NFL Nuggetry:

• Franchise Taggery!
  • The Jags are going to use a tag on Yannick Ngakoue.  
    • He responded by tweeting, “The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long-term contract in Jacksonville. Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got. I’m thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere.”
    • The thinking is that the Jags will use the tag to heighten trade interest, and get something akin to what they got for Jalen Ramsey.
      • Frank Clark is the 2019 example.
    • According to ESPN, the franchise tag for his position carries an approximate salary of $19.3 million in 2020.
  • The Bengals are going to tag A.J. Green, despite having no one at present to throw him the ball.
    • Joe Burrow seems interested in having a Pro Bowl target on the field for his rookie season.
      • “I think with any rookie quarterback, the more help you can get, the better, and A.J.’s been one of the best players at his position for a very long time,” Burrow said.
    • The tag is estimated to be worth around $18.5 million.

• Free agent stupidity!
  • Both Peter King and Mike Florio are trying to promote a Brady-to-the-Niners rumour that seems downright laughable:
    • King’s scenario:
      • Both Brady & Garoppolo play 2020 for the Niners.
        • Jimmy G has $15.7 million in salary guaranteed for 2020.
          • If he’s a backup, he never hits his bonus clauses, which will surely want to make him stick around after Brady leaves.
      • He envisions a Manning – Osweiler situation.
    • Florio’s scenario:
      • Garoppolo would be traded. (Possibly back to the Patriots.)
        • His cap hit for the new team is an affordable $25.4 million compensation package for 2020, plus the next year at $25.5 million and then one more season at $25.6 million.
        • The 49ers would absorb a cap charge of only $4.2 million, thanks to a low signing bonus.

• Collective Bargaining Animus!
  • Giants OT Nate Solder is leading the “Yes” movement for the new CBA.  
    • “It’s a great deal for core players,” he says.
      • “Minimum salaries would go up significantly, with bumped-up benefits for current players and retired players. We’d increase the practice squad [from 10 to 14 by 2022] . Work rules would improve.”
    • Here’s where the divide amongst players emerges:
      • “You have a couple of guys on Twitter who have millions of followers criticizing the deal. Other guys who support it might have 5,000 followers. Their voices aren’t loud. In some ways, I’m trying to be a voice for the voiceless,” Solder said.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Avalanche at Red Wings – 7:30PM | NHLN
  • Oilers at Predators – 8:00PM | Sportsnet
• NBA:
  • Rockets at Knicks – 7:00PM | Sportsnet1
  • Bucks at Heat – 7:30PM | TSN2 / NBATV
• NCAA:
  • North Carolina State at Duke – 7:00PM | ESPN
  • Texas Tech at Baylor – 9:00PM | ESPN
• Wrasslin’:
  • Monday Night Raw – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360

That’s a slim docket of national entertainment this evening. Good thing Super Tuesday is…tomorrow?