Analysis
3/8/22
3 min read
2022 Franchise Tag Recap: Who Was Tagged And Who Is A Free Agent?
The March 8, 4PM EST deadline to place the franchise tag on players currently not under contract for next season and players bound for free agency has passed. Teams who have tagged players will have until July to negotiate multi-year contracts for said player. After July, only one-year deals for the 2022 season can be agreed upon.
The Chargers have already agreed to a three-year $60 million deal with Wide Receiver Mike Williams before Tuesday’s deadline, avoiding the possibility of a franchise tag.
Last year, ten players received the franchise tag and four of those ten ultimately signed extensions. The remaining six played under the tag for the 2021 season. This year, teams opted to tag eight players before they entered free agency.
Players Who Received the Franchise Tag:
Wide Receiver Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers — $20.415 million
Combined with the blockbuster Aaron Rodgers deal, this keeps the Packers best offensive weapons together for another season.
Wide Receiver Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $19.179 million
Godwin was tagged for the second straight year, giving him 120% of his last tag. This move keeps the Tampa Bay receiving corps together for at least the first season Tom Brady’s replacement spends with the team.
Offensive Tackle Orlando Brown, Kansas City Chiefs — $16.662 million
The Chiefs traded a first round pick for Brown last year, and were unlikely to allow him to walk after one season after paying that price.
Offensive Tackle Cam Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars — $16.662 million
At minimum this provides some protection for Trevor Lawrence in his sophomore season, and could provide insight into potential choices that will be made early on in the upcoming draft. This is the second straight year that Robinson being tagged was somewhat of a surprise.
Tight End Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins — $10.931 million
The Dolphins keep their second leading receiver and a key weapon for QB Tua Tagovailoa in a new, tight end friendly offensive scheme.
Tight End David Njoku, Cleveland Browns — $10.931 million.
Njoku provides a solid pair with Austin Hooper in Cleveland’s 12 personnel heavy offense.
Tight End Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboy — $10.931 million
Schultz had a career year in 2021, and keeping him in town provides a security blanket for QB Dak Prescott.
Free Safety Jessie Bates III, Cincinnati Bengals — $12.911 million
Bates and the Bengals were engaged in extension talks prior to the 2021 season, and the team clearly wants to keep him around after a Super Bowl appearance.
The following players were among those we believed could potentially receive a tag, but each team decided to allow them to enter the free agent market instead:
- Panthers EDGE Hasson Reddick
- Cardinals EDGE Chandler Jones
- Rams EDGE Von Miller
- Patriots Cornerback JC Jackson
- Rams Cornerback Darious WIlliams
- Buccaneers Cornerback Carlton Davis
- Saints Safety Marcus Williams
- Bengals Tight End CJ Uzomah
- Packers Tight End Robert Tonyan
- Saints Offensive Tackle Terron Armstead
Of the players who did not receive a franchise tag by the deadline, JC Jackson and Harold Landry stand out as surprises.
