Cowboys Tag Hamlin

The Dallas Cowboys designated Ken Hamlin their franchise player on Thursday, locking up the Pro Bowl safety through at least next season. The move essentially means Hamlin has a one-year contract at the average base salary of the top five safeties in the NFL: $4.4 million. It also keeps the unrestricted free agent off the market and extends the window to negotiate a long-term contract. Hamlin made his first Pro Bowl during the Cowboys’ 13-3 season. He finished with 62 tackles and five interceptions, one behind team leader Anthony Henry.

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Seahawks Tag Trufant

The Seattle Seahawks officially made their initial move to keep Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant from free agency by designating him as their franchise player for 2008 on Thursday. The team announced that Trufant is still free to negotiate with any other team when free agency begins March 1. That means Seattle used the non-exclusive franchise tag, which allows the Seahawks to match any offer or receive two first-round draft choices if they decide not to match. Should he decide to sign the tender offer, Trufant would be guaranteed $9,465,000 for 2008, currently the average of the top five salaries for cornerbacks in the league. He could still sign a long-term contract with the Seahawks by July.

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Packers Franchise Tag Williams, Release Franks

The Green Bay Packers have designated defensive tackle Corey Williams as their franchise player and released tight end Bubba Franks. The transactions were announced Wednesday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson. As the Packers' franchise player, Williams has a one-year contract tender offer at the defensive tackle franchise number set by the NFL. The Packers maintain a right of first refusal to match any team's offer received by Williams. Williams played in all 16 games, including nine starts, in 2007 and set career highs with 51 tackles and 32 solo stops. He tied his career high with seven sacks. Source: Packers.com

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Colts Franchise Tag Clark

After failing to reach a long-term agreement with Dallas Clark, the Indianapolis Colts placed the franchise tag on their tight end on Tuesday. Negotiations with Clark, whose contract voided after the 2007 season, heated up toward the end of the season, but without resolution. The Colts instead reached agreement on a five-year, $37.5 million contract with safety Bob Sanders, the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Talks with Clark resumed in the past week, but with no deal in sight, the Colts felt it necessary to designate him as their franchise player. The one-year franchise tender for a tight end is $4.522 million. ESPN

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Panthers Franchise Tag Gross

The Panthers decided Tuesday to place the franchise tag on Jordan Gross, all but assuring the right tackle will remain in Carolina next season. After failing to agree on a long-term deal, the Panthers offered Gross a one-year contract for $7.45 million, which is the average salary of the top five highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL from last season.

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Chiefs Franchise Tag Allen

The Kansas City Chiefs put a franchise tag on defensive end Jared Allen, who led the NFL in sacks last season despite being suspended for the first two games. The Chiefs and Allen have been unable to work out a contract for almost a year. The Chiefs said Tuesday they had franchised Allen, who had 15 1/2 sacks last season. He was suspended the first two games because of multiple DUI convictions. Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Allen will make almost $9 million next season, the average of the five highest-paid defensive ends in the NFL. If another club signs Allen, it would have to compensate the Chiefs with two first-round draft picks.

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Bengals Franchise Tag Andrews

Offensive lineman Stacy Andrews has been designated the Cincinnati Bengals' franchise player. The franchise tag gives Andrews the option to play for Cincinnati in 2008 for a salary equal to the average of the top five offensive linemen in the NFL in 2007. Andrews will be a fifth-year player in 2008. The 26-year-old is unsigned for 2008, and will become an unrestricted free agent on Feb. 29 if he doesn't reach an agreement with the Bengals.

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Ravens Will Either Re-Sign or Tag Suggs

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said Monday that if the team can't work out a long-term deal with the star linebacker, Baltimore will place the franchise tag on him to keep him off the free-agent market. The NFL deadline to use the franchise tag is Feb. 21. "We will be using the franchise tag on Terrell if we don't have a long-term deal in place between now and then," Newsome told the Baltimore Sun. If the Ravens use the franchise tag on Suggs and he can't work out a long-term deal with the team, the linebacker will be paid $8.065 million for the 2008 season -- the average of the five highest-paid NFL linebackers.

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Eagles Franchise Tag Smith

As rumored a few days ago, tight end L.J. Smith, who was scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the month, was given the franchise tag by the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. Thursday marked the first day of the offseason that teams could use the tag. Although Smith can receive offers from other teams, the tag gives the Eagles seven days to match. A team signing him would have to give up two first-round picks as compensation. "Any player wants a long-term deal -- that's what you want, to feel secure in your job and also your family's position, but I'm OK with it right now," Smith said. "I definitely would have preferred a long-term deal but, hey, my agent, he's going to want to talk with the team, and who knows? I didn't even think I was going to get this. Maybe they can get something worked out later on." If he signs with the Eagles, Smith will receive a one-year deal worth the average of the top five highest salaries earned by tight ends.

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Eagles Will Either Sign, Or Tag Smith

There has been speculation that the Philadelphia Eagles will prevent tight end L.J. Smith from becoming a free agent by franchising him for $4.522 million in 2008 the Philadelphia Daily News reported. Quarterback Donovan McNabb said he would like to see Smith back, recovered from the injuries that cost him most of the season. "He's a big part of our offense," McNabb said.

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Chicago Bears Rumors

Bears To Re-Sign Grossman

Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo and coach coach Lovie Smith agreed they want Rex Grossman to return, making it seemingly only a question of money after Grossman said he was open to returning if the Bears wanted him back at quarterback according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Angelo said developing ''stability'' at quarterback was the top priority. The Sun-Times said if Grossman returns, it won't be as the billed starter — not right away, anyway. That makes for story lines already as the Bears point to training camp in July. Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Bears To Franchise Tag Berrian?

Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo didn't rule out shifting the franchise tag from one Drew Rosenhaus client, Lance Briggs, to another in Bernard Berrian — an interesting admission because it would cost nearly $8 million, the amount of guaranteed money in the long-term extension offer that Berrian, a wide receiver, swiftly rejected last summer the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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