Understanding the Franchise Tag

The franchise tag is a mechanism employed by NFL teams to retain their star players on a one-year contract, preventing them from entering unrestricted free agency. When a player receives the franchise tag, they are offered a tender, which represents the average of the top salaries at their position. In the case of Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, this tender amounts to a substantial $10.091 million for the 2023 season.

Skipping Training Camp – An Option for Unsigned Players

Since Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs have yet to sign their franchise tag tenders, they are not officially under contract with their respective teams. This unique situation allows them to skip the entirety of training camp without incurring fines, as players are only subject to fines when they are under contract and fail to report for camp.

However, the absence from training camp can have both positive and negative repercussions. While it gives players extra time to recover from injuries or work on personal training, it also means missing crucial bonding with teammates and the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the team’s offensive and defensive schemes.

Regular Season Implications

One aspect of the franchise tag standoff that might concern fans and teams alike is the potential impact on the regular season. If Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs continue to hold out and do not sign their tenders by the start of the regular season, they risk losing game checks for the weeks they miss.

For every game missed, a player on the franchise tag stands to lose 1/17th of their tender amount. In the case of the $10.091 million tender, each missed game would cost the player approximately $594,176. Considering a 17-week regular season, prolonged absences could result in significant financial losses for the running backs.

Team Dynamics and Fan Sentiment

Beyond financial implications, skipping training camp and potentially regular-season games can affect team dynamics and fan sentiment. Teammates may feel disappointed or concerned about the absence of key players during crucial preparation stages, leading to a potential strain on team chemistry. Additionally, fan support may waver, as the absence of star players can dampen expectations and excitement for the season.

The standoff between Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs and their respective teams over the franchise tag tender presents a challenging situation for all parties involved. While the players have the option to skip training camp without fines due to their unsigned status, the potential repercussions on the regular season and team dynamics cannot be ignored. As the NFL season approaches, fans and teams alike eagerly await a resolution to this contract dispute, hoping that these talented running backs will be on the field when the action begins.

As usual, check out the current rankings whenever you read this at the ranking page.

Here are the rankings as I have them right now (January 2015):

1. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
Most people don’t have him #1, but I do. Gordon is not only a volume back, but has the speed to get in and out of cuts quickly and pull away from defenders. Add that to the fact he doesn’t seem to get tired and you have an elite NFL prospect if I’ve ever seen one.

2. Todd Gurley, Georgia
Gurley has the power and toughness you want in a back. Runs with a chip on his shoulder and initiates contact. If he wasn’t coming off an ACL he may very well be the #1 back.

3. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
At 5’9 195 everyone is going to question his durability but I think he can more than help a team from day 1. Considering he does all his work behind zone blocking which utilizes his speed, it wouldn’t surprise me if he out-gained everyone on this list in rushing yards as a rookie.

4. Mike Davis, South Carolina
Davis has a combination of size and speed that will make him successful at the next level. This is a big guy at 5’9 223.

5. T.J. Yeldon, Alabama
Why is Yeldon this low? Mainly due to the fact Coach Saban seemed to tend to favor Derrick Henry down the stretch in crucial downs. He’s deceptively big at over 6’2 as well. He just needs more time to develop into his pro game. I think he’ll be a Demarco Murray type back and do most of his damage outside the hashes as a pro…

6. Duke Johnson, Miami (Fla.)
Another speedy zone runner, he just has to figure out how to stay healthy in the NFL. May best be used in a committee to limit his carries.

The Rest:

7. David Johnson, Northern Iowa

8. Malcolm Brown, Texas

9. Matt Jones, Floida

10. Jay Ajayi, Boise State

11. Tevin Coleman, Indiana

12. Thomas Rawls, Central Michigan

13. Alonzo Harris, UL-Lafayette

14. David Cobb, Minnesota

15. Jeremy Langford, Michigan State

Ben Tate of the Cleveland Browns and Legarrette Blount of the Steelers have both received walking papers. For what you ask? Poor production? Criminal charges? Contract disputes?

The answer is no to all three questions. The two backs were cut simply for publicly criticizing their lack of playing time. Wow. Between that and the NFL’s arguably best runner getting banned for a child abuse charge he already lost 11 games over the fate of the RB position is pretty much sealed. The NFL can find a guy working at Dunkin Donuts to tote the rock, they don’t need ya.

This is probably the reason you hear whispers of many agents urging their running back clients to switch to linebacker in college. I can’t blame them either. If I had the choice between a flighty career as a RB or being a career backup LB I don’t think it’s a difficult decision at all.