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What would occur if the Chicago Bears were to place a franchise tag on Jaylon Johnson?

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Vince Carbonneau
January 25, 2024  (7:32)
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During this offseason, one of the critical decisions facing the team revolves around Jaylon Johnson's future.

As his rookie contract comes to an end, Jaylon Johnson will become an unrestricted free agent. Earlier in the season, negotiations between Johnson and the Bears failed to produce a long-term deal. However, General Manager Ryan Poles, in his end-of-season media discussions, expressed confidence in resolving the matter.

"Jaylon's not going to go anywhere, and we'll work through it to get something done," Poles reassured fans.

Poles also conveyed a positive tone regarding his ongoing discussions with Johnson's representatives.

«We have really good communication. The big thing was just kind of take a break here after the season, and then we'll start talks again. I feel really good about that situation.»

Although not explicitly stated, Poles' directness regarding Johnson's future with the Bears suggests the organization's willingness to employ the franchise tag on their star cornerback should a long-term deal remain elusive.

So, what happens if the Bears decide to place the franchise tag on Johnson? Let's delve into the details.

The NFL franchise tag is a mechanism that permits teams to retain one impending unrestricted free agent player for an additional year under specific conditions. Each team has one franchise tag at their disposal annually, which can be used as either an exclusive or non-exclusive tag.

- Exclusive: The team offers the selected player a one-year contract that must equal or exceed the average of the top-five salaries at that player's position based on April of the current year or 120% of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is higher.- Non-exclusive: The team must present the selected player with a one-year contract no less than the average of the top-five cap hits at that player's position or 120% of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is greater.

For the 2024 season, the projected franchise tag figure for cornerbacks stands at $18,140,000, as reported by Over the Cap. This would represent a substantial pay increase compared to the roughly $3 million per year from Johnson's rookie contract, provided no extension is reached.

The window for tagging players during this offseason spans from February 20 to March 5.

Now, let's differentiate between exclusive and non-exclusive tags:

- Exclusive tags grant the team exclusive negotiating rights. If the player declines the offer, they are prohibited from signing with another NFL team for the entire season.- Non-exclusive tags allow players to negotiate with other teams. If they receive an offer from another team, their current team has the option to match it. Should they choose not to match the offer, they are entitled to receive two first-round draft picks in compensation.

What about the NFL transition tag?

Transition tags closely resemble franchise tags with two notable distinctions. They utilize the average of the top-10 highest-paid players at a position and lack any guaranteed compensation clause.

Unlike the franchise tag, transition tags do not assure teams of any assets in return if they fail to match a competing team's offer, resulting in the loss of the player.

Can a player be tagged two years in a row?

While tagging a player multiple times is allowed, it comes with a substantial cost. If a team applies the franchise tag to a player in consecutive years, they must pay the athlete 120% of their previous year's salary. A third consecutive tag carries an even higher price, either 144% of the second-year tag salary, 120% of the average of the top-five salaries at their position, or the average of the top-five salaries at the highest-paid position�whichever is greater.

In Jaylon Johnson's situation, one of the most pertinent questions is whether he would be content if the Bears ultimately resorted to tagging him during the offseason.

"Money is still good," Johnson previously stated in early December during an interview with 670 the Score.

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What would occur if the Chicago Bears were to place a franchise tag on Jaylon Johnson?

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