Tag and Trade Options?

[HailHydra]

The news of the Nick Foles tag and trade option (and the Bell transition tag potential) has got me thinking of a particular scenario.

We seem to have 2 expiring contracts that look to grab 10+ mill a year on the open market: Trent Brown and Trey Flowers. Trey Flowers is the consensus guy that we would want back, but couldn't we get something back from Trent Brown? This is a market that isn't too strong in offensive linemen (at least to my knowledge), so franchise tagging and putting Trent Brown up on the trade block seems like it would be an interesting option to explore. If we just let Brown go then we'd get a 3rd rounder next year. The tag for Brown would probably be ~15-16 mill, which isn't crazy prohibitive for the numerous teams that would be in need of a LT in the offseason, with Brown among the top. Would a team give up a 2nd rounder for Brown? Probably. The Seahawks paid a 2nd rounder for half a year of Duane Brown (before signing him to extension).

Seems like an option, but wanted to discuss.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

You really can’t do it by CBA rules. Technically you could tag and trade someone, but there can’t be intention to do so. So, if you tagged Flowers, for example, with the intent of him playing in NE, and then Flowers demanded a trade, it could happen, but it’s always going to be a potential grievance.

 

[HailHydra]

You really can’t do it by CBA rules. Technically you could tag and trade someone, but there can’t be intention to do so. So, if you tagged Flowers, for example, with the intent of him playing in NE, and then Flowers demanded a trade, it could happen, but it’s always going to be a potential grievance.

I mean isn't someone like Trent Brown a realistic Franchise Tag possibility?

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I mean isn't someone like Trent Brown a realistic Franchise Tag possibility?

I don’t consider him close to being a top 5 LT, but it’s not completely inconceivable. If they tag him, I’d think he’ll gladly take a huge guaranteed payment and defer free agency for a year.

 

[Ring 6]

I mean isn't someone like Trent Brown a realistic Franchise Tag possibility?

The CBA says you have to intend to keep the player when you tag him.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The CBA says you have to intend to keep the player when you tag him.

For the record, the specific language is:

“A Club extending a Required Tender must, for so long as that Tender is extended, have a good faith intention to employ the player receiving the Tender at the Tender compensation level during the upcoming season.”

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I mean isn't someone like Trent Brown a realistic Franchise Tag possibility?

I believe there are three realistic possibilities: Brown, Flowers, and Gostkowski.

 

[maust]

Seems like an option, but wanted to discuss.

There are impediments to what you are asking about doing.
As noted as noted by @Ice_Ice_Brady is under this iteration of the CBA requires at least the appearance of good faith intent to retain the player rather than hold him hostage. The other thing you need to keep in mind is you can only tag one player, meaning you can't franchise tag one and hit another franchise another. No doubt any contract Brown gets will result in a 3rd round compensatory pick, realistically you wouldn't get more than a mid second for him in trade. Is a round and a half of draft position worth all the ramifications that come with using the tag?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Is a round and a half of draft position worth all the ramifications that come with using the tag?

Two points, though:

• In this case, it's the difference between a 2 in 2019 and a late 3 in 2020.
• Moreover, because of the way comp picks work, it's a chance at a comp pick. They could sign a FA that cancels out that pick.

 

[maust]

Two points, though:

• In this case, it's the difference between a 2 in 2019 and a late 3 in 2020.
• Moreover, because of the way comp picks work, it's a chance at a comp pick. They could sign a FA that cancels out that pick.

Points well taken although with who the Pats are going to lose and who they can afford to re-sign it's a better than fair chance they will be getting at least one and possibly 2 compensatory 3rd's. Now that they have the added cache of being super Bowl winners you know someone is going to back the money truck up for both Browns and if given the opportunity they'd flat out give Flowers the vault. We see it every year, teams foolishly overpay for quality FA's with a SB pedigree, as thought they bring some magic championship unicorn fart win dust with them.