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Last year, the Dolphins used the transition tag on tight end Charles Clay, who was gobbled up by a division rival with an offer sheet Miami wouldn’t match.
In both cases, another million or two on a one-year franchise tender would have kept that from happening.
So why do teams keep using the transition tag? Some may be doing it just to see what the player’s value is, knowing that if it’s too high they’ll let him walk. Others possibly don’t want the franchise tender to lay the foundation for a long-term deal.
Regardless, if anyone gets the transition tag this year (the Rams have leaked that they’re considering it with cornerback Trumaine Johnson), there’s no reason to think the outcome will be any different than what has happened the last two years. Either Johnson will get an offer sheet the Rams can’t or won’t match, or he’ll get an offer sheet with a legitimate poison pill embedded in it.
Whatever happens, don’t expect Johnson to adopt the same approach as former Steelers tackle Max Starks. When Pittsburgh applied the transition tag to Starks in 2008 — and once he realized the salary became fully guaranteed when the tender is accepted — Starks signed it. Johnson, per a league source, won’t be signing the transition tender, if it’s applied. Instead, he’ll be doing exactly what Mack did in 2014 and what Clay did in 2015: Looking aggressively for an offer from another team.
Trumaine Johnson
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jim Thomas "heard earlier this offseason" the Rams might place the transition tag on free agent LCB Trumaine Johnson.
The Rams' goal is a long-term deal with Johnson, but the transition tag could be a way for Los Angeles to secure Johnson's 2016 rights if a longer agreement can't be reached. Only 26, Johnson is coming off a monster season in which he recorded 17 pass breakups and seven interceptions while earning a top-20 cornerback grade among 118 qualifiers from Pro Football Focus.
Trumaine Johnson
He just turned 26 years old last month.
He would not cost more money then Grimes.
He is 6' 2" tall.
Any questions ??
In both cases, another million or two on a one-year franchise tender would have kept that from happening.
So why do teams keep using the transition tag? Some may be doing it just to see what the player’s value is, knowing that if it’s too high they’ll let him walk. Others possibly don’t want the franchise tender to lay the foundation for a long-term deal.
Regardless, if anyone gets the transition tag this year (the Rams have leaked that they’re considering it with cornerback Trumaine Johnson), there’s no reason to think the outcome will be any different than what has happened the last two years. Either Johnson will get an offer sheet the Rams can’t or won’t match, or he’ll get an offer sheet with a legitimate poison pill embedded in it.
Whatever happens, don’t expect Johnson to adopt the same approach as former Steelers tackle Max Starks. When Pittsburgh applied the transition tag to Starks in 2008 — and once he realized the salary became fully guaranteed when the tender is accepted — Starks signed it. Johnson, per a league source, won’t be signing the transition tender, if it’s applied. Instead, he’ll be doing exactly what Mack did in 2014 and what Clay did in 2015: Looking aggressively for an offer from another team.
Trumaine Johnson
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jim Thomas "heard earlier this offseason" the Rams might place the transition tag on free agent LCB Trumaine Johnson.
The Rams' goal is a long-term deal with Johnson, but the transition tag could be a way for Los Angeles to secure Johnson's 2016 rights if a longer agreement can't be reached. Only 26, Johnson is coming off a monster season in which he recorded 17 pass breakups and seven interceptions while earning a top-20 cornerback grade among 118 qualifiers from Pro Football Focus.
Trumaine Johnson
He just turned 26 years old last month.
He would not cost more money then Grimes.
He is 6' 2" tall.
Any questions ??
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