Breaking down the decisions to franchise tag Hunter Henry, Yannick Ngakoue, Matthew Judon and more.
There is still much we do not know about the NFL’s administrative schedule in the coming weeks. Things could change as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the NFLPA voting on the new CBA or both. One thing we do know: Teams appear to be operating as if Monday’s franchise and transition tag deadline is still intact.
As a reminder, the franchise tag ties a player to their current team on a one-year deal that is the average of the top five salaries at the position. The transition tag is another high-end one-year deal, but is the average of the top 10 salaries and gives the player a chance to seek offers elsewhere.
Here is a look at who has been tagged so far. For a team-by-team list of most likely scenarios, please check out our franchise tag primer here.
• Justin Simmons, S, Denver Broncos
The Broncos and Simmons seem to be destined for a long-term deal if you believe the continued optimism of John Elway. We’ll see if that optimism continues once the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed and the two meet at the negotiating table. While the safety position is fluid, there’s little doubt Simmons will need to top the market on a long-term deal, which means edging out Landon Collins in Washington (six years, $84 million, $14 million APY). The Broncos currently have a little more than $50 million in cap space and a long to-do list this offseason in order to build an infrastructure around Drew Lock at quarterback. However, Simmons is an essential role player in the Vic Fangio-Ed Donatell defense and thus surfaces as a priority.
• Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
This is a prudent move for the Chargers right now, keeping a solid player at a position that is only going to skyrocket in value over the coming years. Teams need a quality, movable tight end with high-end receiving ability, and while we wait for the collegiate pipeline to adjust and churn out a handful of George Kittle clones, the available pool in the NFL is what it is. Henry is right around even in terms of catch percentage above expectation and is a top 15 player in catch percentage. Assuming L.A. ends up breaking in a rookie quarterback, his presence in the offense is going to be a necessity. If the Chargers are smart, they’ll sprint to the altar on a long-term deal with Henry before the Kittle deal gets done. It would not be surprising to see a large gap between the tight end and receiver markets close this offseason (for perspective, the receiver market is soon to have its first $20 million APY player, while the tight end market caps out at $9.368 million).
• Matthew Judon, OLB, Baltimore Ravens
The question now is: Will the Ravens keep Judon around? If you’re a team like Baltimore, which has a whip-smart front office and a super creative defensive coordinator, you could probably stand to swap out someone like Judon and take the massive net in value (Judon was originally a fifth-round pick). Judon has been a steady riser since his rookie season, but capped his first 16-game season in 2019 with 9.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and a surge in QB hits (33 from a prior high of 20). There will be a market for his services as some pass rush-needy teams survey the free agent landscape and wonder about the economics of paying someone like Jadeveon Clowney at the top of the market.
• Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE, Jacksonville
One of the best picks of the Dave Caldwell era, Ngakoue has already stated his desire to get out of Jacksonville. Should the Jaguars fail to change his mind and reach an agreement on a long-term deal, he could be this offseason’s Frank Clark. Ngakoue, who has 37.5 sacks over four seasons and more than a dozen forced fumbles, will garner some trade interest. The question is whether he will find a situation as amenable defensively as the one he had in Jacksonville, surrounded by defensive stalwarts like Calais Cambell and excellent cover corners like Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Still, it’s clear Ngakoue is more than just a system player and has shined in individual battles throughout his career.
• Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.
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