The Browns did not use a franchise or transition tag to prevent free safety Tashaun Gipson or one of their other key impending free agents from hitting the open market next week.
The deadline for NFL teams to employ a tag passed at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown said he didn’t expect the organization to use a tag, even though he mentioned Gipson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2014, as a candidate.
“We don’t expect [to use a tag],” Brown said. “We know those are kind of tools in the toolbox here, but we don’t expect to do that. I think there a couple players that you would say we might at those positions, Tashaun in particular. We would hope to come to a long-term deal with Tashaun, so I don’t expect it at this point.”
It would have cost the Browns $10.806 million to place their franchise tag on Gipson and $9.116 million to put their transition tag on him.
On Monday at the Cleveland Auto Show, strong safety Donte Whitner said Gipson expressed to him in a conversation this past weekend that he’s not confident the Browns will retain him.
Gipson, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and wide receiver Travis Benjamin are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at 4 p.m. March 9. Agents of players with expiring contracts are allowed to begin contract negotiations with other teams at 4 p.m. Monday.
The next deadline to watch is 4 p.m. Friday. Three-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack has until then to opt out of his contract with the Browns. He’s expected to do so.
Brown said the team is trying to re-sign Gipson, Schwartz, Benjamin and Mack. The organization has been in contact with their agents. However, not all of them will be back, and there’s a chance none of them will return.
Two weeks ago, Mack met with Brown, coach Hue Jackson and offensive line coach Hal Hunter at team headquarters in Berea.
Brown said he would expect Mack to leave the Browns if the two sides don’t agree to a new contract before Friday’s deadline.
“My estimation would be if he’s going to be in Cleveland, we’ll get to a deal before his opt-out date,” Brown said.
In addition to the aforementioned players, inside linebacker Craig Robertson and special teams aces Johnson Bademosi and Tank Carder are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. Safety Don Jones, offensive lineman Austin Pasztor, wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and outside linebacker Scott Solomon are impending restricted free agents.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.