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The problem with tagging Ford is that, once he signs, you lose $14M in cap space. Now you HAVE to trade him or sign a new contract to free that up. Once that tender is signed, that amount is fully guaranteed and counts against the cap.
I've said this before, but if I am Veach, priority #1 for me to get Houston's agent on the phone and try to work out a three year extension (that will inevitably go to four years), where we can convert his $21M salary to a signing bonus this year and bring his cap number down to the $12-$14M range, never spiking above that.
As soon as I hang up the phone, I am calling John Dorsey. For the low low price of a second round pick and a new contract, you could pair Ford with Garrett and wreck the AFC North quarterback gauntlet.
Houston savings: $7-9M
Ford savings: $14M
Total cap space after these two moves: $53-$55M
Sign Tyreek Hill to his monster contract.
And then I'm going to suggest something that everyone will hate... you wait to sign Chris Jones. He's going into the last year of his contract. Let him play even bigger in the 4-3 and "prove it." If he destroys worlds, then great - you now have to pay him an assload. But frankly I would be wary about paying him before you know that he meshes with the new defense.
Worst case scenario - he sucks and you don't have to pay him.
Second worst case scenario - he destroys and you have to pay him Aaron Donald money or let him walk. Then you are back in the same situation as Ford. You tag him, look for a trade partner, or then let him walk, take your comp pick, and hope you can draft good players to come up behind and take his place for cheap.
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