Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Update on Miami's tag decision
By Tim Kavanagh
The Miami Dolphins have seven starters from their 2012 roster set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, though amongst them there are really only four for whom arguments could be made for the franchise tag.
Amongst that group of four -- RB Reggie Bush, LT Jake Long, DT Randy Starks and CB Sean Smith -- perhaps the best argument could be made for Smith, who is an ascending player, but has his sights set on a five-year pact worth between $8 to 10 million per season, according to a recent report from the Miami Herald. Tagging him would cost more for 2013 than the average on that deal ($10.668 million), but it'd come with less guaranteed total money, and they wouldn't be tied to him beyond 2013.
Despite this line of reasoning, it appears the Dolphins will forgo tagging the CB. "Today is the first day NFL teams can use the Franchise tag on their UFAs," the Herald's Armando Salguero tweeted on Monday. "The Dolphins will NOT use their tag on Sean Smith. Period."
Well then. With that being the case, it's tough to see any of the other options earning the team's franchise tag, though obviously we can't rule it out until the deadline passes. As for Smith, we'll see if the Dolphins are willing to meet his demands over the next few weeks.
