Tuesday is an important milestone in the New England Patriots’ roster-building process for 2022.
Though the March 16 start of free agency still is more than three weeks away, the window for teams to use the franchise tag now is open. And the Patriots have one obvious candidate: Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson.
With Jackson set to become an unrestricted free agent — and the top corner on the market, at that — franchising the 26-year-old interception magnet would allow the Patriots to keep him for an additional season without giving him an official contract extension.