Detroit's GM Matt Millen is the worst GM in the NFL today and I'm so glad the Packers play his team twice every season. Millen was good for another laugh when he designated DT Cory Redding with the franchise tag. Redding had a nice 2006 season after an unremarkable first three seasons in the NFL. Detroit can use the franchise tag on Redding, they don't have another free agent this season worthy of it, and it won't kill their salary cap because they are under it by $23.8 million. Plus if rumors of a purge of players by Rod Marinelli is true, then they might even have more room under the cap to work with.
However, the laugh is because Millen is paying $6.8 million for a defensive tackle that is basically the same player as DT Cullen Jenkins. Both are lighter defensive tackles/ends that are not run stoppers, but provide a good inside pass rush. The Packers will pay Jenkins a lot less in 2006, although that is due in large part because Jenkins has one less year in service time. But if it was announced that the Packers just slapped the franchise tag on Jenkins, most casual fans would probably wonder who he is. Plus putting the tag always upsets the player tagged. Better GMs would have found a way to pay a reasonable price for an unremarkable, but valuable, player and wouldn't have upset the player in the process too.
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