Rams place franchise tag on Joyner; Watkins set to hit free agency

The Los Angeles Rams have placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner for the 2018 season, the team announced Tuesday.

Joyner's tag will cost the Rams just under $11.3 million if he and the team cannot agree on a long-term contract extension before the July 16 deadline.

This move signals that receiver Sammy Watkins will be hitting the open market in free agency as the team was reportedly deciding between him and Joyner as franchise tag recipients. Watkins caught 39 passes for 593 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017 after being acquired via trade in the preseason.

Joyner, 27, has played the last four seasons with the Rams, taking over as full-time starting safety in 2017. He collected three interceptions, nine pass defenses, and 49 tackles through 12 games. Under the tag, Joyner would be the fifth-highest-paid safety in the league in terms of average annual salary.