Williams Tagged

[Fritz]

I like this move. It gives TT some time to see if something long term can be worked out. If it can't be, TT can try for a sign and trade, and if that doesn't work, he can just see how Williams's attitude is. If he's okay, then the team gets one more year out of him and time for Harrell. If he's going to hold out, you can either continue to negotiate, tell him to go home, or cut him.

This move gives TT some options he didn't have without the tag.

[Scott Campbell]

The more I thought about this, the more I thought the move was pretty much a no brainer. And that's why you're seeing the tag used on more players this year. There's very little risk with the one year committment, and it preserves lots of flexibility. Keep him. Trade him. Sign him. Or just let it expire next year. Given our cap situation this year, there was very little reason to let him hit UFA.

There is far more risk in signing a player to a long term deal given the greater amount of guaranteed money involved, and the deferred nature of the cap hits.

[RashanGary]

The more I thought about this, the more I thought the move was pretty much a no brainer. And that's why you're seeing the tag used on more players this year. There's very little risk with the one year committment, and it preserves lots of flexibility. Keep him. Trade him. Sign him. Or just let it expire next year. Given our cap situation this year, there was very little reason to let him hit UFA.

There is far more risk in signing a player to a long term deal given the greater amount of guaranteed money involved, and the deferred nature of the cap hits.

On top of that, the cap has gone up over 33% in two years. Contracts have not gone up yet. For whatever reason, NFL clubs just havn't dished out too many of the 7 year 80 million dollar deals that Clements got (and I think 5 or 6 guys will get that kind of money this year).

Over the next year or two, I think you're going to see those tag numbers catch up to the cap. 6 million tags this year might be 10 million dollars in two years where they've remained pretty steady the last two or three years.

In a normal year, I don't think Williams get tagged. If the tags were in sequence with the cap they'd be around 8 or 9 mil right now. I dont' think Williams would get that. That's why I think so many used tags this year. On top of that, since nobody has started to spend their massive new bank accounts, nobody is forced into using signing bonuses yet.

[Scott Campbell]

The more I thought about this, the more I thought the move was pretty much a no brainer. And that's why you're seeing the tag used on more players this year. There's very little risk with the one year committment, and it preserves lots of flexibility. Keep him. Trade him. Sign him. Or just let it expire next year. Given our cap situation this year, there was very little reason to let him hit UFA.

There is far more risk in signing a player to a long term deal given the greater amount of guaranteed money involved, and the deferred nature of the cap hits.

On top of that, the cap has gone up over 33% in two years. Contracts have not gone up yet. For whatever reason, NFL clubs just havn't dished out too many of the 7 year 80 million dollar deals that Clements got (and I think 5 or 6 guys will get that kind of money this year).

Over the next year or two, I think you're going to see those tag numbers catch up to the cap. 6 million tags this year might be 10 million dollars in two years where they've remained pretty steady the last two or three years.

In a normal year, I don't think Williams get tagged. If the tags were in sequence with the cap they'd be around 8 or 9 mil right now. I dont' think Williams would get that. That's why I think so many used tags this year. On top of that, since nobody has started to spend their massive new bank accounts, nobody is forced into using signing bonuses yet.

Also a very good point.

[Fritz]

Given the logic of these posts, it makes me laugh to read in the Detroit papers that the Lions may try to trade Roy Williams because they don't think they can re-sign him when he's up in two years...

It's like a free circus show every year here. I love it. And William Clay Ford is the ring master, with Matt Millen his lead clown.