The NFL franchise tag deadline has come and gone and there’s a number of parties — Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, etc. — who should feel good about the way it went.
Then again, there’s a few — Chicago Bears receiver Allen Robinson, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff — that probably won’t be thrilled with how it played out.
Let’s rundown some of the biggest winners and losers from Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline:
Winners
Dak Prescott
The Dallas Cowboys franchise quarterback could prove the biggest winner of the offseason after agreeing to a four-year contract which grants him $160 million with $126 guaranteed. Prescott got one of the league’s best-ever contracts, as he’ll again hit free agency at the tail-end of his prime.
Joe Thuney
The longtime New England Patriots guard is in line for a massive payday after the passing of the tag deadline. New England opted not to tag Thuney which would have paid him $18 million, and it indicates he’ll hit free agency as the top interior lineman available, especially since Washington gave guard Brandon Scherff the franchise tag.
Kenny Golladay
Golladay did not receive the franchise tag from the Detroit Lions and thus enters free agency where he could be the most sought after wideout. Expect plenty of teams to be vying for Golladay with the early reports indicating the Dolphins could be among the likely landing spots.
Shaquil Barrett
Barrett won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in February and now is poised to cash in on the open market after not getting tagged by Tampa Bay, who opted to place the tag on receiver Chris Godwin instead. The 28-year-old, who has 27 1/2 sacks the last two seasons, will either receive a long-term deal with the Bucs, or earn it elsewhere.
Aaron Jones
The Packers did not franchise tag the Pro Bowl running back, which would have paid him in the neighborhood of $8 million for the 2021 season. It means Jones, if not retained before Monday’s legal tampering period begins, will enter the open market as arguably the best dual-threat back available.
Losers
Allen Robinson
Robinson continues to be trapped in Chicago as the Bears gave their star wideout the franchise tag. While a future trade can’t be ruled out, there’s a chance Robinson remains under team control (with a very undesirable quarterback situation) for another season. At least the $18 million he’s set to earn this year will make that a bit easier?
Jared Goff
The newly-acquired Goff will now throw to a much more pedestrian group of receivers with the Lions opting against bringing back Golladay on the tag. Fellow Lions receiver Marvin Jones, who led the team in receptions and yards in 2020 with Golladay lifted to just five games, is set to hit free agency, as well.
Wide-receiver needy teams
The 2021 class of free-agent receivers certainly isn’t anything to scoff at, but the fact that the two best wideouts — Godwin and Robinson — are not available this time around hurts it a little bit. Of course, that means the stock for those like Golladay, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Will Fuller will skyrocket with a more limited options.
