mayoclinic

This from USAtoday:

San Francisco 49ers Team Report - USATODAY.com

"The 49ers are planning to place the franchise tag on nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, who is scheduled for unrestricted free agency, unless they first sign him to a contract extension. Linebacker Patrick Willis is among those who believes the 49ers simply can't afford to allow Franklin to leave the organization. 'I pray to God that they keep Aubrayo,' said Willis, who credits his ability to lead the league in tackles to the play of the linemen in front of him. 'The coaches already know where my heart is. I say he's the best nose in the game. Like I said before, you turn on the film and it shows. Nobody plays with better technique. I feel like nobody knows the game better than he knows it. He's not a very big guy, but he's technically sound, and it keeps my head from getting busted every play.' "

Not sure if that will have any impact on the Vince Wilfork situation.

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BritPat

It shouldn't. The tag is a pre-set amount, so Franklin will be looking at around $7M at least next year. Not bad.

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Creator of the Pats must draft Jason Verrett in 2014 no matter the cost fanclub.

robertweathers

The tag about doesn't impact Vince & the Pats directly, but it does potentially impact the market and any leverage either side maybe looking to gain during negotiations. Two angles:

1. Now that Franklin is off the market (assumed that a team will not give up 2 1s for him), team that are desperate for a solid NT may want to work out a deal w/ the Pats to get Wilfork- who by all accounts is a better player than Franklin and would demand more in a trade.

2. If the 49ers and Franklin work out a long-term deal, the framework of that deal will be used by either side as a starting point (depending on how each side wishes to play it.).

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ctpatsfan77

As a minor point, remember that franchise tags cannot actually be used until after the Super Bowl.

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robertweathers

Yep Feb 8th is the 1st day that they can do it I think as the SB is Feb 7th.

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mayoclinic

Those were the points I had in mind.

As others have noted, obviously SF can't officially tag Franklin till after the 2009 season is over. And obviously, it doesn't directly affect the Pats. But it affects the market for 3-4 DTs, and it can set some relative value on Wilfork, who is generally rated above Franklin, regardless of Patrick Willis' comments. Willis certainly makes it obvious that he appreciates the importance of a big stud up front taking on the blockers and allowing him to run around and make plays.

What happens with Pittsburgh and Casey Hampton will also have an indirect effect on the market for Wilfork, and the value placed on 3-4 NTs.

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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi