NFL Franchise Tag 2017: Latest News, Rumors on Players Eligible to Be Tagged

The NFL's franchise tag is one of the more polarizing commodities in sports.

Teams use the tag to restrict a potential free agent's mobility on the market. Some players dislike the tag, wanting to test the waters. Others don't, happy to cash in on a huge payday despite the lack of long-term assurances. Front offices, of course, love the flexibility it provides.

Candidates for the big-money tag abound this offseason and are some of the biggest names in the sport. NFL Network's Albert Breer provided estimated tag figures when the tagging window opened:

Said window slams shut on Wednesday. Until then, rumors and news continue to make the rounds as teams weigh whether to assign a tag and how doing so might fit into the overarching offseason building plan.

Here is a look at a few of the notable names eligible for the tag.

Notable Eligible Tag Targets

Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs

Safety-needy teams continue to watch the situation between the Kansas City Chiefs and Eric Berry with greedy eyes.

Berry, the man who recovered from cancer to regain his usual elite form, is one of the best-known stories in sports. Playing under a one-year deal in 2016, he put on another clinic, finishing as the seventh-ranked safety, according to Pro Football Focus, while only giving up one touchdown and picking off four passes.

After the season, Berry made it clear he doesn't want to play under the tag again—but for a good reason. He spoke on NFL Network's Super Bowl Live, transcribed by NFL.com's Kevin Patra:

"

I'm definitely not going to play under the franchise tag this year. I want to end my career in Kansas City. I want to play there. I love the city, I love the vibe, I love my teammates. I really look at them more than teammates. We've been through a lot and they supported me a lot. And the organization. But I don't feel comfortable playing under the franchise tag this year.

"

More recently, Berry reinforced the idea he wouldn't play under another tag, per ESPN.com's Adam Teicher. It's a unique situation to say the least, though it isn't hard to see why Berry doesn't want another one-year deal. His agent, Chad Speck, took to Twitter and said they've "got a long ways to go" in negotiations with the team.

This saga could run right up to the deadline and feels like it could go either way, so keep an eye on it.

Kawann Short, DT, Carolina Panthers

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short isn't a household name.

He should be.

Short has 17 sacks over his past two seasons alone, which doesn't sound like much until folks remember he's 6'3" and 315 pounds. The former Purdue star is one of the best interior rushers in the NFL alongside Geno Atkins, making him a hot commodity if he slips to market.

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has already admitted the team will likely need to slap the tag on Short, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

If that is the only way Carolina can get it done, so be it. Short hasn't missed a game over four years and ranked as the fourth-best interior lineman by PFF in 2016 behind only Aaron Donald, Calais Campbell and Ndamukong Suh.

It's going to be hard for both sides to come up with a number on a long-term deal. The mandated tag is a nice way for both sides to extend the negotiation period into next season.

Latavius Murray, RB, Oakland Raiders

Le'Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers seems like the biggest name to watch when it comes to running backs this year, but truthfully, his getting tagged so the two sides can ink a long-term deal is one of the most predictable things about this offseason.

On the other hand, Latavius Murray of the Oakland Raiders is the direct opposite.

According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, things look dicey between the parties:

It's an interesting situation because Murray is 27 years old and posted quite the productive campaign last year:

SEASON	YDS	AVG	TD
2014	424	5.2	2
2015	1,066	4.0	6
2016	788	4.0	12

Based on Breer's numbers above, though, Oakland doesn't want to slap a huge number on Murray with guys like DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard on the roster.

As with anything near a sporting deadline, though, this can change in a hurry. If the Raiders panic at the idea of Murray leaving for good, he might find himself tagged while the two sides work on a longer deal.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins

Hesitation as to whether Kirk Cousins is a franchise quarterback could, fittingly, lead to a franchise tag.

Well, another franchise tag. The Washington Redskins were both not sold on the idea of Cousins as a long-term option and didn't want to pay him based on the market when they slapped him with the tag last year.

Cousins responded with 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns, though the team finished 8-7-1 and missed the playoffs, unlike 2015. But Cousins finished as a top-10 quarterback at PFF, and the quarterback market isn't exactly overflowing with better options.

Hence Cousins being unwilling to sign a new deal before getting slapped with another franchise tag, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. Long story short: Percentage raises on the base franchise-tag number mean Cousins will never be hit with the tag again after the second time, so it's a strategic move by him and his representatives, and one that makes sense considering he is 28 years old.

Cousins has the leverage here and will use it, as he should. Whether the Redskins cave and give him the long-term deal he wants is something that could unfold over the next year while he plays under another tender. But a failure to get a deal done after a tag now means he hits the open market and can reset the quarterback asking price on his own with a bidding war.

The ball is in Washington's court, but it's playing by Cousins' rules, which makes for the most interesting franchise-tag saga in town.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.