Franchise tag news continues to roll in from around the NFL.
The #Panthers have placed the franchise tag on DT Kawann Short
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— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) February 27, 2017
Kawann Short joins Chandler Jones (who was franchised earlier on Monday) of the Arizona Cardinals as the latest player to be handed the Franchise tag this offseason. Short projects to make $14.8 million playing on the franchise tag in 2017, and you can read about the rest of the projected Franchise tag figures here.
As for Short, the Franchise tag keeps him from becoming a free agent and gives the team until the middle of July to seek and agree to a long-term extension. However, because Short was handed the non-exclusive tag, a team that signs him would have to trade two first-round picks back to the Carolina Panthers in return.
Carolina drafted Short in the second round (44th overall) in the 2013 draft and has been a productive member of Ron Rivera’s defensive line since, playing in 64 games (making 41 starts). In fact, Short hasn’t missed a game in his four-year career – which was highlighted by an 11-sack season for Carolina’s NFC Championship-winning team in 2015.
Short followed a 2015 campaign in which he earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors with six sacks and 2015 Pro Bowl season with six sacks and was the recipient of Pro Football Focus’ third-highest grade (87.7) among interior defenders. As one of the top defenders on the market, Short could still field offers from other teams. But the aforementioned hefty price tag would likely keep teams from jumping in on the bidding.
It seemed inevitable that someone had to get the ball rolling after ominous silence on the NFL’s transaction wire after the tag period opened. So let the record show the first two players to receive a tag were defensive standouts, while wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was not extended a Franchise tag by the Bears, which has its own fallout – which is underway.