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February 20, 2012Michigan Strikes Back at Ohio State in Recruiting War
February 20, 2012
Last year, the Browns tagged kicker Phil Dawson a year ago with their franchise tag and paid the veteran kicker $3.25 million. While Dawson may have wanted a longer term deal from the team, a 36-year-old kicker can’t really ask for much better time to be tagged and guaranteed a bigger lump sum, albeit for a single year.
This year, it will be interesting to see if the Browns choose to use the tag and if so, on whom.
The period for franchising players starts today and runs through March 5th. This is the first year that the new rules from the latest collective bargaining agreement are in place as well.
They are the product of a very complicated formula, but ultimately it reduces the cost somewhat.
Quarterback: $14.4 million (down from $16.1 million in 2011, $16.4 million in 2010)
Running back: $7.7 million (down from $9.6 million in 2011, $8.2 million in 2010)
Wide receiver: $9.4 million (down from 11.4 million in 2011, $9.5 million in 2010)
Tight end: $5.4 million (down from $7.3 million in 2011, $5.9 million in 2010)
Offensive line: $9.4 million (down from $10.1 million in 2011, $10.7 million in 2010)
Defensive end: $10.6 million (down from $13 million in 2011, $12.4 million in 2010)
Defensive tackle: $7.9 million (down from $12.5 million in 2011; it was $7 million in 2010)
Linebacker: $8.8 million (down from $10.1 million in 2011, $9.7 million in 2010)
Cornerback: $10.6 million (down from $13.5 million in 2011; tag was $9.6 million in 2010)
Safety: $6.2 million (down from $8.8 million in 2011, $6.5 million in 2010)
Obviously the easy target for the Browns is a guy they’ve stated all along they want to keep in a Browns uniform with D’Qwell Jackson. Jackson made a strong bid for comeback player of the year and if the Browns are unable to get him on a long-term deal it would cost them $8.8 million to keep him for one season on the franchise tag. Jackson was a rock for the Browns and was second in the NFL in tackles with 158. That doesn’t begin to say that Jackson is worth $8.8 million, necessarily.
As much as we all like Jackson and his effort, we also know the illusion of gaudy tackle numbers. It isn’t a negative stat, but it also isn’t necessarily as positive as everyone thinks it is. Andra Davis made tons of tackles for the Browns too, but let’s just say they weren’t behind the line of scrimmage all that frequently.
Also, as you know, the Browns can only tag one player. So tagging D’Qwell Jackson is an opportunity cost of tagging someone else. There really is only one other potential target for the tag outside of D’Qwell Jackson and that is Peyton Hillis.
It seems unlikely that the Browns would use the tag on Hillis as they’ve seemed lukewarm on his return for quite some time. Still, a lot can change as a team starts to plan their off-season. And consider that the Baltimore Ravens face an off-season where Ray Rice wants Adrian Peterson type cash in the neighborhood of 7-years and $100 million with $36 million guaranteed.
A franchise tag gives a team some leverage to get a guy signed up for a longer term deal. It was reported that the Browns scoffed at the prospect of giving Hillis a guaranteed $10 million in earlier contract talks. You’d have to assume if they franchised him for $7.7 million that they’d be looking to put him on a longer term deal with more than that $7.7 million guaranteed. So, again, I don’t see it as being all that likely, but I think it should be something the Browns consider.
But they can’t consider it if they don’t get D’Qwell Jackson signed to a long-term deal first. If they’re forced to use the tag on someone like Jackson, who I think is a higher priority than Hillis, then they won’t even have the option with Hillis, let alone anyone else.
And we haven’t even gotten into unrestricted free agent corner/safety Mike Adams.
15 Comments
I’ve been hearing strong rumors that Hillis has already verbally agreed on a contract and we will hear a formal announcement of his signing next week.
That rumor has been all over twitter, but I haven’t read it from any person who is specifically known for breaking news. No offense to those reporting, but I’ll wait a bit longer before I believe it.
I will choose to believe the rumors because it is a huge time saver for me.
Do you mean the KC Chiefs rumor? If so, it seems pretty credible.
What a sad, sad joke if we lose Hillis.
No he means the rumor that hills and the browns have verball agreed to a contract
Verbally*
If anyone should be franchised we should franchise hillis and give him 300 carries next season because his career would be done basically if he goes through one of these type seasons. This will give us 1 more year to find a replacement because he is not a running back that consistently can handle a large workload for his career. The only reason I would like to sign him is he is such an underrated receiving rb that hopefully we could use him more effectively with RG3 if we get him. Maybe we are going to make a run at matt forte if we don’t franchise hillis and draft RG3. This would be sweet.
TSR that was awesome.
I haven’t seen that reported anywhere but if that happens that would be terrific.
While I believe DQs tackle stats are misleading, I’m still in favor of signing him to a long term deal. His 2 injury plagued seasons were chest tears which is better to me than knee surgery.
It would be just like the Browns to use their Franchise tag on Mike Adams, lol.
Tough one… If Hillis signs it would make draft more interesting. If browns get him in contract would be cool not to announce until after draft ( yeah right )
Wonder what happened to franchise tag prices for kickers and punters? They must have forgot that a kicker was actually franchised last year (Phil Dawson), or that no other team would want to actually franchise a kicker/punter besides the Browns.
The most likely scenario is that the Browns don’t use their franchise tag on either player. That is a lot of guaranteed money to put toward players with a history of injuries. I see three year deals with lots of incentives for both.
The most likely scenario is that the Browns don’t use their franchise tag on either player. That is a lot of guaranteed money to put toward players with a history of injuries. I see three year deals with lots of incentives for both.
“And we haven’t even gotten into unrestricted free agent corner/safety Mike Adams.”
You’re kidding right? You’re yanking my chain, cuz that’s the only explanation for including Mike Adams, a quality reserve/role playing backup at best in the debate for who deserves the franchise tag.