One of the first steps of any NFL offseason is finally upon us, as the league’s window for franchise tags has opened.
Teams have now until March 8 to use the franchise or transition tags on any player that has an expiring contract. Teams may sign the player to the tag, use the tag and then agree to a long-term deal, or use the tag to trade the player.
The Miami Dolphins have two very clear candidates for the tags this year in tight end Mike Gesicki and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.
According to Over the Cap, the franchise tag number for a tight end in 2022 would be $10.8 million, and for a defensive end, it would be $20.2 million.
Ogbah has seemed to turn a corner in his two seasons with Miami. He’s played in all 33 games, recording 83 tackles, 24 quarterback hits, 18 sacks, 17 passes defended, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. However, while he’s impacting most games he’s playing in, $20.2 million is a lot to commit to one player.
The 28-year-old would have the 10th-largest cap hit of any edge rusher in the league, just above San Francisco’s Arik Armstead and Los Angeles’ Leonard Floyd who both have cap hits of $20 million.
Gesicki, on the other hand, would cost roughly half of that, but his impact in this offense might not be what it’s been in the past.
The tight end had arguably the best season of his career in 2021, recording 780 yards and two touchdowns on 73 receptions. However, now with Mike McDaniel coming in and likely instituting a new offensive gameplan and scheme that keys in on blocking from tight ends and full backs, Gesicki might not be the most useful tight end to spend all that money on.
At the same time, McDaniel could come up with another role to use Gesicki in to fit the offense a little better, but things in his offense would have to change to maximize Gesicki’s impact. Maybe it would be beneficial for Miami to use the tag on him for the year and see how he fits.
There’s always a chance that the Dolphins don’t use the tag at all, which is a real possibility this year. Miami may be able to get either guy to sign to a long-term deal, or they could opt not to re-sign either and let them walk. The latter seems less likely, but there’s a real good chance that general manager Chris Grier doesn’t use the tags this offseason.