Texans won’t franchise tag Will Fuller

At least one playmaking wide receiver is going to hit the market.

The spiraling Texans do not plan to franchise tag Will Fuller, according to the Houston Chronicle. Fuller had a career-best year with 53 catches for 879 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games before receiving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. He will be suspended for the 2021 season-opener.

Letting go of Fuller – one season after trading DeAndre Hopkings – won’t curry any favor with disgruntled Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, but if Watson is going to eventually get his wish to be traded then starting fresh around a new coach, a new general manager and a new quarterback makes sense. The Texans already granted J.J. Watt his wish to be released.

The free-agent market could be loaded with game-changing receivers, much to the joy of the needy Jets and Giants.Or it could be watered down by the franchise tag.

Some or all of Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), Kenny Golladay (Lions), Juju Smith-Schuster (Steelers) and Allen Robinson (Bears) could be tagged by their current team. A tagged player cannot negotiate with other teams and has until July 15 to sign an extension or must choose between sitting out the season and playing on a high-paying one-year contract.  

The more tags, the less supply, the more demand for the speedy Fuller. Each NFL team has until March 9 to issue a franchise tag to one pending free agent.