When the Cleveland Browns placed the franchise tag on TE David Njoku, it set up the possibility of a difficult negotiation between the two sides. Instead, the Browns and Njoku came to terms on a long-term deal and avoided any uncertainty of getting him locked up.
Some questioned the contract size, but getting a deal done was far more beneficial than not.
Friday was the deadline for teams who used the franchise tag to get a deal done with their franchise player. Four players, TEs Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki, OL Orlando Brown and safety Jessie Bates III did not get deals done before the deadline.
