San Francisco 49ers Plan to Franchise Tag Safety Dashon Goldson

Two days after the 49ers inked Ahmad Brooks to a six-year deal, NFL insider Adam Schefter has announced they plan to use their franchise tag today on safety Dashon Goldson. 

This means that Goldson, for the second year in a row, will not be getting the long-term contract he is looking for. Goldson will be signed to a one-year contract worth $6.2 million. It may not be the long-term deal he wants, but he will be paid as a top-five safety in the league. Rightfully so, after the Pro Bowl season he had in 2011.

Goldson's agent has said that Goldson has no intention of signing the franchise tag at this point. ''There are no immediate plans to sign the franchise tag,'' Goldson's representative, Ben Dogra of CAA Sports, said. ''We will continue to speak with the 49ers.''

According to Matt Barrows, of the Sacramento Bee, the 49ers used a "non-exclusive tag" on Goldson. This means Goldson can negotiate with other teams and work on a deal, but the team could match any other team's offer. If they chose to not match the offer, the 49ers would receive two first-round picks as compensation.

49ers General Manager Trent Baalke has said the team and Goldson will continue to work toward a long-term deal, but the team wanted to make sure he remained a 49er for the immediate future. ''Dashon has been a 49er since we selected him in the fourth round of the 2007 draft,'' Baalke said. ''By using the franchise tag on Dashon, it affords us the opportunity to continue to work on a long-term contract with him, while also ensuring he will be a 49er for a sixth season, in 2012.''

Last offseason, Goldson hit free agency looking for a five-year deal, seemingly in the $30 million range. He turned down a lucrative contract of that duration from the 49ers, hoping that he would get a better offer from a team like the Dallas Cowboys, who were looking for safety help. That offer never came for Goldson, and he had to settle for a one-year, $1.2 million contract.

Once again, Goldson is signed for a one-year contract, albeit for a substantial pay raise, but this season he appears more excited to be back with the team. "I'm extremely honored and excited for the opportunity to play in a 49er uniform once again," Goldson said via Twitter.

Goldson is the second major 49ers free agent to be re-signed. The 49ers still have to work out deals for quarterback Alex Smith, cornerback Carlos Rogers, guards Chilo Rachal and Adam Snyder, and wide receivers Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn, Jr.

Goldson's $6.2 million deal will likely take the 49ers' cap room to about $23 million, after the release of Shawntae Spencer. Parys Haralson's contract could also be restructured to give the 49ers more cap flexibility. 

The 49ers also continue to peruse the options available to them for when free agency begins March 13.