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It would appear the Cincinnati Bengals are not going to play tag this year.
According to Cincinnati Enquirer report Tyler Dragon, the Bengals are unlikely to use the franchise tag. That means defensive end Carl Lawson and cornerback William Jackson will officially become free agents on Monday if no extension is reached.
The deadline for NFL teams to use the tag comes at 4 pm ET today.
The Bengals are unlikely to use their franchise tag by the 4 p.m. ET deadline. Things can change but it's unlikely, per multiple sources. #Bengals
— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) March 9, 2021
It’s a bit surprising that the Bengals won’t be using the tag given how important Jackson and Lawson are to this defense. Maybe this is a sign that the Bengals are close to an extension with one or both players.
While the Bengals certainly want to have plenty of cap space to upgrade the offense and protect Joe Burrow better, it will be a huge blow to this franchise if Lawson and Jackson are both playing elsewhere next season.
Do you think this is the right call by the Bengals front office? Let us know in the comments section below!