The Strategic Dance of NFL Franchise Tags
As the NFL offseason unfolds, teams across the league engage in calculated moves that have the potential to determine their competitive standing for years to come. Central to these strategies are franchise tags, a mechanism used to retain premier talent. In 2025, the NFL has designated a 15-day period from February 18 to March 4 during which teams can secure their star players using this powerful tool.
Franchise tags are classified into two types: exclusive and non-exclusive. The non-exclusive franchise tag—which appears more frequently in negotiations—allows players to entertain offers from other teams. The present team, however, retains the right to match any external proposals. The financial calculation for this tag is based on either 120% of the player’s previous salary or the average of the top five salaries at the player's position, depending on which is higher. Conversely, the exclusive franchise tag prohibits player negotiations with other teams, with the salary pegged to either the non-exclusive method or the average of the current year's top five salaries, whichever amount is higher.
Notably, the transition tag, which is determined using the average of the top ten salaries for the player's position and includes a provision ensuring at least 120% of the previous salary, offers no compensation if the team chooses not to match an offer from a competing team. Its application is a less common choice, given the lack of financial guarantees.
Over the past three NFL seasons, 22 players have been subjected to franchise tags, providing the league with an average of seven tagged players annually. Intriguingly, a recent year demonstrated the franchise tag’s efficacy, with seven out of eight tagged players successfully negotiating multiyear agreements. In contrast, between 2021 and 2023, fewer than half of tagged players managed to extend their contracts to longer terms.
Sam Darnold, currently on a respectable one-year $10 million "bridge" deal with the Minnesota Vikings, presents an interesting scenario for the management team. By opting not to use a franchise tag on Darnold, the Vikings face a dual-edged sword—they could potentially free up a significant $65 million in cap space yet risk forfeiting a 2026 compensatory draft pick. There is a belief that “there's a possibility that the Vikings wouldn't get a 2026 compensatory draft pick by letting Darnold walk in free agency,” underlining the pressure on the management to assess their priorities with precision.
Given Darnold's position as possibly the top quarterback available in free agency, a strategic application of the franchise tag could also enable the Vikings to explore trade options, a stratagem hinted at by insiders, noting that "using a franchise tag to trade him isn't out of the question.” For Darnold, a move of this nature would not only mandate a lucrative contract but also reinforce his stature among quarterback elites.
Elsewhere, Cincinnati's placement of a $21.816 million franchise tag on Tee Higgins underscores another trend where teams attempt to balance standout player retention against the looming salary cap projections. The financial landscape in 2025, with projections of the NFL salary cap between $265 million and $275 million, further complicates the decision matrix for teams like the Vikings and the Bengals.
Chris Godwin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers presents a complex challenge due to the calculation methods employed in the tagging process. Being tagged again would lead to an "unaffordable scenario," dramatically impacting the team's roster-building prospects. Such situations portray the delicate dance NFL teams must perform as they navigate through myriad considerations of player value, salary expense, and future strategic planning.
In player movement, the departure of Russell Wilson from the Denver Broncos to the Pittsburgh Steelers marks one of the offseason's more dramatic shifts. His move encapsulates the dynamic nature of NFL teams restructuring not just their contracts but their very identity in pursuit of success.
The franchise tag, therefore, serves as a significant steering wheel in an offseason rife with opportunity and risk. As one source aptly put it, “The franchise tag operated more like it was originally intended this year,” reflecting its pivotal role in maintaining a competitive balance within the league.