Use of the franchise tag becomes available today across the league, and the Bills still can't decide whether or not to hang theirs on wide receiver Stevie Johnson.
Johnson and the front office exchanged offers last week and decided to talk further at the combine, which starts Wednesday.
By putting the tag on Johnson, the Bills may be forced to pay much more for a one-year contract (if they can't come to terms on a long-term deal) than they would like, upwards of $10 million. Johnson has already stated that he was not asking for that much per year in their current negotiation, and at the Super Bowl he told CBS's Will Brinson that he would be willing to play under the tag if the team decided to go in that direction.
If the Bills and Johnson can't get on the same page this week at the combine, the front office and GM Buddy Nix will have a tough decision to make in terms of Johnson's future in Buffalo. If the team allowed Johnson to go unsigned into March, he will become one of the top wide-receiver prospects on the free-agent market. Johnson has averaged more than 1,000 yards receiving the past two years -- the first Bills receiver to ever do so -- and has led the team in receiving touchdowns the past two years. He's also become a key go-to for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who won't be going anywhere soon after signing a seven-year extension last season.
Though fellow wideouts David Nelson, Donald Jones and Naaman Roosevelt all stepped up last year when the corps group was plagued with injuries, the three lack the experience to be a No. 1 receiver and will only play better with Johnson on the field with them.
The Bills haven't used the franchise tag since 2006.
Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily
The Bills haven't used the franchise tag since 2006.
