As we approach the exciting time of the NFL offseason, teams are gearing up for the franchise tag window that opens from now until March 4 at 4 p.m. ET. This is the period when teams can protect their key players who are headed for free agency. The new league year officially begins on March 12, but the decisions made in the coming days will set the stage for the next season.
Each NFL team can place a franchise tag on one player per year, essentially locking them in for at least one more season. There are three different types of franchise tags available, and the value of each tag varies depending on the player’s position and history of being tagged.
The most notable name in the tagging conversation this year is Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals. After playing under the franchise tag last season, he would see a 120 percent raise if the Bengals decide to tag him again. This option is likely, given his contribution to the team.
Other players who are under consideration for the franchise tag include:
- Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs
- Trey McBride from the Arizona Cardinals
- Ronnie Stanley of the Baltimore Ravens
- Osa Odighizuwa with the Dallas Cowboys
- Carlton Davis III of the Detroit Lions
- Sam Darnold from the Minnesota Vikings
- Zack Baun and Josh Sweat from the Philadelphia Eagles
Once a player is tagged, teams have until July 15 (for the exclusive and non-exclusive tags) or July 21 (for the transition tag) to negotiate a long-term deal. If those deadlines pass without an agreement, players can still sign their one-year tender until November 11.
This tagging period is an exciting build-up to the upcoming season, and fans can expect more updates as teams make their decisions.
