PA Season Ticket Holder
02-17-2003, 11:34 PM
The clock is ticking inexorably toward the Thursday deadline for designating pending free agents as "franchise" or "transition" players and, while there are plenty of negotiations quietly taking place, the smart money is that very few contracts get completed.
That could mean a record number of "franchise" tags next week. And if that is the case, then look for the acrimony level to rise around the league, as the tagged players vent frustrations at being kept off the unrestricted market.
In fact, two teams have already used markers to limit the mobility of high profile pending free agents, and the players involved are less than thrilled. The St. Louis Rams used a "franchise" tag on left offensive tackle Orlando Pace earlier this week and the Cincinnati Bengals applied a "transition" tag to linebacker Takeo Spikes.
MORE (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1508927.html)
That could mean a record number of "franchise" tags next week. And if that is the case, then look for the acrimony level to rise around the league, as the tagged players vent frustrations at being kept off the unrestricted market.
In fact, two teams have already used markers to limit the mobility of high profile pending free agents, and the players involved are less than thrilled. The St. Louis Rams used a "franchise" tag on left offensive tackle Orlando Pace earlier this week and the Cincinnati Bengals applied a "transition" tag to linebacker Takeo Spikes.
MORE (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1508927.html)