Today is the day impending free agents can have a franchise tag placed on them by their current team, earning a guaranteed one-year deal. The Philadelphia Eagles have recently been working towards making upgrades to their overrated secondary and have decded to not franchise Dominique Rodgers-Cromarite. The cornerback can now test the free agent market.
Rodgers-Cromarite was the only player on the Eagles' roster elgible for the franchise tag. It would pay him $10.7 million for the 2013 season. The Eagles cannot afford that salary if they intend on improving their roster anymore prior to the season. Last year, the team decided to franchise DeSean Jackson before agreeing to a five-year deal with the receiver months later.
Rodgers-Cromartie was part of an underachieving secondary unit for the Eagles. He is coming off a career-worst performance in some eyes and with Chip Kelly now in place as head coach, he no longer saw the cornerback as being worth the price.
Rodgers-Cromarite is expected to do well in free agency. At 27, he still possesses the abilities of an elite cornerback in the league. He has great speed and ball skills. He was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft to Arizona. The team traded him to Philadelphia prior to the 2011 season where he has never lived up to his talents.
There will be a team that bets big on Rodgers-Cromarite. His talents can be impressive, just not to Kelly. There could possibly be a team out there willing to make him one of the highest paid cornerbacks in the league. It is certainly a gamble considering he lacks an agressive style most defensive units need. The New England Patriots could be a possible landing spot. Aqib Talib has off-field issues and the Patriots love defensive players. Brent Grimes in Atlanta is coming off of injury, but it is unlikely they would off Rodgers-Cromarite a big deal contract that he is likely to demand.
