Dez Bryant isn't available. Ndamukong Suh is.
With Monday the deadline for NFL teams to designate franchise players - preventing them from becoming free agents - the Cowboys did so with star receiver Bryant. He will have four more months to work on a long-term deal; otherwise, he will make $12.8 million next season.
Bryant, 26, led the NFL with a club-record 16 touchdowns in the final year of a rookie contract that paid $11.8 million over five years. He was the fastest Dallas player to 300 career receptions and second-fastest to 50 touchdowns behind Bob Hayes.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
The Cowboys also have to decide whether to re-sign running back DeMarco Murray after he had a league-leading 1,845 yards rushing in the final year of his contract. He becomes a free agent March 10.
As for Suh, the All-Pro defensive tackle can test the open market when free agency begins. The Detroit Lions opted not to use the franchise tag on him.
The Lions did not say anything publicly about their decision. There was only a report early in the day on the team's website saying the franchise tag's price of around $27 million for Suh proved too daunting.
When the franchise tag is used, a team must tender the player a one-year contract for a figure based on the average of the five highest salaries at his position - or for 120 percent of the player's prior year's salary, whichever is higher. It's the latter provision that pushed Suh's price tag so high, making it difficult for the Lions to use the franchise tag.
Among other teams applying the franchise tag to a player were the Broncos (wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, guaranteeing him roughly $12.8 million next season), the Patriots (three-time Pro Bowl kicker Stephen Gostkowski), the Giants (defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul) and the Chiefs (defensive end Justin Houston).
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Also, veteran safety Bernard Pollard will be released by the Titans so he can resume his chase for another Super Bowl ring, and cornerback Cortland Finnegan was released by the Dolphins.
Salary cap gets$10 million boost
The NFL's salary cap is going up $10 million to $143.28 million for the 2015 season.
All 32 teams and the players' union were notified of the increase, the second straight season the cap went up by at least $10 million. Adding benefits, the league says the projected player costs will be $180.775 million per team.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
The salary cap is determined by a series of NFL revenue streams, with the players receiving 46 percent to 48 percent of those revenues.
Several teams are carrying over money they did not spend in 2014, giving them higher adjusted cap numbers. The highest such total is Jacksonville at $168.4 million; the Jaguars are carrying over $21.7 million in unspent money and have $3.43 million in adjustments.
From wire reports
