eventually report.

The Katz Brothers (who represent Jones) and the Chiefs have maintained a positive dialogue throughout the process dating back to the 2019 offseason. Right now, there’s no reason to expect they won’t get something done to keep Jones in Kansas City for the 2020 season at the very least.

Report: Cowboys expected to have both franchise, transition tag options

The Dallas Cowboys are in a holding pattern, not knowing which landing strip is going to be available to them. With the owners submitting CBA proposals to the NFLPA but no formal vote happening in the immediate future, one big sticking point that is …

The Dallas Cowboys are in a holding pattern, not knowing which landing strip is going to be available to them. With the owners submitting CBA proposals to the NFLPA but no formal vote happening in the immediate future, one big sticking point that is paramount to the offseason plans remains in limbo.

Will NFL teams be able to utilize the final-year-of-current-CBA loophole when it comes to tagging players? In 2011 when the current deal was struck, there was language written in that teams would be able to use both the franchise tag and the transition tag on free agents. Normally it’s just one or the other. However with a new deal seemingly close for the last month, it looked like that would go away and revert to normal. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, it appears with the franchise window set to open on Thursday, the league will move foward with the current CBA outline.

The Cowboys, of course, have quarterback Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper at the top of their free agent wish list. Having both tags at their disposal would mean hefty one-year salaries, but the ability to retain both players without much of their consent.

It also means that if one or both get signed to a long-term deal, Dallas could use a transition tag on CB Byron Jones, another free agent likely to get top-of-market offers in free agency.

The new league year starts March 18 with players being able to talk to teams as early as March 16.

On Tuesday night, the NFLPA’s 32 player reps decided to present the league’s proposal to the full body, despite the executive council voting 6-5 to not agree to the NFL’s offer. The players’ council vote was 17-14 in favor, with one abstain. Whenever the players do decide to vote, a simply majority will activate the new CBA. That is not expected to happen before Thursday, and might not happen until after the tag deadline is closed.

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Bills won’t use franchise or transition tag

Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane says the team won’t use their franchise tag or transition tag.

It’s not much of a surprise, but the Buffalo Bills won’t be among teams that will flex their franchise tag or transition tag this offseason.

According to general manager Brandon Beane himself, he is not considering using it. The executive told the Buffalo News this on Tuesday at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, but it’s not exactly breaking news. It wasn’t expected that the Bills would do so.

The top-three candidates for such a tag on the Bills roster include defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, defensive end Shaq Lawson and offensive lineman Quinton Spain.

Phillips and Lawson both play in a rotation on Buffalo’s D-line, so the team probably want some kind of deal based on that. In turn, the duo will want starter money themselves, which is fair.

In regard to Lawson, the Bills declined his fifth-year option on his rookie deal last offseason, too. If Buffalo wanted to give him some sort of one-year deal, like the franchise tag, they could’ve just flexed that.

On Spain, the Bills did revamp their offensive line last season, but there’s always the option of replacing him with a better prospect. Spain graded out as the 67th best guard in the NFL via Pro Football Focus this year.

In terms of the Bills’ options there, Cody Ford could kick inside if the Bills want to shuffle things around, or the Bills could use their capital to replace Spain. The Bills have the third-most salary cap space in the NFL ($80 million) and have nine draft picks. That idea applies to the defensive linemen as well.

What seems most likely with this trio is that they will test the open market, then come back to the Bills with an offer of sorts.

Furthermore, tagging a player is expensive. Here’s how much their respective tags would cost the Bills this offseason, which is probably the biggest reason why Buffalo won’t use theirs:

  • DT: $15.21M (franchise), $12.38M (transition)
  • OL: $14.97M (franchise), $12.87M (transition)
  • DE: $17.13M (franchise), $14.36M (transition)

In their history, the players who have received the franchise tag designation from the Bills are: OL John Fina, WR Peerless Price, CB Nate Clements, S Jairus Byrd, and OT Cordy Glenn.

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One step closer: Proposed CBA goes to full NFLPA membership for vote

The proposed CBA would expand games and playoff teams, but limit what the Cowboys can do with tags for Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper.

The National Football League, its players, owners, and fans are one step closer to ten more years of guaranteed football. After a lengthy meeting that lasted into the night in Indianapolis, the NFL Players Association Board of Player Representatives voted to send the collective bargaining agreement proposed by owners last week to the full union membership.

Now, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, NFLPA attorneys will draft a document that each of the league’s nearly 2,000 players will vote on, with a simple majority (one vote over 50 percent) needed to pass. That vote is expected to take place in “a couple of weeks,” Graziano tweeted Wednesday morning.

As per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, though, the new CBA’s approval is a “virtual certainty.” As he put it, the league and the players are “on the 1-yard line towards 10 years of labor peace.”

The current executive council did not vote again, remaining at 6-5 against according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, while the player’s reps voted 17-14 with one abstaining in favor of the new agreement, pushing this to a vote of the entire body.

It’s possible the full vote will not take place before the NFLPA holds their elections in early May, adding another wrinkle to the equation.

The new collective bargaining agreement calls for an option to expand to a 17-game season (no sooner than 2021), two additional roster spots for each team, a higher percentage of revenue for players (at least 48 percent), the expansion of the playoff field to 14 teams (beginning in 2020), and upgraded pensions for former players. Also included are a cap on the number international games, a reduction of padded practices in training camp, larger practice squad rosters, no extra bye week, and a preseason shortened by one game. The owners also agreed to eliminate the $250,000 cap on earnings for players when they get the extra game check for the 17-game season.

Of particular interest to Cowboys fans is what the new CBA would do to the existing tag system. The tag window is set to open on Thursday, but it is now unclear- less than 24 hours prior- if teams would still be allowed to use both the franchise tag and the transition tag, as they could under the current CBA, which technically expires in March 2021. Dallas has been expected by many to use the franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott and the transition tag on wide receiver Amari Cooper as a way to keep both players from testing the waters of free agency.

If, as Graziano suspects, teams are no longer allowed to use both tags, it is Cooper who almost assuredly moves onto the proverbial bubble in Dallas, unless the Cowboys can work out an agreement with Prescott prior to the tag window closing.

Tuesday night’s vote was not a cakewalk, with the 32 player reps divided on whether to send the proposed CBA to its full membership. The final vote was 17-14, with one abstention.

Once approved, the proposed CBA would run through the 2030 NFL season.

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John Elway says Broncos will tag Justin Simmons if they can’t get an extension done

Broncos might place a one-year franchise tag on safety Justin Simmons next month.

Broncos safety Justin Simmons is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 18. Denver won’t let him hit the open market.

Broncos general manager John Elway has until March 12 to use a one-year franchise tag on one player for the 2020 season. If the team is not able to sign Simmons to a long-term deal before then, he will be tagged.

“We’re hoping to get a deal done before that, but if we don’t get something done, we’ll use the tag,” Elway said at the NFL combine on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold.

The franchise tag for safeties is expected to be worth about $11.6 million this year. If tagged, Simmons would still be a candidate to receive a long-term contract extension later in the offseason.

Simmons expects to be tagged and isn’t opposed to it.

“We’re kind of sitting on the optimistic side of things because of in the past when the Broncos have used a tag and Elway’s used it, they’ve always worked out a longterm deal,” Simmons said Monday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “So we’re pretty confident that we’ll be able to work something out.”

Both sides are hopeful a deal will get done.

“I think we’ll be able [to] get something done with Justin,” Elway said. “He’s an important piece of what we do. We want to get something done.”

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Broncos safety Justin Simmons expects to receive franchise tag

Broncos safety Justin Simmons expects the team to place a franchise tag on him this offseason.

Broncos safety Justin Simmons had an interview with Bruce Murray and Brady Quinn on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday and spoke about the possibility of receiving a one-year franchise tag this offseason.

The NFL and NFLPA have moved the franchise tag deadline back two days, giving Denver general manager John Elway more time to negotiate a long-term deal with Simmons before resorting to using the tag.

Simmons doesn’t think the moved deadline will change much.

“My family and I and obviously Todd [France] — who’s my agent — have talked and we expect to get franchise tagged,” Simmons said. “With them moving the date back, we don’t anticipate it affecting us really at all.”

The franchise tag for safeties is expected to be worth about $12,735,000 this year, according to OverTheCap.com. Simmons noted that when Elway has tagged players in the past, he later came to long-term agreements with those players.

“In terms of the franchise tag, we’re kind of sitting on the optimistic side of things because of in the past when the Broncos have used a tag and Elway’s used it, they’ve always worked out a longterm deal,” Simmons said. “So we’re pretty confident that we’ll be able to work something out.”

Elway previously placed one-year franchise tags on kicker Matt Prater (2012), left tackle Ryan Clady (2013), wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (2015) and outside linebacker Von Miller (2016) before later agreeing to multi-year contract extensions with those players.

Elway may be planning to do the same with Simmons this offseason.

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NFL, NFLPA agree to move deadline for franchise tag

The Broncos will now have two extra days to negotiate a contract with Justin Simmons before the franchise tag deadline.

As NFL owners and the NFL Players Association continue to negotiate terms of a new collective bargaining agreement, the two sides know there’s a rush to get a CBA done before salaries and guidelines lock in for the 2020 season.

If a new CBA is not agreed to this week, the league will continue operating under the current CBA, which was ratified in 2011. The two sides can make some tweaks even before agreeing to a new CBA, though.

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to move the deadlines for franchise and transition tags, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Tags can now be applied up until March 12, two days later than the original deadline.

That means the Broncos will have two extra days to negotiate with safety Justin Simmons before unrestricted free agency begins. If Denver is not able to reach a long-term deal with Simmons before March 12, they can place a one-year franchise tag on him to make sure he doesn’t leave.

The new league year — and free agency — will begin on March 18.

After tagging Simmons, the Broncos could then continue negotiating a long-term contract — and other teams wouldn’t be allowed to sign him.

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ESPN predicts Redskins won’t use franchise tag on Brandon Scherff

The Redskins could place a tag on Scherff and keep him around for one more year to determine his health, but some don’t think they will.

One of the biggest free agency questions that face the Washington Redskins this offseason is what they will choose to do with right guard Brandon Scherff.

The three-time Pro-Bowler was drafted by the Redskins in the first round of the 2015 draft, and over the years he’s grown into his role with the team, becoming one of the best at his position in the entire NFL. Now he wishes to be paid as such, but will the Redskins grant his wish?

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There are arguments to be made on both sides of that coin. Scherff is a perennial RG and he’s declared his desire to play in Washington for his entire career — signing him to a 3-4 year deal would almost guarantee security on the right side of the line for the near future. However, it will take a large chunk of the Redskins’ salary cap to keep Scherff around, and they may have liked what they saw from rookie guard  Wes Martin in his short playing stint in 2019 — if the team were to let Scherff walk and thrust Martin into the starting RG position, it probably wouldn’t be a complete trainwreck.

Then there’s the franchise tag. For one player on the roster, an NFL team can place a tag on him to keep him around for one more season, paying him an average of the top five salaries at the position — or 120 percent more than the player’s salary from the previous season. Washington has this open to them as an option when it comes to Scherff, but according to ESPN’s John Keim, they may not use it:

The Redskins tried to sign him during the season, offering him a deal worth a reported $13 million per year — though it’s uncertain how much was guaranteed or how it was structured. Though it’s a new regime, they still view Scherff as a cornerstone player even though he now has missed 13 games the past two seasons because of injuries. He remains a solid right guard who is excellent blocking in space. The other question is whether Scherff wants to commit to the Redskins long term after five seasons. The tag would allow both sides to learn more: Will Scherff stay healthy and is this regime worth committing to?

Prediction: The Redskins won’t use the franchise tag on Scherff.

If the Redskins were to place a tag on Scherff, it would likely pay him over $15 million per year. This one-year tender — or a multi-year extension, should they reach an agreement —would allow them to then focus on the rest of the offensive needs, and shift their gaze to shoring up the defensive secondary as well. Then again, they could also let him walk, and keep the endless rebuilding project of an offensive line rolling along.

The Redskins have from February 27 to March 12 to apply the tag to one of their free agents, two days later than originally planned after the NFL pushed back the window due to CBA negotiations.

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PFF predicts Colts trade for Chiefs DT Chris Jones

Pro Football Focus predicted the Kansas City Chiefs will trade DT Chris Jones to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a big decision on the horizon. What to do about pending free agent and star defensive tackle Chris Jones? Ideally, they’d like to sign Jones to a long term contract. However, we all know that the business side of the NFL rarely operates ideally. So what does that mean for the Jones and the Chiefs? Perhaps it means the trade winds are blowing.

The folks over at Pro Football Focus recently predicted potential landing spots for each of their top-50 free agents in the upcoming class. In their prediction for Jones, he doesn’t become a free agent. Instead, Jones is signed to the franchise tag by Kansas City and flipped to the Indianapolis Colts for draft picks. The Colts turn around and sign Jones to a long term contract at four years with $18 million per year and $53 million total in guaranteed money.

Here’s a look at what PFF’s Anthony Treash had to say about Jones and his new home:

“With just $13.7 million in cap space and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes still needing an extension, the Chiefs have to be careful with who they sign this offseason to sustain long-term success. Chris Jones is one of the best 3-techniques in the entire NFL. If it weren’t for Aaron Donald‘s dominance, Jones would own the highest pass-rush grade at 3-tech over the past four years. As our own Eric Eager broke down earlier this week, a likely scenario for the Chiefs is to apply the franchise tag to Jones and trade him for draft compensation. Indianapolis is a candidate for this type of deal, as they own two second-round picks and are desperate for pass-rush help, particularly on the interior where they ranked 29th of 32 teams in pressure rate generated.”

The Colts front office would know what they’re getting in Jones. Indy’s GM Chris Ballard was the Chiefs’ Director of Football Operations when Jones was drafted to Kansas City. He wasn’t around to watch his maturation as a player, but Ballard has watched his Colts face Jones. It’s clear that Jones would be an upgrade for any defensive line in the NFL, but the price of trading for him and signing him will be steep. Is Ballard confident enough to invest such capital in a player that isn’t a quarterback?

As for the return for Kansas City, PFF didn’t specifically mention the haul of picks or players. They referenced multiple second-round picks as ammunition, but I don’t think that gets a deal for Jones done. Maybe that’s the starting point of the conversation and the team accepts nothing less than what Frank Clark cost them a season ago, especially given that Jones would within the AFC conference.

Keep in mind, these are simply predictions from PFF. We’ll know soon enough if the Chiefs have any interest in tagging and trading Jones. The franchise tag period opens up in a week’s time. Also, the NFL descends on Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine, and that’s where these types of trade talks begin to take shape.

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