Can Merriman be Franchise Tagged?

[more cowbell]

Assuming he comes in and plays well enough to warrant keeping him around (which shouldn't be too hard) can he be franchise tagged? or because he was released is there some type of clause?

[Joe Fo Sho]

Yes, they can franchise him.

[MikeMacie]

Yes, but it would cost the bills $10 million.

[Ed]

Without a new CBA I'm not sure if tags are applicable.

[more cowbell]

Yes, but it would cost the bills $10 million.


With all the money they saved by cutting ties with Kawika Mitchell, Marshawn Lynch, Trent Edwards, and Aaron Schobel...10 million seems like nothing...especially if he plays well.

chances are if he hits the open market he'll want to sign with someone other than us.

[lightningbolt444]

I am going to guess he will sign a 2 yr extension for around the same money he is making now with some escalators in his contract to take it up to the 5-6 Millions range if he hits them. I guess this happens within the next two weeks.

[Slim]

Probably a very good chance he bolts for Miami, Dallas, New York, or New England when the season is over.

[mrbojanglezs]

Without a new CBA I'm not sure if tags are applicable.

this is quoted for truth, it is not determined if franchise tags will be included in the new CBA, so no he couldn't unless the new CBA allowed it

[X-Era]

I am going to guess he will sign a 2 yr extension for around the same money he is making now with some escalators in his contract to take it up to the 5-6 Millions range if he hits them. I guess this happens within the next two weeks.Would not surprise me one bit.

[Dr. Lecter]

He won't sign an extension with this team.

[Nighthawk]

He won't sign an extension with this team.

Nor will he get away for nothing if he performs.

[lightningbolt444]

He won't sign an extension with this team.

How are you so sure of that if we offer him what hes making now and performance based escalators thats probably WAY more than what he would get on the open market.

[BertSquirtgum]

of course, of course. all the meatheads think that because we were bad enough to claim him that we won't have any chance of signing him if he plays well. how do you guys keep on keeping?


He won't sign an extension with this team.

when did you become psychic? what are fridays take 5 lottery numbers going to be?

[clumping platelets]

It will depend on the contract language of the new CBA

[Dr. Lecter]

of course, of course. all the meatheads think that because we were bad enough to claim him that we won't have any chance of signing him if he plays well. how do you guys keep on keeping?



when did you become psychic? what are fridays take 5 lottery numbers going to be?
It is history.

Why would he sign here when he can test the market and go to a better team? If he plays well he will be in line for a huge pay day. If he does not, the team won't want him back.

This will be his first chance to test the open market. It is highly unlikely he signs with a team that has only had him for half of a season.

[X-Era]

Tim Graham sums it up well:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/30867/shawne-merriman-worth-a-shot-for-buffalo

"They'll get a player who can help them avoid a winless season, perhaps spark Maybin and possibly stick around if he falls in love with the place.

Maybe -- just maybe -- Merriman will regain a semblance of his Pro Bowl form and maybe the Bills will have a fiery leader who maybe will want to stick around so they can build their 3-4 defense around him.

And if Merriman does leave via free agency, then the Bills likely would receive a compensatory draft pick dependent upon the size of the contract he signs and any additional guidelines set forth in the new collective bargaining agreement. Maybe the Bills get a fourth- or fifth-round pick out of the experience.

Thus far in 2010, the Bills have been in lose-only mode.

With Merriman, it's more like a no-lose situation."

[Buddo]

This is, actually, a 'no-lose' situation for the Bills.
Merriman desperately needs to show he can still cut it. Even if he is no longer a 'force', he pretty much still represents an improvement for us at the position.
If he does show he can still do it, then the D will probably improve a fair bit overall, as having someone who is a genuine threat, will free up other guys to make plays along the way.
If he shows he can still perform at a high level, then he opens up all sorts of possibilities for himself. He will immediately become 'better off', irrespective of anything else, as even if the Bills tag him, he'll be getting in the region of $10 million for next year. He will also have the possibility to garner a big deal in FA, maybe even from the Bills themselves, but much of that depends on if he actually wants to remain in Buffalo. Not knowing much about Merriman's character, I'm in no position to say how much 'money talks' in respect of it, but for all the arguments about Ralph being cheap in other ways, he has always been prepared to pay players who are 'difference makers', providing his coaching staff/GM wanted to keep them.
The final thing that makes the Bills be in a 'no lose' situation, is the possibility of getting a compensatory pick for Merriman, if he does go elsewhere, and sign for big $. It may even be possible to 'tag and trade' him, even if he isn't going to sign with us, which also gives the possibility of gaining a pick or two.

[ChristopherWalken]

Has Merriman commented on playing for Buffalo yet? Interested on his take.

[patmoran2006]

Has Merriman commented on playing for Buffalo yet? Interested on his take.

No comment yet publicly.. The only thing I've read is a quote from Tim Graham, which cites a source saying that "Merriman wasn't thrilled" to be coming to Buffalo.

[better days]

Has Merriman commented on playing for Buffalo yet? Interested on his take.

Jay Glazer said on NFL Network that he spoke to him & Merriman told him he wasn't thrilled about Buffalo claiming him, but he loves football & is on his way to Buffalo.

[trapezeus]

well, i think his not thrilled to come to buffalo makes sense.

i also think as bad as the team is, there seems to be a genuine "all hands on deck" approach. i think there is some team unity there. there isn't any complaining about other players that we hear about. There isn't a coach/player rift.

I think if merriman joins, likes the team, sees them get better with his help, gets a little credit and becomes a pseudo captain, and hears from the bills that they are offering a contract that he thinks is fair, i can't see him leaving.

i'd say last year, "yes, a pick up would be like, 'f this place, the GM situation sucks, the coach is fired, the owners practically dead.'" But i honestly think the Jets game was the bottoming out of this team. i think if they play like they have the last 2 weeks from here on out, they'll get 3-4 wins. and to be .500 on the back end of the schedule is a very, very big improvement and reason to think that a good draft and some select free agents (not necessarily the big names) could make this a playoff team for next year.

[jimbohastle51]

bottom line, this is too late in the season for this to be a ticket selling move because there is no chance at playoffs and with the schedule we are finishing up with one pass rusher will not equal even 3 or 4 wins. this move is about the fact that we can tag him and basically force him to stay next year after another draft or we can tag him (transition or franchise) and get a mid to high draft pick out of him. this is not a move that we basically allow him to put some film out there and leave and sign with some team and we get a compensation pick because of the size of the contract he signs. this move is strictly about getting a pass rusher for the future, weather it be just the rest of this season and next year or a sizable extension there is no way merriman leaves buffalo after this season without us getting a 2nd or 3rd round pick from at least a transition tag. i personally tend to believe that they will franchise him as long as he performs (and he has ZERO choice but to perform given his past 2 seasons) at a decent level and give him a whole offseason to train and learn our defense. in a 3-4 defense, besides NT his pass rushing position is the MOST important to our defense. without a 3-4 pass rusher the defense does not work. now having said that do i believe he signs an extension not likely (unless we made a playoff run next season) but i am 95% sure that he doesnt get out of buffalo till after next season at the earliest. buddy nix knows after this season and our record at best is 2-14 he cannot make a move like this and just let the player walk and a 4th or 5th round compensation would not justify. we get rich with a high pick or we get shawne merriman for a season and a half and that is a good deal.