Latest / Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast / WILL THE JAGUARS USE THE FRANCHISE TAG?!

Transcript

WILL THE JAGUARS USE THE FRANCHISE TAG?! · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacksonville Jaguar's fans, welcome aim to do vault daily presented by Jinjag.com.
• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Deluga, thanks so much for being here Tuesday, March 3rd, and it is franchise tag deadline day in the NFL.
• 0:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: NFL teams have until 4 p.m. Eastern time to place the franchise tag on any players set to be unrestricted for agents.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we've seen some franchise tags across the league,
• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Should the Jaguars be participating in the franchise tag game?
• 0:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: In my opinion, I mean, I'm not going to bury the lead here.
• 0:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: The answer is a strong hell, no.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not just no, but hell, no.
• 0:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to dive in to why.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Even though they have a number of unrestricted free agents, I don't think.
• 0:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: That should be the play for the Jaguars.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: So we'll dive into it.
• 0:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all being here.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 0:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll just check out jingyag.com.
• 1:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Pick up some new dooval gear like the hat.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm wearing right now.
• 1:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can also hit that hype button.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Helps out a ton.
• 1:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the big free agents that the Jaguars have.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: that I think could reasonably sign to be starters elsewhere.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, you have linebacker dev and Lloyd, second team all pro probably should have been first team all pro.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unbelievable year in 2025.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Prime of his career, a little bit older, because I mean, he's still not an old player, but he's a little bit older than you would expect him to be based on being drafted in 2022, a little bit of an older prospect, how old is Devon Lloyd?
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is 27, he'll be 28 this year.
• 1:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I mean, in the prime of his career for sure, so teams should absolutely have a lot of interest in signing him and making him an extremely highly paid off-all linebacker.
• 1:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: You also have Travis CTN who will be a starter somewhere in 2026.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think it'll be in Jacksonville.
• 2:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll see.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you have Buster Brown and Greg Newsom.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's also been like some reporting that a team is gonna sign Andrew Wingard to be a starter.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: We can touch on that too, obviously, but that's surprising to me.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: So,
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is again, the deadline today for the franchise tag at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you start with Devon Lloyd.
• 2:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's probably the player set to make the most on the free agent market.
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the off-ball linebacker and linebacker in general
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: franchise tag number for 2026 is 26.8 million dollars.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was projected to be a little bit higher than that.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: The official number is a little bit lower than expected.
• 2:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was in the 28 set first, but either way, 26.8 million dollars for an off-ball linebacker.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: The reason, if the Jack Wars were going to be in the franchise tag game, the reason that,
• 3:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: linebacker just doesn't make sense for the franchise tag in general, is that linebacker, you have all fall linebackers and three, four outside linebackers grouped into the same position, which makes zero sense, that's made zero sense for a very long time.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's insanity in my opinion.
• 3:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: So linebacker, literally the franchise tag number for linebackers, 26.8 million, the franchise tag number for defense of end is 24.4 million.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: make that make sense.
• 3:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: You cannot.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's ridiculous.
• 3:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: That would make Devon Lloyd in 2026, the highest paid off-ball linebacker by a wide margin.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: You look at off-ball linebacker contracts.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I believe Fred Warner is around like 21 million.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll pull it up here.
• 3:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: But that just doesn't make any sense at all.
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, Fred Warner is at 21 million.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you're telling me Devon Lloyd you're going to pay
• 3:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: an extra 5.8 million to Devin Lloyd in 2026?
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: No.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: The other reason I don't believe that the franchise tag makes sense in general for the jag wars is all of the franchise tag number that $26.8 million for a linebacker.
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: The $14.2 million, basically $14.3 million for running
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: the $21.1 million for corner, all of that money, all of that number hits the salary cap.
• 4:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Whereas if you sign a player to an extension, you can do a lot of different things to massage that cap number, right?
• 4:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Void years, signing bonuses.
• 4:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, to me, for a team that is willing to spend money, like the Jaguars are thanks to shotgun being an owner
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, it doesn't make sense.
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: So like to me, I would rather, I would rather pay a dev in Lloyd, $20 million a year on a three year deal.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that makes more sense within the rules of the salary cap than franchise tagging him.
• 5:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And now look, I don't think the Jaguar is gonna do that.
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think they're gonna do either.
• 5:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think dev in Lloyd's gonna be playing somewhere else at like $18 to $20 million per year over the next few years.
• 5:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's just my personal belief, I think, when you look at what the Rams where, you know, James Gladstone has spent his entire career until coming to Jacksonville have valued, it's not been off ball linebacker.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now they want good play at off ball linebacker, but they aren't willing to pay.
• 5:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: the biggest price or use the biggest draft capital on all fall linebackers.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Could that change with a different player being involved in the equation like Devon Lloyd?
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sure it could.
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't expect it to.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the other thing here is the jackwars know that they can coach up the linebacker position and get good production out of the linebacker position as long as they have a baseline level of talent.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Devon Lloyd is way above that threshold.
• 6:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: So
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I personally don't think that they should use the franchise tag on Devon Lloyd.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that they will use the franchise tag on Devon Lloyd.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I don't think anybody around the league expects them to.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think anybody around the league has any expectations that the jackwares will use the franchise tag on any of their players.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Heading into this 2026 offseason.
• 6:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: But beyond
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Devon Lloyd, you have Travis ETN who I would guess would be the next highest paid player, but you know, if a team really values Greg Newsom and his man coverage skill set, which I would not blame a team that runs more man coverage in the Jaguars for saying, we think Greg News can do a little bit better if we have him up at the line of scrimmage and get him involved early in the play, right?
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would not blame a team for feeling that way at all.
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: He could be the second highest paid, but I would put it for TraviscTN, and $14.2 million, basically $14.3 million, franchise tag number way too high.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, I would much rather pay him like $12 million a year on a three-year deal, team out after the second year, and roll that way if you're gonna keep him, if you're gonna keep TraviscTN.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I would like to keep TraviscTN, but,
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think the Jaguars will.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: They invested a lot in the running back position in the draft last year.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're going to be a lot cheaper running back so you can get the job done for the Jaguars and free agency.
• 7:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a number of talented running back in the draft.
• 7:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I get it, and I want ATN back, but it doesn't seem like that's gonna be throughout the Jaguars go.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think they should franchise tag him, even if like,
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: The other reason to use a franchise tag, if it's not just, you'd kind of be in cheap in my opinion, not wanting to do a long-term deal is If you want to trade a player, like if you want to tag them to trade them or tag them to work out
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: work out a long-term deal because you weren't able to before the start of free agency like the Jaguars did with Josh Heinz Allen a few years ago which again I thought was idiotic because that also limits your your spending ability and free agency.
• 8:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you can't get the deal done before free agency starts like you're you're greatly handicapping yourself.
• 8:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: I digress.
• 8:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the Jaguars, uh, if they wanted to trade one of these players, if they signed, or if they tagged Devon Lloyd or tagged Travis 18, what, what would they get in return for a trade?
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Would it be a second round pick, a first round pick?
• 9:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think personally that a team is going to
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: close to market setting deal.
• 9:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think a team's gonna do that, I really don't.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, at best, what would you like a third round pick?
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, if you let them walk, you get a third round pick, compensatory pick, so like, again, it just doesn't make any sense.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if you have the franchise tag number on your books when the league year starts, again, your handy capping yourself and your ability to sign unrestricted for agents
• 9:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think the Jaguars should be trying to sign unrestricted free agents that have not been released by their teams at really high premium numbers because that's going to negatively impact their commit story.
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Pick formula, 42027, we've talked about that a lot.
• 10:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the Jaguars should be hoping
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: to get a third round compensatory pick for Devin Lloyd in the 2027 NFL draft and hoping if they're going to let Travis ET and Walk and all likelihood to hopefully get a seventh round compensatory pick for him.
• 10:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can also potentially get seventh round compensatory picks for Buster Brown for Greg Newsom.
• 10:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I personally think that
• 10:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: their numbers are going to come in less than top 35% at their position, which means that the jacks wouldn't get a 7th round pick for them.
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Devon Lloyd will come in top 5% his position, which means the jack wars would get a third round compensatory pick, but at worst, they'll probably get a fourth round pick for Devon Lloyd.
• 10:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: So again, I just don't think the franchise tag makes sense from a tag and trade perspective for the jack wars.
• 10:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: when you look at corner back.
• 10:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, the franchise tag number is over 21 million.
• 10:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Greg Newsom and Buster Brown, as much as I love Buster Brown in the Jaguar scheme and I think Greg Newsom can play better elsewhere.
• 11:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think either of those guys is a 21 million dollar franchise tag candidate in any way shape or form.
• 11:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Certainly don't think Andrew Wingard is a 20 million dollar franchise tag candidate.
• 11:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: So no, I don't think the Jaguars will be using the franchise tag.
• 11:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: If there was one player that I would deem it most likely for the Jaguars to use the franchise tag on, which I don't think it's likely in any way shape or form, but if I had to pick one player that it could make sense for, or that it could work for, I would say Travis ETN, but I just don't think paying him $14.293 million in 2026 makes any sense, as compared to just signing him to three years and having a team out after the first or second year.
• 11:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's my opinion on it.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
• 11:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe later on.
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're gonna be talking about some really interesting moves going on around the AFC South right now.
• 12:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Jack Wars haven't been making much noise yet.
• 12:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: They will over the next week plus, but yeah, the Titans and the Texans, making some puzzling trades in my opinion.
• 12:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all being here.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 12:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have a good one.