With the NFL’s franchise and transition tag window set to open on Tuesday at 4 p.m.,
Josh Allen, the standout pass-rusher, is the center of attention in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are making every effort to keep one of the top pass-rushers in the NFL from going undrafted, and Allen is expected to get the franchise tag at some point during the next several weeks.
There are several results if Allen is indeed tagged. One option is that the Jaguars then negotiate a long-term contract with Allen, which would reduce his 2024 salary cap charge as opposed to what the one-year tag would entail. However, there is also the possibility that Allen plays the 2024 season on the tag. Allen will continue to be among the Jaguars’ highest-paid players even in that scenario.
However, what would the price of the tag be? Over The Cap’s calculations indicate that Allen’s franchise tag number may drop to one of two values. Allen’s expected tag price, assuming the Jaguars choose to designate him as a linebacker, is $22,748,000.
According to the annual value, Allen would be the eleventh highest-paid EDGE in this scenario. The expected tag cost for Allen would be $20,205,000 if he is designated as a defensive end by the Jaguars. According to the annual valuation, Allen would be the ninth-highest paid EDGE in this scenario. It’s unclear if Allen is categorized as a linebacker or a defensive end. The best fit for Allen would be at linebacker, as that has been his primary position for the past three seasons, even if he can also play defensive end in the scheme of new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.
Allen had a career-high 33 quarterback hits, a career-high 17 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, an interception, and 17.5 sacks in 17 games this season. Additionally, Allen ranked No. 5 in pressures and No. 7 in win-rate among all EDGE players. “I haven’t begun. The talks will begin,” General Manager of the Jaguars Baalke announced last month. Josh is someone we want here, and I know he wants to be here. Is there a number we can agree upon that suits everyone? That’s the crucial element. I value that. You have to have respect for these folks who put themselves in such a scenario, as I stated with regards to Evan’s (Engram) predicament last year. They put in a lot of labor and should be well compensated. They may have different ideas about what that good implies than we do. All we need to do is get together, have a conversation, and sort things out.
The Jaguars have employed the franchise tag as a means of pursuing talks for the past two seasons. It happened to Cam Robinson in 2022 prior to signing a new contract around the draft, and it happened to Evan Engram the previous year before he signed a new contract ahead of training camp.
