The deadline came and went, and no New Orleans Saints player landed a franchise tag that'd have kept them away from impending free agency.
Now the decisions loom for a handful of key players, most notably safety Marcus Williams and left tackle Terron Armstead.
The expectation was for neither player to be tagged, which would have ensured one more season in New Orleans at a commensurate rate with their position. For Williams it'd have been particularly expensive as the second consecutive year he'd have received a tag.
Below is a list of the players who were tagged by their respective teams, one being a safety that would've contended with Williams at the top of that positional market:
2022 FRANCHISE TAGS (deadline 3 p.m. Tuesday)
- S, Jessie Bates, Cincinnati Bengals
- TE, David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
- TE, Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys
- TE, Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
- OT, Cam Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
- OT, Orlando Brown, Kansas City Chiefs
- WR, Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
- WR, Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The eight total tags are down from 10 handed out around the NFL a year ago, with multiple players getting tagged multiple times, including NFC South foe Chris Godwin with the Bucs.
The Saints can work out a new deal with either player, though complications could arise for each. The market for Williams could be strong, considering his status among the top players at his position and that he'll be just 26 years old at the start of the 2022 season. The Saints are likely highly motivated to keep their center fielder in town, but they could be priced out if a team opts to go all-in, much like with the Bengals and Trey Hendrickson a year ago.
While the Saints are in a better position relative to the salary cap than they were entering the 2021 offseason, their maneuverability in a free agent chase will be a bit compromised by their current standing. After a handful of moves, the team remains $40 million-plus over the cap, though with several options remaining to clear that money and then some.
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The team also has to establish a plan at quarterback, which could be pricy, and might not be able to match a big-money deal for the safety. Would Williams spurn a bigger offer to stick in New Orleans? That could be the key question over the next few months as the team attempts to retain its defense.
The question on Armstead will be slightly more complicated, with the team's previous restructures of his contract leading to a $13 million dead cap hit in the 2022 season regardless of where he plays. For that reason alone it might make more fiscal sense to sign Armstead if possible, considering the alternative would force the team to pay additionally for his replacement. But will that even be possible? There will undoubtedly be multiple NFL teams looking for OL help (Bengals anyone) who would likely be willing to kick the tires on a three-time Pro Bowler at LT even with some durability and injury concerns. So I ask again: Would Armstead be a player that might choose to spurn a bigger offer to stick in New Orleans?
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That Saints have a handful of other impending free agents to consider signing, including linebacker Kwon Alexander, QB Jameis Winston, DB PJ WIlliams, RB Ty Montgomery, DT Shy Tuttle, DE Carl Granderson and WRs Tre'Quan Smith and Deonte Harris, among others.