Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers says it's a great article, and I dutifully read it. Plus, he's sending traffic to ESPN's site. Who, other than himself, says he doesn't like ESPN?
Anyway, the article is about how it sucks to receive the franchise tag. Specifically as it relates to Rodgers's old college teammate. Yes, it means you're going to get paid an insane amount of money for one year. But if DeSean Jackson has really had it with the Philadelphia Eagles, he's out of luck, because he's not going anywhere. From ESPN:
Jackson will receive big money, probably about $10 million for the 2012 season. As a franchise player, he'll be one of the highest-paid receivers in football. But the lack of an opportunity for him to be an unrestricted free agent is exactly what the players should have been fighting against during last year's lockout.
The owners spent most of the lockout trying to get the players to accept a pay cut, so I'm not surprised the players gave in on the franchise tag issue to make a deal happen. Jackson, who has taken some big shots in the past, is only one more big hit away from not being worth $10 million per year. Very recently, Peyton Manning was considered one of the best two or three players in the NFL, and four neck surgeries later, he may never play again.
There was also a mention of Rodgers, though the comment would've had the same meaning using any player as an example:
In the NFL, the teams still have the power and they use it. But no convincing argument can be made that pro football will collapse if, say, Aaron Rodgers is given the option to test the open market after five years with his current club.