2015 Franchise Tag Period Begins Monday
Starting today, February 16, NFL teams can assign franchise or transition tags to a player for 2015. While a club could technically use its franchise or transition tag as early as today, we likely won’t see much action until closer to the deadline, as teams try to maintain flexibility and work out longer-term deals with their potential candidates. The period lasts two weeks, meaning clubs will have to make their decisions by March 2 and 3:00pm central time.
As we explain in greater detail in our glossary entry on the subject, each team can use the franchise or transition tag on one player, and it means tendering a one-year contract offer to that player. Depending on the type of tag used, that player may still be able to negotiate with other teams, but it essentially makes him a restricted free agent, meaning a suitor hoping to sign him would have to part with a draft pick or two to land him. In many cases, the player will simply accept the one-year tender, though that one-year contract can also serve as a placeholder while the two sides try to strike a multiyear agreement.
For the most part, amounts of the one-year salaries for 2015 have not yet been determined, since they’re tied to the salary cap, which hasn’t been finalized and announced for the new league year. However, it’s safe to assume that the amounts will be higher than they were last year. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com recently offered estimates for the ’15 franchise figures based on a $140MM salary cap.
As the March 2 deadline approaches, potential franchise tag candidates to watch include Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant, Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas, Chiefs pass rusher Justin Houston, Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and Patriots safety Devin McCourty. In some cases, those players’ teams will have to make roster moves before they can afford to use the franchise or transition tag on a player — Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press noted today that the Lions would have to release a handful of high-priced veterans or restructure several contracts before they’d have room for Suh’s franchise salary, which is already set at nearly $26.9MM (120% of his previous salary).
I recently took an extended look at franchise tag candidates by division, ultimately concluding that there are at least a dozen viable candidates. However, some of those players are teammates, and not all will be tagged. A year ago, four players were franchised and two more received the transition tag, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if about six players are tagged again this time around.
Free Agent Market For Offensive Tackles
Our list of 2015 free agents provides a comprehensive position-by-position breakdown of which players are eligible to hit the open market this year. However, that list of names doesn’t include much context or additional information about those players. So, with March’s free agent period fast approaching, we’ll be taking a closer look this month at the free agent market for each position. Today, we’ll turn our attention to offensive tackles. Let’s dive in….
Top unrestricted FAs:
- Joe Barksdale (Rams)
- Byron Bell (Panthers)
- Bryan Bulaga (Packers)
- King Dunlap (Chargers)
- Doug Free (Cowboys)
- Ryan Harris (Chiefs)
- Derek Newton (Texans)
- Michael Roos (Titans)
A year ago, the free agent class of offensive tackles included a handful of solid left tackles, including Branden Albert, Eugene Monroe, and Jared Veldheer, whose new deals all exceeded $35MM in total value. This time around, it would be a surprise if any tackles signed for that much, but it’s not out of the question.
Roos and Dunlap have shown they’re capable of protecting a quarterback’s blind side, and while Roos may very well end up retiring, Dunlap should do well in free agency, assuming he makes it there. Still, it may be Bulaga, a right tackle, who lands the biggest payday of this year’s class. The Packers lineman, who was recently profiled by our Rory Parks, turns just 26 next month, and is coming off a very strong year. While teams may be reluctant to try him on the left side, his new deal should rival the top contracts signed by right tackles.
Newton, Free, Barksdale, and Harris all played right tackle in 2014 as well, and their performances ranged from solid to above-average. Like Bulaga, they may not be trusted to protect a signal-caller’s blind side, but teams looking for stability on the right side should be interested. As for Bell, he’s the trickiest case among this group — he has been a starter for a playoff team in Carolina in each of the last two seasons, but his Pro Football Focus grades weren’t great on the right side and were even worse on the left in 2014 (subscription required). He should find a starting job, but perhaps for a more modest salary than some others on this list.
Other unrestricted options:
- James Brewer (Giants)
- Gabe Carimi (Falcons)
- Jeromey Clary (Chargers)
- Jason Fox (Dolphins)
- Chris Hairston (Bills)
- Corey Hilliard (Lions)
- Tony Hills (Cowboys)
- Ben Ijalana (Jets)
- Mike Johnson (Falcons)
- Marshall Newhouse (Bengals)
- Michael Oher (N/A)
- Jermey Parnell (Cowboys)
- Tyler Polumbus (Washington)
- Jah Reid (Ravens)
- Joe Reitz (Colts)
- Jonathan Scott (Falcons)
- Willie Smith (Chargers)
- Byron Stingily (Titans)
- Will Svitek (Titans)
- J’Marcus Webb (N/A)
- Garry Williams (Panthers)
- Eric Winston (Bengals)
If a club targeting an offensive tackle in free agency misses out on a player in our first tier, it may make sense to wait for the draft rather than relying on a player from this group to be a starter. By my count, Oher was the only player here to see more than 600 offensive snaps in 2014, and he was quickly cut by the Titans, who signed him less than a year ago.
Still, there’s a little potential here. Parnell hasn’t seen the field much, acting as a reserve on the NFL’s best offensive line in Dallas, but he has done well with the playing time he has received, and another team may envision a larger role for him. Fox, Reitz, and Winston are among the other players who should be able to provide respectable production in the event of injuries to starters.
For the most part, the players in this group will be signed as the third or fourth tackle on a team’s depth chart, and won’t be relied upon to play major roles in 2015.
Restricted FAs:
- Don Barclay (Packers)
- Bryce Harris (Saints)
- Mike Harris (Vikings)
- Bradley Sowell (Cardinals)
Barclay represents the most intriguing name in this group — he started at right tackle for the Packers in 2013, but missed the entire 2014 campaign with an ACL injury. Green Bay has to make a decision on 2014’s right tackle (Bulaga) as well, and it seems logical that the club will keep one or the other. If the club manages to work out a deal with Bulaga, Barclay could garner some interest as a bounce-back candidate.
The Vikings’ Harris filled in at right tackle for the team down the stretch and was solid, so I expect Minnesota to retain him, even if he heads back to the bench. Sowell and New Orleans’ Harris don’t figure to receive RFA tenders.
Previous looks at the 2015 free agent market:
Saints Re-Sign Parys Haralson
SATURDAY, 10:25am: Haralson will indeed earn the minimum salary, a one-year contract worth $870K, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter).
THURSDAY, 5:58pm: The Saints made it official with a press release.
12:27pm: The Saints have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with outside linebacker Parys Haralson, keeping him off the free agent market, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). According to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Twitter), the deal figures to be for the minimum salary.
Haralson, who turned 31 last month, has spent the past two seasons with the Saints, serving as a part-time player on the team’s defensive unit. In 2014, he recorded 36 tackles and three sacks, to go along with a +1.5 Pro Football Focus grade in 498 snaps (subscription required). As PFF’s metrics showed, Haralson is at his best against the run — out of 40 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers, the former Tennessee Volunteer ranked fifth as a run defender.
Haralson’s previous one-year deal with the Saints was for the minimum salary and included a $65K signing bonus, the maximum bonus for a minimum-salary benefit contract. Like Fitzgerald, I expect Haralson’s new pact to look nearly identical to his last one, though the minimum salary for a player with his experience will get a modest bump, from $855K to $870K.
Saints Re-Sign Shayne Graham
SATURDAY, 10:20am: Graham will earn $970K next season, the minimum value for his service time, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter).
THURSDAY, 5:58pm: The Saints announced that Graham’s deal has been signed.
3:50pm: Having reportedly reached a deal to re-sign free agent linebacker Parys Haralson earlier today, the Saints have struck an agreement to bring back another one of their pending free agents, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that New Orleans has re-signed kicker Shayne Graham to a one-year contract.
Graham, 37, was solid, albeit unspectacular, in assuming full-time kicking duties for the Saints in 2014. Asked to attempt just 22 field goals, Graham made 19 of them, for an 86.4% success rate, and didn’t miss any from inside 40 yards. The 14-year veteran also made 46 of 47 extra points, and deferred to punter Thomas Morstead for kickoffs.
When I examined potential franchise tag candidates for the Saints last week, I identified Graham as perhaps the only viable option, but didn’t view it as a realistic possibility. As I noted at the time, Graham’s performance in 2014 didn’t warrant paying him like a top kicker in the NFL. While financial terms of his new deal have yet to be reported, I’d expect the Virginia Tech product will either be in line for another minimum salary contract, or a salary only slightly north of that.
Minor Moves: Friday
The Browns released offensive lineman Paul McQuistan earlier today, a notable transaction because the move leaves Cleveland with some dead money on its cap for the 2015 season. However, the following transactions aren’t quite as noteworthy, involving players who didn’t see the field much – or at all – in 2014, or players who won’t be receiving any guarantees on their new contracts. Here are today’s minor moves:
- The Falcons have signed former Seahawks linebacker Allen Bradford, the team announced today in a press release. Bradford has been well-traveled since entering the league as a sixth-round pick in 2011, spending time with the Buccaneers, Browns, Giants, and Jaguars, in addition to playing under new Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn in Seattle. However, the 26-year-old has only appeared in 13 career regular season contests.
- Per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys have signed free agent defensive tackle Davon Coleman, who spent some time with the club during the 2014 season after signing as an undrafted free agent last spring. Machota adds that Dallas has also locked up one of its exclusive rights free agents, re-signing linebacker Cameron Lawrence. Both players figure to receive minimum-salary contracts.
- According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Cowboys made one more transaction today, waiving linebacker DeVonte Holloman with a failed physical designation. Holloman had been on the injured reserve list all season.
- Offensive tackle Xavier Nixon has been claimed off waivers by Washington, according to Caplan (via Twitter). Nixon, cut this week by the Colts, spent some time with Washington before heading to Indianapolis in 2013.
- The Falcons officially removed defensive lineman Peria Jerry from the reserve/left squad list today, tweets Caplan. This was a procedural move, since Jerry announced his retirement back in July.
Browns Release Paul McQuistan
A year after signing him as a free agent, the Browns have parted ways with veteran offensive lineman Paul McQuistan, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). McQuistan’s deal with the Browns was a two-year pact, so he’ll reach free agency a year earlier than he would’ve if he had played out the contract.
McQuistan, a former third-round pick, spent three seasons with the Seahawks before signing with the Browns, starting 40 games for the club from 2011 to 2013. Despite being a regular contributor in Seattle, the 31-year-old saw his playing time significantly scaled back during his first and only year in Cleveland. McQuistan played just 121 offensive snaps, recording a -6.8 grade during his limited run with the club, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The contract McQuistan signed with the Browns included a $750K signing bonus, so half that amount ($375K) will count against the team’s cap in 2015. However, the offensive lineman’s overall cap hit on Cleveland’s books has been reduced by $1.395MM, the amount of his non-guaranteed base salary.
Roger Goodell Earned $35MM+ For 2013/14
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell earned a salary of $35,017,000 for the 2013/14 league year, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. The figure was revealed on the NFL’s tax return, which Rovell and ESPN got their hands on in advance of this Tuesday’s deadline for the league to file it to the IRS.
It’s been a miserable, controversy-filled season for Goodell, but this $35MM+ figure reflects his salary for the year ending on March 31, 2014, so we don’t yet know what sort of salary he earned for his work these past few months, as he dealt with scandals involving Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and underinflated footballs.
What we do know is that 2013/14’s figure is roughly in line with the commissioner’s 2012/13 salary — as we wrote last February, he received $44MM+ that year, but about $9MM of that total was made up of deferred pay, putting his actual salary for the year in the $35MM neighborhood.
“The Commissioner’s total compensation in 2013 is a fair reflection of his leadership and contributions during the year,” said Falcons owner and chairman of the compensation committee Arthur Blank in a statement. “Compensation packages for Roger and other senior executives are reviewed annually; accordingly, the compensation committee will conduct a thoughtful review and make a determination of 2014 compensation in March.”
While Goodell’s annual salary had been steadily on the rise since his first year on the job, from $4.5MM in 2006 to $35MM+ in each of the last two seasons, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that figure decline a little for 2014, after all the negative publicity the league received.
AFC Links: Incognito, Rice, Pats, Jackson
After signing Richie Incognito shortly after he proclaimed that he wanted to “build a bully” in Buffalo, Bills head coach Rex Ryan was in damage control mode yesterday, explaining in an appearance on WGR 550 why his team added the veteran guard despite his history of off-field run-ins.
“I’m about the biggest anti-bullying guy there is, especially off the field and in the community,” Ryan said, per Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. “I want the toughest, physical football team on the field, and gentlemen off the field. He recognizes that he has made some mistakes. He wants to prove that he is not that person now.”
While we wait to see whether Incognito proves Ryan right, let’s round up several more items from across the AFC….
- Former Ravens running back Ray Rice issued a statement apologizing for his domestic violence incident and thanking the city of Baltimore, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun details. Rice continues to work out in hopes of signing with another NFL team, but hasn’t visited or worked out for any clubs since his reinstatement, according to Wilson.
- With Darrelle Revis currently counting for $25MM against their 2015 cap, the Patriots are somewhat hamstrung until they can figure out a resolution for the cornerback, says Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com. According to Curran, there’s nothing new to report on negotiations with potential free agents like Devin McCourty, due in part to the Revis situation, which I explored in depth earlier this week.
- Cornerback Kareem Jackson admits that it hasn’t really hit him yet that he could become a coveted free agent next month, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. According to Jackson, he’d love to return to the Texans after seeing the progress made by new head coach Bill O’Brien last season.
New York Notes: Thomas, Wilkerson, Jones
For the first time in more than 10 years, both the Jets and Giants had losing records in the same season in 2014, so there’s plenty of work to be done in the Big Apple this offseason. Let’s check in on a few Friday notes on the NFL’s two New York teams, starting with the AFC squad….
- It sounds as if Eric Decker, who has been recruiting his former Denver teammate for the better part of a year, isn’t the only member of the Jets interested in bringing Demaryius Thomas to New York. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears from a “very credible” source that the Jets intend to “roll out the red carpet” for Thomas if the Broncos don’t place the franchise tag on him. I expect it to be a moot point, since I’d be shocked if Denver allows its star wideout to reach the open market.
- The Jets have benefited from top-notch defensive line play on the cheap for the last couple seasons, but that’s about to change, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. The team figures to explore a contract extension with Muhammad Wilkerson this offseason, and the deals for J.J. Watt and Robert Quinn mean Wilkerson’s market is probably set in the $12-14MM per year range. Outside of potentially extending Wilkerson, the Jets’ priority on the defensive line this winter should be bolstering their depth in free agency, says Cimini.
- The Giants were able to add the CFL’s Offensive Lineman of the Year to their offseason roster and didn’t have to assume any risk to do it, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Raanan reports that Brett Jones‘ three-year contract with the G-Men is for the minimum salary and doesn’t include any guaranteed money.
West Notes: 49ers, Manning, Cards, Lynch
49ers defensive end Justin Smith has yet to make a decision about whether or not he’ll return to the team for next season or end his playing career, and his decision could have a significant impact on another Niners defender, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Maiocco observes that Aldon Smith, who is entering a contract year, often lines up on the same side of the field as the elder Smith, and benefits from the defensive end tying up pass blockers. If Justin Smith retires this offseason, it could have an effect on Aldon Smith’s earning potential as he enters a key year, says Maiocco.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two West divisions:
- A league source tells NFL reporter Ross Tucker (Twitter link) that he thinks Peyton Manning may be in talks with the Broncos to restructure his contract in order to create cap room for the coming year. Reworking Manning’s deal could potentially create up to about $9MM in cap savings, which would give the club much more flexibility to re-sign key free agents like Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Terrance Knighton.
- Appearing on the Doug and Wolf show on Arizona Sports 98.7FM, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim confirmed that discussions are ongoing with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and that he’d like to have resolution on the issue in time for free agency (link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). According to Keim, the club is currently about $16MM over the cap — incidentally, the veteran wideout is owed an $8MM base salary and an $8MM roster bonus for 2015.
- Keim also touched on a few other topics during his radio appearance, including cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who is eligible for free agency. The GM had nothing but praise for Cromartie’s efforts in 2014, and said the Cardinals would “love” to bring him back.
- Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson, who is a close friend of Marshawn Lynch, would bet that the running back returns to Seattle for the 2015 season, but he admits that he doesn’t know that for sure, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I don’t think Marshawn knows yet,” Robinson said on 710 ESPN in Seattle. “I don’t know what a timeline is, guys. I would guess that Marshawn doesn’t even really know what a timeline is. Probably going to be a feel thing and we’ll just see like everybody else.”