[Stardust]

From Cincinnati.com: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081...60379/1066

Pro Bowl wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh will not get the Bengals' franchise tag this offseason, according to NFL.com's Adam Schefter.


Schefter says Cincinnati will instead try to sign Houshmandzadeh to an extension before his contract expires in late February.

Offensive tackle Stacy Andrews was last season's franchise tag recipient, netting him a $7.455 million salary.

But Andrews injured his knee in the Browns game Sunday, so the Bengals probably won't re-tag him this year because the injury will diminish his attractiveness on the market, Schefter said.

"Don't look for Andrews' tag to go on Houshmandzadeh," Schefter said on his NFL.com blog, citing "a league source."

Houshmandzadeh, 31 years old, has rebuffed previous attempts by the Bengals to sign him to a long-term deal.