Dozens of NFL players have expiring contracts this offseason, but not all of them will hit the open market.
Before the new league year begins in March, teams have one last chance to lock up their pending free agents with the franchise tag.
Oftentimes, some of the best potential free agents will be tagged so that they aren’t lost for nothing. That gives teams time to negotiate, either a new contract or a trade, ahead of the 2026 season.
Here’s what to know about the franchise tag, including the upcoming deadline, which players have been tagged, what their new salaries will be and more.
What is the franchise tag?
The franchise tag allows clubs to pick one player per year, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and guarantees them another season under contract.
There are three types of franchise tags: exclusive, non-exclusive and transition.
Exclusive: Teams must offer the player a one-year contract no less than either the average of the top-five salaries at that player’s position based on April of the current year or 120% of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. An exclusive tag gives the team exclusive negotiating rights.
Non-exclusive: Teams must offer the player a one-year contract no less than the average of the top-five cap hits of that player’s positions or 120% of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. Non-exclusive tags allow players to negotiate with other teams — the current team can match any offer they agree to, or receive two first-round picks if they don’t.
Transition: The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position. It guarantees the team the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club.
When is the franchise tag deadline?
The NFL’s franchise tag window in 2026 runs from Tuesday, Feb. 17, through March 3 at 4 p.m. ET.
What players have been franchise tagged in 2026?
Here’s a running list of every player who has been tagged this offseason:
There are several other candidates who could be tagged, including Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, New York Jets running back Breece Hall, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens and Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Odafe Oweh.
The Las Vegas Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick after going 3-14. Behind them, there are more than a dozen teams looking to change their fortunes heading into next season.
Franchise tag salary values for 2026
The exact values for each position on the franchise tag hasn’t been released yet. That number will be officially determined based on the NFL’s annual salary cap, which has not yet been officially announced for the 2026 season.
We have a good idea of what the salaries will be though, courtesy of Spotrac’s estimations. Here’s a breakdown by position for the non-exclusive tags (which is most commonly used):
Quarterback: $47,242,000
Running back: $14,186,000
Wide receiver: $28,037,000
Tight end: $16,007,000
Offensive lineman: $27,764,000
Linebacker: $27,559,000
Defensive tackle: $27,424,000
Defensive end: $26,710,000
Cornerback: $20,783,000
Safety: $20,758,000
Kicker or punter: $6,846,000