The NFL’s franchise tag window opens on Monday, Feb. 21, giving teams two full weeks to use their tag to prevent a pending free agent from hitting the open market.
That means the wheeling-and-dealing will soon begin as teams figure out who might need to be released plus who can and cannot be retained ahead of free agency opening in March.
For some franchises, the decision is easy. There are some players teams simply can’t fathom letting reach free agency. For others, front offices must balance the high price of the tag, which varies by position. Plus, teams can only use one tag per offseason.
Here’s a look at some of the top candidates to earn the tag, keeping in mind that each offseason includes some surprises just before the deadline.
Lamar Jackson
The Ravens have maintained that they plan to retain Lamar Jackson this offseason. Of course, if Jackson wants to stay, it’s a no-brainer. With contract negotiations still seemingly far apart, the temporary solution this spring will be the franchise tag to keep him off the open market.
If Jackson decides he wants a trade, the Ravens would much rather tag him and explore deals than let him walk for no return. That’s the worst-case scenario for Baltimore after John Harbaugh said he “200 percent” expects Jackson to return in 2023.
MORE: John Harbaugh says ‘200 percent’ chance Lamar Jackson stays with Ravens
Daniel Jones
The Giants find themselves in this situation because they chose to decline Jones’ fifth-year option a year ago. That means their options are inking the 25-year-old quarterback to a long-term deal, using the franchise tag, or letting him walk.
While Jones still has plenty to prove, he had his best season to date under Brian Daboll in 2022 and certainly looks like he’s earned more time in New York. Plus, there aren’t many better alternatives available.
Saquon Barkley
As great of a season as Barkley had, bouncing back from injury-plagued years with 1,312 rushing yards, the Giants face a tough decision here. Their priority might be Jones just because of the importance of the quarterback position, and they may be unwilling to commit a huge amount of money to Barkley due to his injury history.
If the Giants want to retain both Jones and Barkley, they may have to work out a new deal with one of them before free agency. There’s only one franchise tag to go around, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see Barkley test free agency.
Josh Jacobs
The Raiders are also in this situation because they declined Jacobs’ fifth-year option. With a chip on his shoulder, Jacobs erupted for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground as the heart of Las Vegas’ offense.
Running backs don’t have a terrific track record after signing second contracts, but it would be difficult for the Raiders to let Jacobs walk after cutting Derek Carr loose. Entering his age-25 season, the Raiders have every reason to hit Jacobs with the franchise tag if they can’t work out a long-term deal before Mar. 7.
Geno Smith
Seahawks fans expected their team to draft a quarterback when the 2022 season began, but Geno Smith shocked the world and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors while leading Seattle to the playoffs.
Like Jones, he may not be in the upper tier of quarterbacks, but he’s shown more than enough to earn more time with his current team.
The Seahawks have made it clear they plan to re-sign Smith, but if they can’t work out a deal by Mar. 7, the franchise tag will be their ticket to a longer negotiation period.
MORE: Why Geno Smith’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year season shouldn’t have been so surprising
Orlando Brown
Brown has been publicly making the case for a new contract for two years now. He played under the franchise tag in 2022 and earned his money, starting all 17 games and securing a Pro Bowl selection.
Brown was part of a Chiefs offensive line that allowed zero sacks in Super Bowl 57, a gigantic improvement from the line that couldn’t protect Patrick Mahomes in the big game two years ago.
The price on a second franchise tag is higher than the first, but Brown has proven he’s critical to the Chiefs’ success and will likely be retained one way or another.
Tony Pollard
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Cowboys are strongly considering using their franchise tag on Pollard.
The former fourth-round pick saw his season end with a gruesome leg injury, but he was a dynamic piece for Dallas’ offense in 2022 with 5.2 yards per carry and 1,378 scrimmage yards despite a timeshare with Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield.
Whether or not Elliott sticks around, Pollard would be difficult to replace and figures to be a priority for the Cowboys this offseason.
Jessie Bates
Bates, like Brown, was tagged last offseason and held out for part of training camp. The Bengals just haven’t been able to find enough common ground with their standout safety, and it now looks like they won’t be able to retain both Bates and Vonn Bell this offseason.
While the tag will be higher than it was a year ago, it’s possible the Bengals continue to kick the can down the road and use it again.
This is a different offseason for Cincinnati, considering both Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins are now eligible for extensions while Germaine Pratt is a free agent. The Bengals may have to think harder about whether to use the tag on Bates this time around.
