NFL franchise tag deadline 2023: How many franchise tags can a team use?

The NFL is in its offseason, and with this time comes many unique storylines. The topic ahead of us concerns the franchise tag and what it entails.

First, the deadline for franchise tagging a player this season is March 7. After that date, all out-of-contract players could either be resigned or released, and there's no in-between. Teams are allowed to tag their chosen player starting from February 21, 2023, until the deadline of March 7, 2023.

How many franchise tags can a team use?

Each team can only use one tag per season, which is better used on a worthy player. You can probably remember when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit Chris Godwin with multiple tags before signing him to a fair deal last season, and this year, a few more illustrious names might get the tag. Some prime candidates include Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants.

Teams can use the "exclusive or non-exclusive franchise tag." The exclusive tag means that opposing teams cannot negotiate with the tagged player, while the nonexclusive one means opposing teams can. If an opposing team succeeds in the negotiation, they must pay the tagging team two first-round picks in return for the player.

Franchise Tag salaries per position

Here are the salaries that each tagged player will earn based on his position.

• Quarterback: $32,416,000.
• Running Back: $10,091,000.
• Wide Receiver: $19,743,000.
• Tight End: $11,345,000.
• Offensive Line: $18,244,000.
• Defensive End: $19,727,000.
• Defensive Tackle: $18,937,000.
• Linebacker: $20,926,000.
• Cornerback: $18,140,000.
• Safety: $14,460,000.
• Kicker/punter: $5,393,000.

Which NFL players are likely to be tagged ahead of the deadline?

The players likely to earn the franchise tag for the upcoming season include but aren't limited to:

• Lamar Jackson, Quarterback | Baltimore Ravens
• Tremaine Edmunds, Linebacker | Buffalo Bills
• Jordan Poyer, Safety | Buffalo Bills
• Jessie Bates III, Safety | Cincinnati Bengals
• Tony Pollard, Running Back | Dallas Cowboys
• Dalton Schultz, Tight End | Dallas Cowboys
• Evan Engram, Tight End | Jacksonville Jaguars
• Orlando Brown, Offensive Tackle | Kansas City Chiefs
• Josh Jacobs, Running Back | Las Vegas Raiders
• Daniel Jones, Quarterback | New York Giants
• Saquon Barkley, Running Back | New York Giants
• Geno Smith, Quarterback | Seattle Seahawks
• Jamel Dean, Cornerback | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Daron Payne, Defensive Tackle | Washington Commanders

The New York Giants have two players on the list above because both are key to their future success, and both contracts are set to expire. The Giants have a conundrum, as they could either pay Saquon Barkley or tag him for the season. The same applies to Daniel Jones, who proved his preseason doubters wrong.