Franchise tenders shrink under new CBA

by **1niksder** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:43 pm

Under Article 9, Section 2(a)(i) of the CBA, the franchise tender for each position arises from a formula that takes the value of franchise tags for the last five years, adds them up, divides them by the total value of the salary cap for the last five years, and multiplies the resulting percentage by the salary cap for the current year. (Since there was no salary cap in 2010, the number to be used will be the average of the salary cap in 2009 and 2011.)

What it means is that the numbers will drop this year. In November, NFL.com posted the estimated numbers.

For quarterbacks, the 2012 tender will be $14.4 million. It was $16.1 million in 2011.

For running backs, the 2012 tender will be $7.7 million. It was $9.6 million in 2011.

For receivers, it will be $9.6 million, down from $11.4 million.

For tight ends, the number drops from $7.3 million to $5.4 million.

For offensive linemen (yes, they’re all jumbled together regardless of whether they play center, guard, or tackle), the franchise tender falls from $10.1 million to $9.4 million.

For defensive ends, the $13 million franchise tender in 2011 becomes $10.6 million in 2011.

For defensive tackles, the franchise tender will be $7.9 million, down from $12.5 million the prior year.

For linebackers, the number moves from $10.1 million in 2011 to $8.8 million in 2012.

For cornerbacks, the tender falls from $13.5 million to $10.6 million.

For safeties, the new number is $6.2 million; last year it was $8.8 million.

Though the NFL.com item ignored the kicker/punter number, it appears that the amount was $3.25 million in 2011. Multiple reports regarding kickers who may be franchised this year have pegged it in the range of $2.5 million.

The new CBA retains the provision requiring the player’s franchise tender to be 120 percent of his cap number for the prior year, if that amount is greater than the base tender. That’s why it would cost the Texans more than $20 million to keep Mario Williams for one more year, and why the Chargers would be shelling out north of $13 million for another season with Vincent Jackson.

For most potential franchise players, the base rate applies. And the base rate will be a lot lower with a new CBA than it was when the tags were used last year, at a time when the last CBA was only days away from disappearing.

by **Deadskins** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:54 pm

Wow, TEs and Safeties get the shaft when it comes to salary. And DTs really took a hit. Every other position went down around 2 million, but DTs went down almost 5 million.

by **Countertrey** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:52 pm

Deadskins wrote:Wow, TEs and Safeties get the shaft when it comes to salary. And DTs really took a hit. Every other position went down around 2 million, but DTs went down almost 5 million.

Wow... DT's only get 7.9 Mil... I feel so bad...

:^o

by **riggofan** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:25 am

Just curious what do you think this means in the larger scheme? Are players getting franchised more likely to hold out as a result? Are other teams more likely to make offers on these players? (They still have to give up a draft pick for a tagged player, don't they?)

by **frankcal20** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:30 am

I think that more teams are likely to franchise tag a player on their team vs not based on the salary's required.

by **1niksder** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:44 pm

Here's a complete list of "tagged" players

Raiders: Safety Tyvon Branch. (Not signed yet.)

Eagles: Receiver DeSean Jackson. (Not signed yet.)

Falcons: Cornerback Brent Grimes. (Not signed yet.)

Redskins: Tight end Fred Davis. (Not signed yet.)

Ravens: Running back Ray Rice. (Not signed yet.)

49ers: Safety Dashon Goldson. (Not signed yet.)

Bears: Running back Matt Forte. (Not signed yet.)

Cardinals: Defensive end Calais Campbell. (Not signed yet.)

Bengals: Kicker Mike Nugent. (Not signed yet.)

Browns: Kicker Phil Dawson. (Not signed yet.)

Saints: Quarterback Drew Brees. (Not signed yet.)

Lions: Defensive end Cliff Avril. (Not signed yet.)

Jaguars: Kicker Josh Scobee. (Not signed yet.)

Broncos: Kicker Matt Prater. (Not signed yet.)

Titans: Safety Michael Griffin. (Not signed yet.)

Patriots: Receiver Wes Welker. (Not signed yet.)

Cowboys: Linebacker Anthony Spencer. (Not signed yet.)

Buccaneers: Kicker Connor Barth. (Not signed yet.)

Giants: Punter Steve Weatherford. (Not signed yet.)

Chiefs: Receiver Dwayne Bowe. (Not signed yet.)

Colts: Defensive end Robert Mathis. (Not signed yet.)

by **1niksder** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:48 pm

No offensive linemen or defensive tackles were tagged - among others not tagged, Texans linebacker Mario Williams, Packers quarterback Matt Flynn, Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, and Steelers receiver Mike Wallace.

by **Countertrey** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 10:12 pm

1niksder wrote:No offensive linemen or defensive tackles were tagged - among others not tagged, Texans linebacker Mario Williams, Packers quarterback Matt Flynn, Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, and Steelers receiver Mike Wallace.

Happy hunting, Bruce Allen...

by **Deadskins** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:46 am

1niksder wrote:No offensive linemen or defensive tackles were tagged - among others not tagged, Texans linebacker Mario Williams, Packers quarterback Matt Flynn, Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, and Steelers receiver Mike Wallace.

Yes, but the G-strings franchised their punter. :lol: