quote:
Texans face dilemma with Arian Foster
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 14, 2012, 11:29 AM EST
The Texans are expected to make free agent pass rusher Mario Williams their top priority this offseason, but they aren’t expected to use the franchise tag to keep him.
Houston would have to spend almost $23 million to keep Williams via the tag, and that would be nearly impossible considering how tight they are to the cap.
Perhaps that will open up the use of the franchise tag for another big name player: Arian Foster.
Foster is a restricted free agent, but the new CBA makes it easier for other teams to go after him. Interested teams “only” have to give up a first round pick and a contract to sign Foster.
The Steelers are in a very similar situation with Mike Wallace, and they are considering using the tag on Wallace:
Steelers could use franchise tag on RFA Wallace
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 14, 2012, 9:19 AM EST
The Steelers don’t have any unrestricted free agents that would make sense as franchise tag candidates. But they still may use the tag.
Steelers G.M. Kevin Colbert said via Scott Brown the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the team hasn’t ruled out placing the tag on restricted free agent Mike Wallace.
“Certainly Mike has done a lot to establish himself as a Pro Bowl receiver, and we want to try to keep Mike here for the long run,” Colbert said.
This is a case where the new CBA may directly lead to more money for elite players like Wallace. In the past, teams were much less likely to consider placing the franchise tag on RFAs because the cost of signing Wallace away from Pittsburgh would have been prohibitive.
The highest tender the Steelers can place on Wallace now is a first-round pick tender. In the past, interested teams needed to cough up a first- and third-round pick plus a new contract to sign away top-shelf restricted free agents.
Essentially, would a team like the Patriots picking late in the first round be willing to give up a first-round pick to sign Wallace? That question has to worry Pittsburgh.
In addition to NE, you'd have to throw GB in here as well. In the past, I never looked at who was a RFA because in most cases coughing up a 1st and a 3rd would rarely be worth it. But considering where GB is sitting in the draft, if you had a stud player as a RFA and the only compensation GB would have to give is a low sitting 1st rounder, I'd have to wonder if Ted would consider it.
Lardarius Webb is a fast and up n' coming CB in a 3-4 for the Ravens. Just 25. Took a nice leap in 2011. Just off the top of my head.
Moving into future drafts, RFA's may pose a problem for cap tight teams. Steelers and Texans good examples.
