Tuesday is "Tag Day" in the NFL. Tomorrow is the day teams will have to decide whether to use their franchise tag on players or let them become unrestricted free agents. And for the Atlanta Falcons, they'll have to make that decision on defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
“I think the stalemate is that Grady and his representatives are wanting to be in the same house as Aaron Donald,” said John Fricke of the Morning Show said.
And while Randy McMichael says he should feel that way, he wonders if the Falcons are willing to pay that for a player who hasn’t made a Pro Bowl.
“I like Grady a lot. He hasn't leveled off, he's gotten better, better and better. Do you pay him like he's one of the best at his position considering he hasn't made the Pro Bowl, never made an All-Pro team?' You've drafted him, you've developed him and it justifies your pick. He’s the kind of player you want in your organization."
He finished 2018 with 52 total tackles, six sacks and three forced fumbles. He's clearly one of the leaders on Coach Dan Quinn's defensive unit.
McMichael's familiarity with Jarrett's agent leads him to believe there will not be any discounts for his client.
"He's getting tagged. I know Todd (France), and I know how he works," McMichael said of Jarrett's agent.
"The Falcons don’t deserve to get a ‘hometown discount’ from Grady. This is his first deal...get all you can get. No one a discount on the first contract. They should have done this last year.”
John points out they could still get a deal done after they tag him.
“It’s 100 percent that will happen,” Randy adds regarding Jarrett getting tagged. There is a possibility they could still get a deal done by the July 15 cutoff date.
"I wouldn't be shocked if they tag him, that he goes ahead and signs it. Sometimes you want that security. Usually players on the first year on the tag, they're gonna sign it."