According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns are prepared to use the franchise tag on linebacker D'Qwell Jackson if the two sides cannot agree on a long-term deal before the February 20 deadline. While Jackson led to AFC in tackles in 2011 and it is easy to understand why the Brown don't want to lose him, this could be a questionable financial move. The franchise tag for linebackers is around $9 million as it is skewed towards pass-rushing linebackers in the 3-4 defense rather than 4-3 defensive run-stoppers like Jackson. How much value does Jackson really have considering the Browns ranked 30th out of 32 teams last year in stopping the run? And the defense really looked bad against opposing rusher during the latter part of the season. Source: The Redzone
It doesn't even seem like this headline is accurate, nothing I've read says they've tagged him yet. And heck the tag being skewed by system differences, that's stupid
It's not like they're up against the cap anyway. Who else is worth franchising? (other than Dawson again)
Agreed. Browns need to show something to make top FAs not see them as a pit of despair before needing the cap room to sign them. Jackson is a leader and the defense was stronger than any stat can show. It would be a bigger mistake to give him a long term deal with his setbacks leading up to last season.
That's exactly the way they have been schemed so far, do what you will but they clamp down at the end of the field. Jauron's bend, dont break philosophy.
agreed and i'll get up on my soapbox once again about this guy and say he doesn't get enough attention because he's hidden in cleveland but this guy is a beast.
Jackson is a bad ass, guy has so many tackles every season and just plays hard. Too bad he doesnt get the attention he deserves
He was (obviously) my choice for comeback player of the year after nasty back to back pectoral injuries the last 2 years
My choice too, thought he really deserved it, I actually am shocked he didn't get it. But hey whatever.
I dont see how Stafford is any less deserving than Jackson. Dude ended up on IR both of his first two seasons, had major shoulder surgery (on his throwing shoulder nonethless) and came back to have one of the best seasons by any quarterback in the history of the league. Jacksons a good player and had a good season but Stafford outshined him and meant more to his team by a coinsiderable margin.
I think it's the "back" part of comeback. Stafford had never done anything in the league before this breakout season. D'Qwell was a tackling machine, got hurt twice and then came back to be a tackling machine.
exactly. 'comeback' is defined as having kicked butt previously and then coming back from something and kicking butt again. stafford's season was more of a 'breakout' season, not a 'comeback' ............... you can't 'comeback' from nothing ...............
My thoughts too. Stafford was never healthy long enough to show what he could do. You can't win a comeBACK award without having ever BEEN. Jackson is was a BAMF before he got hurt and I didn't really see him coming back and doing the same. Yet he did.
