I would ride with the franchise tag this year. You can still reward him later and see if any of the young safeties develop into a viable option. However, I don't believe that you can devote $25 million to the safety position, which means that Harris or Smith gets cut loose. The only way they can both stay is to rework some contracts (I.e. Barr and Cousins).
I think they franchise tagged Harris mistakenly thinking they could trade him. That backfired, so now they are stuck with him on the tag. I don't see how it makes any sense to have 2 safeties eating up $25M of salary cap, particularly when you look at what the safety beside Smith is asked to do in our defense. I think Harris is good, but not as great as PFF seems to think. His run support is spotty, and he was primarily responsible for the horrible long TD run by the Chiefs that turned that cost us that game (well, Cousins' scared to death play was the main culprit).
I also don't see Harris and Smith as interchangeable. Smith could play Harris' role, the same is not true in reverse. I think Smith still has 2-4 more years, so I would let Harris play out the franchise tag and then let him walk in 2021. Smith could then be extended affordably because of his age, and we plug in another youngster that we drafted this year to take Harris' place while pocketing a 3rd round pick as compensation.
Given the tight salary cap because of Cousins' and Barr's contracts, it would be ridiculous to pay Harris and Smith top $ after this year.
I agree with you that 1) Harris and Smith are not interchangeable 2) that it isn't prudent to pay safeties that much 3) they probably thought they could trade him. But when you're not paying prime positions like LT (which they won't be after this year) or corner or No. 2 receiver, there's some space to spend on things you normally wouldn't, like a second safety. His ballhawking ability can change games and that matters when opponents are trying to avoid Smith. That doesn't mean pay him $20M a year but there might be room for a middle ground on an extension
Thanks for reading and commenting, BTW! Always enjoy the thoughtful responses
I would ride with the franchise tag this year. You can still reward him later and see if any of the young safeties develop into a viable option. However, I don't believe that you can devote $25 million to the safety position, which means that Harris or Smith gets cut loose. The only way they can both stay is to rework some contracts (I.e. Barr and Cousins).
I think they franchise tagged Harris mistakenly thinking they could trade him. That backfired, so now they are stuck with him on the tag. I don't see how it makes any sense to have 2 safeties eating up $25M of salary cap, particularly when you look at what the safety beside Smith is asked to do in our defense. I think Harris is good, but not as great as PFF seems to think. His run support is spotty, and he was primarily responsible for the horrible long TD run by the Chiefs that turned that cost us that game (well, Cousins' scared to death play was the main culprit).
I also don't see Harris and Smith as interchangeable. Smith could play Harris' role, the same is not true in reverse. I think Smith still has 2-4 more years, so I would let Harris play out the franchise tag and then let him walk in 2021. Smith could then be extended affordably because of his age, and we plug in another youngster that we drafted this year to take Harris' place while pocketing a 3rd round pick as compensation.
Given the tight salary cap because of Cousins' and Barr's contracts, it would be ridiculous to pay Harris and Smith top $ after this year.
I agree with you that 1) Harris and Smith are not interchangeable 2) that it isn't prudent to pay safeties that much 3) they probably thought they could trade him. But when you're not paying prime positions like LT (which they won't be after this year) or corner or No. 2 receiver, there's some space to spend on things you normally wouldn't, like a second safety. His ballhawking ability can change games and that matters when opponents are trying to avoid Smith. That doesn't mean pay him $20M a year but there might be room for a middle ground on an extension
Thanks for reading and commenting, BTW! Always enjoy the thoughtful responses
They have no choice but pay the 2 safeties with the inexperienced cornerbacks