The NFL’s window for franchise tag players opened on Tuesday. This means teams can apply the tag to their upcoming free agents between now and March 5. In addition, this marks the start of the NFL Free Agency rat race.
Here are several players to watch to see if they sign a one-year contract or reach the open market, keeping in mind the needs of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Chris Jones, one of the best interior pass-rushers in the NFL, has terrorized the Raiders offensive line for years. But he’s a free agent soon and may go unsigned after the Chiefs rejected his request for a contract extension during the previous offseason.
Even though Jones stated during the team’s Super Bowl parade that he wants to remain in Kansas City for a number of more years, I would take his inebriated remarks with a grain of salt because in the end, money talks.
Given that they can only use the franchise tag on Jones or L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs must make a difficult choice. The Raiders should take advantage of any move made by their division opponents to bring Jones or Sneed in. Because of the smaller price tag, Kansas City is more likely to tag the cornerback, according to both ESPN and CBS Sports.
Ravens’ Justin Madubuike, a DT
The Silver and Black, as was previously said, are in need of defensive tackles, particularly ones that can rush the passer and relieve some of Maxx Crosby’s pressure. After finishing the regular season with 64 pressures (sixth most at the position) and 12.5 sacks (most), Justin Madubuike emerged as one of the top interior pass-rushers of the previous year. But according to ESPN and CBS, Madubuike is the Ravens’ top contender to be tagged.
Should Baltimore choose to tender the defensive tackle for a year, the front office in Las Vegas ought to turn its focus towards Patrick Queen. The 24-year-old, who will be 25 in August, is a superb covering defender who finished the regular season with a 74.8 PFF coverage grade and 26 defensive stops, which tied for sixth among linebackers. He would be the Raiders’ best linebacker the moment he arrived.
Once more, Christian Wilkins may be the most versatile defensive lineman available for the Silver and Black, who desperately need aid at the position. During the regular season, his 58 pressures tied for ninth place among interior pass rushers. He also recorded 23 defensive stops in the run defense, which tied for 20th place. Wilkins, on the other hand, is a formidable contender for a Miami franchise through CBS and EPSN.
The Dolphins won’t be able to pay everyone since they are cash-strapped and are predicted by Over The Cap to start the offseason roughly $52 million over the cap. Additionally, Robert Hunt is likely to become available due to the imminent free agency of Connor Williams, the team’s starting center from the start of the previous campaign.
August will mark Hunt’s 28th birthday. Over the past two seasons, he has received outstanding PFF run-blocking grades (76.2 and 75.9, respectively) and has given up just 26 pressures in 1,004 pass protection snaps.
Should Jaylon Jonhson choose to enter the free agency market, the front office of the Raiders ought to promptly contact his representative. It’s not often that a 25-year-old cornerback like Johnson becomes available, and he would instantly improve Las Vegas’ secondary. Johnson led the position with a 33.3 passer rating when targeted. But if Chicago doesn’t tag or extend him in the upcoming weeks, that would be somewhat shocking.
A defensive tackle that can “do it all” is Leonard Williams. His 24 run stops last season were good enough to tie for 16th place, while his 54 pressures were the 11th most at the position. Williams is expected to receive a sizable raise on the tender because the Giants used it twice on him, according to our friends at Field Gulls, therefore it is unlikely that the Seahawks will tag him. Thus, the circumstances might be right for the Southern California native and USC recruit to play for his childhood favorite team.
Kevin Dotson made significant strides in 2023 to raise his value as a right guard after being traded to Los Angeles and returning to his natural position. He led the chart as a run-blocker (88.8) and concluded the regular season as PFF’s second-highest ranked guard overall (85.2). Dotson, 27, isn’t anticipated to receive the tag, despite being a strong substitute for Greg Van Roten, according to multiple reports.
With Jerod Mayo taking over for Bill Belichick, a new era has begun in New England, but Mike Onwenu may not be a part of it. The Patriots are poised to utilize their franchise tag on safety Kyle Duggar, despite the fact that he has been a reliable player whose PFF grade has never fallen below 71.5 over the previous four years, according to ESPN. The Pats also need to be concerned about other upcoming free agents, such as Josh Uche, tight end Hunter Henry, and left tackle Trent Brown.
Onwenu, meanwhile, would be a fantastic target for the Raiders because of his versatility as a guard and right tackle, two positions that the Silver and Black may need to address.
