Steelers’ Bell, 4 others given franchise tags
Five NFL players have been given the franchise tag, with only Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell getting the exclusive tag.
Bell, who has been adamant about not playing under the tag for a second straight season, can’t negotiate with any other teams. Pittsburgh must offer him the average of the top five running backs’ salaries. Both sides plan to continue negotiating.
“Pittsburgh: the city that took in a 21-year old kid from smalltown Ohio, the city I battled thru adversity in, the city that I became a man in,” Bell tweeted. “I love everything about being a Pittsburgh Steeler, and I want nothing more than to finish the rest of my career in Pitt!”
Also getting franchise tags were Miami wide receiver Jarvis Landry, Detroit defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, Dallas defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner. They can talk with other teams, but their current team would get compensation if they leave.
The only player given the transition tag was Chicago cornerback Kyle Fuller.
Free agency begins next Wednesday. Cousins will be a free agent: Kirk Cousins’ time with Washington is about to end after the team chose not to use the franchise tag on the quarterback.
Washington has agreed to acquire Alex Smith from Kansas City, effectively pushing Cousins into free agency following a tumultuous six years. Cousins, 29, will be the top free agent available when the league year opens next week and should have no shortage of suitors.
“Next week is now officially the first time since 2007 that I’ll be choosing where to play football,” Cousins posted on Twitter. “I’m open to suggestions.”
This is also perhaps the first time in Cousins’ football career that he has been No. 1 on any list. He had no scholarship offers as a high school senior and wasn’t a top prospect coming out of Michigan State. Washington drafted him in the fourth round.
Dolphins won’t prohibit kneeling: Miami owner Stephen Ross says he won’t force his players to stand for the national anthem, even though he believes kneeling is a counterproductive way to promote social justice.
Ross’ comments Tuesday in a statement released by the Dolphins came after the New York Daily News reported that he said all of the team’s players will stand for the anthem in 2018. Ross was in New York on Monday to be honored by the Jackie Robinson Foundation and receive its ROBIE Lifetime Achievement Award.
Colin Kaepernick started the NFL anthem movement when he was with the 49ers in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police brutality. President Trump has criticized the movement, saying it’s disrespectful to service members. Salary cap: The NFL salary cap will be $177.2 million, an increase of more than $10 million .
Teams must be below that figure when the league season begins next week.
Though the cap went up from $167 million, it did not surge the way it did the previous year, increasing by nearly $12 million. Briefly: Referees Ed Hochuli and Jeff Triplette are retiring. One of the replacements will be former back judge Shawn Hochuli, Ed’s son. The other is former side judge Alex Kemp. The two new referees each joined the NFL in 2014. Ed Hochuli, among the most recognizable of NFL officials because of his muscular build, joined the league in 1990. Triplette came aboard in 1996 . ... Running back Chris Ivory has agreed to sign a two-year contract with the Bills. ... The Panthers signed Pro Bowl kicker Graham Gano to a fouryear contract extension worth $17 million overall, with $9 million guaranteed.