Will the Rams use Franchise/Transition tags tomorrow, Feb. 23rd?

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

ROD-BOT

News Feeder
Joined
Aug 18, 2019
Messages
1,043
Will the Rams use Franchise/Transition tags tomorrow, Feb. 23rd?

LA Rams general manager Les Snead has a big decision to make, along with the coaching staff of the LA Rams. Will the Rams designate any player with either the Franchise or Transition tags? If so, then who? And why is that even important?

Well, time flies when you are having fun. And so far, we must be having one helluva good time because the first day to use either the Franchise or Transition tags is February 23, 2021. The period to use either tag will last until March 9, 2021, at 1:00 pm PT. Eight days later, the 2021 NFL Year and Free Agency begin on March 17, 2021, at the same 1:00 pm PT.

Historically, the LA Rams have not used either tag, as it would create an adversarial relationship between a player hopeful to sign a lucrative multi-year contract with another team. For the Rams purposes hoping for awarded compensatory draft picks the following year, it somewhat defeats the purpose, don’t you think?

But this is a unique year, and circumstances are a bit, how shall we say, peculiar? The NFL salary cap for 2021 has dropped significantly. Many players plan to sign one-year deals to circumvent the frugality of this year. But a one-year deal will do very little for the LA Rams compensatory pick situation unless they are very lucrative indeed.

So it could be a sound strategy to sign a key player with the help of a franchise or transition tag. The tag is designed to provide teams a way to limit the mobility of one of its upcoming free agents. So how do they work?

The Exclusive Franchise Tag is the most expensive and least frequently used. The player is guaranteed a one-year deal that is calculated as the average for the top five paid players at that position. It limits the player to negotiate only with one team. To determine the value of a one-year deal and what it projects to be for the 2021 season, you can check out the estimates at OverTheCap.com.

The Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag is less expensive and more commonly used. It averages the past five exclusive franchise tag salaries by position. For the lesser cost, this does not prevent the free agent player from negotiating with any team. Instead, it provides the originating team the Right of First Refusal – or simply the right to match any other offers. If the team declines to do so, the originating team will receive two first-round picks as compensation from the signing team. The coast is so prohibitively high that few if any teams will poach a player from another team with this designation.

The Transition tag is less expensive yet, and it is calculated using the average of the top 10 players at the position. It operates in much the same way as the Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag, but with no compensation, if the originating team declines to match another team’s offer. You can check out the estimates by position at OverTheCap.com.

Who might the LA Rams use a Franchise or Transition tag on? Well, the first player to jump out is veteran safety John Johnson III. We have lobbied for the Rams to do so, as the market for safety is still somewhat economical to designate him with a Franchise Tag. Even a Transition tag ensures that either Johnson gets a lucrative deal, or the Rams can match it and he can try again next year.

The Rams have used a tag on the safety twice in the past. In fact, the LA Rams have used the franchise tag nine times in the past. Those instances were:

1998: Cornerback Ryan McNeil
2001: Defensive end Kevin Carter
2003-05: (3X) Offensive tackle Orlando Pace
2009: Safety O.J. Atogwe
2016-17: (2X) Cornerback Trumaine Johnson
2018: Safety LaMarcus Joyner

So there is a historic precedent for doing so.

Is this the year that the Rams use a tag? If so, who will they designate? We may all find out in 24 hours.
 

OldSchool

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
ROD Credit | 2022 TOP Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
38,388
I guess they could try to tag and trade JJ but it's risky because you have to have the cap space available when you tag them so we'd have to clear money out to get that extra $11.2 million of space.
 

CGI_Ram

Hamburger Connoisseur
Moderator
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
48,081
Name
Burger man
I guess they could try to tag and trade JJ but it's risky because you have to have the cap space available when you tag them so we'd have to clear money out to get that extra $11.2 million of space.

Yeah, it seems a lot of space to clear. And... we’d have to clear the space before using, right?
 

OldSchool

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
ROD Credit | 2022 TOP Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
38,388
Yeah, it seems a lot of space to clear. And... we’d have to clear the space before using, right?
That's my understanding but I don't claim to be @flv level of cap guru I just know a few things.

Edit:

Consider the source but this article talks about needed the cap space available in order to use the tag.

 

CGI_Ram

Hamburger Connoisseur
Moderator
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
48,081
Name
Burger man
That's my understanding but I don't claim to be @flv level of cap guru I just know a few things.

Edit:

Consider the source but this article talks about needed the cap space available in order to use the tag.


I guess I’d be somewhat excited if we found a way, and used it. Seems that would imply we “got something cooking”... But, I sort of don’t see it.
 

Loyal

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
29,452
I guess I’d be somewhat excited if we found a way, and used it. Seems that would imply we “got something cooking”... But, I sort of don’t see it.
YOUSONOFA ~ ROD BOT
 

dieterbrock

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
22,895
That's my understanding but I don't claim to be @flv level of cap guru I just know a few things.
I'm not sure they need the room when they merely place the tag on him, but they surely take the full hit as soon as the player signs the tender.
 

OldSchool

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
ROD Credit | 2022 TOP Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
38,388
I'm not sure they need the room when they merely place the tag on him, but they surely take the full hit as soon as the player signs the tender.
A second source saying he would count towards the cap.


Franchise or Transition Tag – any player who receives the Franchise or Transition Tag (other than the Exclusive Franchise Tag) is still technically a Free Agent, but is restricted by the Tag. A player under the Tag does count against the Salary Cap, at the amount of the Franchise or Transition Tag tender amount.
 

Merlin

Enjoying the ride
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
37,036
My sources are telling me they will be tagging McQuaide.
~ Foolio
 

Psycho_X

Legend
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
11,146
I can't see them using the franchise tag on JJ3 unless they intend on keeping him. I like him and he's a great player but if he was on another team would you trade a premium pick AND give a safety a top tier contract? I just don't see any teams spending that much cap money and a premium pick for a safety. But if the Rams intend on signing him longterm and need more time to work it out than I could see it happening.
 

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis
FWIW, Rams will not use the tag, you know it, I know it and the American people know it.
 

Loyal

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
29,452
Well, in fairness, it was the worst it's been there in 100 years, I feel my odds are good moving forward, however, West Florida is now in the conversation & if we head there I can go bother @Selassie I & @Florida_Ram
"Whatever you do, don't forget your snowplow, Cuz you never know... ~ Marco Island Chamber of Commerce
 

Selassie I

H. I. M.
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
17,621
Name
Haole
Well, in fairness, it was the worst it's been there in 100 years, I feel my odds are good moving forward, however, West Florida is now in the conversation & if we head there I can go bother @Selassie I & @Florida_Ram


Bring it on!

And just for the record... I saw it snow here in Orlando way back in the day. The snow didn't really accumulate on the ground much... but it snowed.

And as for Big TX... I was in San Antonio in the early 80's and it full on snowed there. Piled up on the ground like 3 or 4 inches high. That was the 1st time I had ever seen snow in person. I hated it.
 

Malibu

Pro Bowler
Joined
Jun 25, 2014
Messages
1,378
My thought is tag JJ because he is planning on leaving anyway this way we get something for him minimumly a 2nd rounder to teams he is really worth it vs a 3rd compensatory pick.
 

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis
And as for Big TX... I was in San Antonio in the early 80's and it full on snowed there. Piled up on the ground like 3 or 4 inches high. That was the 1st time I had ever seen snow in person. I hated it.

Unreal, getting more pressure from the children to stay on the East Coast and our plan is to spend more time in Marco Island, once we're able to get our vaccine.
 
Last edited:

OldSchool

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
ROD Credit | 2022 TOP Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
38,388
Bring it on!

And just for the record... I saw it snow here in Orlando way back in the day. The snow didn't really accumulate on the ground much... but it snowed.

And as for Big TX... I was in San Antonio in the early 80's and it full on snowed there. Piled up on the ground like 3 or 4 inches high. That was the 1st time I had ever seen snow in person. I hated it.
I moved as a teenager from the Bay Area to Reno NV and it snowed when we were moving on the 4th of July weekend.
 

Selassie I

H. I. M.
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
17,621
Name
Haole
Unreal, getting more pressure from the children to stay on the East Coast and out plan is to spend more time in Marco Island, once we're able to get our vaccine.


Marco Island is beautiful. You're basically in the Everglades there...pretty remote. Great inshore fishing.