Which franchise-tagged player is most worthy of a long-term deal?

Tuesday's franchise tag deadline inspired a number of teams to reach a one-year deal with players who proved to be too valuable to be allowed to hit the open market.

Although a number of marquee players were retained by their teams for the 2016 season, the specter of a potential long-term deal will always linger on the horizon.

Without further ado, we examine which franchise-tagged player is most worthy of receiving a long-term deal:

It ought to be noted that the Dolphins placed the transition tag on defensive end Olivier Vernon.

9. Justin Tucker, Ravens

Justin Tucker is one of the most clinically accurate kickers in the history of the NFL, but this was a clear way for Baltimore to retain the player with minimum risk, and nothing else. A long-term deal for Tucker will certainly be easy to negotiate, but if the Ravens face the need to extend players at any other position, they ought to prioritize it over extending the 2013 Pro Bowler.

8. Cordy Glenn, Bills

Cordy Glenn is relatively anonymous compared to other players on this list, but his value to the Bills' offense is almost immeasurable. Glenn is imperative to the Bills' run-oriented scheme, and did an excellent job of protecting Tyrod Taylor last season, both in the pocket and at the second level. The 26-year-old did not miss a game over the past three seasons, and is on the cusp of stardom. Although he's approached elite status over his first three seasons, it could be argued that he's not one of the Bills' five most valuable players.

7. Trumaine Johnson, Rams

Trumaine Johnson is on the cusp of genuine stardom and is a favorite of the analytics community, excelling in predictive categories that indicate future greatness. Johnson recorded seven interceptions last season, and held opponents to a miserable 55.3 passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus. Although he's yet to become a household name, Johnson already proved that he's a borderline elite cornerback, an increasingly valuable commodity in a pass-dominant league. The only impediment to a long-term deal is the continued dominance of Aaron Donald, who will take precedence over Johnson.

6. Eric Berry, Chiefs

Eric Berry is the embodiment of what a modern safety should be: Excelling in coverage, against the run, and showing excellent diagnostic ability pre-snap. Berry recovered from Hodgkin's lymphoma and was named a first-team All-Pro for the second time in his career this season, while also capturing Comeback Player of the Year honors. Ideally, it would be a foregone conclusion to sign Berry to a massive extension after the 2016 season. However, the Chiefs also need to reach a long-term deal with two-time Pro Bowler Dontari Poe, while already paying both Justin Houston and Jeremy Maclin more than $13 million per year through 2019.

5. Muhammad Wilkerson, Jets

Muhammad Wilkerson is equally adept at playing defensive end as he is at defensive tackle, making him a picturesque component of Todd Bowles' aggressive scheme. Wilkerson is proving to be one of the marquee edge rushers in the league, amassing 12 sacks and two forced fumbles last season en route to the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. During the NFL's golden age of quarterbacks, a premium edge rusher would be the envy of most clubs. However, Wilkerson faces a unique obstacle in teammate Sheldon Richardson, who is also one of the rare players to excel at both end and tackle.

4. Kirk Cousins, Redskins

Kirk Cousins exceeded even the most optimistic projections entering 2015, completing a league-high 69.8 percent of his passes, steering the Redskins to the NFC East title. After the Robert Griffin III era proved to be a resounding failure, the Redskins ought to be grateful that their franchise quarterback stumbled into their hands. Conventional wisdom dictates that quarterback is the most important position, and thus Cousins ought to be rewarded handsomely with a long-term deal. The only question is whether Cousins was propelled into the No. 1 job in part due to a small sample size.

3. Alshon Jeffery, Bears

Alshon Jeffery is a genuine No. 1 receiver in the NFL, and will become the focal point of the Bears' offense as the team moves on from running back Matt Forte. In Jeffery's last two full seasons, the 26-year-old surpassed 1,100 yards, and was on pace for a 1,430-yard year if he didn't suffer a season-ending hamstring injury. Jeffery is excellent at boxing out smaller defenders, is a genuine big-play threat, and contorts his body well in the red zone. Jeffery will likely be the Bears' top-priority for a long-term deal, although there's an outside possibility he'll supplanted by three-time Pro Bowl right tackle Kyle Long.

2. Josh Norman, Panthers

Josh Norman was the breakout star of the 2015 season, although he teetered on the brink of real prominence for the past three years. Norman neutralized a gauntlet of receivers last season, including Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, and T.Y. Hilton, en route to capturing first-team All-Pro honors. Norman's recovery speed and diagnostic ability post-snap are both upper-echelon traits, and he could end up being the marquee cornerback of the 2012 draft class. The Panthers will need to reach long-term extensions with Pro Bowlers Kawann Short and Trai Turner, though it seems unlikely they'd be prioritized ahead of Norman.

1. Von Miller, Broncos

Von Miller is the face of the Super Bowl champion Broncos, and warrants franchise player status in every sense of the term. Miller compiled arguably the best postseason by a defensive player in NFL history, and was easily the best player on the field during Super Bowl 50. The 26-year-old was selected second overall in the historically great 2011 NFL Draft and has since exceeded even the gaudiest of expectations, having been named to four Pro Bowls thus far while also earning a Super Bowl MVP. Already the premier player on one of the greatest defenses of all-time, Miller is starting to warrant comparisons from some analysts to Lawrence Taylor. Under no circumstances should the Broncos allow Miller to walk away without handing him a gargantuan contract next summer - one that ought to make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.