Will we use the tag?

[Joey007]

So we have 3 major candidates for the tag:

Onwenu
Henry
Dugger

Here are spotrac’s projection for positional value.

Projected 2024 Franchise Tag Candidates

If those numbers hold up, there’s no way you can use it on Dugger at 16 million for safety. Would be a major overpay at a position that’ll be rich on the market.

But Henry and Onwenu are interesting situations. Both would be overpays for their tag (12 mill, 19 mill respectively) but also play at positions that are pretty sparse in free agency. Would it be smart to bite the bullet on the overpay and tag one of these guys? It not only prevents a bidding war, but also leads to not committing to either long term.

We have loads of cap space this year, so this would be a year to do something like this.

 

[Ross12]

So we have 3 major candidates for the tag:

Onwenu
Henry
Dugger

Here are spotrac’s projection for positional value.

Projected 2024 Franchise Tag Candidates

If those numbers hold up, there’s no way you can use it on Dugger at 16 million for safety. Would be a major overpay at a position that’ll be rich on the market.

But Henry and Onwenu are interesting situations. Both would be overpays for their tag (12 mill, 19 mill respectively) but also play at positions that are pretty sparse in free agency. Would it be smart to bite the bullet on the overpay and tag one of these guys? It not only prevents a bidding war, but also leads to not committing to either long term.

We have loads of cap space this year, so this would be a year to do something like this.

I don’t think Henry can be a realistic target because the tag raises up to something like 120% of the player’s prior year cap hit if that amount is higher than the tag value. Since Henry had around a $13M cap hit last year, I think his tag value would be something like $15-16M instead of the expected $12M for a TE.

Dugger probably makes the most sense, though he’s not entirely critical.

Onwenu’s figure of $19M seems like a lot but maybe they bite the bullet for one year, since he is more critical. On the flip side, it might just be an unusually hot market year for Onwenu with the lack of free agent tackles. It might end up being fiscally wise to pay a bit of a one year premium for Onwenu and push his free agency out to 2025, where a better tackle free agent class pushes his value down and gets you a better deal.

 

[Joey007]

I don’t think Henry can be a realistic target because the tag raises up to something like 120% of the player’s prior year cap hit if that amount is higher than the tag value. Since Henry had around a $13M cap hit last year, I think his tag value would be something like $15-16M instead of the expected $12M for a TE

Hmm, hasn’t realized that. Good catch Ross.

I think the concern there remains if you want to risk losing Henry. He doesn’t quite play up to his contract, but you don’t want to end up with the 2020 TE room again.

 

[Ross12]

Hmm, hasn’t realized that. Good catch Ross.

I think the concern there remains if you want to risk losing Henry. He doesn’t quite play up to his contract, but you don’t want to end up with the 2020 TE room again.

Someone else told me about this same topic a while ago, I think it was @Sciz. Didn’t know about that provision previously.

For that money though, I would be inking Dalton Schultz to a deal.

 

[TheRainMaker]

No.

 

[Pape]

we should not use the tag this year.

None of the free agent players, except maybe HH, are close to being a top tier player... None of them will get top dollar in free agency... If some team wants to pay that price, so be it...

But it's a new day in the Front Office... maybe they see the cost benefit of overpaying in free agency... I certainly don't... but, i will say, it would suck to continue to lose players over narrow margins like we did in the past

 

[Patsgofor4]

What a dumb thread. We all know the answer to this question already.

The answer is obviously yes, yes, a thousand times yes!

 

[Real fan 02]

we should not use the tag this year.

None of the free agent players, except maybe HH, are close to being a top tier player... None of them will get top dollar in free agency... If some team wants to pay that price, so be it...

But it's a new day in the Front Office... maybe they see the cost benefit of overpaying in free agency... I certainly don't... but, i will say, it would suck to continue to lose players over narrow margins like we did in the past

Agreed. As I've made mention. The topic of spending was it Bill was it Bob. Has been discussed. The organization knows they have to spend. There Is no other way to have elite talent unless you want to become dependent on the draft year in and out that's a Toss up. Identify guys you want and pay them.

 

[Pape]

Agreed. As I've made mention. The topic of spending was it Bill was it Bob. Has been discussed. The organization knows they have to spend. There Is no other way to have elite talent unless you want to become dependent on the draft year in and out that's a Toss up. Identify guys you want and pay them.

i would add a caveat... don't overpay them, unless its a franchise qb

 

[Real fan 02]

i would add a caveat... don't overpay them, unless its a franchise qb

Absolutely, positively agreed. Get the QB position correct. Draft a guy, bring in a veteran, do not want Mac or zap on this roster come next season.

 

[Pape]

Absolutely, positively agreed. Get the QB position correct. Draft a guy, bring in a veteran, do not want Mac or zap on this roster come next season.

I'd keep Zappe. He's not great, but he's no worse than any other back up in the game... better zappe at less than a mill than 7 million for a guy like brisette

 

[Real fan 02]

I'd keep Zappe. He's not great, but he's no worse than any other back up in the game

Reason why I wouldn't want him is because he'd be no help to the new QB.. he sees himself as the starter, but hey if he does well in camp and really improves his game anything is possible. IMO it's unlikely but I'd welcome it. Veteran backup, draft pick, don't laugh at me ( Justin Fields).

 

[Ross12]

I'd keep Zappe. He's not great, but he's no worse than any other back up in the game... better zappe at less than a mill than 7 million for a guy like brisette

I think there’s a chance he would be a decent, top-20ish caliber player in a West Coast offense. He struggled in the BOB scheme needing to understand all the intricacies of the offense, but he was better in 2022 as a rookie playing in the watered down Patricia scheme. If they put him in a position to not have to think as much and just know his reads, and use his mobility on some bootlegs and play action, he might be OK.

It’s clear they are trading Mac, but seems like it would be safe to keep Zappe and Rourke regardless of what else they do and see how things go during the spring and camp.

 

[Real fan 02]

I think there’s a chance he would be a decent, top-20ish caliber player in a West Coast offense. He struggled in the BOB scheme needing to understand all the intricacies of the offense, but he was better in 2022 as a rookie playing in the watered down Patricia scheme. If they put him in a position to not have to think as much and just know his reads, and use his mobility on some bootlegs and play action, he might be OK.

It’s clear they are trading Mac, but seems like it would be safe to keep Zappe and Rourke regardless of what else they do and see how things go during the spring and camp.

Great points. AVPs west coast system is supposed to be QB friendly I hear. So zap with that being said could potentially stick around.

 

[Pape]

Reason why I wouldn't want him is because he'd be no help to the new QB.. he sees himself as the starter, but hey if he does well in camp and really improves his game anything is possible. IMO it's unlikely but I'd welcome it. Veteran backup, draft pick, don't laugh at me ( Justin Fields).

Id take fields if he gets cut. Otherwise, why?

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

None of them are Tag worthy

 

[Sciz]

Someone else told me about this same topic a while ago, I think it was @Sciz. Didn’t know about that provision previously.

For that money though, I would be inking Dalton Schultz to a deal.

Yeah, the tag is a minimum 20% raise, or $18.6M for Henry.

 

[Real fan 02]

Id take fields if he gets cut. Otherwise, why?

Better upside. It's not going to improve here for Mac. Mac for fields and a 6th is what wolf should be proposing.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I think it might be wise to tag Owenhu with the idea of using that to work toward a long-term deal. He's the kind of guy who offers a lot of flexibility of position and is the homegrown talent we should be rewarding.

 

[Love The Drake]

I think it might be wise to tag Owenhu with the idea of using that to work toward a long-term deal. He's the kind of guy who offers a lot of flexibility of position and is the homegrown talent we should be rewarding.

That’s what I’ve been thinking as well.