Few teams have been more willing to use the franchise tag in recent years than the Los Angeles Rams. They tagged a player in three straight years from 2016-2018, with Trumaine Johnson receiving the first two tags and Lamarcus Joyner the third in 2018.

The Rams opted not to use it in 2019, seeing no viable candidates worth tagging at such a high price. The only possible options were Rodger Saffold and Joyner, who both signed elsewhere in free agency.

After taking a year off from playing tag, the Rams could get back into the game by using it on one of two players this year. Cory Littleton and Dante Fowler Jr. are viewed as the Rams’ most important free agents this offseason, and it’s possible neither will return in 2020.

Littleton has become one of the best linebackers in the NFL despite not earning a Pro Bowl nod, putting together an outstanding 2019 season with 134 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. He can do it all from his inside linebacker spot, proving to be the Rams’ second-most valuable player behind Aaron Donald.

Fowler also had the best season of his career. He recorded 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, ranking second on the team in both categories. His pass-rush win rate of 23% ranked ninth among all edge rushers, finishing in the company of players such as Za’Darius Smith, Jadeveon Clowney, Joey Bosa and Shaq Barrett.

Both players are going to be coveted in free agency, but the Rams can prevent one of them from reaching the market by using the franchise tag. Using the tag typically isn’t good business because of the strain it usually puts on the relationship between the team and player, but it can be a preventative measure to ensure a player is back in the same uniform for at least one more year.

Not only that, but it also opens the door for trades. Last offseason, six teams used the franchise tag. Three of those players were traded, with two of them signing extensions with their new teams. Clowney was dealt from the Texans to the Seahawks after holding out, while Seattle also traded Frank Clark to Kansas City after he was tagged. Clark replaced Dee Ford, who the Chiefs traded to the 49ers.

If the Rams were to tag either Fowler or Littleton, they’d cost the same because in the NFL’s eyes, they play the same position. They’re both considered linebackers, even though they have completely separate responsibilities.

The projected franchise tag for linebackers in 2020 is $16.27 million fully guaranteed. For a defensive end – if Fowler played in a 4-3 scheme – the tag is projected to cost $19.316 million. That’s a significant difference, obviously.

The target price for Littleton is probably in the range of what Shaq Thompson ($13.6 million per year) and Jaylon Smith ($11.4 million per year) got in the last year. He can shoot for Bobby Wagner and C.J. Mosley’s range of $17-18 million per year, but he probably won’t get that.

That makes the $16.27 million tag an expensive one for someone like Littleton. The Rams would be far better off signing him to an extension and locking him up long-term for around $13 million per year.

For Fowler, though, the tag wouldn’t be a bad idea. At $16.27 million, Fowler would rank 12th among all edge rushers in average salary. He can probably earn what Ford got from the 49ers ($17.1 million per year) last offseason on a long-term deal, but it’s unlikely the Rams would break the bank with a long-term extension at that price.

It’s still very early in the process, but there’s no doubt the franchise tag is on the table for Los Angeles this offseason. Andrew Whitworth, Michael Brockers and Greg Zuerlein are also eligible to be tagged, but paying them what the franchise tender is worth in 2020 would not be a wise move by the Rams.

It’ll likely come down to Littleton and Fowler, if Los Angeles decides to use it at all.