The San Diego Chargers placed the non-exclusive franchise tag Tuesday on wide receiver Vincent Jackson, after missing the first 10 games last season in a nasty contract dispute.
VJ can still negotiate with other teams, if he receives an offer, the Chargers can either match the other club's offer or receive two first-round draft choices as compensation. Jackson's original five-year contract expired after the 2009 season. But because 2010 was an uncapped year, he would have needed six seasons to become an unrestricted free agent.
"There's some thought process that there might not be a franchise tag, but we'll wait and see," general manager A.J. Smith said, referring to speculation that the franchise tag might disappear whenever the NFL and the players' union agree to a new collective bargaining agreement. "It is our intention for him to return in '11."
VJ will receive a one-year tender at the average of the top five salaries among receivers last year, expected to be between $10 million and $11 million. The Chargers and Jackson also could negotiate a long-term contract, although the sides would have to get past last year's bad feelings.
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