Giants franchise Brandon Jacobs
The New York Giants placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on RB Brandon Jacobs yesterday.
While Jacobs can negotiate with other teams, it would be costly (loss of 2 first-round draft picks) if another team signed him. In the history of the NFL, no team has ever paid that price to sign a player that has been franchised.
The benefit for the Giants is that it provides them with plenty of time to work out a long-term deal with Jacobs. If they can't work out a long-term deal, Jacobs would earn $6.621 million (the average of the top 5 RB salaries) in 2009.
Jacobs, who said last month that he would be "angry and it probably would cause some problems" if he were tagged, had a much more positive outlook on the situation after it has really happened.
Jacobs (Earth) is part of RB trio nicknamed "Earth, Wind and Fire." Fire (Admad Bradshaw) will be back in 2009, but Wind (Derrick Ward) is due to become a free agent on February 27th unless the Giants can work out a deal.
While Jacobs can negotiate with other teams, it would be costly (loss of 2 first-round draft picks) if another team signed him. In the history of the NFL, no team has ever paid that price to sign a player that has been franchised.
The benefit for the Giants is that it provides them with plenty of time to work out a long-term deal with Jacobs. If they can't work out a long-term deal, Jacobs would earn $6.621 million (the average of the top 5 RB salaries) in 2009.
"With the deadline approaching, it was the right business thing to do at this point, although we are hopeful to get a longer-term deal hammered out in the near future," general manager Jerry Reese said in a team statement. "I did speak to Brandon and we had a very good conversation."The Giants had until February 19th to decide to use the franchise tag, otherwise Jacobs would have become a free agent on February 27th.
Jacobs, who said last month that he would be "angry and it probably would cause some problems" if he were tagged, had a much more positive outlook on the situation after it has really happened.
"If [the Giants] didn't want me here, they would say, 'Let him hit the market and see what he gets out there and then offer him toward the end of the whole thing,'" he said. "I feel good about the situation that I will be here at least for one more year if nothing gets done, but I am very confident that something is going to be done soon."The Giants can't afford to not work out a long-term deal with Jacobs, who rushed for 1089 yards and 15 TDs on 219 carries in 13 games. He has had some knee injuries, but at 6'4" and 264 pounds, there is not a more intimidating runner in the NFL.
Jacobs (Earth) is part of RB trio nicknamed "Earth, Wind and Fire." Fire (Admad Bradshaw) will be back in 2009, but Wind (Derrick Ward) is due to become a free agent on February 27th unless the Giants can work out a deal.
