On Tuesday, the NFL deadline for utilizing the franchise or transition tag got here and went, and for the seventh yr in a row, the Detroit Lions opted to not use it. The truth is, solely two groups ended up utilizing the franchise tag:
The Lions weren’t anticipated to make use of the franchise or transition tag, however there was one participant who was at the very least price that dialogue. Cornerback Carlton Davis is heading towards free company and could be very well-liked contained in the Lions facility. With Detroit needing cornerbacks for each the quick and long-term, a method to verify they don’t lose Davis can be to make use of the franchise tag—which may forestall different groups from negotiating with him or give the Lions a chance to match one other staff’s supply, relying on in the event that they used the unique or non-exclusive model of the tag.
The complication right here is that the franchise tag is pricey. The worth relies on the common of the highest 5 salaries at that participant’s place. For cornerback, the franchise tag can be a one-year, $20.2 million deal for Davis. Clearly, that would have been a placeholder for the Lions till they reached a long-term cope with the cornerback, however they opted to not go that route.
Now, the Lions can have till 12 p.m. ET on Monday, March 10 to return to a cope with Davis and all of their different unrestricted free brokers. If Detroit doesn’t re-sign these gamers by then, the tampering interval—the place brokers can discuss to different groups—begins. Free agent contracts with different groups will be signed beginning at 4 p.m ET on Wednesday, March 12.
