Franchise tag in play for Pats?
List of players team may consider for tag
The 15-day window when NFL teams can apply their franchise tags is about to open. The clock starts Tuesday.
With respect to the Patriots, they have a boatload of starters — including Tom Brady — headed toward free agency. While Brady cannot be tagged, the Patriots might be inclined to use it on someone else.
Or not.
During Bill Belichick’s two decades at the helm, he’s used the tag nine times, with Stephen Gostkowski the last to get tapped. That was in 2015, when being tagged ultimately led to a four-year extension for the kicker.
For the record, there’s a new wrinkle this year. With this being the final year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are allowed to designate one franchise player and one transition player.
Previously, teams could only designate one impending free agent as either a franchise or transition player.
There are both exclusive and non-exclusive tags at teams’ disposal. Here’s how they work.
A non-exclusive tag amounts to no less than the average of the top five salaries at that players’ position over the last five years, or 120% of his current salary, whichever is greater.
Under a non-exclusive tag, the player is able to negotiate with other teams. If the player receives an offer, his current team can match. If not, it will receive two firstround draft picks as compensation.
An exclusive tag is also worth the average of the top five salaries at a player’s position in the past year or 120% of his current salary, whichever is greater. Under an exclusive tag, the player is unable to negotiate with other teams.
A transition tag, meanwhile, is worth the average of the top 10 salaries at a player’s position in the past year, or 120% of his current salary, whichever is greater. The player is able to negotiate with other teams. His current team has seven days to match an incoming offer, but will not receive compensation if it declines to match.
With all of that as a backdrop, here’s a look at some of the Patriots’ prime free agents, and whether Belichick might be on board with using a tag. It’s important to remember the Pats don’t project to have a ton of cap space (roughly $45 million), and re-signing Brady would take away a significant chunk.
S Devin McCourty
Reasons For — He’s been such a valuable player during the past decade. The nine-time defensive captain is a leader in the room, and quarterback of the secondary. He’s the prime communicator in the defensive backfield, making sure everyone is on the same page and in the right spot for the called coverage. In 2019, he continued to play at a high level, tying the secondhighest interception total of his career (5). He plays virtually every snap. Losing him, and what he brings on and off the field, would be a significant blow. Plus, after Duron Harmon, the Pats aren’t exactly stacked at his position.
Reasons Against — He’ll be 33 in August. The Patriots are one of the oldest teams in the league. On principle, Belichick might not want to give McCourty a raise and pay him $11 million to $12 million for the one-year tender on a player heading further away from his prime. McCourty’s average annual salary was $9.5 million.
Verdict — Given all the former Patriot assistants now coaching teams, McCourty will likely have other suitors; be it the Dolphins (Brian Flores), Lions (Matt Patricia) or Giants (Joe Judge). With competition, his price will rise. McCourty’s last goround in free agency netted offers, and the Patriots made a last-minute bid that was good enough to keep him. Will they try to avoid that by slapping him with a tag?
A non-exclusive tag might be tempting to keep such an important player for another year. It’s probably a 50-50 proposition whether the Patriots ultimately tag the safety.
LB Kyle Van Noy
Reasons For — Van Noy has gone from a little-used player in Detroit to an integral part of the Patriots defense. He’s evolved into a top performer in the Pats system, which is perfectly suited to his skill set. Last season, he had a season-high 6.5 sacks. He was also a top runstuffer. Off-the-ball linebackers with his ability are so important.
He can play a number of roles in the front seven. While the Patriots have some depth at the position, it would still create a huge void if he left. It wouldn’t be surprising to see other teams attempt to sign him to a much bigger deal.
Reasons Against — Van Noy’s current annual average salary is $5.875 million. The tag for linebackers is expected to be around $16 million. The Patriots know Van Noy is looking for a big payday in free agency. But the math and differential on that tag number won’t be to Belichick’s liking.
Verdict — With defensive leader Dont’a Hightower making an average annual salary of $8 million at the same position, and DPOY Stephon Gilmore at $10.5 million, there’s little chance the Patriots will vault Van Noy into a completely different stratosphere, even for one year.
LB Jamie Collins
Reasons For — Collins had a rebirth in his return to Foxboro. He was a force right out of the gate. He had six sacks and three interceptions in the first eight games. He didn’t keep up that pace, but his ability and athleticism are obvious. He definitely helped one of the NFL’s best defenses rise to that label in 2019.
Reasons Against — For whatever reason, Collins wasn’t the same type of impact player in big games. He’s had issues with consistency in the past. He signed a one-year, $900,000 proveit deal last spring. He’s since upped his stock a bit, but it’s hard to imagine him proving it to the point of a $15 million pay raise. Plus, while he fits well in the scheme, he’s not an every-down player.
Verdict — Chances of a tag are incredibly slim. The Patriots will want him to test the market. Maybe another team will overpay, but given Collins’ history, the Pats are a decent bet to re-sign him.
OL Joe Thuney
Reasons For — On an injury-plagued line in 2019, Thuney was the best, most consistent player of the lot. He’s just 27, and incredibly durable. He started all 17 games last season, playing the most offensive snaps, earning second team AllPro. He can also play almost every position on the line. Belichick loves that kind of versatility.
Reasons Against — Cost. It’s that simple. First off, he’s going to be a coveted option for teams with cap room the Patriots just don’t have. He could get something on par with the Eagles’ Brandon Brooks, who signed for $14.1 million per year. With Shaq Mason being signed to a 5-year, $45 million deal, the Pats won’t want to extend to that level for another guard. More to the point, a tag
would go well beyond Mason’s level.
Verdict — The Pats could tag him for the one-year, estimated $14.9 million hit, and hope to come to a longterm deal for a lesser base pay per year. That’s not outrageous, but it’s still too big a hit. The Pats can save money by either re-signing the versatile Ted Karras, who would start at guard if David Andrews is back at center. Or they could have Hjalte Froholdt, who landed on injured reserve last year as a rookie, step in. Froholdt needs work, but he’s a bull. They might also slide Isaiah Wynn over to guard and draft another from a tackle-rich draft. So no tag; just a significant compensatory pick in 2021 if/when he signs elsewhere.
The Rest
Danny Shelton, Matthew Slater, Karras, Elandon Roberts, Adam Butler, Phillip Dorsett, Nate Ebner, Benjamin Watson, Nick Folk and Marshall Newhouse are also free agents. This group is lumped together because there’s no chance any of these players would merit a franchise tag.