The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

February 24, 2004
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) - Chris McAlister is expected to become the third cornerback to be designated as a franchise player.

Tuesday is the final day for NFL teams to use their franchise or transition player designations on unrestricted free agents. Franchise designations obligate teams to pay the average of the five highest-paid players at their respective positions or 120 percent of their salaries from the previous year. Transition tags require teams to pay the average of the 10 highest-paid players.

The Baltimore Ravens will likely again use their franchise tag on the 26-year-old McAlister, who was selected to the Pro Bowl last season.

McAlister was saddled with the franchise tag last March and signed a one-year qualifying offer for $5.962 million after talks on a long-term agreement broke down. This time, the franchise tag will obligate the Ravens to pay McAlister $6.8 million, the average salary of the top five cornerbacks.

Baltimore held off on signing McAlister to a multi-year contract due to his off-the-field problems. Ravens coach Brian Billick benched McAlister for a September 21 game at San Diego after the cornerback missed curfew and skipped a team meeting.

Last August, McAlister was pulled over for speeding and charged with driving under the influence in Fairfax County, Virginia.

However, on the field, McAlister is one of the league's top cover corners. A starter since being selected in the first round in 1999, McAlister usually is given the task of covering the opponent's top receiver.

Two cornerbacks already have been designated as franchise players - Charles Woodson by the Oakland Raiders and Champ Bailey by the Washington Redskins. The designation requires the Raiders and Redskins to tender a one-year contract at $6.8 million.

But while the Raiders intend to keep Woodson, the Redskins are willing to part with Bailey, a Pro Bowl selection each of the last four years.

The Denver Post reported Sunday that the Redskins are in discussions with Denver on a deal that would send Bailey to the Broncos for Clinton Portis, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons.

Teams can still sign franchise players to an offer sheet, but the club that uses the tag has an opportunity to match or accept two first-round picks as compensation....

The Tennessee Titans are expected to designate defensive end Jevon Kearse as a franchise player, which would require them to pay him $6.5 million in 2004....

Tennessee Titans: Team representatives have met with the agent for DE Jevon Kearse twice over the last four days here at the NFL's scouting combine, but no notable progress has been made toward a multiyear pact. But the Titans seem willing to let Kearse become a free agent instead of using the franchise tag on the star lineman. GM Floyd Reese said he expected to go right up until the deadline today before informing the league office of a decision. ''If we didn't use it what it would mean is that we would think it would be in our best interest and probably in his best interest to let him go out on the marketplace and see what's available,'' Reese told the Nashville Tennessean. ''Once he gets a feel for the market place, he might have a better feel for us.''