NFL Franchise Tag Deadline
Frank Coyle
Wideout Tee Higgins & Guard Trey Smith Tagged
Today marks the official deadline for NFL teams to use a tag on players whose contracts are set to expire at 4 pm. Two teams, the Bengals and Chiefs have announced they will tag wideout Tee Higgins and guard Trey Smith.
Both players received the non-exclusive tender – meaning they are actually eligible to negotiate with other clubs yet also have until July 15 to sign an extension with their present employers in order to avoid the risk and uncertainty of playing on the one-year tag. In reality, it’s extremely rare for franchised players to move given it costs an outside team both contractually and a compensation package of two 1st-round draft picks to sign him from his original team is unwilling to match an offer sheet.
Other teams are rushing to sign potential free agents before the franchise deadline to avoid using the tag or lose a player in the Free agency market which starts March 12. Last year, eight players received the Franchise tag with most being running backs. This year only two players were tagged by the deadline, Higgins and Smith, the fewest in a number of years.
Franchise Non-Exclusive Tags
Cincinnati – WR Tee Higgins – $26.2M for 2025 related to his position plus the increase for a tag for the 2nd year in a row
Kansas City – RG Trey Smith – $23.4M for 2025
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Key NFL Re-signings
RB Saquon Barkley – Eagles – 2 year $41.2M
DT Osa Odighizuwa – Cowboys – 4 year $80M
WR Khalil Shakir – Bills – 4 year $60.2M
High profile players not tagged include, QB Sam Darnold, LT Ronnie Stanley, edge Josh Sweat, LB Zach Baum, wideout Chris Godwin, DT Milton Williams, safeties Jevon Holland and Marcus Williams and corners Carlton Davis. DJReed, Charvarius Ward and Byron Murphy are several of the marquee players who will be available in the strong upcoming Free Agency class.
There are three tender options: 1) Non-exclusive franchise tag; 2) Exclusive franchise tag; 3) Transition tag.
Non-Exclusive Franchise tag: The most commonly used tag. When most refer to the “franchise tag,” they generally talk about the non-exclusive version. This is a 1-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The tagged player can negotiate with other teams, but his current team has the right to match any offer or receive two 1st-round draft picks as compensation if he signs with another club.
Exclusive Franchise tag: Unlike the non-exclusive version, the tagging team retains the sole right to negotiate with the player. The exclusivity raises the pay scale (current average salary versus averaging of the previous five years. This is a 1-year tender offer of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position for the current year, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. Few receive the exclusive tag. Generally, players for whom other teams would gladly give up two 1st-round picks receive this version of the tags.
Transition tag: The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position — as opposed to the top five for the franchise tag. It guarantees the original club the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club. The tagging team is awarded no compensation if it chooses not to match a deal.
