(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

DETROIT (AP) Ndamukong Suh can test the open market when free agency begins March 10 after the Detroit Lions did not use the franchise tag on the star defensive tackle.

The deadline for teams to designate franchise or transition players came and went Monday, and the Lions did not say anything publicly about their decision. There was only a report early in the day on the team's website saying the franchise tag's price of around $27 million for Suh proved too daunting.

Last month, general manager Martin Mayhew said he was optimistic about getting a deal done with Suh, but the franchise tag may have been the team's best source of leverage, and actually using it could have come at a prohibitive cost.

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