A franchise tag can keep a star player from reaching free agency, but it is not the same as signing him to a long-term deal. For an NFL team, it buys another year of control. For the player, it can mean a large one-year salary—and another season without the security of a multiyear contract.
Teams use the tag when a key player is about to become an unrestricted free agent and negotiations have not produced a long-term agreement. The decision can protect a roster from losing a valuable starter, but it is costly and can strain the relationship between a club and its player.
When can an NFL team use the franchise tag?
Teams can designate one player per year as a franchise player during a set window near the start of the league’s new year. The NFL announces the dates each season; the window generally falls in February or early March. A team must apply the tag before the deadline if it wants to stop that player from entering the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
The tag is most useful when a team needs more time. A club might still be negotiating a long-term contract, want to see how a player performs for another season, or be unwilling to let a cornerstone starter leave without compensation. Quarterbacks, pass rushers, and top receivers often draw attention because replacing an elite player at those positions can be difficult.
Using the tag does not automatically mean the player has signed a contract. It gives the team the right to offer a one-year tender at a specified salary. Once the player signs that tender, the deal is generally fully guaranteed. The player can also negotiate a longer contract with his team, but the deadline for reaching that agreement is typically in mid-July. If no multiyear deal is signed by then, he plays the season under the one-year arrangement or remains unsigned.
Types of NFL tags
“Franchise tag” can refer to two different tenders. Teams also have a transition tag, which works somewhat differently. The salary for each type depends on the league’s salary cap and the player’s position, so the amounts change from year to year.
| Tag | What it means | Other teams’ options |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusive franchise tag | A one-year tender based on the top salaries at the player’s position, generally at a higher rate than the non-exclusive tag. | The player cannot negotiate with other teams. |
| Non-exclusive franchise tag | A one-year tender calculated using the top salaries at the position or a percentage of the player’s previous salary, whichever figure is higher under the applicable formula. | The player can negotiate an offer sheet with another team. His current team can match it; if it declines, the new team generally owes two first-round draft picks. |
| Transition tag | A one-year tender based on the top 10 salaries at the position or a percentage of the player’s previous salary, whichever is higher under the formula. | The player can negotiate with other teams, and his current team has the right to match an offer. If it does not, it receives no draft-pick compensation. |
The non-exclusive tag is the version people most often mean when they talk about a team “franchising” a player. The exclusive tag gives the player fewer options to test the market, so it usually costs the team more. A transition tag can be less expensive, but it offers less protection: the original team can lose the player without receiving draft picks if it chooses not to match an outside offer.
Why teams use the tag instead of a long-term deal
A team may believe a player is too valuable to lose but be uncertain about committing to him for several years. The tag can serve as a bridge while both sides continue talks. It can also give the club time to assess a player’s health, role, or fit with a new coaching staff.
That flexibility comes with trade-offs. A tagged player’s salary counts against the team’s cap, often at a steep price for a single season. The team also risks creating friction if the player wants long-term security and sees the tag as delaying a deal. From the player’s perspective, a one-year contract offers a substantial salary but less certainty about future earnings, especially if an injury affects his next contract.
The tag is not meant to be used indefinitely. A club can use it on the same player in consecutive seasons, but repeated tags become increasingly expensive under the rules. That can make a second tag a short-term solution rather than a sensible long-term plan.
Examples of how the franchise tag plays out
Quarterback Kirk Cousins was tagged by Washington in consecutive seasons, in 2016 and 2017. He played under the one-year arrangements rather than agreeing to a long-term deal with the team, then entered free agency in 2018. His case shows how the tag can keep a player in place temporarily without settling the bigger question of a long-term commitment.
Running back Le’Veon Bell’s dispute with Pittsburgh showed the other side of the arrangement. After being tagged in successive seasons, Bell sat out the 2018 season rather than play under the tag again. Sitting out is a rare and costly choice, but the episode underlined that the tag does not guarantee the team will get a player on the field if negotiations break down.
What the franchise tag means for fans
When a team announces a tag, it has not necessarily secured the player for the long term—or even guaranteed that he will play that season. The designation changes his contract situation and can keep him from becoming a free agent, but negotiations may continue, and the player still has choices about whether to sign and report.
For fans, the practical questions are: Which tag did the team use? How much will the tender count against the salary cap? And can the club and player agree on a longer contract before the deadline? Those details help explain whether the move is a genuine plan to retain a star or simply a way to buy time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can an NFL team franchise-tag more than one player?
No. A team may use one franchise tag in a season. It may use a transition tag instead, but it cannot use both a franchise tag and a transition tag on different players in the same year.
Can a tagged player sign with another team?
It depends on the tag. A player with an exclusive franchise tag cannot negotiate with another team. A non-exclusive tag allows outside negotiations, but his current team can match an offer sheet. With the transition tag, the current team also has a chance to match, but it does not receive draft-pick compensation if it declines.
Is the franchise tag salary guaranteed?
The tag is a tender offer, not a signed contract. When the player signs the one-year tender, the salary is generally fully guaranteed. Until then, the designation alone does not mean he has signed or received that contract amount.
Can a team and tagged player still agree to a long-term contract?
Yes. They can negotiate a multiyear deal, but they must meet the league’s deadline, which is typically in mid-July. If they miss it, the player generally plays under the one-year tender or remains unsigned for that season.
Final Thoughts
The franchise tag is a short-term retention tool, not a substitute for a lasting agreement. It gives an NFL team a way to hold onto a key player while negotiations continue, but the price, salary-cap hit, and effect on the player’s future can make it a tense decision for both sides. When a team uses one, watch what happens after the announcement: the tag starts the conversation, but it does not always finish it.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.