Franchise focus: Jermichael Finley - NFC North Blog - ESPN. One thing that's really important, and why I expect it's a no-brainer to apply the franchise tag on him, is that the only position with a cheaper tag price is a kicker. Here are the projected 2012 franchise tag amounts. $5.4 million for a tight end is a lot of money in the real world, but it's $4 million less than a wide receiver.

While TE Jermichael Finley's stats weren't the best for a Green Bay Packers receiver in 2012, his age (soon to turn 25) and the extra emphasis placed on tight ends last season (see: Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham) would earn him a bigger contract as an unrestricted free agent than he might otherwise be worth.

I really want them to keep C Scott Wells, but there's no way they can place the franchise tag on him at $9.4 million. They'll have to try and negotiate a long-term deal that can make his salary cap figure for about half of that amount. But $5.4 million might be a lower amount than what it would cost to re-sign Finley for a long-term contract.