- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
As expected, no franchise tag for Saffold
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_4005ac48-05d4-53a8-82a0-953710f4d4be.html
The Rams made it clear weeks ago that they weren’t interested in placing the franchise tag on offensive lineman Rodger Saffold. So it was no surprise when that turned out to be the case Monday, the deadline for using the franchise tag in the National Football League.
The franchise tag number for offensive linemen in 2014 is $11.65 million, a figure too high in the Rams’ estimation to use on Saffold.
The Rams haven’t used a franchise tag designation since they put it on safety Oshiomogho Atogwe in 2009, and they have used the tag only six times in 19 seasons since the team moved to St. Louis in 1995:
• 1998: CB Ryan McNeil
• 2000: DE Kevin Carter
• 2003, ’04 and ’05: LT Orlando Pace
• 2009: Atogwe.
As a result of not using the tag on Saffold, he is free to sign with other teams as of March 11. He can negotiate with other teams as early as Saturday because of the three-day contact period, which came into effect last season. The Rams have exclusive negotiating rights until Saturday.
The Rams met with Saffold’s representatives at the NFL scouting combine, but no contract offer was made at that time and a deal does not appear imminent. However, that can change with one phone call. Saffold is expected to make a decision quickly — perhaps as early as March 11, the first day of free agency .
Other notable Rams scheduled for unrestricted free agency are quarterback Kellen Clemens, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, safety Darian Stewart and offensive guard Chris Williams.
League-wide, only four teams used the franchise tag this year, down from eight a year ago and far off the record 21 franchise tag designations in 2012. There were also two players designated as transition players this year. Here’s the list:
Franchise players• PK Nick Folk, New York Jets; TE Jimmy Graham, New Orleans; DE Greg Hardy, Carolina; LB Brian Orakpo, Washington.
Transition players• C Alex Mack, Cleveland; LB Jason Worilds, Pittsburgh.
Franchise players earn the average of the of the top five players at their position. Transition players get the average of the top 10 players at their position.
The transition tag is rarely used, in part because teams get no draft-pick compensation, only get matching rights. In the case of the franchise tag, teams get two first-round draft picks if a player signs elsewhere under the non-exclusive franchise tag.
The exclusive franchise tag, which is more expensive, prevents a player from going anywhere. All four players tagged this year were given the non-exclusive franchise tag.
At positions of need for the Rams, players who were not franchised included cornerbacks Vontae Davis (Indianapolis), Aquib Talib (New England), and Alterraun Verner (Tennessee), safety Jairus Byrd (Buffalo) and tackle Eugene Monroe (Baltimore).
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_4005ac48-05d4-53a8-82a0-953710f4d4be.html
The Rams made it clear weeks ago that they weren’t interested in placing the franchise tag on offensive lineman Rodger Saffold. So it was no surprise when that turned out to be the case Monday, the deadline for using the franchise tag in the National Football League.
The franchise tag number for offensive linemen in 2014 is $11.65 million, a figure too high in the Rams’ estimation to use on Saffold.
The Rams haven’t used a franchise tag designation since they put it on safety Oshiomogho Atogwe in 2009, and they have used the tag only six times in 19 seasons since the team moved to St. Louis in 1995:
• 1998: CB Ryan McNeil
• 2000: DE Kevin Carter
• 2003, ’04 and ’05: LT Orlando Pace
• 2009: Atogwe.
As a result of not using the tag on Saffold, he is free to sign with other teams as of March 11. He can negotiate with other teams as early as Saturday because of the three-day contact period, which came into effect last season. The Rams have exclusive negotiating rights until Saturday.
The Rams met with Saffold’s representatives at the NFL scouting combine, but no contract offer was made at that time and a deal does not appear imminent. However, that can change with one phone call. Saffold is expected to make a decision quickly — perhaps as early as March 11, the first day of free agency .
Other notable Rams scheduled for unrestricted free agency are quarterback Kellen Clemens, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, safety Darian Stewart and offensive guard Chris Williams.
League-wide, only four teams used the franchise tag this year, down from eight a year ago and far off the record 21 franchise tag designations in 2012. There were also two players designated as transition players this year. Here’s the list:
Franchise players• PK Nick Folk, New York Jets; TE Jimmy Graham, New Orleans; DE Greg Hardy, Carolina; LB Brian Orakpo, Washington.
Transition players• C Alex Mack, Cleveland; LB Jason Worilds, Pittsburgh.
Franchise players earn the average of the of the top five players at their position. Transition players get the average of the top 10 players at their position.
The transition tag is rarely used, in part because teams get no draft-pick compensation, only get matching rights. In the case of the franchise tag, teams get two first-round draft picks if a player signs elsewhere under the non-exclusive franchise tag.
The exclusive franchise tag, which is more expensive, prevents a player from going anywhere. All four players tagged this year were given the non-exclusive franchise tag.
At positions of need for the Rams, players who were not franchised included cornerbacks Vontae Davis (Indianapolis), Aquib Talib (New England), and Alterraun Verner (Tennessee), safety Jairus Byrd (Buffalo) and tackle Eugene Monroe (Baltimore).