Patriots Football Daily: Eight Franchise Players Tagged

Tuesday was the deadline for NFL teams to designate potential unrestricted free agents with a franchise or transition tag to secure their services for (at least) another year. The New England Patriots did so, using the transition tag on Kyle Dugger. As reported here when the news broke, the assumption is New England will continue to try and lock Dugger up to a long-term deal.

Kyle Dugger was the only player to receive the transition tag, which is seldom used in the NFL. However, seven players received the franchise tag designation. The eight players receiving a franchise tag were:

CB Jaylon Johnson, Bears
CB L’Jarius Sneed, Chiefs
DT Justin Madubuike, Ravens
ED Brian Burns, Panthers
ED Josh Allen, Jaguars
S Antoine Winfield Jr., Buccaneers
WR Michael Pittman Jr., Colts
WR Tee Higgins, Bengals

Among the players not being tagged yesterday, and therefore entering free agency as UFAs were RB Saquon Barkley (Giants), DT Christian Wilkins (Dolphins), and OL Mike Onwenu (Patriots).

Also in today’s Patriots Football Daily…

New England Patriots

Patriots Football Now – Kyle Dugger received transition tag; now what?

Patriots Football Now – Kendrick Bourne offered contract to stay in Foxboro

Roster Breakdown

Patriots Football Now – Bailey Zappe Fights for a job

Patriots Football Now – Jabrill Peppers, future team captain?

NFL Draft

Patriots Football Now – NFL Scouting Combine Spotlight: Boston College CB Elijah Jones

Patriots Football Now – Prospects who impressed on Day 3 of the NFL Combine (QB/RB/WR)

NFL News

NFL.com – Commanders add former Pro Bow TE Zach Ertz on one-year deal

Yardbarker – Joe Flacco sends message to QB needy teams

ESPN – Texans keep TE Dalton Schultz on three-year deal

Boston Bruins

Go over to our sibling site Boston Hockey Now to check out the great Boston Bruins coverage from Jimmy Murphy and the BHN team. The NHL season is underway and plenty is happening in the Bruins 100 Anniversary season.

PFN+

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Football Fun Fact of the Day

Only one NFL player born on March 6 made multiple All-Pro teams. Left tackle Gus Sonnenberg, who was born in 1898, made three consecutive All-Pro teams from 1925-to-1927 playing for the Detroit Panthers and Providence Steam Roller. He won the 1927 NFL Championship with Providence and later went on to become World Wrestling Champion!

Post of the Day

In honor of Kyle Dugger’s transition tag, one of his pick-six moments from 2022…

Kyle Dugger walks in for the pick-six ‼️

📺: #NEvsLV on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/SuNPv0yZ94 pic.twitter.com/a36pvmm0qi

— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022