Deadline day is over! For four NFL pros it was still open whether they will play next season under the franchise tag or with a new contract. how Jessie Bates, Orlando Brown and Co. decided.

Munich – The deadline for long-term contracts of players who were or would be franchise tagged has passed. Four players were affected and have been presented with a contract by their teams. In the case of two, there was already an early decision after eager negotiations – the other two, however, hesitated a little longer.

Jessie Bates, Orlando Brown, Mike Gesicki and Dalton Schulz received a franchise tag from their team during the offseason. That means they were once again tied to their franchises on a short-term basis despite an expiring contract. Now the teams have presented their players with new, long-term contracts. But what did the four players decide?

Mike Gesicki

There has been no agreement on a long-term contract between tight end Mike Gesicki and the Miami Dolphins. That means Gesicki will play next season under the franchise tag he signed with the Dolphins at the start of the offseason.

Under the tag, Gesicki, who scored two touchdowns and 780 receiving yards last season, will earn about $10.9 million.

Dalton Schultz

The same goes for Dalton Schultz. The Dallas Cowboys tight end has also opted against a long-term contract and will play under the franchise tender.

Schultz will earn around $10.9 million with the Cowboys next season, as Gesicki did with the Dolphins. Bates and Brown, on the other hand, were a different story. After all, the two hadn’t signed a long-term contract or the franchise tag teams presented them with until shortly before the deadline.

Orlando Brown

The Kansas City Chiefs made a big effort in the final hours before the deadline to sign tackle Orlando Brown to a long-term deal after all. However, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Brown has turned down the contract offer and will play under the tag.

According to a report by NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Chiefs’ final offer was a six-year, $139 million contract that included a signing bonus of $30.25 million. But the tackle turned it down and is reportedly hoping for a new offer next season.

Jessie Bates

Equally top safety Jessie Bates of the Cininnati Bengals took his time until the end. But his decision was the same as the other three. Bates, too, will play under the tag next season and did not sign a long-term contract with the Bengals.

According to Rapoport, the five-year contract presented would have paid Cincinnati’s Bates a total of only four million US dollars more than the franchise tag. As opposed to one year now, the safety would have been tied to the Bengals for five years. Bates will nevertheless earn 12.91 million US dollars next year.