Mark Daniels reports that Green Bay Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst declined to apply the franchise tag on one of his veteran players Tuesday, the deadline for NFL teams to designate players.
Players with expiring contracts can be franchised whereby clubs retain that player's services, paying the average of the league's five highest salaried players at that position.
Clay Matthews - Midwest Communications Photo
By opting not to use the tag, veterans Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb, Muhammad Wilkerson, Davon House, Lance Kendricks, Mercedes Lewis, Byron Bell, Bashaud Breeland, Jake Ryan, and Eddie Pleasant will all become unrestricted free agents next week.
They will be able to sign with any team and Green Bay would not receive any compensation in return.
Teams can start negotiating with their own free agents beginning Monday but won't be able to sign them until the NFL calendar year begins on March 13th.
Randall Cobb - Midwest Communications Photo