The franchise tag window gets underway on Feb. 21, 2023, and runs through until March 7. With our franchise tag tracker below, we will keep you updated with who has been given either a franchise or transition tag and which type they’ve received.
2023 NFL Franchise Tag Tracker
This section will be updated as players get franchise tagged.
How Do The Different Tags Work?
Two different types of franchise tags can be applied to players and three tags in total. The two franchise tags are called the “exclusive franchise tag” and the “non-exclusive franchise tag.” The names are fairly self-explanatory. One tag allows other teams to negotiate with a tagged player, and the other prohibits it without permission from the team applying the tag.
The non-exclusive franchise tag comes with a heavier price for the team applying it. Players who get the non-exclusive tag earn the average of the five highest-paid players at their position following free agency. That figure is usually much higher than the cost of the non-exclusive franchise tag.
The price of the non-exclusive franchise tag is set as the average of the top five salaries at the position over the previous five seasons. It is then corrected for the current year’s salary cap. While that can be a significantly cheaper option, it does allow that player to test the open market.
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In the event that a player on the non-exclusive franchise tag agrees to an offer sheet from another team, the original team has the right to match. If they choose not to match, then the team that has the offer sheet with the player must send two first-round picks to the original team in return for that player.
The third type of tag is the transition tag. The transition tag is marginally cheaper than the non-exclusive franchise tag and serves a similar function. The player can test free agency and sign an offer sheet with a new team. The original team will have the right to match. However, the big difference is that if they choose not to match, then they receive nothing in return from the team acquiring the player.
Which Other Players Might Be Tagged Ahead of the Deadline?
Every offseason, there are a number of potential franchise tag candidates, but this year there are 14 that stand out from the crowd. Here is the list of players that are expected to be in consideration for the franchise tag if they don’t sign a long-term deal before that:
- Lamar Jackson, QB | Baltimore Ravens
- Tremaine Edmunds, LB | Buffalo Bills
- Jordan Poyer, S | Buffalo Bills
- Jessie Bates III, S | Cincinnati Bengals
- Tony Pollard, RB | Dallas Cowboys
- Dalton Schultz, TE | Dallas Cowboys
- Evan Engram, TE | Jacksonville Jaguars
- Orlando Brown, OT | Kansas City Chiefs
- Josh Jacobs, RB | Las Vegas Raiders
- Daniel Jones, QB | New York Giants
- Saquon Barkley, RB | New York Giants
- Geno Smith, QB | Seattle Seahawks
- Jamel Dean, CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Daron Payne, DT | Washington Commanders
