2012 NFL Free Agency: Foster, Johnson, Lynch re-sign with their respective teams

Today is the final day teams can use the franchise tag on their impending free agents, and that's spurring a lot of last-minute, long-term deals. Running back Arian Foster has signed a five-year contract extension with the Houston Texans, according to his own agent. Wide receiver Stevie Johnson meanwhile re-signed with the Buffalo Bills, and running back Marshawn Lynch re-signed with the Seattle Seahawks.


This isn't unexpected, and it happens every seasons: a free agency class looks very good going into the offseason - and then nearly everyone re-signs with his own team, or gets tagged. That is happening right now, and you can expect to see a number of re-signings before free agency proper starts on March 13. A few key free agents still remain on the market, though, including linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Cortland Finnegan - both of whom should be targets for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency.

This free agency class isn't quite as loaded as last year's, but there's still a lot of quality at a lot of positions of need for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have made it clear that they will spend in free agency this season, and they'll have ample opportunity to do so. The question is simply who they will target - and they will actually be able to sign.