The Jaguars website considered it unlikely that the team would use the franchise tag on wide receiver Allen Robinson this year and that insight into the team’s thinking was correct.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the team has informed Robinson that they will not be using the tag ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to put it into effect. That leaves Robinson on track to become a free agent next week and he’ll be able to start talking to other teams about deals when the “legal tampering” window opens on Monday.
Robinson caught 201 passes for 2,831 yards and 22 touchdowns during his first three seasons in Jacksonville, but only caught one pass last season before going down with a torn ACL in the season opener. That injury surely played a role in the Jaguars’ decision and it will likely impact the kind of deal Robinson winds up signing this offseason.
If no one’s willing to offer a big contract so soon after the injury, he could take a page from the book Eagles wideout Alshon Jeffery used last year by signing a one-year deal in hopes of landing a fatter deal once he shows he’s back to being his productive self during the 2018 season. That may not be necessary given what Robinson did in the past and the number of teams looking for receiver help, but we’ll know for sure next week.
UPDATE 11:39 a.m. ET: The Jaguars confirmed they won’t be using the tag and noted their exclusive rights to negotiate with Robinson through Monday.