Report: Rams expected to franchise tag Sammy Watkins

[ramsplaya16]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/01/11/report-rams-expected-to-franchise-tag-sammy-watkins/

Report: Rams expected to franchise tag Sammy Watkins
Posted by Darin Gantt on January 11, 2018, 6:22 AM EST

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Sammy Watkins said this week he’d be happy to stay in Los Angeles.

Which is convenient, since it seems they can make him.

According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com, the Rams are expected to use the franchise tag on the wide receiver, which isn’t a surprise after they traded a second-round pick and another player for him in August.

Watkins caught 39 passes, but had eight touchdowns, so there’s both production to point to and room to grow. He’s also still just 24, so using the tag as the table-settle for a long-term deal seems reasonable. Last year’s tag for wide receivers was $15.682 million.

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Im not sure how to feel about this, I want to keep Watkins but this seems like a one year prove it kind of deal before they commit long term, if it’s even true.

If this is true I definitely could see some players getting cut in order to make cap room to fit in some other players that we have to re-sign, Joyner, Donald, Robey-Coleman, are the 3 IMO that must be re-signed.

 

[OldSchool]

This is Alden's suggestion, I've yet to see a quote from Snead that he says or implies they're going to tag him.

 

[Psycho_X]

We went from people getting a sense that the Rams may think about using a tag on Watkins to "expected to". I wouldn't be surprised if they did but it's amazing how many articles are made based off of pure conjecture of reading between the lines. I'd think a lot of things have to happen still before the Rams commit to something like that.

 

[Soul Surfer]

They almost have to franchise him to get the proper value out of that second round pick they gave up for him.

 

[Soul Surfer]

it's amazing how many articles are made based off of pure conjecture of reading between the lines.

Welcome to modern day clickbait "journalism".

Real journalists have to take a course in ethics.

Some of these internet quote unquote "journalists" learn directly from seeing techniques on the internet.

 

[RAMpage28]

The tag is obscenely high for WRs.

On the other hand, locking in a LTD would have been a risk as well. It would be nice to see another full year out of Watkins before locking him in for the long haul.

Conflicted on this. Hope it doesn't interfere too heavily with other guys that need to be brought back.

 

[badnews]

He is what, the same age as Kupp?

I look at this season as Watkins first real season as a true WR and not just a glorified deep threat.

If you looked at Watkins as a second year WR, his potential to be a dominant threat would jump off the screen.

I'm not crazy about using the tag... but I completely understand the logic and am excited to see him after a full offseason and a 2nd year with McVay, if he is brought back.

 

[goosekilla]

These reporters have no more information than we do, they strictly quote all the interviews. That being said I do expect Sammy back.

 

[IowaRam]

Wonder what they have planned Trumaine Johnson then

 

[CanadaRam]

I expect Watkins back.
I do not see the franchise tag. Maybe the transition tag which is 2.5M less than the franchise tag.

I don't see any team going all in for Sammy.

 

[fearsomefour]

Franchise tag for WR (in 2017) was $15.7M.
Probably higher in 18.
Franchise tag for S was $9.9M.
If a player ends up being tagged the coice is
Uber easy for me.
If a guy is going to deserve that tag he needs to be a top performer at his position (which points to the absurdity of the Austin contract).
Watkins doesn't deserve that deal. Not historically and not based on this not last year.
You know....at least fight for a deep ball, finish your routes and don't drop TD passes in play off games. He is a B receiver at this point and deserves that money only.

 

[Ellard80]

Interesting - I'm not sure how I feel about it. If it opens up the cap elsewhere so they can make things work, then I guess it's the best move.

 

[jrry32]

I don't like this idea.

 

[MadGoat]

These reporters have no more information than we do, they strictly quote all the interviews. That being said I do expect Sammy back.

That's not always the case. I'm not sure if Gonzalez has been around long enough to have extra info or not, but if a reporter is around long enough and makes enough connections, they can certainly know more than is revealed in press conferences.

 

[Buffaloed]

Franchise tag for WR (in 2017) was $15.7M.
Probably higher in 18.
Franchise tag for S was $9.9M.
If a player ends up being tagged the coice is
Uber easy for me.
If a guy is going to deserve that tag he needs to be a top performer at his position (which points to the absurdity of the Austin contract).
Watkins doesn't deserve that deal. Not historically and not based on this not last year.
You know....at least fight for a deep ball, finish your routes and don't drop TD passes in play off games. He is a B receiver at this point and deserves that money only.

B WR doesn't beat Sherman by five steps. Goff didn't even look his way and chucked down. There's a problem between Goff and Watkins nobody's talking about. If Watkins doesn't stay beyond one year it won't surprise me. He got 1000 yards with a GARBAGE thrower like Tyrod. There's a reason he got less this past year. It isn't Watkins.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I'm fine with the transition tag for him (all roads attempting to get a long term contract signed) and only fine with a franchise tag if it doesn't impede us signing our other FAs. Hard to know about that though with as much money as we have under the cap and how much money the cap increases year to year, it seems like some of the older ways of assigning monetary value are falling by the wayside.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I get why they won't give him a LTD....still, it would suck to lose a 2nd, EJ Gaines...and Watkins for what he gave us just last year.

He's more productive than Tru...thats for sure.

 

[BonifayRam]

The only thing that I find somewhat positive to this is that we only have one yr $$ invested & tied up in him if he returns to former foot problems, but that one year cost $$ is totally unacceptable for me.

Once you include the whole package with ALL the good & the bad with Watkins I would not have him listed any where close to my top off season priorities & objectives.

 

[The Ramowl]

B WR doesn't beat Sherman by five steps. Goff didn't even look his way and chucked down. There's a problem between Goff and Watkins nobody's talking about. If Watkins doesn't stay beyond one year it won't surprise me. He got 1000 yards with a GARBAGE thrower like Tyrod. There's a reason he got less this past year. It isn't Watkins.

I don't know man, he's had occasions to make splash plays these years and failed several times. He dropped passes a #1 WR should have caught, he has been lazy in running his routes (wasn't it against the Seahawks that he would have had a touchdown if he had not stopped running ?)

To me the best receiver on the roster is Woods, he makes the clutch plays that you need your top receiver to make

 

[bubbaramfan]

The alternative is, back to square one looking for a #1WR. And if they do find one as good as Watkins, they're going to have to pay him.
So do you go with what you know, or look elsewhere to try and save a few mil? Or just let him walk and try and draft a #1 at 23 in the 1st rd.