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Lamarcus Joyner

Rams place franchise tag on Joyner, meaning star receiver Watkins will likely hit free agency

Sammy Watkins looks set to become a free agent after the LA Rams opted to place the franchise tag on Lamarcus Joyner.

THE LOST ANGELES Rams have placed their franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner, meaning wide receiver Sammy Watkins is likely to hit free agency.

Los Angeles had to decide between the defensive back, who intercepted three passes last season, or Watkins after their failure to agree a long-term deal with either player ahead of Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline.

The Rams chose Joyner, who will make $11.29 million if he plays under the tag next season without a contract extension being agreed.

This is the third year in a row - and ninth time in team history - the Rams have elected to use the franchise tag.

While the Rams can still try to keep Watkins – and NFL.com report they will be “aggressive” in trying to do so – they will have to sign him before the new league year begins on March 14 to prevent him becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Joyner developed impressively after changing positions last season. After failing to intercept a pass during his first three seasons in the league, he displayed better ball-hawking skills in 2017, finishing with three interceptions and nine passes deflected under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

“I think some of the things he can do in Wade’s system makes him a huge priority,” head coach Sean McVay told the Rams’ website after the decision was announced.

“He’s a great person as well. He kind of represents a lot of the things that are right about your locker room and kind of what you want guys to embody from a football character standpoint, the way they attack every single day. 

“And Lamarcus is somebody that’s very important and we’d like to get him re-signed for sure.”

With Joyner under team control, they have until July 16 to negotiate a new long-term deal.

The Rams traded for Watkins last season and he caught eight touchdown passes after arriving from the Buffalo Bills, though he only totalled 593 yards in 15 games.

- Omni

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    Mute S.Leahy
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    Jun 24th 2019, 12:53 PM

    Strange one amid the impending arrivals of Mbappe & co

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    Mute Johnny Footpaths
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:03 PM

    Mike Ashley’s final insult to Newcastle

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    Mute Nicholas Ryan
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    Jun 24th 2019, 12:51 PM

    I wonder if the Sheikh will still buy Newcastle now? Terrible foresight by Ashley

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:21 PM

    Benetiz with a bit of funding would have turned the top 6 into the top 7. Newcastle are a sleeping giant of a football club and deserve so much more from Ashley and Co. Another relegation would destroy them, they need to get it right and fast.

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    Mute aidan mccormack
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:30 PM

    @Hardly Normal: huge club, massive fan base and loyal supporters, it seems the only reason that club isn’t near the top of the table is the owner. This might be the last straw for Newcastle fans as bad as it was before for Ashley I’d imagine it’ll be ten times worse now

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Jun 24th 2019, 4:22 PM

    @aidan mccormack: he doesn’t care, he’s more interested in saving doomed department stores..

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    Mute James
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    Jun 24th 2019, 12:57 PM

    NO

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    Mute Simon Dwyer
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:15 PM

    So again the magpie fan’s has to suffer. Benitez is going to be a big loss for Newcastle United. Sooner the new take over the better.

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    Mute Tom Ryan
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:21 PM

    Just the opportunity ROY wants

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    Mute Davedental
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:37 PM

    Very dour manner but one of the best managers around. He deserves to be at a top club. Newcastle were very lucky to have him for 3 years…

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    Mute Eric Djemba-Djemba
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:26 PM

    When Ole is inevitably sacked in November he would be a brilliant replacement if still available. He would put a team structure in place as well as been extremely shrewd in the transfer market. Would love if he could come in right now tbh.

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    Mute Hakaman
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    Jun 25th 2019, 6:44 AM

    @Eric Djemba-Djemba: MU could do (and have recently done) a LOT worse! He’s an incredibly unrated manager when you look at his track record of achievements at different clubs. There’s no doubting his organisational and stabilising skills, he’s a master at it. However, I’d be surprised if he joined MU with his LFC history, but I’d equally expect he’s also above such ‘loyalties’ – he’s far too smart for that.

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    Mute Richard O'Brien
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    Jun 24th 2019, 1:33 PM

    Rafa keeping them up year after year is akin to winning a trophy. Ashley is betting on the promoted teams being worse than they are not backing the magpies to be better

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    Mute Shane Lad
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    Jun 24th 2019, 2:09 PM

    Could Newcastle’s loss be Chelsea’s gain ?

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    Mute gillespieonthew
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    Jun 24th 2019, 2:43 PM

    @Shane Lad: pretty sure he wont go back there given his last experience of chelsea

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    Mute Richard O'Brien
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    Jun 24th 2019, 2:47 PM

    @Shane Lad: even though he had some success there the fickle fans didn’t like him so I’d say not

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    Mute Jake Kelly
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    Jun 24th 2019, 9:48 PM

    If there’s any team in the PL I feel sorry for it’s Newcastle, there was a time when they were seriously pushing top 4 but in the last 10 years it’s just been so up and down for them literally. They are a big team and they have a great fan base (apart from the horse punchers) and honesty if it wasn’t for having the worst owner in the league they could have become like what Spurs are now or at least be in the position Wolves are in where they’ve Europa League football and can take it to the big 4 when they play them. No club as big as Newcastle should be relegation prone. Rafa is one of the great unsung managers never getting the respect he deserves because of ungrateful fans like Madrid and Chelsea, any team from 5th downwards would be lucky to have him

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    Mute FlyingDogThing
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    Jun 24th 2019, 3:08 PM

    Rumour that he’s going to Liverpool and Klopp is off to Barcelona.

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    Mute Eoin Murphy
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    Jun 24th 2019, 5:24 PM

    @FlyingDogThing: #fakenews

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