Bubba Frank to be Tagged?

[Kensat30]

Ummm, may I ask why? I'd rather franchise the water boy than Bubba Franks. This doesn't make any sense to me, but I'm not too clear on the whole franchising thing. I understand that they get the average of the top 5 salaries at their position, but what is the purpose of franchising a player. Sorry for sounding stupid, but please elaborate. Thanks

Bubba Franks is one of the premier blocking/receiving tight ends in the league. Not too many players can block as well as Bubba and still provide reliable pass catching hands. Granted Bubba will never put up numbers like Tony Gonzalez or Todd Heap, but he can and will catch the ball when you need him to on critical third down plays and redzone opportunities.

Franchising Bubba makes sense because tight ends don't get paid jack in the NFL. why take a risk at losing a valuable player when you have the franchise tag available? There may be another team out there desperate for a tight end like Bubba Franks and it doesn't break your bank to keep him around for another year.
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You can't just franchise other players at more important positions because they are not worth the money. Franchised prices vary widely based on position. My guesstimates for franchise costs:

QB- 9 million
RB- 7 million
OL- 7-9 million
TE- 2 million

[portisfan24]

When you franchise a player isnt it an option to either pay him the average of the top 5 salaries or give him 120 percent of his last years salary? I guess it is worth it to tag Bubba, considering their other free agents.

[maddog60]

Davenport would never and should never get the tag over Franks. (so he can come play in Philly ) With Green in GB it wouldnt make sense to franchise tag any backup RB, especially with the price it would cost.

Rivera I coul see having gotten the tag instead. The Packers are losing a few offensive linemen this year, that's going to hurt, and Rivera is one of their best.

However, Franks makes perfect sense. He's a total package TE, and TE's are scarce in this NFL. Not only is he a well above average TE, though no Heap or Gonzo, if he went into free agency, he would be the best TE hands down on the market. Thus teams would be competing very heavily to get his services. Whereas if they can't work out a deal with Rivera in time, there should be plenty of Guards heading into free agency (Andruzzi, DeMulling, Mayberry, etc), so they have leverage in trying to get him to resign to a good deal rather than take his chances with so much talent available this year.

[skibrett15]

the reason they will tag Bubba is because they want to keep him. They may think he will want to walk and don't really have a problem with paying him the 2-3 mil that franchising him warrants. Plus if they franchise him and he still signs then they get a couple of picks in the draft for this year and next I believe.

[Manja]

When you franchise a player isnt it an option to either pay him the average of the top 5 salaries or give him 120 percent of his last years salary? I guess it is worth it to tag Bubba, considering their other free agents.

It's whatever's greater.

[ravage]

It looks like Bubba was tagged but with the Transition not Franchise. It's like Christmas for Bubba. I have a deal but I can try for more. Great situation for Bubba.

[TheOneManShow 26]

I really thought they would tag Marco Rivera, their O-line is what makes the team "go".

[Evolution]

But then, is Rivera really a lineman deserving of a top-5 at his position salary? No. That's why the Bubba transition tag makes sense.

[ravage]

I really thought they would tag Marco Rivera, their O-line is what makes the team "go".

They can still use the franchise tag. The transition tag is different.

[The Lung]

Tom Silverstein, of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, reports the Green Bay Packers are more than $6 million over the league's salary-cap limit after tagging TE Bubba Franks with a transition designation, according to NFL Players Association salary data. That number will inflate to at least $11 million once the team makes qualifying offers to some or all of their restricted free agents. The impending release of veteran G Mike Wahle, whose contract calls for $11.3 million cap number next season, would allow the Packers to recoup $11 million in cap space, but leaves the team with little available cap room to be active in free agency. (KFFL)

Which means they can't look for help on defense. Rember how awful the Packers D was last year? Not getting any better.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. With salary cap issues, contract extensions, and trades, the following teams had crappy defenses last year, and will have crappy defenses again next year:

1. Indy
2. Green Bay
3. Tennessee
4. San Francisco
5. Oakland
6. Kansas City (I'm waiting to see what kind of defense they think they can buy. Odds are, it will stink.)

I know what matchups I'll be looking for when choosing bye-week fill-ins next season.