The National Football League (NFL) has set an official deadline for teams to use the franchise tag on players whose contracts are set to expire. The three tender options available to teams include the non-exclusive franchise tag, exclusive franchise tag, and transition tag.
The most commonly used tag is the non-exclusive franchise tag, which offers a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years or 120 percent of their previous salary. The tagged player can negotiate with other teams, but their current team has the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.
The exclusive franchise tag offers a higher pay scale and gives the tagging team sole negotiating rights with the player. This version is less common and usually reserved for top players like quarterbacks. The transition tag provides a one-year tender offer of the average of the top 10 salaries at the position, guaranteeing the original club’s right to match any offer.
Several teams have already taken action on Tuesday, including the Bengals placing their franchise tag on wide receiver Higgins for $26.2 million and the Chiefs extending their non-exclusive franchise tag to tackle Smith for $23.4 million. The Vikings are not expected to apply the franchise tag to quarterback Darnold, according to NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
As teams make moves on Tuesday, it remains to be seen how players will respond to these tender offers and whether deals can be worked out before the July 15 deadline. The franchise tag is a crucial component of player management in the NFL, allowing teams to keep key players while also managing their salary cap.
Source: https://www.nfl.com/news/2025-nfl-franchise-tag-tracker-latest-tag-news-deadline-day