Let me just put it this way; 8 of 11 (72% for those keeping score at home) starting defenders for the 2013 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens did not return the following season. Most due to being cut or not re-signed.
In other words they said, "Hey thanks for helping us accomplish one of the hardest feats in all of sports. Best of luck with the rest of your careers."
Cue door being shut.
It's crazy to sum it up into one word.
One main cog that contributes to the madness of what is the NFL offseason is the allocating of the franchise tag. The franchise tag is something that can be applied only twice to a player. The tag is essentially a one year guarenteed deal and the salary is the average of the top five salaries at their respective positions.
This can be a tricky endevor for teams and players.
Players are looking for long term deals and front offices are looking to cut down on their salary cap numbers. So one would think that franchise tags wouldn't occur that much.
Not so fast.
Here are the top candidates to get the tag this year
Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints) - By far and away the best tight end in the league. But is he a tight end or wide receiver? Graham's party is demanding that he be paid as a wide receiver given the fact that he lined up in the receiver position 66% of the plays he was on the field. This would benefit Graham because if tagged, Graham would make almost double the money he would as a tight end. At the end of the day the Saints can't afford to let the guy who had 86 catches for 1,215 and 16 touchdowns, walk out the door. Franchise tag or long term extension, Graham will be back with the Saints in 2014.
Greg Hardy (Carolina Panthers) - The 25-year-old Hardy had one of his best seasons of his young career registering 15 sacks for the Panthers bringing his two season total to 26. Hardy has set himself up nicely for a payday but could very well be slapped with the franchise tag, which would net him around $12.5 million dollars over the next year. My guess is Hardy will receive the tag before the March 3 deadline, so that Panthers will be able to work out a long term deal.
Brian Orakpo (Washington Redskins) - Orakpo is coming into free agency right in the prime of his career which means lots of dollar signs for him. Orakpo is a highly productive pass-rushing defensive end, which is very valuable in the NFL, however that usually comes at a steep price. The Redskins have around $33 million in cap space as of right now, which is a lot but it would benefit them more if they locked up Orakpo longterm whereas tagging him to a large one year deal and maybe not signing him after next season. Orakpo has expressed his admiration for the Washington Redskins but he also has said that he knows what type of position he is in being a free agent while in the prime of his career aka "I'm gonna go get my money."It wouldn't shock me at all if Orakpo is wearing a different jersey next season.
Dennis Pitta (Baltimore Ravens) - Dennis Pitta finds himself in the same boat as Jimmy Graham. Due to an ugly hip injury in OTA's, Pitta was forced to miss three quarters of the season and returned to play the final four games. Pitta found some success but probably wasn't 100% healthy given the fact that most doctors didn't give him a chance to play at all during the 2013 season. Pitta and his group are making the argument that if the Ravens choose to franchise tag him, that he should be paid as a wide receiver, not a tight end. Pitta played 79% of his snaps in the slot. After signing Terrell Suggs to an extension, the Ravens top priority is most certainly getting Pitta squared away. There is little chance that the Ravens lose Pitta, it's just a matter of if he is playing under a long-term deal or is under the franchise tag. However if tagged, Pitta and his corner shouldn't be too down given the Ravens history of signing the players they tag.
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