Tuesday’s deadline to place the franchise tag on players came and went without a peep from the Los Angeles Rams. It’s the first time the Rams haven’t used the tag since 2015 after placing it on Trumaine Johnson in 2016 and ’17, and Lamarcus Joyner last year.
It was the longest streak in the NFL, but is now snapped.
Les Snead said at the combine that they weren’t planning to use the tag this year and with very few options to receive it – Dante Fowler Jr., Joyner and Rodger Saffold – it comes as no surprise that they passed on it. Six other teams did exercise their rights to designate someone as their franchise player, however.
The following teams used the franchise tag this offseason.
Seahawks: DE Frank Clark
Chiefs: OLB Dee Ford
Cowboys: DE DeMarcus Lawrence
Texans: OLB/DE Jadeveon Clowney
Falcons: DT Grady Jarrett
49ers: K Robbie Gould
What do all of those players (besides Gould) have in common? They’re all defensive linemen or pass-rushing outside linebackers. The Rams weren’t going to be in the market for any of them, so that isn’t a concern.
However, with just about all of the top free-agent pass rushers staying put on the franchise tag, there is a ripple effect on Los Angeles. Put simply, the fewer pass rushers that are available on the open market, the higher Fowler’s value goes. The same can be said about Ndamukong Suh, but on a lesser scale.
Now, it’s Trey Flowers, Preston Smith, Ziggy Ansah and Za’Darius Smith topping the list of available pass rushers with Fowler. Teams like the Jets, Colts, Raiders and Bills – who all need edge rushers and have an abundance of cap space – will have fewer options in free agency, thus leading them to potentially overpay.
It’s a simple matter of supply and demand.
Fowler will get lumped into that group of second-tier pass rushers and could possibly get more than $10 million in free agency. That’s bad news for the Rams, who only have about $22.5 million in cap space, pending John Sullivan coming off the books at the start of the new league year.
On the flip side, the Giants and Ravens opted not to tag Landon Collins and C.J. Mosley, respectively, allowing them to become free agents. Collins probably won’t be a target for the Rams, but his addition to the outstanding pool of available safeties could lower the price of Joyner.
Mosley might be someone the Rams go after if they choose to move on from Mark Barron. He’ll be the most expensive linebacker out there, most likely, but saving around $6 million by cutting Barron could ease the burden of taking on Mosley’s deal.