Kolb and the franchise tag
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Kolb and the franchise tag
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
One option readers have brought up regarding Kevin Kolb's future with the Eagles is using the franchise tag on him after the 2011 season.
The argument for trading Kolb now (once the Eagles are allowed) is simple. Get something for him, or let him walk for nothing as a free agent after the 2011 season.
So let's examine one more potential option: Let him back up Michael Vick in 2011, slap him with the franchise tag after the season, and then trade him before 2012.
Albert Breer of NFL Network explained in a recent article why this would be a less than ideal option for the Birds.
Say the Eagles tagged Kolb after 2011 - what hurdles would they face then trying to trade him? Breer lays them out:
First, they'd need to pull off a trade quickly, ideally before the 2012 league year was to begin, to keep their cap in order for the start of free agency. And second, whatever team the Eagles planned to trade him to would be put in a hole from a negotiating standpoint (as the Chiefs were to a degree with Matt Cassel, with his tag number of $14.65 million in 2009) in trying to get a long-term deal, because of the heavy number on the front the quarterback would have to negotiate off of.
Breer's first point is simple enough. If the Eagles tagged Kolb, they'd be on the hook for an estimated $16M (at least). If they didn't trade him by the time free agency began, that number would limit them in terms of cap space.
And that's assuming the Eagles are even allowed to use the tag on Kolb. We don't know what the league rules will be, and we also do not know which other Eagles might potentially be in line for the franchise tag after 2011.
Breer's second point is a good one too. If a team trades for Kolb after he's been tagged, it would lose leverage in negotiating a long-term deal. From Kolb's perspective, he would be in line for a big payday in 2012. Following the year, the new team would have three options: let him walk as a free agent, tag him again or work out a long-term deal. The Chiefs signed Matt Cassel to a reported six-year, $63M deal ($28M guaranteed) before he had even played a down in Kansas City.
Because of these factors, going the franchise tag route could limit the market for Kolb. Kansas City dealt just a second-rounder for Cassel back in 2009.
Of course, this offseason presents its own set of hurdles for the Eagles. Several teams filled their QB needs during the draft, and the Birds will have to settle for 2012 picks or players as compensation. In terms of a contract, Kolb's camp will have less leverage than if he were due the franchise tag number. He's set to be paid $1.392M in 2011 as it currently stands.
KOLB AND THE CARDINALS
As Eagletarian pointed out yesterday, ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote the following in a mailbag this week:
The Cardinals and Eagles were allowed to discuss a deal at various points this offseason, including the first day of the draft. Arizona had the chance to draft Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert in Round 1 -- and passed. That tells me that the Cardinals believe they can find a way to land Kolb once trades are allowed. And Philadelphia knows it has to trade Kolb for this reason: After this season, Kolb's contract is set to expire. The Eagles can't afford to pay both Michael Vick, whom they intend to re-sign to a long-term deal, and Kolb. So if Philadelphia wants to get back compensation for Kolb, this will be the time to do it. And if Arizona wants to compete in the NFC West, Kolb is the quarterback to lead the way. It's an ideal match. And I think eventually, ultimately, it will happen.
The note about discussion on the first day of the draft is obviously the most interesting one. It's worded a little strangely though. Schefter doesn't come out and say the two sides did discuss a deal on the first day of the draft, but he points out that they were allowed to.
Kent Somers, who covers the Cardinals for The Arizona Republic, reports that the two sides were not allowed to talk about a deal on the first day of the draft.
Somers also writes that Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill has always been a stickler for NFL rules, and he points out a potential issue with speculation that the two sides already have a deal in place.
It's what I wrote about in the first part of this post. Any team that deals for Kolb will either want to have a deal in place when it trades for him or be supremely confident that it can get a deal done.
The Cardinals and Kolb's camp would not have been able to negotiate a deal yet, so it raises some doubt about how far the Eagles and another team really could have gotten in terms of agreeing on a trade at this point.
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Hey Sheil, I thought the franchise tag does not allow for tagging the player with the sole intent of trading him. The players union negotiated this because it would limit real free agency for certain players as they would be traded instead of choosing their team. The reason the Pats were able to do it with Cassel is because they tagged him while Brady was still coming off of injury and they weren't certain Brady would be ready to play. Is this true or am I making stuff up in my head?— mikeyhigs
I would rather let Kolb walk than put the tag on him. They already blew $12Mil on him last year. It doesn't really make sense from any standpoint. Of course, the best case scenario is FA opens & they get picks and/or players. Anyway, hopefully, they're able to do something sooner rather than later.— Mabus- No tag...just trade him.— Eaglecheesehead
- It's not that much of a risk to have a verbal agreement ahead of the draft. Even if the deal never materializes, the teams still have their players to keep or trade. If the Cards actually gave up the draft pick in a verbal agreement, that would be very risky.— mish798798
The Eagles need to trade Kolb this year so they can get a 1st and 2nd in return or get Patrick Peterson. Kolb is a backup QB and always will be in my mind. He has proved very little but I want to see how he does for 16 games. Will he get injured and will he get booed.— briandawkins20- After tagging a player he must agree to any trade; I think...— Warhound
- Maybe the Eagles go after a CB* in the supplemental draft (using their 2012 1st). Then trade Kolb for a 2012 1st (replacing the one used in the supp-drft). * I can't remember the details but I heard of a supp-drft CB who might merit a pick in the 20-32 range. Thoughts?— Warhound
- Anybody know about this guy: Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins is a more definite possibility to be a selection later this summer as NFL teams go about making their bids. Jenkins, kicked out of the Gators program by coach Will Muschamp on Tuesday after his third arrest (on charges of marijuana possession on Saturday) in fewer than two years, was tabbed as a top-25 prospect for 2012. As many as four cornerback prospects are projected to be drafted in the first round Thursday night and Jenkins will give those teams who miss out on that run a second chance at such a talent. Teams interested in Jenkins will have a decision to make -- whether to claim a highly gifted athlete who has a considerable character concern at the high cost of giving up a first-rounder in the traditional 2012 draft. ???— Warhound
- Kolb has already received enough welfare from the Eagles. Millions in salary for next to nothing in return. So the next step is to franchise the guy and guarantee him $16 mill more? If I was KK I'd be laughing all the way to my off shore bank account. What a dumb move that would be. Trade him NOW so the new team gets the advantage of the $1.2 salary this year for a try out. That is a good negotiating point to help in a trade. Then if they want to the new team can franchise him. The last thing the Eagles need is to have the possibility of 2 QBs making franchise money and then limit their flexibility to get help in other areas where they would need FA help. I said before that was a dumb idea. KK = Franchise QB = BS.
Trade him to SF or Zona and let him terrorize the hog population there, he sure won't do it to opposing Ds.— tpizza 
Comment removed.- Thanks jmt for not comparing him to me. My stats were better. — Mike McMahon
- I'm a big Brady Quinn fan, one of the few ..but even I find that hard to believe. Can you relay those career stats ..Kolb has been NFC player of the week in half of his 6 or 7 starts, hasn't he? — richieformvp
- Kolb needs to be traded as soon as there is a new CBA. They need to get in the room and work out a deal. This has gone way to far and the fans are suffering because they can't work out a deal. Goddell and DeMaurice Smith need to get this thing done and fast.— briandawkins20
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