Rams could use tag-and-trade to add draft capital

Rams could use tag-and-trade to add draft capital this offseason

Rams could use tag-and-trade to add draft capital this offseason
Cameron DaSilva
February 23, 2021 2:56 pm

The franchise tag is often used as a last resort for teams who want to keep a certain player around for another year after being unable to come to terms on a long-term contract. The Rams have used it before on players such as Lamarcus Joyner and Trumaine Johnson, though neither signed an extension with the Rams after being tagged – which turned out to be a wise move by Los Angeles.

Given the cap situation and the cost of the franchise tag, the Rams seem unlikely to use it this offseason. But there is one way they could benefit from tagging either Leonard Floyd or John Johnson without impacting the salary cap at all.

In an attempt to gain some draft capital, the Rams could use a tag-and-trade, which has become a popular method among teams in recent years. Essentially, they would place the franchise tag on Johnson or Floyd, who are their two most valuable pending free agents. Then, they would enter trade discussions with other teams who might want to acquire one of them.

Considering both players are considered to be among the top players at their respective positions in free agency, they should have robust trade markets. Johnson is an elite safety, while Floyd broke out with 10.5 sacks for the Rams last season. It’s possible a team would be willing to give up a second-round pick to land Johnson or Floyd, with Floyd likely fetching even more than that.

If the Rams agreed to a trade with another team, whichever player they tag would then need to sign the tender to make the trade official. The team trading for Johnson or Floyd would take on the franchise tag amount for one year: $11.2 million for Johnson or $15.7 million for Floyd.

None of that money would go on the Rams’ cap, with all of it being the new team’s obligation. The acquiring team could also negotiate a new contract with Floyd or Johnson before July 15, essentially giving up draft capital for the right to have exclusive negotiating ability with the player.

There are plenty of examples of tag-and-trades working in a team’s favor, too.

* 2018: Dolphins trade Jarvis Landry to Browns for 4th-round and 7th-round picks
* 2019: Seahawks trade Frank Clark to Chiefs for 1st-round and 2nd-round picks, as well as 3rd-round pick swap
* 2019: Chiefs trade Dee Ford to 49ers for 2nd-round pick
* 2019: Texans trade Jadeveon Clowney to Seahawks for 3rd-round pick, Jacob Martin and Barkevious Mingo
* 2020: Jaguars trade Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings for 2nd-round and conditional 5th-round picks

There’s no example of a safety being traded after getting tagged, but the return for pass rushers has been consistent. The Rams probably wouldn’t get a haul for Floyd like Seattle got for Clark, but it’s reasonable to think they could land at least a second-round pick, if not a second and another mid-rounder.

There’s not much of a downside in this scenario for the Rams, outside of the possibility that they can’t find a trade partner for whichever player they decide to tag. In that case, they’d either be stuck paying Floyd or Johnson on the franchise tag for one year, or they could rescind the franchise tag, as the Panthers did with Josh Norman. It’s not a move that would go over well with the player, forcing him to wait a while before hitting free agency, but it is a possibility.

Given the Rams’ need for draft picks and their lack of cap space, this is certainly a move they should consider – especially with Floyd, who will be a hot commodity on the free-agent market.