Pass rushers are not being allowed to hit the open market this year. Jason Pierre-Paul will reportedly be slapped with the franchise tag by the New York Giants, becoming one of a few top pass rushers to be tagged in 2017.
Per source, Giants apply franchise tag to DE Jason Pierre-Paul.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 27, 2017
The JPP tag was not done before 4p today so it'll be part of tomorrow's transactions. But Pierre-Paul has been informed by NYG he's tagged.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 27, 2017
Pierre-Paul joins Melvin Ingram (expected to be tagged), Chandler Jones (already tagged), Kawann Short (tagged as well) and Mario Addison, who earned a three-year contract from the Carolina Panthers, as pass rushers who are being held from entering the open market this March.
The Giants might have a tough time locking up Pierre-Paul on a long-term deal, because it’s been reported he wants to make as much as fellow Big Blue quarterback terror Oliver Vernon (more on that here). Before injuring his groin injury last year, the dynamic pass rusher logged seven sacks and showed off the signature burst that we grew to expect before his 4th of July accident.
It’s going to be interesting to see where things go from here, because Pierre-Paul already said he didn’t want another one-year deal, which is exactly what he’s facing right now. Of course, it’s a $17 million one-year deal, which might soften the blow.
We’ll be watching closely to see if things bog down on a long-term deal and he ends up holding out of team activities this offseason.