Eagles Put Franchise Tag on Vick; Jets Do Same for Linebacker David Harris

The Philadelphia Eagles placed a franchise tag on quarterback Michael Vick and the New York Jets did the same with linebacker David Harris, securing the players’ contract rights for the 2011 National Football League season.

The Eagles announced their move on their website, while Nick Filis, a spokesman for the Jets, confirmed the team’s plans for Harris in a telephone interview.

Each team in the NFL can apply the franchise tag to one player whose contract is expiring, preventing them from becoming free agents. Players designated with the franchise tag receive one-year contracts equal to the average of the five highest-paid players at their positions the previous season, under current rules. The players must accept that contract figure and are barred from becoming free agents.

Vick would be due $16.4 million and Harris $9.7 million.

It hasn’t been determined whether the franchise tag will be valid under a new collective bargaining agreement, which is being negotiated between the NFL and its players union. The current deal expires March 3.

Vick, 30, threw for 3,018 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions last season to win the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year Award after serving a federal prison sentence on a dog-fighting conviction.

Harris, 27, led the Jets with 99 tackles and had three sacks last season.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mason Levinson in New York at mlevinson@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net.

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Michael Vick, #7 of the NFC Philadelphia Eagles

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Michael Vick, #7 of the NFC Philadelphia Eagles passes against the American Football Conference team (AFC).

Michael Vick, #7 of the NFC Philadelphia Eagles passes against the American Football Conference team (AFC). Photographer:Kent Nishimura/Getty Images