The crazy fun of free agency starts one week from today. To protect some of those potential free agents several teams took advantage of the franchise tag. More teams than I've ever seen took advantage of the tag. Maybe there's been more than 21 teams in a given year but I can't recall one. The Indianapolis Colts slapped the tag on defensive end Robert Mathis as a precaution. Only hours later the player and team agreed to a new contract. By the end of the day, the last day to use it, 20 teams used the franchise tags. Here are those players:
Raiders: Tyvon Branch, safety
Eagles: DeSean Jackson, receiver
Falcons: Brent Grimes, cornerback
Redskins: Fred Davis, tight end
Ravens: Ray Rice, running back
49ers: Dashon Goldson, safety
Bears: Matt Forte, running back
Cardinals: Calais Campbell, defensive end
Bengals: Mike Nugent, kicker
Browns: Phil Dawson, kicker
Saints: Drew Brees, quarterback
Lions: Cliff Avril, defensive end
Jaguars: Josh Scobee, kicker
Broncos: Matt Prater, kicker
Titans: Michael Griffin, safety
Patriots: Wes Welker, receiver
Cowboys: Anthony Spencer, linebacker
Buccaneers: Connor Barth, kicker
Giants: Steve Weatherford, punter
Chiefs: Dwayne Bowe, receiver
The one thing that immediately leaps from this list is that 5 kickers and 1 punter were franchised. It's likely due to the reasonable price tag for those positions. It's probably not much more than what those teams hope to sign the player to long term.
As a Minnesota Vikings fan I was disappointed to see safeties Branch, Goldson and Griffin protected. Not only does it take perhaps the top 3 potentially available safeties off the market it also increases the demand for the few that are left. The Vikings need at least one safety from both free agency and the draft. The Vikings current siuation at the position is a disaster. They could also use some help at cornerback. Cortland Finnegan of the Titans and Brandon Carr of the Chiefs dodged the tag and hopefully will have a plane flight to Minneapolis planned for the afternoon one week from today. Maybe Thomas DeCoud and Pierre Garcon too.
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