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Chandler Jones is one of the top linebackers on the free-agent market, so the Arizona Cardinals will likely be using the franchise tag to retain the 26-year-old this offseason.

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Bidwill Comments on Using Franchise Tag on Jones

Tuesday, Feb. 14

“We’re not going to mess around with that,” Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said on the Doug & Wolf show on Arizona Sports 98.7 (h/t Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com) regarding using the franchise tag on Jones. “He’s a great pass-rusher, but if we can’t agree to terms that work for us, we’re just going to franchise him. His people know that.”

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo (h/t Nate Bouda of NFLTradeRumors.co) reported Monday the Cardinals plan to use the franchise tag on Jones.

Jones Has Established Himself As a Top Defensive Force

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The move wouldn't come as a surprise. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said in January the franchise tag would be an alternative for Arizona if it failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract with Jones, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The MMQB's Albert Breer estimated the franchise tag for a defensive end would be $17 million in 2017, while a linebacker would earn $14.6 million on the franchise tag.

By tagging Jones, the Cardinals would buy themselves more time to work out the details on a lucrative extension, similar to how the Denver Broncos tagged Von Miller last March before re-signing him for six years and $114.5 million in July.

Jones had a strong debut season in Arizona. He finished second on the team in sacks (11), and the Cardinals ranked third in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders, up from 27th in 2015.

Pro Football Focus graded Jones as the Cardinals' best edge defender and the seventh-best edge defender in the NFL (87.4).

The only question about Jones' immediate future in Arizona would appear to be whether he receives a multiyear deal before the start of the 2017 campaign.