Darnell Savage might be the likeliest candidate to get a tag, but it would still be nearly unthinkable for the Packers to give him a deal of that amount.
Tuesday, February 20th marks a notable date in the NFL’s 2024 offseason: it is the start of the Franchise Tag period. Teams can begin designating Franchise or Transition players today, with March 5th being the final day to use these tags.
As a reminder, the Franchise and Transition Tags are methods whereby NFL teams can retain exclusive or preferential negotiation rights with players who are set to become free agents at the start of the new league year (this year, that date is Wednesday, March 13th). Players receiving one of the tags would receive a one-year guaranteed contract offer, with the value of that offer depending on the player’s position, 2023 salary, and the type of tag used.
In general, the Franchise and Transition tag amounts are designed to pay a player an amount near the top of the market for his position. As a result, the Green Bay Packers are highly unlikely to use a tag on any of their pending unrestricted free agents — indeed, it would be a shocking move if they did so.
As a reminder, here is the list of UFAs-to-be from the Packers’ 2023 team, sorted by snap counts on offense or defense:
- SCB/KR Keisean Nixon
- S Jonathan Owens
- S Rudy Ford
- S Darnell Savage
- RB AJ Dillon
- CB Corey Ballentine
- OT Yosh Nijman
- TE Josiah Deguara
- LB Eric Wilson
- TE Tyler Davis
- LB Kristian Welch
Nixon played the most of any of these players in 2023, as he was on the field for more than 70% of defensive snaps as the team’s primary slot cornerback. However, with the cornerback Franchise Tag amount estimated at around $19 million (by Overthecap.com), that number is well out of line with his true value.
Likewise, the Packers have three safeties who each went over 50% of the team’s defensive snaps, but are even more unlikely to get a tag. The safety Franchise Tag number should be just north of $16 million, also vastly above any of these players’ market values.
The Packers have used the Franchise Tag just once over the last 13 years, doing so in 2022 when they tagged wide receiver Davante Adams. They traded Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders a few weeks later.
Prior to Adams’ tag, Green Bay had tagged players just twice since 2000, with defensive linemen Corey Williams (2008) and Ryan Pickett (2010) getting tags. Pickett signed a long-term deal that offseason, but Williams — like Adams 14 years later — was traded, going to the Cleveland Browns.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login