NFLPA Opts Not To Fight Franchise Tags (1 Viewer)

[David Yudkin]

Just heard on the radio that the players union apparently is picking its battles and will not be fighting teams having the ability to utilize the franchise tag for players in 2011. Sorry no link.

 

[renesauz]

Not surprising. It seems that some form of tag will remain available in the new CBA, so fighting it right now would serve no real purpose. The tag, without a CBA (or union decert.), is a meaningless designation anyway, and everyone knows it.

Now...should talks break down, the union decertify, and the owners then ENFORCE a tag, the players will have an easy law suit. There's no need to attack it now.

 

[Rockchild]

Not surprising. It seems that some form of tag will remain available in the new CBA, so fighting it right now would serve no real purpose. The tag, without a CBA (or union decert.), is a meaningless designation anyway, and everyone knows it.Now...should talks break down, the union decertify, and the owners then ENFORCE a tag, the players will have an easy law suit. There's no need to attack it now.

This makes sense but what is curious to me is Woodley and Harris signing their respective tags now. Wouldn't it be more to their benefit to wait until things shake out one way or another with regards to the CBA?

 

[Novice2]

Not surprising. It seems that some form of tag will remain available in the new CBA, so fighting it right now would serve no real purpose. The tag, without a CBA (or union decert.), is a meaningless designation anyway, and everyone knows it.Now...should talks break down, the union decertify, and the owners then ENFORCE a tag, the players will have an easy law suit. There's no need to attack it now.

This makes sense but what is curious to me is Woodley and Harris signing their respective tags now. Wouldn't it be more to their benefit to wait until things shake out one way or another with regards to the CBA?

They aren't team players.

 

[moderated]

This is good news as i think it shows both sides want to get this stuff resolved by the draft.

 

[Childress]

Vincent Jackson owners like this (as long as there is a 2011 season).

 

[Orange Crush]

Not surprising. It seems that some form of tag will remain available in the new CBA, so fighting it right now would serve no real purpose. The tag, without a CBA (or union decert.), is a meaningless designation anyway, and everyone knows it.Now...should talks break down, the union decertify, and the owners then ENFORCE a tag, the players will have an easy law suit. There's no need to attack it now.

This makes sense but what is curious to me is Woodley and Harris signing their respective tags now. Wouldn't it be more to their benefit to wait until things shake out one way or another with regards to the CBA?

No, it makes sense for them. The likelihood is that any new CBA would include a salary cap, and the cap would be lower than in previous years. A lower cap is going to significantly affect free agency, but no one yet knows how that is going to shake out. Are the stars going to get higher contracts than in years past, leaving everyone else fighting for the very little that's left over? Will there be higher minimum salaries for veteran free agents and thus the superstars are going to end up taking less? And how will having a record number of free agents affect contract amounts? No one knows. But teams can remove the franchise tag at any time up until the player actually signs the offer. Woodley and Harris believe the tag amount is significantly higher than they are likely to make in the first year of a free agency deal, and are moving to lock in that money now.

 

[Rockchild]

Not surprising. It seems that some form of tag will remain available in the new CBA, so fighting it right now would serve no real purpose. The tag, without a CBA (or union decert.), is a meaningless designation anyway, and everyone knows it.Now...should talks break down, the union decertify, and the owners then ENFORCE a tag, the players will have an easy law suit. There's no need to attack it now.

This makes sense but what is curious to me is Woodley and Harris signing their respective tags now. Wouldn't it be more to their benefit to wait until things shake out one way or another with regards to the CBA?

No, it makes sense for them. The likelihood is that any new CBA would include a salary cap, and the cap would be lower than in previous years. A lower cap is going to significantly affect free agency, but no one yet knows how that is going to shake out. Are the stars going to get higher contracts than in years past, leaving everyone else fighting for the very little that's left over? Will there be higher minimum salaries for veteran free agents and thus the superstars are going to end up taking less? And how will having a record number of free agents affect contract amounts? No one knows. But teams can remove the franchise tag at any time up until the player actually signs the offer. Woodley and Harris believe the tag amount is significantly higher than they are likely to make in the first year of a free agency deal, and are moving to lock in that money now.

Fair enough and it must be the reasoning behind it as I see some others signing too. Thanks.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Would be pretty funny if after all is said and done the franchised Vincent Jackson ended up with a one year deal far in excess of what he'd have gotten under the new CBA.