What NFL players will be franchise tagged in 2021?
With the 2021 NFL off-season set to commence on March 17th, a few NFL teams are likely to franchise tag players that they wish to retain next season without offering them a long-term contract. There is a lot of talent in the wide receiver position and some of those players could see themselves being tagged before the deadlien.
Here are some of the top NFL free agents that could potentially receive a franchise tag during the 2021 NFL off-season.
NFL top free agents that could be franchise tagged:
Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
Dak Prescott could join former Washington Football Team quarterback Kirk Cousins on the list of NFC East quarterbacks to be franchise tagged in back-to-back seasons. Prescott suffered a horrific ankle injury that sidelined him for the majority of the 2020-2021 NFL season. The Cowboys and Prescott have not reached a long-term deal and with the injury we could see the Cowboys franchise tag him again in 2021.
Kenny Golladay (Detroit Lions)
The Detroit Lions are likely to franchise tag their number wide receiver, Kenny Golladay. Detroit will be looking to surround Jared Goff with as much talent as possible and retaining Golladay will be the first order of business for the new front office.
Lavonte David (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Lavonte David was a key piece of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense man handling the Chiefs offense in NFL Super Bowl LV. The Buccaneers have a lot of players that they need to re-sign. Leonard Fournette, Chris Godwin and Shaquil Barrett are the three players who need new deals. We could see Lavonte David get the franchise tag to make sure they can bring back some, if not all, of the players they need.
Leonard Williams (New York Giants)
Leonard Williams is one player the New York Giants cannot afford to lose. He has been a huge contributor to their defense. In the two seasons that Leonard Williams has spent with the Giants, he has recorded 12 sacks and 57 total tackles. If the Giants cannot agree a long-term deal with Williams, they will likely slap the franchise tag on him.
Brandon Scherff (Washington Football Team)
The Washington Football Team is going to be looking to find their next franchise quarterback. One thing they will want is a solid offensive lineman to help protect their new quarterback. Brandon Scherff has been a solid lineman for Washington since being drafted. This makes him a player that could receive the franchise tag in 2021.