Cowboys Free Agency: No Franchise Tag? Chris Jones, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans Top 10 To Watch

Dallas Cowboys Free Agency: No Franchise Tag? Chris Jones, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans Top 10 To Watch

FRISCO -  The NFL’s franchise tag period begins on Tuesday and runs through March 5 is a time with which the Dallas Cowboys are fully familiar. They've used the tag in recent years on DeMarcus Lawrence (twice), on Dak Prescott (twice), on Dalton Schultz, on Tony Pollard. ...

Dallas has no plans to use the tool this offseason, which is often simply a placeholder for a team to retain the rights to a standout player while negotiations continue. In most cases, a tagged player remains with his team.

So, in that vein, and with the Cowboys' needs in mind, our top-10 list of NFL players who are likely to avoid today's tag ... freeing them to the highest bidder once the league year opens on March 13 ...

1 - Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans: His projected franchise tag would be $28.4 million. Tampa Bay isn't going to do that, but does want to keep him. Can Dallas afford another $30 million player with CeeDee Lamb about to negotiate a deal in that range?

2 - Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones: The best defensive player on the Super Bowl champs. His tag number is expected to be $32.16 million. Does that mean he'll get that APY number if he takes bids? 

Jones says he wants to stay in Kansas City. Maybe that's the end of that. But in terms of Jerry Jones' "all-in'' pledge? You'd take him much more seriously if the Cowboys got this serious about fixing that defensive front.

3 - Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike: Same story here, but Madubuike at 27 is two years younger. 

4 - Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, CB, Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs, in theory, can't afford everybody. But we've made the argument that Dallas will not choose to spend $20 million APY on a third cornerback - which, with Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland in the fold, is what most any addition figures to be.

5 - Rams guard Kevin Dotson: Dotson, 27, is coming off the best season of his career last year after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Rams ... for only a pair of Day 3 picks. (Yes, the Rams have figured out this roster-building business.) He's not a "name.'' But PFF grades him as the league’s second-best guard overall and the top run-blocker. At the same time, PFF projects he's getting a four-year deal worth $17 million APY. If that number is right, Dallas doesn't even get close here.

6 - Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu: Luvu is 6-3, 235, which all by itself fits a need Dallas admits to having. He's a self-made guy, an undrafted free agent from 2018, and there are projections that have him getting $7 million APY - a price Dallas can afford.

7 - Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins: The Dolphins' first-round pick from 2019 had 9.5 sacks and plays on the edge of. ... well, "dirty,'' some would say. Maybe Dallas needs a little "dirty'' - or, as Micah Parsons put it, a "big nasty.''

8 - Bengals receiver Tee Higgins: Why so low on the list? If the Bengals opt to tag Higgins, they’ll be on the hook for $20.6 million for one season. That's a bargain; we can't think of why Cincy wouldn't do it.

9 - Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns: And again, why so low? He's just now entering his prime at age 25 and his estimated $23 million tag number is more than fair. Carolina has little reason to fool around here.

10 - Giants running back Saquon Barkley:  No, Dallas is not going to spend at this position, so this is pipe-dreamy. But we really believe this: Barkley, freed from New York mediocrity, has superstar ability ... and if healthy and on the right team? He's going to contend for a rushing title somewhere.