Understanding the NFL Franchise Tag Landscape in 2025
The NFL offseason is renowned for its strategic maneuvers and deliberations, as teams strive to optimize their rosters and salary cap management for future success. Among the most pivotal mechanisms employed is the use of franchise tags, crucial tools with the power to retain top talent or potentially alter team dynamics.
In 2025, NFL teams can exercise these franchise tags during a highly strategic 15-day window from February 18 to March 4. This period is a confluence of strategic positioning and financial planning, a crucial time for teams to secure pivotal players and future success. With these tags come decisions that are as varied as the contracts they affect, underscoring why the NFL offseason is as riveting to follow as the games themselves.
Two Types of Franchise Tags
The franchise tag system comprises two main varieties: exclusive and non-exclusive, each with distinct advantages and strategic implications. The non-exclusive franchise tag is determined by a calculation that considers either 120% of the player's previous salary or the average of the top five salaries at their position—whichever is higher. This tag allows the tagged player to seek offers from other teams, with the original team retaining the right to match any contract proposals. In a league driven by competition, this can lead to tense standoffs and high-stakes negotiations.
On the other hand, the exclusive franchise tag offers a higher calculated salary and prevents the player from negotiating with other teams entirely. This approach could stabilize a team’s plans by eliminating external distractions but comes at a considerable financial cost, potentially absorbing significant cap space.
Additionally, teams can consider the transition tag, calculated using the average of the top ten salaries at the player's position, including a 120% provision. Notably, this tag does not require compensation if the player's current team abstains from matching offers made by other franchises.
Recent Trends and Implications
In recent years, strategic application of franchise tags has varied significantly. In one recent season, seven out of eight players bearing franchise tags successfully secured multiyear agreements, a testament to the tags' operation "more like it was originally intended this year," according to unnamed sources. Such developments reflect broader shifts in NFL strategies, with teams increasingly keen on solidifying longer-term partnerships with key players rather than risking temporary, high-cost solutions.
Between 2021 and 2023, fewer than half of the players tagged managed to negotiate these longer-term deals, illustrating that in the complex landscape of the NFL, outcomes are far from guaranteed. Over the past three seasons, franchise tags were utilized a total of 22 times, highlighting their strategic importance, with an average of seven applications annually.
Salary Cap Projections and Specific Player Implications
For 2025, the NFL salary cap is projected to hover between $265 million and $275 million, further elevating the strategic stakes as teams evaluate their financial logistics. For players such as Sam Darnold and Chris Godwin, these calculations bear significant ramifications.
Sam Darnold, currently on a $10 million one-year "bridge" deal with the Minnesota Vikings, represents a peculiar case. Should the Vikings choose not to apply a franchise tag on Darnold, they face the risk of not receiving a 2026 compensatory draft pick. As one source suggests, "Since Darnold would clearly be the top quarterback available on the open market, using a franchise tag to trade him isn't out of the question." The decision carries the potential to free up a meaningful $65 million in cap space, holding profound implications for the team's financial strategy.
Similarly, for Chris Godwin, repeat tagging may prove fiscally untenable. Due to the increasing calculations from multiple applications, the cost could reach prohibitive levels, forcing teams to reconsider whether to retain valuable players at such significant financial impact.
In another notable example, the Cincinnati Bengals have placed a $21.816 million franchise tag on Tee Higgins, underscoring their intention to retain his talent despite the high costs. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson’s recent transition to the Pittsburgh Steelers following his departure from the Denver Broncos emphasizes the broader culture of personnel shifts and their impact on team dynamics.
The franchise tag, a pivotal element in shaping team rosters and negotiating player contracts, continues to evolve within the bounds of NFL strategy. As teams weigh their options within the framework of salary caps and contract negotiations, the decision to apply or withhold a franchise tag remains a fundamental aspect of maintaining competitive balance and fostering future success. The complex interplay of finances and strategy promises another captivating offseason, rich with possibilities and unforeseen outcomes.