Bengals' head coach Marvin Lewis has denied a report that the team would not use its franchise tag on wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh.
However, a lot could happen between now and the Feb. 22 tag deadline.
Franchise tags often create a unique contract negotiating environment, so by saying it won't tag a player, a team shows a good faith attempt to sign him long-term. If contract talks fail, however, the tag could become a viable option again.
Lewis Denies Report That Bengals Won't Franchise T.J.