The deadline for NFL teams to apply their franchise tag is today at 4 p.m. EST. The franchise tag allows teams to retain the rights of a player who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent for one season at the average salary of the top five players at the player's position.
The Eagles will not be applying the franchise tag to any of their four unrestricted-free-agents-to-be. Those four players who could hit the open market on March 5 are linebacker Tracy White, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, safety Sean Jones and defensive end Jason Babin.
Several players who could have potentially been a candidate for the franchise tag like fullback Leonard Weaver will become restricted free agents because of the absence of a Collective Bargaining Agreement. The rest of the Eagles' restricted free agents are offensive lineman Nick Cole, linebacker Chris Gocong, wide receiver Jason Avant, offensive lineman Max Jean-Gilles, tight end Alex Smith, linebacker Omar Gaither and cornerback Ellis Hobbs.
Linebacker Akeem Jordan and punter Sav Rocca would have been restricted free agents regardless of the status of the CBA.
On the last day to designate a franchise player, so far only six teams have announced their use of the tag.
New England Patriots - DT Vince Wilfork
Oakland Raiders - DE Richard Seymour
Green Bay Packers - DT Ryan Pickett
Pittsburgh Steelers - K Jeff Reed
Seattle Seahawks - K Olindo Mare
San Francisco 49ers - DT Aubrayo Franklin
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 10:28 a.m., February 25
