TEs Schultz, Gesicki get tagged
Cowboys using $11 million franchise tag on TE Dalton Schultz
The Dallas Cowboys placed the franchise tag on tight end Dalton Schultz on Tuesday, buying time to agree on a long-term deal for one of Dak Prescott’s most reliable targets.
The one-year contract will be worth about $11 million. If Schultz signs it, the sides will have until July 15 to come to terms on a longer contract that would have less of a salary cap hit as Dallas looks for relief. Tuesday is the deadline for franchise tags.
The Cowboys entered the offseason about $22 million over the cap but saved about that much Tuesday by restructuring the contracts of Prescott and five-time AllPro right guard Zack Martin. Releasing receiver Amari Cooper, a strong consideration for Dallas, would save another $16 million.
Chargers sign 3-year extension with WR Mike Williams
Mike Williams will remain a valuable part of the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense for the next three seasons. The wide receiver signed a three-year, $60 million extension with the franchise on Tuesday.
The extension, including $40 million guaranteed, also came on what is deadline day for teams to place franchise tags on players. Williams was the Chargers’ top free agent they were hoping to retain.
The seventh overall draft pick by the Chargers in 2017 is coming off a career season when he set personal highs in catches (76) and yards (1,146). He also had nine touchdowns and averaged 15.1 yards per catch.
Williams is averaging 16.8 yards per reception over the past three seasons, tied for fifth in the league. He said at the end of the 2021 season he hoped to remain with the Chargers.
“I feel like I have built some lifelong friendships here with the guys in this organization, on and off of the field,” he said. “I like the organization, I like the people that I come to work with every day. Hopefully, things work out on both ends.”
Dolphins place franchise tag on TE Mike Gesicki
Mike Gesicki is getting a big raise from the Miami Dolphins. What remains unclear is if he’ll be getting a longer deal.
The Dolphins on Tuesday placed the franchise tag for the coming season on Gesicki, ensuring that the tight end will be back for 2022 instead of hitting the free agent market.
The NFL set the tag number for tight ends at $10.931 million for the season. Gesicki had made a total of $6.6 million in his first four seasons with the Dolphins, and it remains possible that he and the team could still work out a longer-term extension between now and mid-July.
By committing the nearly $11 million to Gesicki, the Dolphins’ available cap space right now is somewhere around $52 million. That remains fluid and could rise depending on other personnel moves that may be coming. Free agency officially begins March 16.
Gesicki had 73 catches last season, fourth-most in the NFL among tight ends and second-most on the team behind Jaylen Waddle’s 106. He has been extremely dependable, playing in 64 of a possible 65 games since getting taken by Miami in the second round of the 2018 draft. And his catch totals have gone up each season: His rookie total of 22 was followed by 51, then 53 and now 73.