0:00
The NFL franchise tag deadline has come and gone. George Pickens, Breeze Hall, among
0:05
the names that will not be available for the commanders to go after and free
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agency, but Trey Hendrickson on the market. Yet I'm still going to tell you the
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commander should stay away.
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You are locked on commanders. Your daily podcast on the Washington commanders. Part of
0:26
the locked on podcast network. Your team every day.
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This is lots on commanders. Part of the lots on podcasts network. The number one
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sports podcast network. And I'm David Harrison your guy on the ground. Covered
0:38
the wash the commanders as a credential member of the media for WSA nine. Also
0:42
writing for commanders on SI here with you five days a week and coming up on
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today's episode. The NFL franchise tag deadline was Tuesday, 4 p.m. Eastern
0:50
time. We're going to go over who was tagged, who was not tagged and why it matters
0:55
and why you should care as a Washington commanders fan all that coming up on
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this episode of locked on commanders. Part of the locked on podcast network. Your
1:01
team every day. And let's start with the guys who are getting franchise tag or
1:07
transition tag. Interestingly enough, in one case, George Pickens,
1:10
wider seer for the Dallas Cowboys was already given the franchise tag
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previously. So we've known he was not going to be on the market. Certainly
1:17
would have been a great ex receiver target in free agency for the wash
1:21
commanders. Should he hit the open market, but he was locked down by the Cowboys,
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even before the NFL scouting com or I think right during the NFL scouting
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combine, running back Breeze Hall was probably the biggest name as it relates
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to the Washington commanders on Tuesday when the franchise tag deadline was
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looming was was hit with the franchise tags. He'll make $14.3 million
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guaranteed this year, unless, of course, he and the Jets agree to a new deal,
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locking him in. Breeze Hall, I imagine probably not very happy with that
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outcome and wash commanders fans who were hoping that the commanders might
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target him in free agency to be their new primary back, also not happy
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truthfully. And if you're in every day or even listening to this episode,
2:02
you probably already picked up on our thing. I'll flat out a couple of times.
2:05
I never expected Breeze Hall to get out of New Jersey. It's unfortunate for
2:09
him. I think that the Jets should have let him out because he's a prime
2:13
running back, who's in the prime of his career, short shelf life, all that
2:16
kind of stuff. Like the New York Jets, like, what are you doing, man?
2:19
You're just like, you're just holding this dude captive for no reason.
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Maybe they're going to trade him. I don't know. But even if they're going to
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trade him, the Washington commanders, you just, you can't go trade for a
2:28
guy like Breeze Hall and then also give him the type of contract that he
2:31
deserves. So whatever the outcome is, whether the Jets are going to do right
2:36
by him kind of by trading him or not, it's, I think it's off the table for
2:41
the Washington commanders. Kyle Pitts tied in out the Atlanta Falcons was also
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franchise tag during the NFL's common combine, effectively taking him out
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of the running to be the next tight end for the Washington commanders.
2:52
Daniel Jones, interestingly enough, was not franchise tagged by the Indian
2:57
apolis Colts. Instead, they used a transition tag on him. It's a little bit
3:01
cheaper, 37.8 million dollars. But what the difference here really is it's
3:06
cheaper for the team. One, also the transition tag allowed Daniel Jones to
3:11
go out there and negotiate with other teams. This is a bit more of an
3:14
educational thing. Not that the commanders were interested in Daniel Jones.
3:16
This is just more of a football operations thing. The transition tag Daniel
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Jones can now go negotiate with other teams. He can also agree to a contract
3:25
with another team. When he agrees or if he agrees to another contract with
3:28
another football team, the Indianapolis Colts had the opportunity then to match
3:33
that contract. If they agree to match the contract, boom, Daniel Jones,
3:36
he's staying with the Indianapolis Colts. It's a done deal. If they choose not
3:40
to match the contract, however, Daniel Jones will then sign with that other
3:44
team and the Colts will get nothing. No draft picks back for the transition
3:49
tag. The franchise tag, if the Indianapolis Colts would have franchise tagged
3:53
him, then what that means is that Daniel Jones can't negotiate with anybody.
3:57
He's locked into a one year contract that's injury guaranteed, all that kind
4:01
of stuff. And that's good for one year of security, but players don't want one
4:04
year of security. They want multiple years of security. But it also gives them
4:07
timing that deadlines in June. They can then negotiate a new contract. And it
4:12
gives them more time to be able to do it. We expect that's what the Jets are
4:15
going to do at Breeze Hall. There's been rumors that the Cowboys are also going
4:18
to try to maybe trade George Pickens after franchise tagging him. I think
4:22
that would be a really terrible move. Just don't want to get too much on the
4:26
soapbox, but the franchise tag was created. So that NFL teams didn't
4:31
necessarily lose their star players against their will, right? Like gave them
4:36
the whole point to give you the opportunity to spend more time negotiating
4:40
with your star players on long term deals more and more. There has been a
4:45
rise in teams franchise tagging players that are going to leave just so they
4:49
can trade them and basically hold them hostage and then sell them off to the
4:52
highest bidder. I think that's an absolute gross misuse of the franchise tag.
4:55
I think it's something that when the players come together from the next
4:58
CBA collective bargaining agreement, I think there needs to be something a
5:02
change made there to where either when you franchise tag a player, you
5:06
can't trade them. So that locks the team into committing to coming to the
5:09
table to with you. Or if you trade a player with a franchise tag, maybe
5:14
like, you know, only like half the cap hit, like half the cap hit has to say,
5:18
I don't know, just something to prohibit the team doing it. I just I hate it.
5:21
I don't like it. I think it's manipulative. And you know, every contract has
5:26
a loophole. The owners have found that loophole with the the franchise tag and
5:30
they've been using it too much lately. So the biggest thing with Daniel Jones,
5:33
I'll get the transition tax out of the franchise tag is teams can only use one
5:38
tag. It doesn't matter if they use a franchise tag, they can't then use a
5:41
transition tag. If they use a transition tag, they can't then use a franchise
5:44
tag. It's one in nothing. And because the Indianapolis Colts had to use their
5:48
transition tag on on day Jones, that means that Colts, Writers, see where
5:53
Alec Pierce is going to hit the open market. Should the watchman go after him,
5:58
how much might he cost? And what else does it mean with the other players who
6:02
were not franchise tag, including Trey Hendrickson, all of that coming on
6:06
next on today's episode of Lockdown Commanders, part of the Lockdown podcast
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Continuing out today's episode of locked on commanders talking about
8:21
franchise tag player players who were franchise tag or transition
8:25
tag in the case of Daniel Jones and now players who were not tagged
8:29
either way, franchise tag or transition tag. And I'm going to start
8:32
with the guy that I think the Washington commanders should go after
8:35
and honestly have an opportunity to potentially bring back to the East
8:38
Coast. And that is Odefe Owe edge rusher from the Los Angeles
8:42
Charter's organization. You might remember the name because he started
8:45
off with the Baltimore Ravens organization, high upside past
8:48
rusher who's yet to turn 28 years old. He is now an unrestricted free
8:53
agent, free to negotiate, free to sign with whomever he wants. And I
8:57
think the Washington commanders need to go after this dude, Rante Jones,
9:01
aggressive defense, they Odefe Owe would fit in a great way. And if you
9:05
caught the last episode, our second and final mock off season of the of
9:10
the off season leading into next week's open negotiating period, all
9:14
the wise known as legal tampering period. Odefe Owe was one of the free
9:18
agents that I went ahead and put down on the list to sign with the
9:21
Washington commanders would absolutely love, love, love, that move.
9:25
And the way that he could potentially impact Rante Jones defense line up
9:28
opposite door and arm strong. Assuming he's healthy, things like
9:31
that. Let's stick to the edge position. Let's talk about a guy that I
9:34
don't think the Washington man should go after. Trayhendrickson. This
9:38
isn't a bangles. There were rumors that they were going to tag him and
9:40
try to trade him. I think they realized that if you tag him, that
9:43
dollar price, that dollar amount for Trayhendrickson who is well into
9:47
the start. He's now only played seven games last year because of
9:49
injury. And it's kind of, I mean, he's known, right? Like he's
9:53
other reputation than being a guy who's not exactly the easiest to
9:55
negotiate with. If you're an NFL franchise. I mean, if the bangles were
10:00
to tag him and try to trade him, like, I don't know, man, what do you
10:03
get in a fifth rounder? Maybe like to have to deal with all that? Like
10:06
not to like, so again, I just don't think it came as it came to be,
10:09
but you look at the free agent market, you got Odefe Owe, you got
10:12
some other players, too, even like I got like Malcolm Coons is about
10:15
28 years old. You just have these options in the free agent market for
10:19
me, for the Washington commanders, Trayhendrickson coming off the
10:24
injury, you already have Doran's Armstrong coming off the injury,
10:26
you already have Javante Jean-Baptiste coming off the injury, I just
10:29
don't necessarily see he's never been great against the run, either.
10:32
So like you don't have necessarily the versatility in there to use
10:35
him in any look. So for me, for the money that he's probably going to
10:39
want, again, just kind of giving his reputation, we're wanting to be
10:41
paid for what he's already done. Maybe that lessens up a little bit
10:44
because it's not since 90 bangles, but whatever it is, I just, I don't
10:47
think it's going to be an easy negotiation. I think he's going to
10:50
definitely try to play people against each other. And I just, ah, it
10:54
just doesn't fit for me. So I'm off the Trayhendrickson train. If
10:57
you're on it, I'm sorry that I can't agree. We'll see what happens.
11:00
We'll see what happens. If they bring them in, then we're
11:03
especially right away. Like if on March 9th, we finally agreed to a
11:06
deal. All right, like he did not come out there. He didn't try to play
11:09
games, didn't try to pit teams against each other. It doesn't seem like
11:11
so, okay, cool. Like I can get on board that. But if he goes into
11:15
this thing, trying to pit each other, pit teams against each other, I
11:18
just don't necessarily see it. I'll start my kind of walker, the
11:21
third running back from the Seattle Seahawks, not franchise stack by
11:24
the Seattle Seahawks, despite his postseason run, despite the Super Bowl
11:27
MVP, he is going to hit for the agency. And a lot of teams are
11:31
definitely going to come calling. I don't think the Washington
11:33
Commander should come calling because you already got two running
11:35
backs. That from what we can tell, the Washington mayors don't
11:38
believe they use on third-dunch Cory Croskey Merit. Nice one cut.
11:41
Gashing type of back. They don't like him on third down. Chris
11:44
Rodriguez Jr. Powerful fall forward type of between the guards
11:47
between the tackle side runner. They don't seem to like him on third
11:50
down. I think both guys can do better on third down than maybe we
11:53
give them credit for. But regardless, neither of them has a reputation
11:56
for being a third down back kind of walker. The third, not a third
12:00
down back, even when their third down back in Seattle, his name is
12:04
escaped me. It's from UCLA. I apologize. But they have a third down
12:08
back that they paired him with. He got injured in the playoffs.
12:11
They even when he got injured, they didn't just give the range
12:14
of walks. Okay, now you're going to be our every down back for the
12:17
most important part of the season. No, they brought another guy
12:19
up that until the playoffs and until that injury, Zach
12:22
sharpening. That's his name. So Zach sharpening got injured. Nobody
12:24
really heard of this other back with Seattle Seahawks that we're
12:27
not going to use kind of walker as a third down back. We're going
12:29
to bring in this other guy anyway. Kind of Walker doesn't fit the
12:33
mold. He moves the needle, all those things, but he doesn't fit
12:36
the mold of a third down back. So I just don't see the fit
12:39
happening there. Plus, we know the Washington commanders are the
12:42
preferred choice for Rashad whites, soon to be former Tampa Bay
12:46
Buccaneers running back former Arizona State teammate of Jane
12:48
Daniels. I would imagine Jane wants them. They remain tight to
12:52
this day. We've heard Adam Peters, Dan Quinn talk about over
12:55
and over again, the every decision we make, you know, Jane
12:58
Daniels is in mind. I mean, look, if Rashad wants to play a
13:01
J and J wants to play Rashad, probably going to see Rashad White
13:04
join in the Washington commanders here, this free agent period.
13:08
And you're definitely not bringing Rashad White and Kenneth
13:10
Walker, that just doesn't make any sense. Alec Pierce, Alec Pierce,
13:15
why do you see her from the Minneapolis Colts? Like we said,
13:16
Daniel Jones getting the transition tag means Alec Pierce is a
13:20
free man. He's going to be free to now. There's something
13:23
interesting here, because Alec Pierce apparently reportedly
13:25
really, really, really, really, really likes Daniel Jones. So
13:28
the Minneapolis Colts, keeping Daniel Jones in house, with that
13:32
transition tag, at least opening the door to do so now they kind
13:35
of go to Alec Pierce, but look, dude, you resign. And we've got
13:39
more reason to jump to whatever contract Daniel Jones gets out
13:41
there in the open market. You don't resign. Now we've got less
13:45
of a reason. So it's kind of like not like holding him hostage,
13:47
but it's kind of like, you know, let's make you a package deal.
13:49
Let's keep you and Daniel Jones together. Of course, the
13:52
Colts also have to understand, like, mostly Daniel Jones goes
13:55
out there and signs with, I don't know, the Miami Dolphins.
13:57
Alec Pierce can go to the Dolphins. Hey, look, we're a package
14:00
deal. You know, I mean, so they can do that kind of anywhere, to
14:04
be honest with you, Alec Pierce certainly is the number one
14:08
Z receiver. You should get terrible coin, your ex zero receiver
14:11
on the opposite side. Undoubtedly, I'm not going to argue that
14:13
with anybody on here. But I expect a bidding war for Alec Pierce
14:18
and I don't think Adam Peters is going to get into a bidding
14:20
war for anybody. So that's the reason I don't think it's going
14:23
to happen. Believe me, this is not a once. I would love Alec Pierce
14:26
to come to the wash commanders. I thought he was great coming
14:28
at Cincinnati. I thought he's been great. Every several of the
14:31
way really developing nicely with the Indianapolis Colts, I
14:34
would not hate that for one minute. I just am telling you, if
14:37
there's a bidding war here for Alec Pierce, I don't know that
14:40
Adam Peters gets in the middle of that would love to be wrong.
14:43
It's just the feeling that I get and that's going to do it for
14:47
today's episode of Locked On Commanders. Next time on Locked On
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Commanders, it's mail bag time. We will get all the questions we
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