The franchise tag is a wonderful subplot to the NFL offseason. Teams use it as leverage against players in long-term contract negotiations then act surprised when the valued employee doesn’t want to risk his long-term security by playing under an expensive one-year deal. In turn, players almost always float the idea through backchannels that they will sit out the entire season if tagged.
Arm in arm, they dance until kickoff on the 2018 season.
While we wait for this epic period of posturing (teams can officially start tagging next week), let us examine which NFLers could be the central players in the tag drama.