Yesterday was the deadline for NFL teams to utilize the Franchise Tag.  The Franchise Tag basically allows teams to retain the exclusive rights to one (1) unrestricted free agent (UFA) every off-season;  in return for losing the ability to become a free agent, the player will receive the average of the top five (5) salaries for their position.  You can bang it here for more information regarding the nuances of the tag designations.

The important thing to remember is that the Franchise Tag has been collectively bargained as part of the labor agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA.  It gives teams the ability to retain young, up-and-coming talent or fan-favorite veterans.  From the union’s point of view, it compensates tagged players with the top earners at a given postion, while allowing a majority of UFA’s the ability to hit the open market.  Further, a Franchise Contract, albeit for one-year, is fully guaranteed!

However, if you were to believe the players and media, the Franchise Tag is an evil instrument that the good ‘ol boy owners/GMs use to repress the players.  Every offseason, a majority of “tagged” players take to the media/interviews/twitter to lament the franchise tag.  For instances, when The Machine took a break today from image searching Kate Upton, we stumbled upon an article by Alex Marvez on Fox Sports website titled: Let’s Meet the NFL’s Unlucky Eight.  Marvez takes up the players (read: agents) argument that the eight (8) tagged players “aren’t getting the financial security that comes with long-term contracts”, and are therefore “unlucky”.  Huh.  Isn’t Top-Five NFL money financial security in and of its own right?!  In a league without guaranteed contracts, isn’t signing the dotted line knowing that you’re getting every single penny worth something?!

Here are the “Unlucky Eight” with their projected 2013 salary, in millions of dollars (2012 salary in parenthesis):

1. Randy Starks, DT $8.45 ($5.0)… 69% raise
2. Jarius Bryd, S $6.92 ($1.07)… 547% raise
3. Henry Melton, DT $8.45 ($0.69)…1,125% raise
4. Pat McAfee, P $2.98 ($1.32)… 126% raise
5. Ryan Clady, OL $9.83 ($5.83)… 69% raise
6. Anthony Spencer, LB $10.6* ($8.86)… *20% automatic raise from second consecutive tag.
7. Michael Johnson, DE $11.2 ($1.62)…617% raise
8. Branden Albert, OL $9.83 ($4.19)…  135% raise

That is a nice group of players, no doubt.  It is easy to see why teams choose to lock these guys up for at least another year in hopes of working out a long-term deal.  However, outside of Jarius Bryd, you could make a strong argument that none of these guys are Top-5 at their respective position.  Henry Melton is a good young player that really came on for the Bears defense last year.  He is a reliable starter for sure, with potential to turn into a star.  That said, he only had 6 sacks last year and has never had more than 7 in a year (2011).  Not exactly the type of player you “game plan” for.  Yet, he’ll be making $8.45 million (fully guaranteed) this year.  That’s more money than his entire rookie contract paid him.  Seems like “fair” and “financially securing” type of money for one years work.  Further, if Micheal Johnson tears a peck five games into the 2013 season, while registering a handful of sacks and playing up to his typical level of play do you mean to tell us an NFL franchise isn’t going to throw a ton of money his way as a 2014 free agent?!  How did that (exact scenario) work out for Mario Williams last year (sidenote: Micheal Johnson is nowhere near the player Williams is, yet.  But the point is still valid)?  Teams (the smart ones anyways) sign players for their remaining production/potential, not for what they’ve previously accomplished.

Listen, The Machine is all about athlete’s cashing in and getting as much money as they can.  Their careers are ridiculously short, we get it.  But no matter how you slice it, the Franchise Tag isn’t a bad deal.  In every case it represents a (significant) pay raise and establishes a players  “floor value” for future negotiations;  because any good agent is going to use the “franchise type player” line when they get a chance.  Oh, which reminds us of this tiny little did you know: agents of players that receive the franchise tag are not allowed the full 3% commission on the contract.  They are only allowed to charge 2%, and in a second consecutive tag situation (like Anthony Spencer above) the agent is only allowed 1.5%.  Which begs the question, is the root of the hatred for the tag bore at the sports agent level and publicly reflected through the players?  Regardless, the franchise tag should be embraced by the players as a means of getting paid like one of the top players in the league!  Until that day, we offer a nice warm Tuesday Teabag to all of you Franchise Tag haters!  Enjoy!