Your Tag Deadline Day Tuesday Evening Open Thread

NFL News:

Franchise tags:

• Today at 4:00ET was the deadline for applying a franchise tag to a current player under negotiations.
  • The list:
    • Franchise tagged:
      • Le’Veon Bell (Steelers)
      • Lamarcus Joyner (Rams)
      • Jarvis Landry (Dolphins)
      • Ziggy Ansah (Lions)
      • DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys)
    • Transition tagged: ($2 million less)
      • Kyle Fuller (Bears)
        • meaning he can negotiate with other teams, but the Bears get first right of refusal
  • If teams cannot negotiate separate deals for these players by July 16, the franchise tag becomes a one-year contract & counts 100% against the salary cap.
    • None of that “signing bonus” and “deferred salary” crap the Patriots always seem to get away with that can be spread out over multiple years.
    • SB Nation has a basic primer on the topic.

• Here are the positional values for the franchise tag, based on the NFL’s 2018 salary cap of $177.2 million:
  • Quarterback – $23.189 million
  • Running back – $11.866 million (*Le’Veon Bell gets $14.5 million, as a two-time tagee)
  • Wide Receiver – $15.982 million
  • Tight end – $9.846 million
  • Offensive line – $14.077 million
  • Defensive tackle – $13.939 million
  • Defensive End – $17.143 million
  • Linebacker – $14.961 million
  • Cornerback $14.975 million
  • Safety $11.287 million
  • Kicker/Punter – $4.939 million

Other news:

• Retiring:
  • Al Riveron announced via Twitter that Ed Hochuli & Jeff Triplette were retiring.
    • Their replacements include Ed’s son Shawn.
    • Hochuli had been in the League since 1990, and Triplette since 1996.
      • A fair amount of sentiment for Ed; a whole lot of “about fucking time!” for Jeff
      • Plus, the classics!

• Trade talk:
  • The Seahawks are definitely trading Michael Bennett.
  • The Eagles want a first-rounder for Nick Foles.

• Stealing from Crimebeat!
  • The Raiders have released Aldon Smith following reports of domestic violence charges.
    • The warrant lists charges of willful infliction of corporal injury, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and vandalism.
    • He turned himself in this afternoon, and was held on a $30,000 bond

• PFT has the complete draft order on their site, if you are so inclined.
  • Atlanta currently has the privilege of drafting Mr. Irrelevant at #256

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Red Wings at Bruins – 7:00PM | NBCSN / Sportsnet
  • Capitals at Ducks – 10:00PM | NBCSN

• NBA:
  • Hawks at Raptors – 7:00PM | Sportsnet1
  • Rockets at Thunder – 8:00PM | TNT
  • Pelicans at Clippers – 10:30PM | TNT / TSN2
  • Nets at Warriors – 10:30PM | Sportsnet1

• NCAA: Conference Tournaments
  • Men’s:
    • ACC: Syracuse vs. Wake Forest – 7:00PM | ESPNU
    • Horizon League: The championship: Cleveland State vs. Wright State – 7:00PM | ESPN
    • Northeast: LIU (Brooklyn) at Wagner – 7:00PM | ESPN2
    • Summit League: The championship: South Dakota vs. South Dakota State – 9:00PM | ESPN2
    • West Coast: The championship: Gonzaga vs. BYU – 9:00PM | ESPN
  • Women’s:
    • Big East: The championship: DePaul vs. Marquette – 7:00PM | FS1
• WWE:
  • Smackdown – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360
    • “Fastlane” is this Sunday; the last PPV before Wrestlemania, so that card should really start taking shape soon.

AVOID THAT SUMMIT LEAGUE ACTION, HIPPO!