****** "Official" 2012 Franchise Tag Thread ******

[jmt57]

Looks like Tampa Bay is headed towards another year of spending as little as possible, planning on using the franchise tag on their FG kicker (he doesn't even kick off) Connor Barth rather than on one of their other players, such as OL Jeremy Zuttah.

Bucs prepared to give franchise tag to Barth | TBO.com

[Patriot Missile]

Originally Posted by jmt57

Looks like Tampa Bay is headed towards another year of spending as little as possible, planning on using the franchise tag on their FG kicker (he doesn't even kick off) Connor Barth rather than on one of their other players, such as OL Jeremy Zuttah.

Bucs prepared to give franchise tag to Barth | TBO.com

Someday they will be 120 million under the cap ad be able to replace their whole roster.

[Deus Irae]

Marshawn Lynch won't be getting tagged:

the Seahawks and Lynch have agreed to terms. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, it’s a four-year, $31 million contract with $18 million guaranteed.

Seahawks, Lynch strike four-year, $31 million deal | ProFootballTalk

[resdubwhite]

Originally Posted by Deus Irae

Marshawn Lynch won't be getting tagged:



Seahawks, Lynch strike four-year, $31 million deal | ProFootballTalk

Thats a good deal for him considering he's a headcase.

[Uncle Rico]

Foster signs with Texans, five years, and Bills holding a PC today, presumably to announce Johnson signing.

[Gronkandez]

Originally Posted by The Scrizz

I read somewhere (PFT?) that the Saints wanted to pay Brees like a 'very good QB' not a 'great' QB and were $5 million per off. Which is just idiotic on the part of the Saints. If anything, treating the savior off one of the worst franchises for decades like this will just want to make other guys leave.

Report: Saints want to pay Brees like a “very good,” not “great,” QB | ProFootballTalk

Morons.

Right, cuz it's much smarter to pay him the $23M/yr he wants giving the team much less cap room. If they got a deal done before the cap the Saints could have franchised Nicks or Colston, now they aren't virtually guaranteed to lose at least one of them. Brees comes away looking like the selfish one.

[resdubwhite]

Its been a pretty bad week for the Saints.


It looks to be getting worse though.

[tatepatsfan]

Cliff Avril has been franchied now too. Detroit Lions place franchise tag on Cliff Avril, source says - ESPN

Also, ESPN (courtesy of Mike Reiss) has a franchise tag tracker that's up to date: Keeping track of franchise tags - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

[Wilfork#75]

With Arian Foster getting a 5 year, $43.5 mil contract ($20.75mil guaranteed) with $18mil in 2012, I think you can rule them out franchising Mario Williams. I would think his $22 mil franchise number would put them well over the cap.

[jmt57]

Originally Posted by tatepatsfan

Cliff Avril has been franchied now too. Detroit Lions place franchise tag on Cliff Avril, source says - ESPN

Also, ESPN (courtesy of Mike Reiss) has a franchise tag tracker that's up to date: Keeping track of franchise tags - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

I think it's going to be difficult for the Lions to take a step forward this year. Right now they have $60 million in cap space allotted to four players: Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Suh and Avril. I know they get Leshoure and Best back to help out their running game, but they still have a lot of holes to fill. Assuming Cutler and Forte are fully recovered from their injuries I can see the Bears finishing ahead of the Lions in 2012.