The 2021 NFL franchise tag deadline has concluded and the Jacksonville Jaguars were among the teams to use the annual designation. Last year it went on defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, but this season it went to a perimeter player on the offensive side in tackle Cam Robinson.
The move was somewhat of a surprise, yet one that made sense for many reasons. While there were options who would’ve been an upgrade, there was no guarantee the Jags could sign or trade for a veteran upgrade, while the draft only provided unproven options.
After the announcement was made that Robinson would be tagged, Jags coach Urban Meyer expressed his faith in Robinson’s ability to man the blindside. Meyer added that offensive line coach George Warhop felt the same way. With that being the case, the Jags seemingly will move forward with Robinson, who will make approximately $13.6 million if he plays on the tag, according to Over the Cap.
The Jags also have until July 15 to come to a long-term deal with Robinson. However, with Meyer bringing up Robinson’s development, they may elect to let him play on the tag and use it as a “prove-it” contract.
When factoring in Robinson’s franchise tag figure, the Jags fell to a total of around $71.8 million in available cap space. Per Over the cap, that’s still good for the most in the NFL as Robinson currently has the second-highest figure on the team, only under guard Andrew Norwell.
As for the rest of the league, there were eight other teams to use the franchise tag. The players who received them are as follows:
Barring a late, unknown franchise tag, 9 were used:
Washington G Brandon Scherff#Bucs WR Chris Godwin#Jaguars T Cam Robinson #Giants DL Leonard Williams#Bears WR Allen Robinson#Panthers T Taylor Moton#Broncos S Justin Simmons#Jets S Marcus Maye#Saints S Marcus Williams
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2021
With the Jags having several needs, many of the aforementioned players could’ve been on their radar, especially defensive lineman Leonard Williams, receiver Allen Robinson, and safeties Marcus Williams, Marcus Maye, and Justin Simmons.
With only nine tags being used and the salary cap not making a massive leap from 2020, many notable names avoided the same fate as Robinson and are one step closer to hitting the open market. While the full list can be viewed here, safety John Johnson, cornerback William Jackson III, receiver Curtis Samuel, and tight end Jonnu Smith are some of many players who could be available to help the Jags.