The first major step of the 2015 free agency season was unveiled Monday when the NFL announced which teams were placing the franchise tags on which players. By doing so, a team gives its player a one-year guaranteed contract and compensates him by paying him the average salary of the five most-highly paid players at his position.
Most players don't love the idea of the tag because it creates more potential instability for their career (there, of course, is no money guaranteed for the season after they're tagged, especially if they're injured) and because it stifles their freedom (the tag keeps players from cashing in on a long-term free agent deal with their own team or with another). Teams, however, use the tag to protect themselves and, in some cases, give themselves more time to negotiate a long-term deal with that player.
On Monday, five players (Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski) were tagged, and as usual, there were winners and losers from the day.
WINNERS
Ndamukong Suh: The Lions massive defensive tackle would have made plenty of money if the Lions had tagged him -- about $27 million -- and he would have returned to a team with one of the best defensive lines in the league and a team that has a legit chance to make a playoff run in 2015. Alas, now Suh will just make a ton of money, probably somewhere on par with the six-year, $100 million deal J.J. Watt signed with Houston last September. Heck, maybe Suh will command even more to become the highest-paid defensive player in the game. For that to happen, though, he might have to sign with Jacksonville or Oakland, and neither of those squads are anywhere near a Super Bowl run.
Randall Cobb: With Bryant and Thomas getting tagged by their respective teams, Cobb will enter this year's free agency season as the top attraction at receiver. If the Packers had tagged Cobb, he would have made $12.8 million for the 2015 season, but he should make plenty more in free agency. The top free agent receiver from last season, Golden Tate, signed a five-year deal worth $31 million. Cobb -- coming off the best season of his career with 91 catches for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns -- stands to make more than that. He's 24 years old, he's barely touched his prime, and he's going to get paid. He won't get the kind of $150 million contract Detroit's Calvin Johnson would attract, but as a slot receiver, Cobb still will be rewarded handsomely.
LOSERS
Lions: Allowing Suh to enter free agency means a major part of Detroit's defensive line could leave the franchise. But is Suh worth the approximate $27 million it would have cost the Lions for just the 2015 season? Apparently, Detroit feels that the answer is no. It seems like the correct decision, because the team already faces enormous salary cap hits with receiver Calvin Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford (the two combine for about $38 million of the 2015 cap of $143.28 million). Detroit will try to re-sign Suh to a long-term deal, but in free agency, anything can happen. Heading into next season without Suh (and possibly soon-to-be free agent defensive tackle Nick Fairley, as well) would be a lousy feeling for Detroit -- but it's a risk the organization is willing to take.
Dez Bryant: There's little question that Bryant is one of the most-talented receivers in the NFL , but you can forgive the Cowboys' reluctance to give him a long-time contract at this point in his career (or, maybe, ever). Although Bryant seems to have been a good citizen off the field for the past couple years, there are thinly-veiled rumors circulating that there's an existing videotape of Bryant doing something awful. Whether that video ever is released is beside the point on this matter. Though Bryant seems to have matured from the person who once got in trouble at shopping malls or didn't pay off his jewelry bills, Bryant and his reported visits from the police still make news. And there's enough instability there for the Cowboys to not give him the long-term deal that Bryant so clearly wants.
I wish They felt the same way but it's cool.. It's #business RT @FrankyGonzalez3: I love how dedicated @DezBryant is to the @dallascowboys
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) February 17, 2015
Justin Houston: The man who led the league with 22 sacks last year, one half-sack off the NFL season record, won't be compensated in the way he'd prefer. By tagging him, the Chiefs will pay him $13.2 million. Actually, it's not a bad salary for him, but he's also missing out on a long-term deal. As such, there are reports that Houston will consider holding out for part of the season. That wouldn't be ideal for the Chiefs, because ...
#Chiefs Justin Houston has +104.2 overall grade since coming into NFL in 2011, best of any 3-4 OLB during that span
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) March 2, 2015
