With the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term deals looming on Friday, July 15 at 4 p.m. ET, and four players left seeking contract extensions, the sleepiest summer days of the NFL calendar could awaken.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates, Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki and Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz are aiming for long-term pacts, but deals do not appear imminent for any of the quartet, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Friday.
The most optimism likely surrounds Brown and Schultz, while Bates' situation portends to be the trickiest.
Brown, whom the Chiefs acquired via trade with the Baltimore Ravens ahead of last season, has yet to sign his franchise tag and there haven't been any talks lately, but Garafolo expects conversations to heat up early next week to see if a long-term pact can get done. On the tag, Brown would be due $16.6 million in 2022, but the Chiefs left tackle wants to be paid among the top in his position, which is in the neighborhood of $22-$23 million per season.
Schultz and Gesicki, who are each due to make $10.9 million on the 2022 tag, have signed their tags.
Garafolo expects talks to increase for Schultz and the Cowboys with the hope of a long-term extension staying alive.
However, down in Miami, it would seem Gesicki is likely to play on the tag as he and the Dolphins have not "really engaged in contract negotiations," per Garafolo.
For Bates, a positive outcome with the Bengals appears bleak at the moment.
Garafolo doesn't see Bates being in attendance at the start of Bengals training camp on July 26 without a long-term deal, which Garafolo doesn't see coming to fruition.
Bates has yet to sign his franchise tag and would be due $12.9 million on the tag in 2022. Bates, who earned $2.43 million in 2021 while helping the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance, would obviously get a significant raise, but it would come in comparison to Minkah Fitzpatrick recently signing an extension with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers that has him making a league-high $18.24 million per season. Garafolo doesn't see the Bengals venturing into that per-year area code with Bates.
In all, eight players had the franchise tag applied in 2022. Davante Adams was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Las Vegas Raiders, who signed him to a mega extension, whereas Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin and Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku each signed extensions.
What remains for the final four tagged players will play out in the last week before the July 15 deadline.
