Why the Los Angeles Rams May Not Use the Franchise Tag Ahead of Free Agency
The 2024 offseason will be one of the most important of Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead’s career. The Rams ascended from the cellar to be playoff contenders in the NFC but were still a clear tier below the rival San Francisco 49ers who reigned atop the conference.
Firmly in the twilight of the careers of established stars like quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the time to win is now, meaning Los Angeles must support its veterans through the draft and free agency.
Snead will have the option to use a first-round pick for the first time since 2016. But first, free agency will allow the Rams to lure in big names and patch up prioritized holes on the roster.
Dec 31, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) scores a rushing touchdown as Los Angeles Rams guard Kevin Dotson (69) blocks New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) during the second half at MetLife Stadium.
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As they work to re-sign their top expiring performers – namely guard Kevin Dotson – the option to use the franchise tag will loom. However, it is increasingly unlikely that Snead will pull the trigger on a franchise tag this offseason.
The tag is a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth the average of the top five annual salaries at the signee’s position. While players don’t have to sign it and can instead hold out, forfeiting salary for leverage at the long-term negotiating table, the general expectation is that they’d be on the field for one final season before free agency.
Dotson played like one of the best linemen in football this season, ranking second among guards by Pro Football Focus’ grading. His breakout season already helped the Rams “win” their trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where they swapped Day 3 picks for one year of Dotson’s services.
Even so, few expect him to receive the tag. Given Los Angeles’ cap space (13th-most in the NFL per Over the Cap), though, there’s a chance he returns on a long-term deal. PFF projects him to earn a four-year deal worth $17.25 million per season with $41.25 million in guarantees.
That seems to be a more likely option than the tag. In ESPN’s franchise tag primer, no Rams player was expected to get the one-year deal.
“The Rams’ list of pending free agents is short, and there aren’t any players on whom using the franchise tag makes sense,” Sarah Barshop wrote. “Guard Kevin Dotson played well … but the projected salary ($18,244,000 in 2023) for an offensive lineman is much higher than the Rams would spend. No one else on the list has played to the level of requiring a franchise tag.”
Los Angeles could be made gun-shy by the league’s grouping of players. While tackles make more than interior linemen on the open market, they are all grouped as one for franchise tag calculation purposes, which may inflate Dotson’s price point too high for Snead’s liking.
Don’t count out a return for Dotson – his presence was crucial in giving the Rams consistent play up front – but it likely won’t be by way of the franchise tag.
