Vikings Unlikely To Use Franchise Tag

Today marks the first day that NFL teams are allowed to use their franchise tag on a pending free agent to keep him on the roster for another year. However, don't expect the Minnesota Vikings to use it on any of their free agents this year. Via Viking Update's John Holler:

With the franchise tag established in 1993, the Minnesota Vikings have made a point to avoid getting players into a contract squabble by placing the franchise tag on him. The Vikings have only done it twice in the 23 years of the tag system, on tight end Jim Kleinsasser in 2003 and linebacker Chad Greenway in 2011.

The franchise tag is essentially a one-year contract for the player, and it pays him the average salary of the top five highest-paid players at the position. 

Minnesota has 14 impending free agents this offseason, headlined by LB Chad Greenway, RB Matt Asiata, and LB Audie Cole.

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