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National Football League
Draft King Analysis
February 19, 2009
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
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The 4 p.m. ET deadline for NFL teams to use their franchise tag has come and gone. There are some surprises in the bunch. There is also happiness in some fan bases. For example, my friend Adam is a big Panthers fan and was worried about the Panthers trying to keep both Jordan Gross and Julius Peppers on the roster. Adam texted this: "Panthers have less than 11 hours to get Gross signed to a deal so that they can slap a franchise tag on Peppers to avoid letting him go for nothing. So nervous!" Later in the day, Adam sent me a much happier message later when Carolina signed Gross to a new deal and used the franchise tag on Peppers.
Below is a team-by-team look at what happened up to, and past, the franchise tag deadline. Keep in mind that there are three tags available to each team (only one which can be used in any given year): the transitional tag, the non-exclusive franchise tag, and the exclusive franchise tag. The transitional tag is rarely used, as is the exclusive free agent tag. In most cases teams use the non-exclusive version of the tag for reasons too complicated to list in the limited space on here.
Note that I include the DOB (date of birth) for every player mentioned. I do this just to help give an overview on the interesting range of ages of players being franchised -- and those in the mix who weren't franchised but who are top-of-mind.
Arizona Cardinals: For a second consecutive off-season, the Cardinals used their non-exclusive franchise tag on OLB Karlos Dansby (born 11/3/1981). QB Kurt Warner (born 6/22/1971) is slated to become an unrestricted free agent.
Atlanta Falcons: Atlanta used its non-exclusive franchise tag on punter Michael Koenen (born 7/13/1982), who has some experience place-kicking, though he hasn't attempted a field goal in a regular season game since going 0-2 in 2007.
Baltimore Ravens: For a second consecutive off-season, Baltimore used its non-exclusive franchise tag on OLB Terrell Suggs (born 10/11/1982). LBs Ray Lewis (born 5/15/1975) and Bart Scott (born 8/18/1980) appear to be heating for unrestricted free agency.
|  | Jordan Gross is staying in Carolina. (Icon SMI)
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Buffalo Bills: No tag was used.
Carolina Panthers: Hours before the franchise tag deadline, Carolina signed Jordan Gross (born 10/11/1982) to a long-term contract. The team then placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on DE Julius Peppers (born 1/18/1980). Peppers has said in public that he does not want to play for the Panthers in 2009.
Chicago Bears: No tag was used.
Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati held true to its promise not to use the franchise tag on WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (born 9/26/1977). The team instead placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on PK Shayne Graham (born 12/9/1977).
Cleveland Browns: Cleveland used the non-exclusive franchise tag on SS Sean Jones (born 03/02/1982).
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys placed their non-exclusive franchise tag on DE Chris Canty (born 11/10/1982). Last year the Cowboys signed Canty, then a restricted free agent, to a one-year, $2.07 million contract. Now Canty is in position to sign a one-year, $8.99 million deal.
Denver Broncos: No tag was used.
Detroit Lions: The Lions avoided use of the franchise tag by signing PK Jason Hanson (born 6/17/1970) to a four-year contract.
Green Bay Packers: No tag was used.
Houston Texans: The Texans used their non-exclusive franchise tag on CB Dunta Robinson (born 4/11/1982). Robinson is still recovering from a severe leg injury suffered in 2007, but obviously the Texans like his prognosis for 2008.
Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis avoided having to use its franchise tag on CB Kelvin Hayden (born 7/28/1983) by signing him to a five-year contract worth $43 million (with $22.5 million in guaranteed money). As a result, no tag was used.
Jacksonville Jaguars: No tag was used.
Kansas City Chiefs: No tag was used.
Miami Dolphins: No tag was used. There was some speculation that the Dolphins would use its franchise tag on SS Yeremiah Bell (born 3/3/1978). But, as far as I know, Bill Parcells (the Dolphins executive VP of Football Operations) has never used the franchise tag.
Minnesota Vikings: No tag was used.
New England Patriots: The Patriots were the first team this off-season to use the franchise tag, applying it (in non-exclusive form) on quarterback Matt Cassel (born 5/17/1982). Cassel has already signed the one-year contract that comes with the tag, guaranteeing himself $14.65 million for 2009.
New Orleans Saints: As was announced yesterday, no tag was used by New Orleans. Expect the team to attempt to sign MLB Jonathan Vilma (born 4/16/1982) as soon as unrestricted free agency begins on February 27.
New York Giants: The Giants used the non-exclusive franchise tag on RB Brandon Jacobs (born 7/6/1982). Jacobs is coming off of back-to-back 1,000+ rushing yard seasons.
New York Jets: Despite some speculation that the team might tag PK Mike Nugent (born 3/2/1982), the Jets opted not to use their franchise tag.
Oakland Raiders: Agent Tom Condon pulled two rabbits out of a hat in negotiations with Oakland. Yesterday, the Raiders signed punter Shane Lechler (born 8/7/1976) to a four-year, $16 million contract with $9 million guaranteed. Today, in a shocker, the Raiders signed CB Nnamdi Asomugha (born 7/6/1981) to a three-year, $45.3 million contract with $28.5 million guaranteed (and other "complicated" stipulations). The connection: both deals were brokered by Condon, who landed Asmougha as a client this past December.
Had Asomugha not signed a new deal, it was widely expected that the Raiders would have used the exclusive version of the franchise tag on Asmougha for a second consecutive year, which would have been a for the rarely-used exclusive version of the franchise tag. Instead, the Raiders did not use their tag this year.
Philadelphia Eagles: No tag was used.
Pittsburgh Steelers: In a bit of a surprise, the Steelers used their non-exclusive franchise tag on OT Max Starks (born 1/10/1982). Starks made $6,899,800 in 2008, and his one-year tender from Pittsburgh is for $8.45 million. With five offensive linemen headed either for free agency (four of the five unrestricted), the Steelers had to do something here to avoid a mass exodus, particularly with player values potentially inflated as they often are for players coming from a Super Bowl winning team.
|  | Bo Scaife appears destined to return to Tennessee for the 2009 season. (Icon SMI)
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San Diego Chargers: In a very intriguing move, the Chargers opted to put the non-exclusive franchise tag on 5'6", 190 pound RB Darren Sproles (born 6/20/1983). Is Sproles the shortest player in NFL history to receive the franchise tag? Sproles had a solid 2008, posting a 5.4 yards per carry average. At the same time, Sproles has just 544 total yards rushing in his NFL career, and now he's looking at a deal that guarantees him $6.62 million for 2009.
San Francisco 49ers: No tag was used.
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks used their non-exclusive franchise tag on OLB Leroy Hill (born 9/14/1982). Hill was arrested last month in Georgia on charges of marijuana possession, but despite that Seattle didn't want to chance having Hill hit the open market.
St. Louis Rams: The Rams used the non-exclusive franchise tag on FS Oshiomogho "A.J." Atowge (born 6/23/1981). Atogwe has started every regular-season game for the Rams from 2006-2008 and was a rare bright spot on the team's defense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The interesting NFL career of WR Antonio Bryant (born 3/9/1981) continues with another intriguing move, as Tampa Bay used its non-exclusive franchise tag on Bryant. In 2008 Bryant had 1,248 receiving yards and 7 TDs in starting all but one of the Buccaneers games. And, while Tampa Bay has had an overhaul in management over the off-season, the new regime opted to keep Bryant around for 2009.
Tennessee Titans: In one of a number of down-to-the-wire negotiation sessions, the Titans today signed PK Rob Bironas (born 1/29/1978) to a four-year, $12 million deal with just less than $5 million guaranteed. The Titans were prohibited from using the franchise tag on Albert Haynesworth (born 6/17/1981) as per a deal reached last year (when the Titans franchised him), so the team opted to use its non-exclusive franchise tag on tight end Bo Scaife (born 1/6/1981). QB Kerry Collins (12/30/1972) is slated to become an unrestricted free agent.
Washington Redskins: No tag was used.
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