The NFL’s franchise tag window officially opened on Tuesday morning, allowing teams to designate their own pending free agents with either a franchise or transition designation. Clubs have until March 3 to apply said tags, allowing them to secure a key part of their roster for 2026—while ultimately buying time to negotiate a long-term extension.
Last offseason, only two players—Chiefs guard Trey Smith and Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins—were tagged, and while there are a handful of realistic candidates who could be tagged in 2026, one who fits the bill may not ultimately receive the designation.
