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The two-week NFL franchise tag window opens on Tuesday and runs through March 3 at 4 p.m. ET. During that deadline, each team is allowed to tag one player who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Doing so would keep the player with the team for the 2026 season, but the price doesn’t come cheap.
Franchise tag figures are based on the top five annual salaries at each position, and the price increases each time a player receives the tag. Teams must determine whether it is in their best interests to pay the franchise tag price, extend the player or possibly tag him and continue negotiations on a long-term deal. just last year Two players tagged: : cincinnati bengals wide receiver t higgins And kansas city chiefs guard Trey Smith.
Here’s a look at each NFL team with a player who could receive the franchise tag this offseason:
Join a team:
ATL | CIN | Lentils | IND | Jax
LAC | NYG | NYJ | SF | Sea
te Kyle Pitts Sr..
After three subpar seasons, Pitts, the 2021 No. 4 pick, was largely considered a failure. But in 2025, when healthy, he established himself as one of the best players in the league. Now he’s headed toward potential free agency after his best season Record-breaking 2021 rookie campaign.
In Year 5, he finished second among tight ends in receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) and had a career-high five touchdown catches.
When wide receiver drake london After going down with a season-ending knee injury, Pitts was the Falcons’ most powerful weapon in the air. In December against the Buccaneers, Pitts had 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first tight end to rush for at least 150 yards with three touchdowns in a game. shannon sharp In 1996.
The Falcons might want to tag him and see what he does in 2026 to determine if they want to give him a big contract to retain him. –Marc Raimondi
D.E trey hendrickson
There are a few reasons why this is not a viable option.
For starters, Hendrickson will make $30.2 million on the franchise tag, based on last season’s salary. As soon as the tag is placed on Hendrickson, he can immediately accept it and lock up that amount of money with a full guarantee. With Hendrickson turning 32 next season and returning in 2025 due to injury, this could be more guaranteed money than he would get on the open market.
Hendrickson, who joins the team in 2021, will go down as the best free agent signing in Bengals history and perhaps the best in the league this decade. He was an All-Pro selection in 2024 after leading the league in sacks and is a four-time Pro Bowler.
Cincinnati may opt to use that cap space to remodel several pieces of their defense rather than investing in one player. –Ben Baby
When the Cowboys acquired Pickens from the Steelers last season, the idea was to have a long-term future with the wide receiver. He then set career highs in catches (92), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) and took over as the No. 1 receiver. cd lamb Dealt with an ankle injury and concussion, still on the case.
quarterback dak prescottCoach Brian Schottenheimer and owner/general manager Jerry Jones have also said they want Pickens to return. Pickens has said he would like to remain in Dallas. But to reach a long-term deal, the franchise tag is the first medium to do so. At a minimum, this guarantees Pickens will be a Cowboy through 2026, although it does open up the possibility of him not participating in the offseason program, minicamp and/or training camp.
Was the most recent player to be tagged for the first time by the Cowboys before agreeing to a long-term deal in the same window dez bryant In 2015. — Todd Archer
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Why should Pickens push for a long-term deal instead of the franchise tag?
Jason McCourty and Jeff Saturday agreed that George Pickens should push for the Cowboys to sign a long-term deal rather than settle for the franchise tag.
cubby Daniel Joneswr Alec Pierce
The franchise tag salary is likely to exceed what any player would earn annually on a long-term contract, but the Colts could use the designation as protection against losing one of them in free agency.
Colts have used the tag once on a WR since 2013 Michael Pittman Jr.. In 2024. He signed a long-term deal two weeks later, a scenario that could repeat itself in 2026.
Here both the players have expressed their desire to return. In Jones’ case, the team has suggested that his return is a foregone conclusion despite rehabilitation from a torn Achilles.
Pierce’s situation is more fluid, as the Colts have already invested significant capital in Pittman and historically have not spent a ton of money at receiver. Pierce, who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in 2025 and is one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats, is expected to have a very strong market if he hits free agency. –Stephen Holder
LB devin lloydRB travis etienne jr.
Lloyd is coming off the best year of his career (five interceptions, one fumble recovery, 10 QB hits, 1.5 sacks) and was a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler, but the Jaguars are unlikely to tag Lloyd. According to OverTheCap.com, the linebacker tag is projected to be $28.2 million, which is a huge number for a non-pass-rushing linebacker who had an up-and-down first three years. Remember, the team declined to pick up his fifth-year option last spring.
The situation is similar with Etienne regarding his estimated tag number ($14.5 million). Etienne posted 1,399 scrimmage yards and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns, but his production on the field decreased toward the end of the season. He averaged 3.2 yards per carry over the final six games, a significant drop from his average of 4.8 yards per carry over the first 11 games.
The 2025 class of free agent backs is loaded – including Ratched Whitewho played for coach Liam Coen in Tampa Bay – so the Jaguars could sign him to a contract for less than $14 million annually. could also see jaguars fearful trumpeter2025 fourth-round pick, as their No. 1 back. –Michael DiRocco
OLB Odafe Oweh
When the Chargers traded for Oweh in October, he was a struggling edge rusher with zero sacks in five games, looking like a player who was failing to live up to the potential that got him selected in the first round by Baltimore in 2021.
This quickly changed in LA, with Oveh finishing with 7.5 sacks in 12 games with the Chargers and ending the season by setting franchise playoff records with three sacks and two forced fumbles in the Chargers’ playoff loss to the Patriots.
At 27 years old, Oweh appears to be one of the league’s most promising edge rushers, but the projected tag number of $27.8 million may be too much for a GM. joe hortiz If the parties cannot agree to a deal at a lower figure. — Chris Rimm
RT german elyumunorCB Cor’dale Floatwr van’dale robinson
Giants have three key free agents at right tackle german elyumunorcornerback Cor’dale Float and wide receiver van’dale robinson. All three play premium positions. The franchise numbers for those positions make it impossible to consider them significant prospects.
Consider that the wide receiver and offensive tackle are projected to be worth more than $25 million and the cornerback is not far off at $20 million. It’s too much for Elumunor, Robinson and Float.
Elyumunor was a reliable right tackle playing the sixth-most snaps (1,018) in 2025, Robinson was the team’s best receiver, throwing for over 1,000 yards despite playing mostly out of the slot, and Flote was the Giants’ best cover corner, ranking eighth in the NFL with a target EPA of -12.7.
Hopefully New York will be interested in bringing back all three. Just not in the franchise tag range. –Jordan Raanan
RB Breece Hall
Hall was a trade candidate at the midseason deadline, so it shows how quickly things change in the NFL. He is entering his age-25 season and has finished with a career-high 1,065 rushing yards. If he hits the open market, he will attract significant interest. He could be the No. 1 free agent among running backs.
A franchise tag would be expensive (an estimated $14.5 million), but he and WR Garrett Wilson There are only two accomplished playmakers who committed the crime. Hall is looking at a long-term deal in the range of $11 million to $13 million per year, meaning he could make the top five at his position. The $11.7 million transition tag is also a possibility. -Rich Cimini
The 49ers would prefer not to use the tag on a kicker — especially at a price tag of $6 million to $7 million — but Pineiro was a quick solution to one of their biggest problems in 2025.
After releasing the kicker jake moody And signing Piñeiro as a free agent in Week 2, he made 28 of 29 field goals, the only one being a 64-yard miss that hit the crossbar. The extra points were more of an adventure as Piñeiro went 34 of 38.
But the Niners would rather keep Pineiro than search for another kicker, so if a long-term deal can’t be worked out, the tag is at least a possibility. –Nick Wagner
If the Seahawks re-sign the Super Bowl LX MVP, it will likely be on a multiyear deal. He has used the franchise tag twice in 16 seasons under GM John Schneider – once on a kicker (Olindo Mare) and a second time at linebacker (frank clark) Then what did they trade?
Schneider doesn’t like using it, and the history — as well as the projected $14.5 million price tag for the running back — suggests he won’t use it this year. But we will at least account for the possibility.
Zach CharbonnetAn ACL tear in the playoffs means half of Seattle’s offensive tackle won’t return until the second half of next season. Walker’s strong finish through 2025 gives the Seahawks even more incentive to re-sign him, but it undoubtedly becomes more expensive to do so. — Brady Henderson
