Dolphins not likely to ‘tag’ 16 pending free agents
Tuesday marked the start of the NFL’s franchise- and transition-tag period, but don’t expect the Miami Dolphins to participate.
None of the team’s 16 pending unrestricted free agents is considered a prime candidate to be tagged.
That list includes defensive ends Cameron Wake and William Hayes, right tackle Ja’Wuan James, linebacker Stephone Anthony, running backs Frank Gore, Brandon Bolden and Senorise Perry, defensive tackles Ziggy Hood and Sylvester Williams, tight ends MarQueis Gray and A.J. Derby, left tackle Sam Young, quarterbacks Brock Osweiler and David Fales and centers Travis Swanson and Wesley Johnson.
James — who was the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL last season, earning $9.341 million in his fifth year with the Dolphins — is the team’s most notable unrestricted free agent.
James, who has started all 62 games he has played at right tackle the past five seasons, may not return to the team depending on whether the Dolphins’ new regime places a tag on James before the March 5 deadline. Miami could also re-sign the team’s 2014 first-round pick, but that would require the Dolphins to outbid James’ other suitors.
Free agency begins on March 13, but teams can negotiate and make contract offers to free agents on March 11. The Dolphins can offer contracts and re-sign their own free agents at any point. Earlier this month, the Dolphins re-signed long snapper John Denney.
James is the only player the Dolphins likely would consider using the tag designation on, but the cost of tagging a player makes such a move unlikely.
If James, 26, were to receive a franchise tag from the Dolphins, he could be paid at least $14 million. If he were to receive a transition tag, he could earn at least $12.5 million. Those rates, set specifically for offensive linemen, are based on the salary cap from last season.
James, who could land a lucrative contract in a favorable free-agent market for right tackles, proved he could be a valuable foundational player as the Dolphins look to overhaul their offensive line. The Dolphins allowed 52 sacks last season, six shy of the franchise record of 58 set in 2013.
There are two types of franchise tag, the exclusive and non-exclusive.
The exclusive franchise tag pays a player a one-year salary of the average of the top five salaries at his position over the current year, or 120 percent of his current salary, whichever is greater.
Players can’t negotiate with other teams after getting the exclusive franchise tag.
The non-exclusive franchise tag pays a player a one-year salary of the average of the top five salaries at his position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his current salary, whichever is greater.
The non-exclusive franchise tag means the player can negotiate with another team and sign an offer sheet. The current team has the right to match any offer. If the player leaves, it’ll cost his new team two firstround picks as compensation.
The transition tag pays a player a one-year salary of the average of the top 10 salaries at his position, or 120 percent of his current salary, whichever is greater.
The transition tag allows players to negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet. But if the original team fails to match an outside offer and the player signs elsewhere, the current team does not receive compensation.