Theres a chance, maybe even a good one, that NFL teams are making an empty gesture by designating franchise players this offseason.
Nevertheless, seven NFL teams have done so this week, and theres still another week until the deadline to use the tag.
The Green Bay Packers dont look like a great candidate to join that group, though maybe theyll see fit to put it on kicker Mason Crosby. Defensive end Cullen Jenkins might be a long-shot possibility, but the cost of his one-year tender appears prohibitive.
Crosbys agent said hes had no contact with the Packers since the end of the season, so he has no indication whether theyre considering using the tag on his client.
Honestly Im a little bit surprised (they havent used the tag), just cover your tracks a little bit, agent Mike McCartney said. The (tender) number is not outrageous. I think they have until next, what, Wednesday?
Teams actually have until Thursday, Feb. 24, to use the tag, according to the current collective bargaining agreement. But unless the league and players union reach accord by March 3, which at this point appears unlikely, the CBA will expire. The unions stance is that the tags expire as soon as the CBA does.
The next CBA, whenever agreed upon, will address whether teams will continue to have anything like the franchise tag. The next CBA could render null the franchise tags applied this week and possibly allow a grace period to use them under the new CBA, but many teams are taking the safe route and applying it anyway under these ambiguous circumstances.
The seven designated franchise players through Wednesday are Philadelphias Michael Vick, Indianapolis Peyton Manning, the New York Jets David Harris, Baltimores Haloti Ngata, San Diegos Vincent Jackson, Kansas Citys Tamba Hali and New Englands Logan Mankins.
The league has not yet released the values of the franchise tags, which have two levels of tenders, exclusive and non-exclusive.
The exclusive tender is the average of the top-five paid players at that position on April 16, or 120 percent of the players salary last year, whichever is higher. It prohibits the player from negotiating with other teams.
The tender for the non-exclusive tag is the average of the top-five paid players at that position last season, or 120 percent of the players salary last year, whichever is higher, and allows the player to negotiate with other teams. If the player signs with another club and the original team doesnt match it, the new team forfeits two first-round draft picks to the former team.
McCartney said he expects the non-exclusive tender for kickers to be about $3.3 million.
If the Packers are considering using the tag on Jenkins, there could be some dispute about which tender is appropriate. Hes a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, which in name is an end but in reality is an interior line position. Regardless, the cost probably is prohibitive. If hes considered a defensive end, the tender will be about $13 million, and if hes a defensive tackle, its about $11 million.
Jenkins, 30, said Wednesday he hasnt heard from the Packers and doesnt think theyll designate him. He is one of the better inside pass rushers in the NFL and will likely command a big contract from somebody, but the Packers have good depth at that position and appear to have concerns about Jenkins age (30) and injury history. They seem reluctant to make an expensive long-term investment in him, and for one season the $11 million or $13 million tender is a huge salary.
Its possible, but youd think if they were willing to pay that much for one year they already would have tried to work something out, Jenkins said.
McCartney said he hasnt made plans to meet with the Packers contract negotiator, team Vice President Russ Ball, at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis next week. But the two presumably will get together at some point, because along with Crosby, McCartney also represents linebacker A.J. Hawk, who is due to make $10 million next season.
Late last season Ball contacted McCartney about renegotiating and extending Hawks deal, but theyve had no substantial talks. Theres a potential issue with the contract, because Hawks salary becomes guaranteed on the first day of the new league year.
If the CBA expires at 4 p.m. March 3, but the expected owners lockout doesnt begin until midnight March 4, players with such clauses will argue their contracts become guaranteed in that eight-hour interim. The owners will argue that with no CBA there is no start to the 2011 league year, and that the next CBA will address when the new league year starts.
That ambiguity could push the Packers to reach a new deal with or release Hawk before the March 3 deadline, just to ensure theyre not on the hook for the $10 million salary. They might not feel compelled to have Hawks status settled by March 3 if they think the new CBA will address such issues.
McCartney said Crosby wants to re-sign with the Packers, but the agent probably will not work on a long-term deal until theres a new CBA, because of the restrictions of the 30 percent rule. The rule applies to players who have just finished their first NFL contract, which is the case for Crosby, and limits their salary increase each year to 30 percent more than their salary last season.
Teams can get around that by paying a large signing bonus, which is prorated for salary-cap calculations, but the Packers prefer to front-load their contracts with high base salaries and roster bonuses so they arent pushing cap costs into future years with signing bonuses.
I think Mason is leaning over the cliff, hes ready to go be a great kicker and a consistent guy, he just hasnt had that signature moment yet, McCartney said. But he hasnt had many opportunities. He clanked that one (potential game winner) off the goal post at Washington (last season); he hasnt had a whole lot of opportunities though.