National Football League

Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, among NFL stars to receive franchise tag

Published Mar. 8, 2022 4:44 p.m. ET

The NFL's franchise tender deadline came and went on Tuesday afternoon, with several big names locked in with their current teams.

The franchise tag is basically a one-year contract offer that guarantees a certain level of pay in relation to others at their position while keeping them from becoming free agents. Teams and franchise players have until mid-July to work out a multi-year extension. If they are unable to do so, the player and team can only agree to a one-year deal for the current season.

Perhaps the biggest name to be tagged on Tuesday was Green Bay's star receiver Davante Adams, who received the franchise tag on the heels of the big news that Aaron Rodgers would be returning to the Packers on a massive four-year deal.

But Adams wasn't the only one to be tagged on what turned out to be a huge day of NFL news — including the Seahawks trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos.

Let's break down the action at the franchise tender deadline.

Davante Adams, WR, Packers

The Packers tagged Adams shortly after the news of Rodgers' new contract became public, according to ESPN.

Green Bay was going to tag Adams, who was set to become a free agent on March 16, regardless of Rodgers' status. This allows the Packers to continue negotiations on a long-term deal while knowing they have their star receiver in the fold.

Rodgers' new deal reportedly will provide the team some salary cap relief, which is a good thing since the Adams tag will count about $20.1 million against their already overloaded cap. But ESPN also reported that it's unlikely Adams would play under that tag because "it would offer him no long-term security and it would be difficult for the Packers to absorb on their salary cap."

Adams set the Packers' single-season record for receptions (123) and receiving yards (1,553) last season. He became just the sixth player in NFL history with 120-plus catches, 1,500-plus yards and 11-plus touchdown catches in the same season.

Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers

The Bucs will use the franchise tag on Godwin for the second straight year, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The two sides were unable to work out a long-term deal but will keep trying, according to multiple reports.

Godwin is due roughly $19.18 million in the upcoming season if he and the Bucs can't work out an extension prior to the July 15 deadline.

Tagged wide receivers are due $18.419 million in 2022, but NFL rules mandate a second straight tag for a player costs at least 120% more than said player's previous salary (Godwin made $15.98 million in 2021).

The All-Pro wideout was set to be one of the hottest names on the open market at his position, despite suffering a torn ACL in December that cut his 2021 campaign short.

Orlando Brown, Jr., LT, Chiefs

The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Brown on Monday, making it a near-certainty that he will play for Kansas City next season while also giving the two sides time to work out a long-term contract.

In an aggressive revamping of their offensive line last offseason, the Chiefs traded a first-round pick and three other draft picks to the Baltimore Ravens to acquire Brown, even though he had just one year left on his rookie contract.

By expending that much draft capital on protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ blind side, it became clear that Kansas City planned to either sign Brown to an extension or place the franchise tag on him. Because the Chiefs did the latter with a non-exclusive tag, Brown has the freedom to negotiate with other teams while Kansas City keeps the option of matching any offer.

If the Chiefs let Brown go, they would receive two first-round draft picks in compensation.

If Brown plays next season under the franchise tag, he would be paid the average of the top five salary cap hits for NFL left tackles. The exact number is not yet available, but it’s likely to be about $16.5 million.

Brown started every game for Kansas City last season, and every game the two years before that with Baltimore. He’s missed just six of 64 regular-season games since he was the Ravens’ third-round pick in the 2018 draft.

By using the tag on Brown, the Chiefs are allowing safety Tyrann Mathieu to explore free agency. The three-time All-Pro has made it clear that he wants to return to Kansas City, and Veach acknowledged last week that he would prefer to see No. 32 leading the Chiefs’ secondary next season, but the numbers have to work for the cash-strapped franchise.

Cam Robinson, LT, Jaguars

Robinson, now playing under new coach Doug Pederson and tasked with protecting the blind side of Trevor Lawrence, will be playing under the franchise tag for the second year in a row.

Robinson, who earned $13.75 million in 2021, is due $16.662 million under the tag in 2022, according to NFL.com. He and the Jaguars can work out a long-term pact until the July 15 deadline. As a player getting a second consecutive tag, Robinson is due at least 120% more than his previous salary ($13.7 million), but the 2022 tag for offensive linemen ($16.662 million) exceeds that.

The left tackle garnered a 67.4 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021. Though that's hardly eye-popping, it was the best in his career thus far and the best among starters on a struggling Jags offensive line.

Robinson, 26, has started all 61 games he's played in since Jacksonville selected him in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Dalton Schultz, TE, Cowboys

By placing the tag on Schultz, the Cowboys are buying time to agree on a long-term deal for one of Dak Prescott’s most reliable targets.

The one-year contract will be worth about $11 million. If Schultz signs it, the sides have until July 15 to come to terms on a longer contract that would have less of a salary cap hit as Dallas looks for relief.

The Cowboys entered the offseason about $22 million over the cap but with several options to fix that. One is restructuring the contracts of Prescott and five-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin. Another is releasing receiver Amari Cooper.

Schultz emerged as an important part of the Dallas offense early in 2020 when Blake Jarwin sustained a season-ending knee injury in the opener. Jarwin’s future now is in doubt because of a hip issue requiring career-threatening surgery.

A fourth-round draft pick out of Stanford in 2018, Schultz saw his production skyrocket in 2020 and 2021. He had a combined 13 catches in his first two years before finishing with 63 receptions for 615 yards and four touchdowns two seasons ago.

The TD count doubled to eight last season, when Schultz again had career highs in catches (78) and yards (808). Schultz was second on the club in catches, one behind receiver CeeDee Lamb.

Schultz was already considered a better blocking tight end than Jarwin before his offensive production went up. Jarwin played just nine games over two seasons since the undrafted player signed a $22 million, four-year contract. Jarwin also is a candidate to be released, with modest cap savings.

Mike Gesicki, TE, Dolphins

Gesicki is getting a big raise from the Dolphins. What remains unclear is if he’ll be getting a longer deal.

The NFL set the tag number for tight ends at $10.931 million for the season. Gesicki had made a total of $6.6 million in his first four seasons with the Dolphins, and it remains possible that he and the team could still work out a longer-term extension between now and mid-July.

By committing the nearly $11 million to Gesicki, the Dolphins’ available cap space right now is somewhere around $52 million. That remains fluid and could rise depending on other personnel moves that might be coming. Free agency officially begins Wednesday, March 16.

Gesicki had 73 catches last season, fourth-most in the NFL among tight ends and second-most on the team behind Jaylen Waddle’s 106. He has been extremely dependable, playing in 64 of a possible 65 games since getting taken by Miami in the second round of the 2018 draft. And his catch totals have gone up each season: His rookie total of 22 was followed by 51, then 53 and now 73.

Jessie Bates III, S, Bengals

The Bengals have tagged Bates while hoping to come to terms on a long-term contract.

"Jessie has been an outstanding player here for four years," executive vice president Katie Blackburn said in a statement. "Over the past year, we've tried to extend his contract here in Cincinnati, and while that hasn't come to pass, we want him here for 2022 to be a part of what we think should be an exciting football season and bright future for our organization."

Bates was hoping to receive a new contract coming off his impactful play during the Bengals' Super Bowl LVI run. The tag figure for safeties is $12.911 million.

"That's a conversation I think that we'll have with my agency and my team," Bates said on Feb. 23 during an appearance on NFL NOW. "I put a lot of trust in them with this whole process. I'm just trying to stay focused, control what I can. We'll see. Hopefully I'm not under a franchise tag. That's something that needs to be discussed as NFLPA a little bit. Some of the top guys got hurt under a franchise tag. It's tough; you only get one shot at this. You just got to play your cards right, I guess you could say."

David Njoku, TE, Browns

The Browns have tagged Njoku in a move that some considered to be a surprise. The tight end will make $10.9 million fully guaranteed under the tag, but with a potential long-term contract in the works.

The Browns and Njoku's agent have been in long-term negotiations on an extension, Rapoport reported.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on NFL NOW that the Browns have had an offer on the table for Njoku that pays in the $13 million per year range, which would be top-five TE money. Teams have until the July 15 deadline to sign franchise-tagged players to long-term deals.

With the Browns working to keep Njoku in-house for the long haul, it does bring to question the security of Austin Hooper, as Cleveland could clear $2 million off the cap if they released him.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.