NFL, NFLPA agree to delay franchise tag decisions by two days

[T-Rac]

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In a possible sign that the league and the union expect some clarity on Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations in the middle of next week, the two sides have agreed to push back the date on which teams can start putting franchise tags on players.

The NFL had previously announced that franchise and transition tags had to be applied between February 25 and March 10, but NFL Media reported today that those dates have now been changed, so that franchise and transition tags can be applied between February 27 and March 12.

Moving the dates back two days comes as the NFL Players Association plans to vote next week on whether to accept the owners’ offer for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Teams want to know before they place the franchise or transition tags whether a new CBA will come to fruition, and today’s news means teams will be able to make that decision after the players’ union membership is expected to vote.

The timing is particularly important for the Cowboys, Buccaneers and Titans, three teams that would probably like to use both the franchise tag and the transition tag — if both are available to them, which they won’t know for sure until the players vote on the CBA proposal.