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Every NFL off-season begins with the franchise-tagging period. The franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met, and they get paid the average top-five salary of their position. Each team has one franchise tag. This off-season, the franchise tag window began on March 22nd. The NFL franchise-tag deadline expired at 4 PM ET on Tuesday, March 8th. Here are a few teams that already tagged their players.
The franchise tag gives a July 15th deadline to hammer out a new deal with the player. If an agreement isn't reached by then, the player will play the season on a franchise tag salary until the window opens again to negotiate a long-term deal the following offseason when they're a free agent, if not tagged again.
So far, six players have been franchise tagged as of 10:30 AM ET, and a few more could get the tag before 4 PM deadline. Of the six players tagged, five have been offensive players, including three tight-ends, with just one player on defense being tagged. While the expectation is for most of them to hammer out a long-term deal before the July 15th deadline, the players who haven't reached that will play the season on their one-year franchise-tagged salary.
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Six players have been franchise tagged thus far before the 4 PM deadline
#1 - Chiefs tag OL Orlando Brown Jr.
Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs traded their 2021 first-round pick (No. 31 overall), a third-rounder (94), a fourth-round pick (136), and a 2022 fifth-round selection in exchange for Brown and a 2021 second-round pick (No. 58) and a 2022 sixth-round pick. Brown had another impressive season, earning his third Pro Bowl honor in his first season with the Chiefs. After giving up so many future picks, the Chiefs wouldn't let Brown hit the open market. Brown will make $16.7 million on the tag.
#2 - Bengals tag S Jessie Bates
Bates was another candidate to be tagged this off-season. Bates will make roughly $13 million this season if he plays on the tag. Bates has 406 tackles, ten interceptions, 35 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in his four-year career.
"Over the past year, we’ve tried to extend his contract here in Cincinnati, and while that hasn’t come to pass, we want him here for 2022 to be a part of what we think should be an exciting football season and bright future for our organization," said executive vice president Katie Blackburn.
#3 - Browns tag TE David Njoku
The Browns franchise-tagged TE David Njoku, and he would make $10.9 million fully guaranteed under the tag. The Browns will now be paying $20.4 million this season on their top-two TEs as Austin Hooper will account for $9.5 million this season.
#4 - Dolphins tag TE Mike Gesicki
Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki received the franchise tag this morning. This could become problematic as Gesicki wants and thinks he should be tagged as a receiver where he would make more money.
#5 - Cowboys tag TE Dalton Schultz
The Cowboys elected to franchise-tag TE Dalton Schultz just over an hour ago. Schultz had his most productive season last year with 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. Like Njoku and Gesicki, Schultz is set to cash in $10.9 million, unless a long-term deal is reached.
#6 - Bucs franchise tag WR Chris Godwin for a second-straight season
Bucs WR Chris Godwin will be playing a second-straight season on the franchise tag. After the Bucs couldn't come to a long-term deal last off-season with Godwin, they tagged him with hopes of coming to a long-term deal. Unfortunately for Godwin, he tore his ACL late into the season which affected the Bucs' plans of reaching a long-term deal. It makes sense that he was tagged this off-season due to his ACL injury, but the Bucs could still come to a long-term deal with him.
