SKINS 5.1 million under cap.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Cooley is certainly worthy of the franchise tag, I don't see the team letting him get away under any circumstances. This year the franchise tag value for TEs is $4.28 million. That will go up some next year, but certainly the Redskins can fit the one-year franchise tag value under their cap next season.

Many salaries do indeed baloon next year, but there definitely is enough flexibility to restructure some players and cut others. Letting Brunell go after this year will trim at least $3.5 million off our 2008 cap. Cutting Phillip Daniels would trim another $3.0 million. We have the flexibility we need, we can take care of Cooley for the long term or we can franchise him.

The problem with the franchise tag is that with all the escalators, it's essentially a one year thing. Works fine for 2008, but wouldn't using the tag on a guy make it harder to get a long term deal done.

I realize it could buy us more time, and that alone could be worth it, but we won't have the cap room in 2009 to Franchise him again. I'd like to see a deal done before November.