Now that we all know who’s tagged and who shouldn’t be, let’s discuss some winners and losers.
Winners
RB Saquon Barkley (previously New York Giants): The massive win right here for Barkley is two-fold. For one, he will get to lastly check his worth on the open market whereas he’s nonetheless considerably within the prime of his profession. He additionally will get to flee the perpetual mediocrity that’s the New York Giants. Sure, he has mentioned he needs to be a Large for all times. However he would additionally in all probability prefer to win and, probably, get an even bigger payday.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: By inserting the franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed they get two huge choices. They both have a key a part of their Tremendous Bowl protection again for 2024, or they’ve a useful commerce piece. Sneed intercepted two passes in 2023 and made a number of large performs within the playoffs, together with a game-changing compelled fumble on the objective line within the AFC Championship recreation.
OL Mike Onwenu (previously New England Patriots): The Patriots needed to resolve between inserting a tag on both Onwenu or defensive again Kyle Dugger. They selected to transition tag Dugger and let Onwenu go untagged. By not getting tagged Onwenu has an opportunity to hit the open market the place he can be one of many prime offensive linemen out there. He might nonetheless re-sign with the Patriots, however they’re going to be compelled to vie with the remainder of the league for Onwenu’s companies.
EDGE Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars: Despite the fact that Allen was tagged, the Jaguars tagged him as a linebacker, not a defensive finish, which means his tag quantity can be $24 million this season as a substitute of $21 million. That alone is a small win for him.
Losers
EDGE Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers: Truthfully, the Panthers and Burns each in all probability lose right here. Burns loses as a result of he doesn’t get to hit the open market and continues to be seemingly caught on a crew that’s going nowhere. The Panthers lose as a result of they’ve handed on main commerce affords prior to now and simply appear to be caught in impartial.
WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals maintain a favourite goal of quarterback Joe Burrow by inserting the tag on Higgins, and that’s excellent news for the Bengals. It’s dangerous information for Higgins as a result of he misses out on the prospect to money in by way of free company. Higgins would have been one of many prime gamers out there.
New England Patriots: The Patriots had been the uncommon crew to make use of the transition tag, opting to make use of that on defensive again Kyle Dugger. This looks as if a miss. It isn’t that Dugger is a nasty participant, however he doesn’t play a premium place (security) and it might find yourself costing them a considerably extra essential participant (Onwenu) at a extra premium place the place they’ve a a lot greater want (offensive line).
Operating backs: There was not a single working again to get the franchise tag this offseason after a number of working backs had been tagged a yr in the past, together with Barkley. Whereas that is excellent news for Barkley individually, it’s powerful information for gamers like Raiders working again Josh Jacobs who’re merely not going to make wherever close to as a lot cash on the open market as they might have this season on a franchise tag.
