Listing the 'Franchise Players' Being Potentially Tagged This Season

With the deadline for teams placing the franchise tag on unrestricted free agents (UFA) rapidly approaching on February 21st, here is our look at how we expect things to shake out in regards to who gets the tag or not. The franchise tag is based on the top 5 salaries per position/grouping, and the numbers for 2008 are as follows:
Quarterback: $10.730 million
Cornerback: $9.465 million
Defensive end: $8.879 million
Linebacker: $8.065 million
Wide receiver: $7.848 million
Offensive line: $7.455
Running back: $6.538 million
Defensive tackle: $6.363 million
Tight End: $4.522 million
Safety: $4.396 million
Kicker/Punter: $2.514 million

AFC East
Buffalo Bills - nobody worth tagging
Miami Dolphins - nobody worth tagging
NY Jets - nobody worth tagging
New England Patriots - nobody likely to be tagged; there's talk about WR Randy Moss being tagged (at $7.848 million), but don't expect this to happen, as the Patriots most likely won't want to upset their relationship with Moss, and will look to sign him to a few year deal instead at a lower per year rate

AFC North
Baltimore Ravens - LB Terrell Suggs will be tagged (at $8.065 million) if a long term deal is not worked out
Cincinatti Bengals - nobody worth tagging
Cleveland Browns - nobody worth tagging
Pittsburgh Steelers - rarely use the franchise tag at all, and most likely will not tag OG Alan Faneca (at $7.455 million), who doesn't want to play there next year

AFC South
Houston Texans - nobody worth tagging
Indianapolis Colts - TE Dallas Clark will be tagged (at $4.522 million) if a long term deal is not worked out, and if they do work out a long term deal with Clark, they could potentially (though unlikely) use tag on either OG Ryan Lilja or Jake Scott (at $7.455 million, which would be steep for either of them)
Jacksonville Jaguars - nobody worth tagging
Tennessee Titans - DT Albert Haynesworth will be tagged (at $7.25 million, which is 120% of last years salary, and higher than the standard $6.363 million for the DT position) if a long term deal not worked out

AFC West
Denver Broncos - nobody worth tagging
Kansas City Chiefs - DE Jared Allen will be tagged (at $8.879 million) if a long term deal is not worked out
Oakland Raiders - CB Nnamdi Asomugha will most likely be tagged (at $9.465 million) if a long term deal is not worked out
San Diego Chargers - nobody worth tagging

NFC East
Dallas Cowboys - nobody worth tagging, but they could look at keeping either safey Ken Hamlin (at $4.396 million), or OT Flozell Adams (at $7.465 million) locked up for one more year NY Giants - nobody worth tagging
Philadelphia Eagles - TE LJ Smith has already been tagged (at $4.5 million)
Washington Redskins - nobody worth tagging

NFC North
Chicago Bears - nobody worth tagging; there's talk about WR Bernard Berrian (at $7.84 million) getting tagged, but he's a 2nd banana and not worth it, so don't expect this to happen
Detroit Lions - nobody worth tagging
Green Bay Packers - nobody worth tagging
Minnesota Vikings - nobody worth tagging

NFC South
Atlanta Falcons - nobody worth tagging
Carolina Panthers - OT Jordan Gross will definitely be tagged (at $7.455 million for OL) if a long term deal is not worked out
New Orleans Saints - nobody worth tagging
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - nobody worth tagging

NFC West
Arizona Cardinals - LB Karlos Dansby will be tagged (at $7.2 million) if a long term deal is not worked out
San Francisco 49ers - nobody worth tagging
Seattle Seahawks - either CB Marcus Trufant (at $9.465 million) or K Josh Brown will be tagged
St. Louis Rams - nobody worth tagging

Don't expect anyone to use the Exclusive Rights franchise player tag, which is costlier but prevents other teams from talking to a free agent at all, as the cost of signing another team's franchise player (two 1st round picks, plus a large contract) is already enough to scare off teams. The NFL Free Agency period opens February 29 2008 at 12:01am.