Which Top NFL Players Could Get the Franchise Tag in 2018?

Before free agency gets underway in mid-March, NFL teams will have a chance to lock up impending free agents between February 20 and March 6 by using the franchise tag.  

So as we move on from Super Bowl LII and look forward to the 2018 offseason, it makes sense to start with a preview of potential tagees. 

At least six players have been hit with the tag in each of the last 10 offseasons, including seven in 2017. Here's a look at 13 high-profile players from 11 teams who could be slapped with the tag before having a chance to hit free agency this offseason. 

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell (again)

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell is the only player who was hit with the franchise tag for the first time in 2017 and hasn't signed a long-term deal since. Realistically, he's the only candidate to be re-tagged in 2018, and he isn't happy about it. 

"I hope it doesn't come to that, but I would definitely consider it," Bell said last month when asked if he'd sit out or consider retirement if he were tagged again, according to ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. 

Bell is 25 and coming off an All-Pro season. Despite missing five games the last two years, he has more yards from scrimmage during that stretch than anyone else in football by a wide margin. That makes him one of the top offensive weapons in the game, which is why he wants top dollar. 

If the Steelers aren't able to get him what he wants on a long-term deal, don't expect the team to shy away from using the tag. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in January that the Steelers still plan on taking that route if they can't strike a deal by that March 6 deadline. 

San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo

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The San Francisco 49ers didn't trade a second-round pick for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo midway through the 2017 season so that Garoppolo could start five games for them late in a lost season. Garoppolo, who went 5-0 as a starter with a team that had lost 24 of its previous 26 games, will inevitably be back in San Francisco in 2018. 

The question is whether he'll return under a long-term contract or as a recipient of the franchise tag. 

Even before the 26-year-old made made waves with a strong 5-0 run in December, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team would likely go that route if need be. 

"I think it would be very hard for Jimmy to go in there and show over whatever time span that is [the rest of the season] that he could [be the franchise quarterback]," Shanahan said in November, according to Grant Cohn of the Press Democrat. "Also for us, that’s a lot of pressure to get a guy ready and commit long term. So, I think knowing how the franchise tag works is what made it kind of a no-brainer to make that trade."

"We want Jimmy to be a Niner for a long, long time," added general manager John Lynch in a press conference after the season. "That process is going to take place here, and we're eager to have the opportunity [to keep him in San Francisco]."

If a deal isn't struck by March 6, look for San Francisco to franchise-tag Garoppolo at a total CBSSports.com's Joel Corry reports would be $23.6 million. The two parties would then have about four months to iron something out. But considering that Garoppolo's sample size remains tiny, a one-season test drive might not be a bad idea. 

Minnesota Vikings QB Case Keenum

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Somehow, the Minnesota Vikings have found themselves in a situation in which they have three starting-caliber quarterbacks, all of whom are slated to become unrestricted free agents next month. They're likely to keep at least one, which means Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Bradford and Case Keenum are all candidates to be hit with the franchise tag. 

While fighting back from a significant knee injury, Bridgewater has thrown just two passes in two seasons. Bradford has missed 42 games because of injury in the last five years and might be running out of chances. But Keenum is coming off a breakout season in which he was the league's seventh-highest-rated passer while helping the Vikes reach the NFC Championship Game. 

That probably makes him the most likely of the three to be tagged. 

Rapoport reported last month that there's a possibility that happens, which would guarantee the 29-year-old former journeyman backup a projected $23.6 million in 2018. 

Miami Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry

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After catching more passes during his first four seasons in the NFL than any other player in league history at the four-year mark, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry is going to become a rich man this offseason. 

Will those riches come via a new long-term contract or the franchise tag? 

Last month, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Landry remarked that negotiations on a new deal had been "handled a bit disrespectful" by the team. A couple weeks later, he did concede that the process was coming along—but at a sluggish pace. 

"They're moving. They're moving slowly, but they're moving," he told NFL Network's Jane Slater. "And again for me, [for] the most part I've been out trying to enjoy my time with my family, with these other guys—these talented guys around the league, and just letting the rest take care of itself."

If that pace doesn't pick up, there's a strong chance the Phins will at least guarantee the 25-year-old about $16 million for the 2018 campaign by hitting him with the tag in late February or early March. 

Dallas Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence

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It all came together in 2017 for Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, as the 25-year-old earned a Pro Bowl nod and was the only player in the NFL with 13-plus sacks and four or more forced fumbles. 

For once, the Cowboys might have a little wiggle room against the salary cap this offseason. That could enable them to give big bucks to Lawrence, by way of a long-term deal or the franchise tag. 

And as Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters including ESPN.com's Jenna Laine late last month, that's their top priority. 

Per Laine, Lawrence's agent, David Canter, doesn't expect the Cowboys will let Lawrence walk. Canter anticipates he'll meet with the team later in February, while Jones hopes they don't have to resort to using the tag. 

"To me, the only reason you use a franchise tag is to hopefully protect yourself if you can't get a long-term deal signed that you like," Jones said in January, per Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. "That's normally the route we like to go. Certainly, we're going to roll up our sleeves and see if we can do something with DeMarcus without having a franchise tag."

Detroit Lions DE Ezekiel Ansah

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At least one pass-rusher has been slapped with the franchise tag in every offseason this decade. And if the Cowboys don't do so with Lawrence, the next best candidate is Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah. 

The 28-year-old 2013 first-round pick made himself a lot of money with a 12-sack 2017 campaign, especially considering that half of those sacks came in the final two weeks of the season. Ansah's career has been a roller coaster ride thus far, but it appears he's peaking. 

As a premium edge defender with 44 sacks in five seasons, he'll make a lot of cash next year. The Lions are slated to have plenty of salary-cap space, so there's a decent chance that money comes via the estimated $17 million-plus franchise tag for defensive ends. 

"I think there's a lot of critical decisions [to make]. I think that's probably one of them," Lions general manager Bob Quinn said last month, per MLive.com's Kyle Meinke. "But that's something that once the new staff is in place, the new head coach, the scheme, all that's figured out, that's going to be factored in to what we do with Ziggy."

New England Patriots CB Malcolm Butler

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A year ago, Malcolm Butler was coming off a four-interception season as the top cornerback for the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. With that in mind, it was easy to predict that the Super Bowl XLIX hero would be in line to receive the franchise tag before hitting free agency in 2018. 

But then the Patriots gave $65 million to free-agent corner Stephon Gilmore, and then there was talk of a potential trade to the New Orleans Saints, and then Butler had a bit of a down year, and then Super Bowl LII happened. 

Sunday in Minneapolis, Butler didn't play a single defensive snap in New England's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Bill Belichick insisted that the decision to bench Butler was only football-related, which is weird considering that A) his replacement, Eric Rowe, was getting burned, B) the Patriots couldn't stop Philadelphia, and C) Butler was on the field for 97.8 percent of New England's defensive snaps in the regular season.

Per ESPN.com's Mike Reiss, Belichick stated that the strategy was "best for the football team," while Butler said afterward that the team "gave up" on him. 

That probably means they aren't about to guarantee him more than $15 million with a franchise tag, but it's worth the discussion anyway. 

Carolina Panthers G Andrew Norwell

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The Carolina Panthers extended guard Andrew Norwell on a one-year restricted-free-agent tenure in 2017, and the 26-year-old delivered with a first-team All-Pro season. That could make it harder for Carolina to retain Norwell before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next month. 

Guards rarely get hit with the franchise tag because the tag rate is the same for all offensive line positions, and tackles usually command more money than interior offensive linemen. That means that if the Panthers tag Norwell, they'll essentially have to pay him like an elite left tackle. 

The offensive line tag will require Carolina to pay Norwell over $14 million. The highest-paid guard in football, Kevin Zeitler of the Cleveland Browns, makes just $12 million a season. 

Still, considering how good Norwell has been and how important it is to support quarterback Cam Newton, it wouldn't be surprising if the Panthers did it anyway if a long-term deal isn't struck by March 6. 

Seattle Seahawks: DT Sheldon Richardson or TE Jimmy Graham?

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If the Seattle Seahawks decide to use the franchise tag, they might find themselves struggling over who to use it on. That's because both Sheldon Richardson and Jimmy Graham are slated to become unrestricted free agents, and both are huge contributors in Seattle. 

I can't imagine the Seahawks will let Richardson get away after he put together a superb maiden season in Seattle, especially considering that they traded away a second-round pick and a starting wide receiver in exchange for him just five months ago. 

But Graham was the team's top offensive weapon in 2017. He was one of just three NFL players to catch 10-plus touchdown passes, and all 10 of his scoring grabs came in the final 12 weeks of the year. 

Losing either would hurt, and each tag would be costly (about $14 million for Richardson, about $15.5 million for Graham). It's a tough call, but I'd expect the Seahawks to find a way to sign one and tag the other. 

Los Angeles Rams: S Lamarcus Joyner or WR Sammy Watkins?

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The Los Angeles Rams have used the franchise tag on cornerback Trumaine Johnson in each of the last two offseasons, but tagging Johnson again is probably too cost prohibitive. Besides, Johnson wasn't the team's best defensive back in 2017. 

That distinction probably belongs to safety Lamarcus Joyner, who experienced a breakout year with three interceptions, nine passes defensed, a touchdown and a forced fumble in 12 games. Joyner's contract is about to expire, but the safety tag isn't unreasonable (it'll likely cost about $11.5 million in 2018), so the Rams could take that route if Johnson walks and they can't make a deal with Joyner by March 6. 

But there appears to be an even better chance they go in a completely different direction and tag wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who scored eight touchdowns in 15 regular-season games after coming over from Buffalo in a trade. 

That'd cost the Rams about $16 million in cap space, but they've already made it clear they want to retain Watkins, and ESPN.com's Alden Gonzalez stated last month that he expects the talented 24-year-old to be tagged.

Decisions, decisions...

Washington Redskins QB Kirk Cousins?

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But Brad, the Washington Redskins just traded an excellent young cornerback and a second-day draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for quarterback Alex Smith before giving Smith a lucrative four-year contract. Why in the world would the Redskins also tag Kirk Cousins? 

Well, reader, because they're the Redskins. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the team is still considering hitting Cousins with the tag "so they can trade him and recoup some of the compensation they are sending to Kansas City" for Smith. 

This seems far-fetched considering that Cousins could in theory delay signing his franchise-player tender, preventing the Redskins from making a deal while hogging $34.5 million in 2018 salary-cap space. The team would be taking a tremendous risk unless a handshake deal was done beforehand. 

That's possible, but there's a higher likelihood Cousins becomes a free agent on March 14.