NFL Rumors: 3 Franchise Tag Options for Green Bay Packers?

Ever since the 2011-12 season ended for the Green Bay Packers, both Jermichael Finley and Matt Flynn have been the names most thrown around for the Packers' use of the franchise tag.

On Friday, ESPN NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert threw out Scott Wells' name as another potential free agent who could be franchised this offseason. 

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All offensive linemen are assigned the same franchise tag number, even though contract values differ significantly between tackles, guards and centers. It's not unheard of for a team to franchise a center -- the Carolina Panthers did it with Ryan Kalil last year -- but it means they would be guaranteed the same kind of one-year salary as, say, a left tackle. In 2012, Brian McIntyre projects the franchise tag for offensive linemen to be around $9.5 million, via Football Outsiders. 

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Seifert also offered a counter-point to why the Packers wouldn't want to ultimately give Wells the tag:

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The Packers currently have an estimated $10 million in salary cap room and could squeeze in Wells at that number if necessary. Wells earned his first Pro Bowl berth last season, but the Packers probably don't need to commit that kind of money to keep him. Kalil, considered the NFL's top center, ultimately signed a seven-year contract that averaged $7 million per season and included $28 million in guarantees. 

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Seifert pointed out that the Packers have thrown a curveball or two with the franchise tag—namely Ryan Pickett in 2010 and Corey Williams in 2008. The Packers went on to negotiate a long-term contract with Pickett but traded away Williams. 

Tagging Wells would certainly be another curveball. 

That's mostly because both Finley and Flynn are better candidates for the tag.

Finley, a soon-to-be 25-year-old tight end, will be an unrestricted free agent on March 13 and may not accept whatever long-term deal the Packers are currently offering.

Instead of letting him get away for nothing more than a compensatory pick, and before he reaches his sky-high potential, the Packers could very easily slap the $5.5 million tight end tag on Finley and secure him for at least another year.

The record-breaking backup quarterback is also an option.

Flynn, who threw for a franchise record 480 yards and six touchdowns during the season finale, is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. And while the Packers are set with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, tagging Flynn could give the Packers the ability to acquire a couple of high picks in the upcoming draft. 

In the end, I don't think you can count out Wells as an option for the tag. He's a valuable—arguably the most valuable—free agent the Packers have to re-sign this offseason. But Finley will likely be the Packers' first franchise tag option, and the return on Flynn might be hard for the Packers to pass up.