Today is an important day in the NFL, especially for teams that used their franchise tags.
July 15 is the deadline for teams to sign tagged players to long-term deals.
However, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo isn’t expecting much action because tight ends Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki have signed their tags.
Meanwhile, Orlando Brown Jr. and Jessie Bates have not signed theirs and they might not report to their respective training camps.
Therefore, NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared a reminder that Bates and Brown cannot be sanctioned by the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.
Players who haven’t signed franchise tags are not under contract. So when Jessie Bates and Orlando Brown don’t show for training camp, there are no penalties. https://t.co/lYkETv96bB
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2022
Rapoport tweeted, “Players who haven’t signed franchise tags are not under contract. So when Jessie Bates and Orlando Brown don’t show for training camp, there are no penalties.”
If they are not under contract, they can hold out until they get a fair deal.
Therefore, they might not report for training camp even if they are valuable to their teams.
Bates helped the Bengals reach Super Bowl LVI and was instrumental throughout their playoff run.
Meanwhile, Brown was a Pro Bowler last season as one of Patrick Mahomes‘ on-field protectors.
Not having them will be a huge blow to their respective causes, especially because they are both expected to reach the postseason again.
Why Teams Use The Franchise Tag?
The tag is a one-year, fully-guaranteed contract that is based on the average of the top five salaries at the position.
NFL teams use it if they want to see more from a player before committing long-term.
Likewise, it serves as an extension for contract negotiations with their key players.
If the player signs the tag, franchises can continue with the negotiations without the risk of losing their star.
Leave a Reply