NFL NationFeb 16, 2026, 06:00 AM ET
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The two-week NFL franchise tag window opens Tuesday and runs until 4 p.m. ET on March 3. During that time frame, each team is allowed to tag one player who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Doing so would keep the player with the team for the 2026 season, but the price tag isn't cheap.
Franchise tag figures are based on the top five annual salaries at each position, and the price goes up each time a player gets tagged. Teams must determine whether it's in their best interest to pay the franchise tag price, extend the player or possibly tag him and continue negotiating a long-term deal. Last year, only two players were tagged: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith.
Here is a look at each NFL team that has a player who might receive the franchise tag this offseason:
Jump to a team:
ATL | CIN | DAL | IND | JAX
LAC | NYG | NYJ | SF | SEA
Atlanta Falcons
TE Kyle Pitts Sr.
After three subpar seasons, Pitts, the 2021 No. 4 pick, was largely considered a bust. But in 2025, when healthy, he established himself as one of the best tight ends in the league. Now he is heading into potential free agency following his best season since his record-breaking 2021 rookie campaign.
In Year 5, he finished second among tight ends in receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) and had a career-high five touchdown catches.
When wide receiver Drake London went down with a knee injury late in the season, Pitts was the Falcons' most potent weapon through the air. Against the Buccaneers in December, Pitts had 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first tight end to reach at least 150 yards with three touchdowns in a game since Shannon Sharpe in 1996.
The Falcons might want to tag him and see what he does in 2026 to determine whether they want to give him a big contract to retain him. -- Marc Raimondi
Cincinnati Bengals
There are a few reasons why this isn't a viable option.
For starters, Hendrickson would make $30.2 million on the franchise tag based off salary for last season. As soon as the tag is placed on Hendrickson, he can accept it immediately and lock in that amount as fully guaranteed. With Hendrickson turning 32 next season and coming off an injury-shortened 2025, that could be more guaranteed money than he would receive on the open market.
Hendrickson, who joined the team in 2021, will go down as the best free agent signing in Bengals history and perhaps the best across the league this decade. He was an All-Pro selection in 2024 after leading the league in sacks and is a four-time Pro Bowler.
Cincinnati could opt to use that cap space to retool many pieces of its defense instead of investing in one player. -- Ben Baby
Dallas Cowboys
When the Cowboys acquired Pickens from the Steelers last offseason, the idea was to have a long-term future with the wide receiver. After he put up career highs in catches (92), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) and filled the No. 1 receiver role while CeeDee Lamb dealt with an ankle injury and concussion, that remains the case.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, coach Brian Schottenheimer and owner/general manager Jerry Jones have also said they want Pickens to return. Pickens has stated he would like to remain in Dallas. But to get to a long-term deal, the franchise tag is the first vehicle to do so. At the very least, it guarantees Pickens will be a Cowboy through 2026, although it opens up the possibility of him not taking part in the offseason program, minicamp and/or training camp.
The most recent player to be tagged for the first time by the Cowboys before agreeing to a long-term agreement in the same window was Dez Bryant in 2015. -- Todd Archer
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Why Pickens should push for long-term deal rather than franchise tag
Jason McCourty and Jeff Saturday agree George Pickens should push to sign a long-term deal instead of settling for a franchise tag from the Cowboys.
Indianapolis Colts
QB Daniel Jones, WR Alec Pierce
The franchise tag salaries are likely more than either player will earn annually on a long-term contract, but the Colts could conceivably use the designation as a safeguard against losing one of them in free agency.
The Colts have used the tag once since 2013, on WR Michael Pittman Jr. in 2024. He signed a long-term deal two weeks later, a scenario that could repeat itself in 2026.
Here, both players have indicated their desire to return. In the case of Jones, the team has suggested his return is a foregone conclusion despite his rehab from a torn Achilles.
Pierce's situation is more fluid, as the Colts already have significant capital invested in Pittman and have not historically spent a ton of money at receiver. Pierce, who eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in 2025 and is one of the league's most dangerous deep threats, is expected to have a very robust market if he makes it to free agency. -- Stephen Holder
Jacksonville Jaguars
LB Devin Lloyd, RB Travis Etienne Jr.
Lloyd is coming off the best year of his career (five interceptions, a fumble recovery, 10 QB hits, 1.5 sacks) and was a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler, but the Jaguars aren't likely to tag Lloyd. The linebacker tag is projected to be $28.2 million, per OverTheCap.com, which is a large number for a non-pass-rushing linebacker who had an up-and-down first three years. Remember, the team declined to pick up his fifth-year option last spring because of that.
It's a similar situation with Etienne in regard to the projected tag number ($14.5 million). Etienne did post 1,399 scrimmage yards and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns, but his production on the ground tailed at the end of the season. He averaged 3.2 yards per carry in the final six games, a significant drop-off from the 4.8 yards per carry he averaged in the first 11 games.
The 2025 class of free agent backs is loaded -- including Rachaad White, who played for coach Liam Coen in Tampa Bay -- so the Jaguars could sign one for less than $14 million annually. The Jaguars also could view Bhayshul Tuten, a 2025 fourth-round pick, as their No. 1 back. -- Michael DiRocco
Los Angeles Chargers
OLB Odafe Oweh
When the Chargers traded for Oweh in October, he was a struggling edge rusher with zero sacks through five games, looking like a player who had failed to live up to the potential that made him a first-round pick by Baltimore in 2021.
That quickly changed in L.A. Oweh finished with 7.5 sacks in 12 games with the Chargers and closed the season by setting a franchise playoff record with three sacks and two forced fumbles in the Chargers' playoff loss to the Patriots.
At 27, Oweh appears to be one of the league's most promising edge rushers, but the projected tag number of $27.8 million could be too steep for the GM Joe Hortiz if the sides can't agree to a deal at a lower figure. -- Kris Rhim
New York Giants
RT Jermaine Eluemunor, CB Cor'Dale Flott, WR Wan'Dale Robinson
The Giants have three significant free agents in right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, cornerback Cor'Dale Flott and wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. All three play premium positions. The franchise numbers for those positions just make it impossible to consider them significant possibilities.
Consider that wide receiver and offensive tackle are projected to be north of $25 million and cornerback isn't too far off at over $20 million. That's too steep for Eluemunor, Robinson and Flott.
Eluemunor was a reliable right tackle playing the sixth-most snaps (1,018) at the position in 2025, Robinson was the team's best receiver, having topped 1,000 yards despite playing mostly out of the slot, and Flott was the Giants' best cover corner, finishing eighth in the NFL with a targeted EPA of -12.7.
New York is expected to have interest in bringing all three back. Just not in the franchise tag range. -- Jordan Raanan
New York Jets
RB Breece Hall
Hall was a trade candidate at the midseason deadline, so this shows how quickly things change in the NFL. He is entering his age-25 season and coming off a career-high 1,065 rushing yards. If he hits the open market, he will attract significant interest. He might be the No. 1 free agent among running backs.
A franchise tag will be pricey (projected $14.5 million), but he and WR Garrett Wilson are the only two proven playmakers on offense. Hall is looking at a long-term deal in the range of $11 million to $13 million per year, meaning he could crack the top five at his position. The transition tag at $11.7 million is a possibility, too. -- Rich Cimini
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers would prefer not to use the tag on a kicker -- especially at a price tag of $6 million to $7 million -- but Piñeiro was an instant fix for one of their biggest problems in 2025.
After releasing kicker Jake Moody and signing Piñeiro as a free agent in Week 2, he made 28 of 29 field goals with the lone miss a 64-yarder that hit the crossbar. Extra points were more of an adventure as Piñeiro went 34-of-38.
But the Niners would like to keep Piñeiro around rather than having to conduct another kicker search, so if a long-term deal can't be worked out, the tag is at least a possibility. -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
If the Seahawks re-sign the Super Bowl LX MVP, it will likely be on a multiyear deal. They've used the franchise tag twice in 16 seasons under GM John Schneider -- once on a kicker (Olindo Mare) and another time on a linebacker (Frank Clark) who they then traded.
Schneider doesn't like to use it, and history -- as well as the projected $14.5 million price tag for running backs -- suggests he won't this year. But we'll at least account for the possibility.
Zach Charbonnet's ACL tear in the playoffs means that one half of Seattle's rushing attack likely won't be back until the second half of next season. Walker's strong finish to 2025 gives the Seahawks even more incentive to re-sign him, but it undoubtedly made it more expensive to do so. -- Brady Henderson
