NFL free agency is upon us, and some teams have some pricey decisions to make before the new league year starts on March 15.
Teams are able to place the franchise tag on prospective unrestricted free agents through Tuesday. Each team can only tag one player, which is a fully guaranteed deal for one season if the player opts to play.
There are two main types of franchise tags: non-exclusive, which means that NFL players can still negotiate with other teams following the application of the tag, and exclusive, which prevents players from negotiating with other teams. Transition tags are also one-year contract offers. Players who receive this tag can negotiate with other teams, but the tagging team has the right to match any offer.
Franchise tag figures are based on the top five salaries at each position, while transition tags pay out an average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position. Regardless of the type of tag, both players and teams can still agree to a long-term deal before training camp even if the tag is used. Last season, eight players were franchise tagged.
Follow along here for the latest news and rumors:
Officially tagged
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson — arguably the headline name of the 2023 free-agency class — is reportedly seeking a fully-guaranteed multi-year deal of roughly $50 million per year, but negotiations have been unsuccessful. Baltimore has since placed the non-exclusive tag on the former NFL MVP, which will allow Jackson to speak to other teams and give the Ravens the right to match any offer sheet or take two first-round picks as compensation for losing the 26-year-old signal-caller.
Franchise tag salary: $32.416 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 62.3% completion rate, 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns, seven interceptions in 12 games
Why it matters: “I covet great players, I covet quarterbacks, and I love Lamar,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta recently said. “We want to do what’s best for the club. We try to do what we can for Lamar. We want to make everybody happy.”
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
The Giants placed their franchise tag on Barkley, but that didn’t change New York’s commitment to the star running back. Giants GM Joe Schoen said that negotiations with Barkley in regard to a long-term contract are still “ongoing.”
Franchise tag salary: $10.091 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 1,312 yards, 10 touchdowns
Why it matters: Barkley, the second overall pick by the Giants in 2018, was selected to a Pro Bowl after his first season and earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before battling injuries in 2019-20 that derailed his next two seasons. The 26-year-old became a two-time Pro Bowler in 2022 after racking up the fourth-most rushing yards last season.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders placed the non-exclusive tag on Jacobs, who’s allowed to negotiate with other teams once free agency starts.
Franchise tag salary: $10.091 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 1,653 yards, 12 touchdowns
Why it matters: Jacobs, 25, was the NFL’s leading rusher in 2022, becoming the first Raider to do so since Marcus Allen in 1985. He also led the league in yards from scrimmage (2,053). He was named first-team All-Pro and was selected to his second Pro Bowl. Jacobs has rushed for 4,740 yards and 40 touchdowns in his four-year career while catching 160 passes for 1,152 yards. The Raiders previously opted not to exercise the former first-rounder’s fifth-year option last offseason.
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys franchise tagged Pollard after the two sides were unable to agree to a long-term contract, per ESPN.
Franchise tag salary: $10.091 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 1,007 yards, 12 total touchdowns (nine rushing, three receiving)
Why it matters: Pollard topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his four-year NFL career last season, becoming a key part of Dallas’ offense and, at times, taking over the starting role for an injured Ezekiel Elliott. His 1,007 yards and 12 scores in 2022 were both career highs for the former fourth-round draft pick. Pollard’s postseason was cut short when he fractured his left fibula in the Cowboys’ divisional-round matchup, which required offseason surgery.
Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags officially placed their franchise tag on Engram on March 6, ESPN reported.
Franchise tag salary: $11.345 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 73 receptions, 766 yards, four touchdowns
Why it matters: The sixth-year tight end had a career-high 73 catches for 766 yards and four scores in 2022, reeling in 74.5% of his passes from QB Trevor Lawrence. Engram, 28, spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Giants after being selected 23rd overall in 2017. He boasts 335 career catches for 3,594 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders
Payne was the first player to receive the franchise tag this offseason, with the Commanders using the non-exclusive tag, the team announced on Feb. 28.
Franchise tag salary: $18.937 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 64 total tackles (32 solo), 11.5 sacks, 20 QB hits, five passes, one fumble recovered
Why it matters: Payne is entering his sixth NFL season after originally being selected by Washington as the 13th overall pick in 2018. The 25-year-old became the seventh defensive tackle in franchise history to be selected to a Pro Bowl. His career-high 11.5 sacks last season were third among defensive tackles, and he was second among all tackles with 21 tackles for a loss. Payne, who has started 75 games in his five-year NFL career, boasts 162 tackles and 26 sacks all-time.
Expected to be tagged
Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati Bengals
It was previously suggested that Bates could be a franchise tag candidate for Cincinnati again this offseason, per ESPN.
Franchise tag salary: $14.46 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 71 total tackles (38 solo), four interceptions
Why it matters: Bates played on the franchise tag in 2022 after he wasn’t able to come to an agreement with the Bengals on a long-term extension. Cincinnati then used its 2022 first-round pick to draft Bates’ anticipated replacement, Dax Hill.
Won’t be tagged
Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs won’t be placing the franchise tag on Brown for a second straight season, per NFL Network.
Franchise tag salary: $19.99 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 1,133 offensive snaps played, four sacks allowed
Why it matters: Brown, who the Chiefs acquired from the Ravens prior to the 2021 season, has been a stable force at left tackle over the last couple of seasons as he’s protected Patrick Mahomes‘ blindside. Kansas City can still work out a deal with Brown, which Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told reporters at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine that he’d like to do. However, his franchise tag number was just too high, per multiple reports.
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
Jones and the Giants were able to agree to a four-year extension worth $160 million to avoid needing to use the team’s lone franchise tag, which was later used on running back Barkley.
Franchise tag salary: $32.416 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 67.2% completion rate, 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions
Why it matters: Jones was going to be the Giants’ starting quarterback in 2023 one way or another, according to Schoen, who had been in “constant contact” with Jones’ agents about signing him to a long-term deal. New York previously declined the fifth-year option on Jones’ contract last offseason.
Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
The two sides were able to nail down a three-year, $105 million deal that will include $52 million in the first season, according to ESPN. The news of the deal came one day before the franchise tag deadline.
Franchise tag salary: $32.416 million guaranteed
2022–23 stats: 69.8% completion rate, 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
Why it matters: Last season was a turning point in the 32-year-old Smith’s career, as he went from being a backup journeyman for most of the past seven seasons to a Pro Bowler and the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. Smith played on a one-year, $3.5 million deal last season.
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