Tag and extend Ertz or Zeke in a contract league?

[Mr. Wizard]

Team layout in sig. It’s a contract league that works basically exactly like the NFL, including the actual salary cap being whatever the NFL’s is any given year (about $180m).

I’ve got Ertz and Zeke set to hit the market this offseason. I can franchise tag one of them and then extend them from there if I choose at an annual value of about that amount. Ertz is a better positional advantage and monetary value, but Zeke is Zeke. He’d eat up almost a third of all my cap space going forward, though.

I’m carrying over AB, Gordon, Hunt (lol), Goff, Jimmy Grapes, Penny, Hunter Henry, and Miller into next season. Gordon will probably be in his last rodeo with me because he’s up for an extension and maaaaajor raise after 2019... I’m not positive I’ll want to extend him for several years at that point just due to wear and tear, nor am I positive I could afford it even if I wanted to, especially if I pay Zeke.

Thoughts?

[moishetreats]

Is either player a "value" relative to others at the position? In other words, if released, how much would each likely go for in the auction?

[Mjvb5]

Would much rather do Ertz at that price tag, Zeke is not worth twice as much as him IMO. Less so since its a contract league and the age difference means less

[Mr. Wizard]

Is either player a "value" relative to others at the position? In other words, if released, how much would each likely go for in the auction?

I’m trying to guesstimate that myself. I’d feel foolish tagging/extending one and then they wouldn’t have gone for nearly that much on the market.

Ertz would become the highest paid TE in the league but only a few million past Kelce. Zeke wouldn’t be getting as much ANNUALLY as Gurley but chances are he’d be guaranteed more (a four year deal instead of a three, etc). He’d be getting the largest deal in our league’s history in terms of annual money AND years.

It’d be great to tag/extend one and go get the other, but I wouldn’t be stunned to see Zeke get a similar deal on the market. Lots of huuungry teams flush with space and needing a cornerstone, whereas I’m one of a few powerhouses trying to keep the band together. He’s also gonna be the best player on the market by quite a margin if I let him get there, except maybe Thielen. Philip Lindsay will probably be the only other exciting back, unless his owner tags him instead of Conner.

[FantasyFreakGuru]

That's tough.. I think I'd tagZeke, let go of hunt, and try to grab ertz again

[Mr. Wizard]

Yeah. I’m so torn! Poll split 50/50. I could really see either player getting roughly as much as or more than the tag indicates, but maaaaybe they’ll balk short of $55m for Zeke and I can just go buy him? I really don’t know. With Kelce locked up though, Ertz on the market could get big cash too, I just dunno.

For the record, I have no real need to let go of Hunt unless he’s legit banished from the NFL - he’s on a rookie deal so he’s cheap.

[M-Dub]

I’d keep Ertz. It seems more likely that his salary would increase if you let him go to auction than Zeke’s.

[moishetreats]

In other words, you're guessing .

Honestly, I'd consider letting them both go. In salary cap leagues, I'd much rather have to re-acquire for a couple of bucks more than I could have kept them for (e.g., Zeke for $57 or Ertz for $28) then keep and see the next guy go for $5-$8 cheaper. Plus, you can always keep going on year-to-year contracts: you'll always have the cap room to re-acquire them, and you're not S.O.L. if something goes south.

In other words, when a player is at the peak of his market cost, release the player and keep the contract short. When a player is below anticipated market cost, then buy and keep the contract long.

Just something to keep in mind...

[dblj1199]

If you release one of them what are replacement options? Also if, and it will most likely happen, Hunt is suspended do you get cap relief for the season? Any other options you can see upcoming? Is there a certain length of time you need to sign players to?

[Mr. Wizard]

If you release one of them what are replacement options? Also if, and it will most likely happen, Hunt is suspended do you get cap relief for the season? Any other options you can see upcoming? Is there a certain length of time you need to sign players to?

If I were to let Ertz hit the market, the only other decent option that may be out there is Kittle.

Zeke, other options would be Bell and one of Lindsay/Conner (same owner, he’ll almost surely tag one). Those are the only guys in the star stratosphere, though some possibly solid dudes like Josh Adams would be out there as well.

No cap relief for Hunt but it’s also a fairly nominal amount of money ($5-6m out of the $180m+).

We can choose to sign players to anywhere from 1-4 years in free agency, though the shorter the deal, the higher the annual cost is. If I were to tag and extend, the site’s algorithm sets a take it or leave it offer automatically, so I’m betting on both Ertz and Zeke wanting four years.

[Mr. Wizard]

Realizing Kittle/Ebron will both be on the market as well as Ertz, if that factors in. I could risk losing Ertz and downgrading to them, or risk losing Zeke and downgrading it to someone like Philip Lindsay.

[ravn88]

What about trading Zeke ? I mean some of these desprate teams must be willing to trade for him.

[Mr. Wizard]

What about trading Zeke ? I mean some of these desprate teams must be willing to trade for him.

I will float it, for sure, but I’m not sure how much someone would pay when they could just wait for him to hit the market, you know?

[ravn88]

What about trading Zeke ? I mean some of these desprate teams must be willing to trade for him.

I will float it, for sure, but I’m not sure how much someone would pay when they could just wait for him to hit the market, you know?

Their should be 2 - 4 teams who can pay him for a loooong time, but that also means you have 1-3 teams that stands to loose him..

He should at least be worth a 2020 1st.

[vixen]

hmmm, kittle is also intriguing....do you have a decent budget to reacquire Ertz or get Kittle?