Franchise Tag: Killing the Free-Agent Market | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Franchise Tag: Killing the Free-Agent Market

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RealDriscoll

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Here is a list of the current players tagged..

Atlanta Falcons: Michael Koenen-Punter
Arizona Cardinals: Karlos Dansby-Inside Linebacker
Cincinnati Bengals-Shayne Graham-Kicker
Tennessee Titans-Bo Scaife-Tight End
Seattle Seahawks: Leroy Hill-Linebacker
Houston Texams: Dunta Robinson-Cornerback
St. Louis Rams: OJ Atogwe-Safety
Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Suggs-Outside Linebacker
Carolina Panthers: Julius Peppers-Defensive End
New England Patriots: Matt Cassel-Quarterback
San Diego Chargers: Darren Sproles-Running Back
New York Giants: Brandon Jacobs-Running Back

Disappointed for two reasons. First, 40% of the teams in the NFL used their franchise tag and we have gotten to a point where not only kicker or punters are being tagged but teams' #2 tight ends like in Tennessee with Bo Sciafe. I understand the position of the devil's advocate who will say a team should be able to designate it's franchise tag to whomever they want but I disagree. Teams' are suppossed to be designating FRANCHISE players. Julius Peppers, Terrell Suggs,Karlos Dansby, and Brandon Jacobs fit that mold but I do not but the rest.

The Falcons tagged their punter, the Bengals tagged their kicker, Bo Sciafe is the worst player to ever receive the tag, Leroy Hill is the teams' 3rd best linebacker, Dunta Robinson is close but a franchise player?, Atogwe is close but a FRANCHISE player?,and Darren Sproles and Matt Cassel are back-ups on their current teams. I feel like the franchise tag has become do you want to keep a player on your team? Fine then go ahead and tag him. The salary cap is becoming irrelevant because the free agent market is piss-poor by them time franchise tags are applied.

Maybe I am disappointed because the Dolphins have good cap space for once and there is noone to pay. i mean of course there is Albert Haynesworth, Ray Lewis, Chris Canty, Bryant MCFadden, Bart Scott, and Jason Brown but their are less available players to eat up teams' money so the Dolphins could lose out. The fact that Kelvin Hayden, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Jordan Gross resigned witht heir teams take away even more from the franchise market.

The second reason is that with everyone using and abusing their franchise tag, the Dolphins failed to use theres on either Vernon Carey or Yeremiah Bell. Why? The signing of Gross by the Panthers sets Carey as the best Tackle on the market and if we do not work something out with him by next week then he is a goner. Right Tackle becomes a huge hole on our team and yet another need. Yeremiah Bell becomes the best safety on the market because Atogwe was tagged. We better keep the 2nd best player on our defense and the only play-maker we have on our defense. If Bell goes then we have lost 75% (3 of the 4 players) of our starting secondary. Our teams needs have incereased to...

Center
Cornerback
Safety
Safety
Cornerback
Wide Receiver
Right Tackle
Defensive Tackle
Inside Linebacker
Outside Linebacker

That is a lot of needs, maybe even more than last off-season. Maybe I am playing the ultimate pestimist but I am confused on our plan. Are we plotting to save money to make a big trade for Anquan Boldin or Julius Peppers? Are we going to break the bank to get the disruptive force known as Albert Haynesworth? Are we tragetting Chris Canty, Bart Scott, Jason Brown, and TJ Housh? Bryant McFadden anyone? So many questions but I know for certain I want 3 of the following players...

Bryant McFadden
Bart Scott
Albert Haynesworth
Yeremiah Bell
TJ Housmandzadeh
Jason Brown
Chris Canty

We cannot go into the draft with more needs than picks and we need to have an succesful off-season to add to what we did last year. I do not want to take steps backwards. What do you think?
 
RealDriscoll said:
Here is a list of the current players tagged..





The Falcons tagged their punter, the Bengals tagged their kicker, Bo Sciafe is the worst player to ever receive the tag, Leroy Hill is the teams' 3rd best linebacker, Dunta Robinson is close but a franchise player?, Atogwe is close but a FRANCHISE player?,and Darren Sproles and Matt Cassel are back-ups on their current teams. I feel like the franchise tag has become do you want to keep a player on your team? Fine then go ahead and tag him. The salary cap is becoming irrelevant because the free agent market is piss-poor by them time franchise tags are applied.
Click to expand...


No, that would be LJ Smith, ask any Philly fan.
 
It is what it is, as far as I'm concerned. Free Agency is a crapshoot regardless, of what tier that player may be.
 
As long as we're not spending mint on them I'm good with that. We already have the highest paid Olineman in the league. I still think we have a great offseason.
 
The franchise is what is is. A way for the current team to protect it's asset. I know it sucks there aren't as many big name free agents as there used to be, but it makes it all the more important to make the most of your draft picks and scouting. With the big three being able to scout and evaluate talent as well as they do it will probably be able to help us in the long run. Just think we may have to use it in the future.

I can see us adding one big name free agent this off-season with other multiple signings to upgrade positions, just like we did last year.
 
The Franchise Tag was designed to keep franchise players from hitting the market and the way it is currently used is not work. I am terrified about what our starting secondary will look like. We NEED Yeremiah Bell
 
Sure it's frustrating. There are some we'd like to have taken a shot at, let alone have signed, but if the shoe was on the other foot.. and the Fins were in danger of losing a Jake instead of a Carey, we'd be dammed happy the tag exists.

Beyond that, I kind of side with the teams that took the chance on them, usually through the draft, which is always a crapshoot, and may or may not have then invested a few years of developmental or average play often at top pay, before the guy came into his own. (Pace in AZ and Haynesworth the last 2 years are good examples). Seems fair to me that the team has a chance to at least protect their usual 5-6 year investment through a "home team discount" on at least one of their top FA-bound players.
 
Yeah we do need Bell. He is our man in the secondary. I cant even think of how many BIG breakups he had. He saved the game for us more than once. But I think we should probably be more concerned with Carey right now
 
real, you act like you didn't know this was coming.

this is EXACTLY why the draft is so important. draft good impact players and when they have potential to come free we'll lock em down with the tag.

problem is right now we don't have a lot of talent but i applaud the front office for not overpaying for average players.

trust the regime. this isn't mueller and spielman we're talking about.
 
The fact that we could potentially replace crowder with Bart Scott is huge, assuming the ravens don't workout a contract with him.

And if Jason Brown hits, you gotta believe he is Parcells #1 target.
 
Teams should use the franchise tag on whoever they want. The reason why you see it being placed on punters and kickers is because the average salaries for top players at there position arent as high as the skilled positions. Franchises should use whatever leverage they have to make there team better including franching whatever player they want.
Listen to hooshoops, the reason why the draft is so important is because you dont rely on overpaying free agents to be a good team. Building through the draft is the right and most important way to make your team a winner.
 
I don't think it is killing the free agent market. If you have a player and you want to keep him then you are going to have to pay big for that player. However, the anquasition itself usually tends to be worthless then it has not been proven that these players actually make an already bad team better. Sure, it is nice to put the tag on some of the players, but the outcome is always infavorable. I suppose that it increases tickets sold for the team.
 
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