Monday, March 5 (tomorrow) is the deadline for teams to apply the franchise tag to players with expiring contracts and the Jaguars have yet to use the designation. While the conventional thought in the media is that kicker Josh Scobee is the player that makes the most sense for the Jaguars to assign the franchise tag to (if they do at all), a source told me today "don't be surprised" if the Jaguars assign the franchise tag instead to defensive end Jeremy Mincey.
Alfie Crow talks franchise tag.
The NFL and NFLPA have not yet finalized cap numbers on the new CBA, so with that, the numbers for the franchise tag have also not been finalized but the tag would likely keep Mincey in Jacksonville for roughly $10.6 million in 2012.
However, like Marcedes Lewis in 2011, if the Jaguars were to apply the franchise tag to Mincey it would likely be with the intent to keep him in Jacksonville so they can negotiate a long-term deal so it's not set in stone that Mincey would play the 2012 season at the figures the franchise tag dictates.
Mincey, 28, is otherwise set to become a free agent on March 13 after a career-high and team-leading eight sacks in 2011.