The NFL offseason officially started around 11 p.m. EST on February 12 when the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their Super Bowl 57 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, nine days later, teams can officially begin taking the first step in realizing their 2023 rosters.
February 21 marks the first day in a two-week window for teams to designate their franchise or transition tag players. Those labels effectively tie a pending free agent to the team for which they played the previous season to different degrees.
An exclusive franchise tag locks that player down for one year at a cost equaling the top five salaries at his position or 120 percent of his prior year salary — whichever is higher. A non-exclusive franchise tag allows that player to negotiate a contract with other teams, though the original team retains the right to match any outside offer.
If they decide not to match, the team doing the signing is compelled to send two first round draft picks to the first team — a steep cost that rarely comes up. The non-exclusive tag comes at a cost equaling the top five cap hits at his position or 120 percent of his prior year salary — whichever is higher.
These are 2023’s exclusive franchise tag rates by position:
- QB: $32.4 million
- RB: $10.1 million
- WR: $19.7 million
- TE: $11.3 million
- OL: $18.2 million
- DT: $18.9 million
- DE: $19.7 million
- LB: $20.9 million
- CB: $18.1 million
- S: $14.5 million
- Special teams: $5.4 million
The transition tag pays a player the average of the top 10 salaries at his position. It’s a non-exclusive tender that allows for free agents to negotiate elsewhere and original teams the right to match any deal. Unlike the franchise tag, there’s no guaranteed compensation if a team declines to match an outside offer. It’s generally used sparingly in comparison to the more popular franchise tag.
These are the projected values for 2023’s transition tag:
- QB: $30.4 million
- RB: $8.9 million
- WR: $18.0 million
- TE: $9.9 million
- OL: $17.5 million
- DT: $14.2 million
- DE: $17.5 million
- LB: $15.6 million
- CB: $15.6 million
- S: $12.8 million
- Special teams: $5.0 million
In short, these tags are a way to keep high profile free agents off the market and create extra space to work out a long-term contract — or lock them into a single, well-compensated year. It can be the precursor to big news or a tool used to alienate players looking for larger guarantees. So who are the top candidates to be tagged in 2023?
1
QB Lamar Jackson
2022 Team: Ravens
Age: 26
Previous Contract Average Annual Value (AAV): $2,367,913
Jackson would be a coveted addition to the free agent pool, but 26-year-old former MVPs rarely hit the open market. He wants the kind of guaranteed money only Deshaun Watson has gotten in NFL history (which happened after his trade from Houston and after he’d been accused of more than 20 counts of sexual misconduct stemming from what the NFL itself later described as “predatory behavior”).
The Ravens have concerns given his postseason struggles and recent injuries, though they’re also the same team that’s effectively hamstrung him with an XFL depth chart of wide receivers in recent years. Even if Baltimore doesn’t see him as its future, it absolutely knows he’s an asset. The franchise won’t let him walk away in free agency without significant compensation to show for it. A non-exclusive tag would set the price at two first round picks — and an exclusive tag would suggest it’s (rightfully) higher.
2
LT Orlando Brown
2022 Team: Chiefs
Age: 27
Previous AAV: $16,662,000
Tagging Brown for a second-straight year would cost the Chiefs more than $20 million in 2023. That might be an underpay — it would only give the massive blindside protector the fourth-highest average salary among offensive tackles in the NFL.
Brown isn’t quite elite, but he’s a very good left tackle who plays well with Patrick Mahomes. He’s also a perennial Pro Bowler and would easily be the top blocker on the market this offseason. Both he and right tackle Andrew Wylie are free agents this spring, so Kansas City may feel an additional impetus to keep its star lineman and retain some continuity up front.
It would also put pressure on the Chiefs to work out a long-term deal. Tagging Brown for a third straight year in 2024 would cost 144 percent of his 2023 salary.
3
IDL Da’Ron Payne
- 2022 Team: Commanders
- Age: 26
- Previous AAV: $3,604,590
Payne enjoyed a breakthrough season on the final year of his rookie contract. Now he’s poised to cash in.
Payne’s 11.5 sacks in 2022 were more than he’d had in his previous three seasons combined. While that number may not be sustainable, the 320-pound tackle is a bulldozer capable of blowing up run and pass plays with similar aplomb. He occupies blockers up front and shrinks pockets, creating the chaos on which his teammates can feed.
The Commanders haven’t been shy about using the franchise tag in the past. If a massive deal doesn’t land on Payne’s agent’s desk in the next two weeks, expect him to be tagged.
4
S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Jr.
2022 Team: Eagles
Age: 26
Previous AAV: $826,775
The Eagles have a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason. The swarming defense that won them an NFC title stands to lose several veteran contributors to free agency. Javon Hargrave, James Bradberry, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham are all set to hit the open market this spring.
Gardner-Johnson, however, might be the most important name in that group. General manager Howie Roseman plucked him from the Saints’ roster before the 2022 season and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon moved him from cornerback to safety. From there, CJGJ’s star rose — he handled a little bit of everything well for the league’s top passing defense, allowed just a 78.4 passer rating in coverage and tied for the league lead with six interceptions.
Philadelphia doesn’t have much cap space. It has a lot of veterans to consider and a large Jalen Hurts contract extension on the horizon. Roseman will have to be judicious with his spending. But dropping a pile of cash on the 26-year-old Gardner-Johnson may be the prudent move thanks to his versatility — and tagging him will prevent other teams from stealing him away as the signing period looms.
5
RB Saquon Barkley
2022 Team: Giants
Age: 26
Previous AAV: $7,798,688
Wait, hold on, if we’re talking about Saquon we’ve also got to talk about …
6
QB Daniel Jones
2022 Team: Giants
Age: 26
Previous AAV: $6,416,014
So, the Giants have two high profile free agents and can only franchise tag one of them. Both are risky long-term contract candidates. Barkley has been waylaid by injury in two of his five NFL seasons. Jones wasn’t very good before 2022 and even then was a low-impact passer (though some of this was due to a receiving corps made up mostly of well-kept potted plants).
Each was instrumental to New York’s run to the postseason last fall. Fortunately for the Giants, the team has the fourth-most cap space of anyone in 2023 and could fit each of them under this season’s $224.8 million spending limit. This doesn’t have to be a one-or-the-other situation.
But using the franchise tag would mitigate the risk of a backslide or that, in Jones’ case, 2022 was an outlier. It seems likely at least one of these players will earn the non-exclusive tag while general manager Joe Schoen tries to work out a high-value, modest-guarantee deal with both that provides outs for both the franchise and the player after a couple years.
New York has holes to fill elsewhere on its roster. Taking care of its Barkley/Jones situation before free agency begins in earnest would help the club focus its efforts on beefing up its defense and regrettable receiving corps.
7
QB Geno Smith
2022 Team: Seahawks
Age: 33
Previous AAV: $3,500,000
Smith is the AP’s reigning Comeback Player of the Year. This is a little weird, because Smith didn’t return to any performance level of pro football he’d shown in the past — he exceeded it by leaps and bounds.
Last fall was by far the most successful of Smith’s career. Now he’s due for a massive raise after signing a one-year, $3.5 million contract to battle for a starting spot against Drew Lock last offseason. The longtime backup finished 2022 with a top five passer rating and, more importantly, led the Seahawks to the postseason in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year following Russell Wilson’s relocation to Denver.
But Smith’s breakout in his early 30s may not be sustainable. His efficiency dipped over the last half of the season and he threw eight interceptions in his final eight games. Using the franchise tag would allow Seattle to keep Smith in the fold while gathering another year of data to determine whether he’s a long-term solution under Pete Carroll.
8
RB Josh Jacobs
2022 Team: Raiders
Age: 25
Previous AAV: $2,983,350
Jacobs nearly doubled his rushing yardage total in 2022 to lead the league and stamp his claim as a top 20 free agent this spring. This was a surprise for the Raiders — they’d declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract back in April.
That’s going to cost Las Vegas roughly $2 million more in 2023 salary if the team decides to franchise tag him ($10 million vs. the $8 million attached to his voided rookie deal). It may be a worthy investment. The Raiders enter the offseason in search of a stable starting quarterback. They’ve got Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow in tow. Keeping Jacobs around to move the sticks on the ground and keep defenses from flooding the secondary with defensive backs could be a proper selling point for a veteran gunslinger (or Jimmy Garoppolo, whatever).
9
DL Zach Allen
2022 Team: Cardinals
Age: 26
Previous AAV: $1,073,441
The Cardinals have a couple of underrated young defenders who could generate significant interest in free agency. Cornerback Byron Murphy had a down year thanks in part to injury but remains a high-ceiling defensive back with strong, if inconsistent coverage skills.
Allen, on the other hand, had a breakout season playing alongside J.J. Watt in 2022 and could be a treasured pickup for clubs in search of pass-rushing beef up front. The 281-pound 25-year-old had 25 quarterback pressures, 20 QB hits and knocked down eight passes in only 13 games. While that only resulted in 5.5 sacks, those numbers suggest he’s the kind defensive end who sews havoc in pockets and, just as importantly, has made strides against the run.
So while Allen may not be an obvious candidate for a franchise tag he’s certainly a player new head coach Jonathan Gannon won’t want to see leave. If an extension isn’t in the cards, Arizona may leap at the chance to retain negotiating rights by tagging the underrated young pass rusher.
