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NFL Teams Apply Three Franchise Tags and One Transition Tag for 2026 Season

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NFL Tags Conclude for 2026 Season with Historic Low Usage

The National Football League's designated two-week period for applying franchise and transition tags concluded with three players receiving non-exclusive franchise tags and one player receiving a transition tag for the 2026 season. The window for teams to apply these tags opened on Tuesday, February 17, and closed on March 3.

This year's usage marks a decrease compared to historical averages, continuing a trend of fewer tags being utilized. Teams have until July 15 to negotiate long-term contracts with these players; absent an agreement, players will compete under the terms of their respective tags for the upcoming season.

Understanding NFL Tags

The franchise tag mechanism allows NFL teams to retain the rights to one impending unrestricted free agent each year, preventing that player from entering the open market and negotiating with other teams.

The Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag

A non-exclusive franchise tag offers a one-year contract based on the average of the top five salaries at the player's position over the past five seasons, or 120% of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is greater. Teams applying this tag retain the right to match any offer sheet the player receives from another team. If they decline to match, they would receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

The Transition Tag

The transition tag is a less restrictive option. It guarantees the player a one-year contract at the average of the top 10 salaries at their position. Teams utilizing a transition tag maintain the right to match any offer sheet the player signs with another team. However, they do not receive compensatory draft picks if they choose not to match.

2026 Season Tag Applications

For the 2026 NFL season, a total of four players were tagged:

Non-Exclusive Franchise Tags:

  • Breece Hall (Running Back, New York Jets)
  • George Pickens (Wide Receiver, Dallas Cowboys) - The estimated cost for this tag is $28 million.
  • Kyle Pitts (Tight End, Atlanta Falcons) - The estimated cost for this tag is approximately $16 million.

Transition Tag:

  • The Indianapolis Colts placed a transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones.

A Look at Tag Usage History

The application of three franchise tags in 2026 represents the lowest number of tags since 1994, the inaugural year of the franchise tag, when only two players were tagged. This continues a recent trend of reduced usage.

"This year's usage marks a decrease compared to historical averages, continuing a trend of fewer tags being utilized."

In the previous year (2025), only two franchise tags were utilized, applied by the Cincinnati Bengals to wide receiver Tee Higgins and by the Kansas City Chiefs to offensive guard Trey Smith. This marked the lowest number of tags since 2006.

Historically, from 2015 to 2024, the NFL typically saw five or more franchise tags applied annually. The combined total for the 2024 and 2025 offseasons was five players.

The record for franchise tag usage occurred in 2012, when 21 players were tagged. This high number was influenced by the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and a salary cap increase following a lockout.

Tag Deadlines and Strategic Implications

The Negotiation Window

Once a player is designated with a franchise or transition tag, teams have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract extension. If no agreement is reached by this deadline, the player will compete for the entire 2026 season under the terms of the one-year tag contract.

The franchise tag mechanism provides teams with the ability to retain highly-talented players for an additional year without committing to a long-term, market-rate contract. This tool can also influence the overall market rates for other free agents at the same position.

Player Considerations and Team Strategy

Prior to the official tag deadline, several players were considered potential candidates for either the franchise or transition tag, highlighting the strategic thinking involved:

  • Kenneth Walker III (Running Back, Seattle Seahawks): Walker concluded his 2022 second-round contract. A franchise tag for Walker was estimated at $14.1 million for an additional year.
  • Jaelan Phillips (Linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles): The Eagles acquired Phillips from the Miami Dolphins in 2025.
  • Trey Hendrickson (Defensive End, Cincinnati Bengals): The estimated cost for a tag on Hendrickson was $30.1992 million, based on his 2025 cap number.

The decisions by teams regarding whether to apply a tag involve assessing factors such as player performance, market demand for specific positions, and long-term team roster construction and financial planning.