Franchise Tagging Doug Martin
February 16th, 2016
Tagging Doug Martin is not a heinous concept.
Not sure why some believe the franchise tag is a vile option for Doug Martin — for a team well, well, well below the salary cap.
But those people exist.
Joe is not advocating the Bucs use the tag on Martin, but the option is viable and hardly onerous.
(Mind you, if the Bucs were in salary cap hell, this would be a totally different story.)
Another person who believes, the option of tagging Martin is wise, if needed, is Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. He thinks it may be in the Bucs’ best interest to break out the hammer.
Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back: The Bucs have already begun contract talks with Martin, but the 2015 All-Pro remains unsigned. Although Martin has professed his love for Tampa, he also realizes he holds some leverage coming off a career year. The franchise tag for running backs is expected to be $11.5 million, a figure the Buccaneers can afford with plenty of salary-cap space available.
Bingo. The Bucs can afford it. That’s all you need to know.
Joe will once again reference no less an authority than Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian. In December, Polian spoke on “Late Hits,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, about this very subject: Martin and the Bucs and the franchise tag. Polian noted if push came to shove, he wouldn’t blink an eye tagging Martin.
“General managers don’t mind paying for production,” Polian said.
And that is the key. A franchise tag is yet another prove-it contract. If Martin reverts to his 2013-2014 form, then the Bucs just wash their hands and walk away and wave goodbye to Martin following the 2016 season.
Free agents are eligible to be tagged beginning today through March 1.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:09 am
I don’t see the franchise tag happening, sorry. It’s either licht gets Doug at his price or Doug is walking. Licht won’t pay a kings ransom for a hot and cold running back not gonna happen. I think they see a lot in Charles Sims and Mike James and don’t be surprised if we draft Someone.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:19 am
Honestly I don’t believe that DM wants to go anywhere. He can see where this team is headed now and he doesn’t want to be left behind. Could be just the homer in me tho.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:26 am
I’m not saying were winning the super bowl next year, but remember Warrick Dunn left for more money and missed out on a title. Be careful what you value most, money goes but being a champion is forever.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:27 am
If we tag him and he has another season like he had last year,(and I see no reason why that wouldn’t happen) then we’re in the same position next year as we are now! What’s the difference between a couple more mill wen u are 50 mill under the cap! Cmon now. He is a huge piece to this team and JW’s growth. Wich is the most important thing to this franchise. That’s gonna be pretty embarrassing if we let our all pro RB walk over a couple extra dollar’s. Stop the non sense and sign the man already.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:41 am
I think the Glazers want Martin back too.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:47 am
“vile option”?…colorful exaggeration.
It is not financial prudent to tag him. When healthy he is a pro bowler.
Pay the man
February 16th, 2016 at 9:52 am
Easy. Then you tag him again for his final season with the Bucs.
Remember: Martin turns 29 after the 2017 season. NFL teams are very reluctant to pay guys pushing 30 big contracts. Father Time is a SOB.
Joe is willing to lay cash you won’t see Martin on the roster in 2018 no matter his contract status. (See previous paragraph.)
February 16th, 2016 at 9:57 am
“When healthy he is a pro bowler.”
Which means you have 50-50 odds of success. How much are you willing to gamble? I’m not concerned about one year but I do not wish to see any Martin $$$ hanging over our cap past next year.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:00 am
No option should be taken off the table. Consider the fact that if you tag him it is a wait and see if he can be healthy two yrs. in a row. If he produces again and stays healthy then next year you work a deal. The other thought is that next years running back class will be really, really good with Fournette and Dalvin Cook coming out so maybe we just take a wait and see approach with the Doug. I am not saying we could get either of those two backs but you can get production from backs coming out in rounds two or even three.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:05 am
The first goal should be to get him to sign a 3 year contract worth about 7-8 mil a year but if he won’t sign it I’d definitely hit him with the franchise tag to see if he can do it 2 years in a row. That also gives the team an extra year to evaluate Sims as a potential replacement if he has another big season and they have to decide whether his asking price is worth it or not. I like Doug and think he’s one of the best in the league at his position but I just don’t see him in the category of a Peterson or Gurley or with the power of a Marshawn Lynch but he is a good versatile back. I just need to see him have that same level of production in consecutive years before giving him a huge payday.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:06 am
Yup. Which is why another “prove-it” contract isn’t as crazy as some would have you believe.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:07 am
Really don’t believe the Bucs project Martin on the roster in 2018.
Now, if the Bucs sign Martin to a three-year pact that is, say 80 percent front-loaded, that may be different.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:27 am
Again Buc1987 has been saying to tag him for over 3 months now.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:27 am
Joe Says:
February 16th, 2016 at 9:52 am
If we tag him and he has another season like he had last year,(and I see no reason why that wouldn’t happen) then we’re in the same position next year as we are now!
Easy. Then you tag him again for his final season with the Bucs.
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No you sign him to a 4 year deal now for the SAME PRICE as franchising him twice would cost and retain his rights another 2 years with no risk because all guaranteed $ will be accounted for after 2017.
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“Joe is willing to lay cash you won’t see Martin on the roster in 2018 no matter his contract status.”
I’ll take that bet Joe – How much are you willing to lose?
February 16th, 2016 at 10:52 am
For a 29-year old running back who has taken a beating who isn’t quick (now), much less after two more years of pounding?
This isn’t fantasy football.
February 16th, 2016 at 11:34 am
Joe is right.
In fact, I would take it a step further…a contract this year should not even be the goal. Just hit him with the tag.
Pickgrin Says
No you sign him to a 4 year deal now for the SAME PRICE as franchising him twice would cost and retain his rights another 2 years with no risk because all guaranteed $ will be accounted for after 2017.
If he is that good, it is worth paying him more by using the tag. The man has 2 good years divided by 2 bad years. That makes him only a fifty_fifty shot.
The idea is to protect the team and get a good player. What if he insists on guarantees and then returns to previous form because he got his money?
The that would hurt us more. However, tagging him makes him play harder to get a contract next year. It is the smart play.
February 16th, 2016 at 11:54 am
I’d sign him to 4 years. He is in his prime and finally healthy. That could be 6-7 per season.
The guy is 27, not 29 for two years.
It’s his prime and he has lie miles because of the 2 injury riddled years. There is nothing major lingering with knees.
SIGN HIM.
February 16th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
I’m curious if Martin would play as hard if he were tagged. He’d be one blown knee away from getting his long term deal.
That said, it’s a viable option. We’ve got the coin to pay as we go and not wind up in cap hell.
February 16th, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Why is the logic of this situation so hard to understand for some??
The amount you spend on franchising Martin for ONE YEAR ($11.8M guaranteed) is the exact amount you guarantee him on a 4 year deal.
4 years – $25M – $12M guaranteed ($5M 2016 salary +$2M of 2017 salary + $5M signing bonus).
Doug gets his $10M this year – and the Bucs get the option of retaining his services through 2019 with no monetary risk of cutting him after 2017.
This a fair for both sides offer. $6.25M per year average is very fair considering Doug has only produced 2 of the 4 years he’s been here after a first round pick investment.
If he had been consistent (like 3 1000+ yard seasons in a row) – then yea he would be able to command $8 or $9M per year – but he hasn’t been consistent and every one of the 32 teams will take that into account. + he’s only average at catching and pass protection.
We all want Doug back. The Bucs want Doug back. Martin himself wants to be here. A 3-4 year deal will get done and YES – Doug Martin WILL be on the Bucs 2018 roster.
Franchising Martin is a terrible idea and Its getting annoying having to explain why so frequently of late since so many just don’t “get it”.
February 16th, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Biff he’d be hard-pressed to find a team willing to sign him if not.
February 16th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Picgren is right and lock him up at 12 mil guaranteeed for four if we want him.he protects
Himself well by not trying to run ovrer defense and only contacting
Part of their body
February 16th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
One more thing,Lovie thought it was a good idea.nuff said!
February 16th, 2016 at 2:23 pm
That cut-off age for an RB is getting lower and lower, and what’s really strange is that the league is going to more of a passing league. So there’s a contradiction: RBs are getting LESS carries and are less important to the offense however, their shelf life is diminishing? I’m sure there’s a balance between production vs. pay vs. “milage.”
Someone could write a thesis on this.
February 16th, 2016 at 3:11 pm
if $7 to $8 million is a reasonable annual figure, you are 75% of the way to a respectable 2 year deal when you slap an $11 million franchise tag on a guy. Heck, you are halfway to 3 years at $22 million. Once you are mentally prepared to overpay for a single year with the franchise tag, it’s not a big leap to even a fairly rich 3 or 4 year deal that the team can get out of painlessly before some big contracts for your 2014 and 2015 draft picks come due
February 16th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Two bad years?
One he was injured in and the other he was playing behind possibly the most horrible line ever.
Barry Sanders would have struggled behind that crap.
February 16th, 2016 at 4:56 pm
It’s a good idea because its only a one year deal. He’s been a flop two out of four with injuries, and he was OBVIOUSLY running with motivation. After a season of hard running like that I want to see him do it again. Tag him, he will likely have another good year but not AS good and he will more more affordable for a longer term contract next season.
February 16th, 2016 at 4:59 pm
Then again, I continue to believe that winston will be a huge motivator for everyone on this team. I just don’t think they should overpay longterm for a rb. It all depends what else he is offered. If it’s some ridiculous amount do you still sign him???
February 16th, 2016 at 8:05 pm
PR Buc Fan – Barry Sanders would not struggle with our OL. Ever see him run ?? That Detroit OL was terrible back then, but Sanders could shake and bake them. That’s why he is in the hall of fame. Along with Gale Sayers, he didn’t need a lot of time to impress and I might add, they was good EVERY year. Not just 2 out of 4..
February 16th, 2016 at 8:06 pm
were good.
February 16th, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Martin is great… but to the guy saying Sanders would have struggled in Tampa behind that OL – you’re nuts. His offensive lines in Detroit were generally awful and he ran mostly out of the run-and-shoot which meant only 5 blockers. Sanders was amazingly good, the best I’ve ever seen by quite a margin, so I wouldn’t bring his name up when talking about Martin, it’s not fair to Martin.
With that said Martin was injured and pretty much any RB short of Barry Sanders would have struggled with that terrible o-line and even worse play calling. If the Bucs have the cap room – and they do – you don’t let Martin go, not unless they plan on going on a huge spending spree and trying to fix the entire defense in one offseason.
February 16th, 2016 at 8:51 pm
If you take into account Kenneth Dixon Paul Perkins Jordan Howard or my personal favorite cj prossie (Notre Dame) are probably available round 3-4 and cost less the next four years (rookie contract) than Doug would cost on a franchise tag alone I’d hedge my bets I’d be able to find a capable back to pair with Sims
February 16th, 2016 at 9:25 pm
Pay the man, running backs like Martin are not a dime a dozen.
February 17th, 2016 at 3:57 am
“Doug Martin will be a 29-year old running back who has taken a beating and we won’t see him on the roster in 2018, no matter what his contract status.”? I would bet that no matter were he is playing in 2018, he will have another successful year. He has less wear than people think for being in the league for four years. He has amassed only 869 career carries mostly from 2013 and 2014, when he missed 15 games. Did you know he does not have a 30-carry game to his name in his NFL career? This is what makes Martin so valuable, especially to the Bucs. His 57 missed tackles on 288 carries. 906 of his 1,402 yards were gained after first contact. Football Outsiders has Tampa ranked 13th overall for “stuffed” which is the percentage of runs where the running back is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage (20%). All of those missed tackles and stuffed percentage can be an indicator of how well your OL is blocking for you? My point is that if Martin signs with another team, the RB who replaces him will probably not be as elusive therefore not as successful. One last point. Anyone else taking notice just how well players like Doug Martin, Robert Ayers and Olivier Vernon performed in their contract years? Players to be concerned about?