The deadline to utilize either the franchise or transition tags is approaching on March 7, but the Tennessee Titans are highly unlikely to use it, as the team simply doesn’t have anyone worthy of using it on.
The next possible candidate for the tag will be star defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, who stands to be a free agent in 2024 as he enters the final year of his rookie deal this year.
However, I tend to believe it won’t come to that and Simmons will get the big-money deal he deserves. Still, we can’t rule it out.
The last time the Titans used the franchise tag was in 2020, when the team slapped it on running back Derrick Henry, who eventually inked a four-year, $50 million deal.
While the Titans have never utilized the transition tag, they have used the franchise tag on a total of five players in team history. Here’s a look at who they are, and what eventually happened afterwards.
1996: CB Cris Dishman (Oilers)
Franchise tag price: $3.06 million
Extension: No
After getting the franchise tag and playing on it in 1996, Dishman left in free agency in 1997 for Washington. He spent two years there before playing for the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings to finish his career.
2008: DL Albert Haynesworth
Franchise tag price: $7.25 million
Extension: No
Interestingly enough, Haynesworth was the second player in franchise history to not only sign and play on the franchise tag, but to also leave for Washington the next season.
2009: TE Bo Scaife
Franchise tag price: $4.46 million
Extension: No
It’s safe to say the Titans’ use of the franchise tag on Scaife wasn’t the best idea, at least by today’s standards.
Scaife couldn’t build upon his solid 2008 campaign while on the tag in 2009, and was tendered the following year, his last in Nashville. Scaife never played another down of football following 2010.
2012: S Michael Griffin
Franchise tag price: $6.2 million
Extension: Yes
After placing the franchise tag on him in 2012, the Titans worked out a long-term deal with Griffin, which was for five years and $35 million. Griffin played four years on his deal before being released in 2016.
2020: RB Derrick Henry
Franchise tag price: $10.27 million
Extension: Yes
The Titans used the franchise tag as a placeholder to give themselves more time to get something done with Henry, which they eventually did to the tune of a deal that paid him $50 million over four years.
Henry remains on the team and on that same contract to this day, although he enters the final year of the pact in 2023 and accounts for a cap hit of $16.3 million. It’s possible Tennessee extends or restructures him to lower that, though.
