SAN DIEGO – The Chargers will not place the Franchise tag on 
San Diego elected not to use the Franchise tag as Monday’s deadline passed. Free agency is set to begin March 13, though there could be roster news between now and then.
The franchise tag requires teams to pay players a fixed, one-year contract based on a complicated formula.
The Chargers placed the tag on Jackson, a seven-year veteran receiver, in 2011. The Franchise designation would have required the Chargers to tender Jackson a contract at 120 percent of last year’s figure, which would have carried a Cap figure of approximately $13.7 million. Jackson again would become eligible for free agency after the 2012 season.
“We discussed it again this morning, and nothing changed. We did not like the franchise number, never did,” General Manager A.J. Smith said.
“Vincent will enter the market, and we will see what happens. We would like to have him continue on with us, but other teams now will enter the picture.
“We will now evaluate our contract proposal, and proceed accordingly.”
