The NFL’s franchise tag deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Who will receive it this year? What will that mean for the free agent market? Here’s everything you need to know.Which players have received the franchise tag?Kansas City Chiefs OL Trey SmithCincinnati Bengals WR Tee HigginsThe Dallas Cowboys, meanwhile, reportedly intend to franchise defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa if the two sides can’t work out a long-term deal before Tuesday’s deadline.What is the NFL franchise tag?The franchise tag is a designation NFL teams may use to retain one player set to be an unrestricted free agent and sign them to a set contract for another year. There are exclusive and non-exclusive tags, as well as transition tags.Exclusive tags mean the contract must be no less than either the average of the top five salaries at that player’s position or 120% of the player’s salary the previous season, whichever is greater. It also means the player is not allowed to negotiate with other teams and may not sign with another team should they reject the offer.Non-exclusive tags mean the contract must be no less than either the average of the top five cap hits at that player’s position or 120% of the player’s salary the previous season, whichever is greater. Unlike the exclusive tag, however, the player is allowed to negotiate with other teams, and if he receives an offer, his current team has the chance to match. If the team chooses not to match, it’s entitled to receive draft compensation equivalent to two first-round draft picks from the signing team.Transition tags are another designation NFL teams may use to retain one player set to be an unrestricted free agent and sign him to a set contract for another year. The contract must be no less than the average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position, and there is no guaranteed compensation. Also, players are allowed to negotiate with other teams.What are the NFL franchise tag positional values for 2024?Quarterback: $40.242 millionRunning back: $13.64 millionWide receiver: $23.959 millionTight end: $13.826 millionOffensive line: $23.4 millionDefensive end: $22.0625 millionDefensive tackle: $25.12 millionLinebacker: $25.45 millionCornerback: $20.187 millionSafety: $18.601 millionPunter/kicker: $6.313 millionLive8 updatesMon, March 3, 2025 at 12:34 PM MSTBREAKING: Bengals are tagging WR Tee HigginsThe #Bengals have, in fact, franchise tagged WR Tee Higgins a second time, per @teehiggins5.No surprise, as Cincy is not in the business of letting good players walk away. They’ll hope to do a long-term deal after the more than $26M tag. pic.twitter.com/XW56WgiW6a— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 3, 2025Mon, March 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM MSTEagles releasing CB Darius Slay: ReportThe Eagles are releasing cornerback Darius Slay, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.Slay, 34, played five seasons with Philadelphia after being acquired from the Lions. He has said that he plans to retire after the 2025 season.Eagles are releasing six-time Pro-Bowl CB Darius Slay, per sources.If he is designated a post-June 1 release, the Eagles will save $4.3 million against the cap. pic.twitter.com/tUq4ScIK79— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2025Last season, Slay had no interceptions for the first time since his rookie year. He started 14 games, totaling 49 tackles with three tackles for loss, 14 pass break-ups and one forced fumble.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 10:16 AM MSTSean McVay says trading Cooper Kupp is the “hardest decision” he’s had to make as a coachWhen speaking with reporters on Monday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay addressed one of the elephants in the room: receiver Cooper Kupp, who the team is looking to trade.Last month, Kupp, who has spent his entire NFL career with the Rams, announced that the team was looking to “immediately” trade him. “I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA,” Kupp wrote as part of a statement thanking Rams fans.McVay told reporters on Monday that deciding to trade Kupp was the “hardest decision” he’s made as a head coach.”We just felt like that was the best direction for our football team … in terms of putting together the whole puzzle. There’s obviously a lot of layers to that,” McVay said.Sean McVay on Rams making Cooper Kupp available via trade: “We just felt like that was the best direction for our football team … in terms of putting together the whole puzzle. There’s obviously a lot of layers to that.”— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) March 3, 2025As for whether McVay will bring Kupp back if the Rams can’t find someone to trade him to: “I would never speak in absolutes,” McVay told reporters.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 9:53 AM MSTMatthew Stafford will stay with Rams under adjusted version of current deal, per Sean McVayMatthew Stafford is staying with the Los Angeles Rams for the near future, with the team announcing Friday that the veteran QB sticking around on a restructured deal. Although the terms of the deal were unknown at the time, Rams head coach Sean McVay provided a few more details during a press conference on Monday.McVay told reporters that Stafford’s restructured deal would be part of his existing extension, which he signed in 2022. Stafford’s current deal runs through 2026, holding salary cap hits of $49.7 million and $53.7 million, respectively, over the next two seasons; most likely, those amounts are what the team will work to adjust.The Rams coach added that he expects to have a similar conversation with Stafford next season, but that it hopefully won’t take as long.Sean McVay: Rams will adjust Matthew Stafford’s financial terms under existing extension – operating on a year-to-year basis. He expects this conversation again next year (reiterating he wants Stafford as long as Stafford wants to play). He hopes it takes even less time in 2026.— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) March 3, 2025McVay told reporters that he’d “been sleeping better these last couple of days” since Stafford agreed to stay.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 9:48 AM MSTPackers, LB Isaiah McDuffie agree to 2-year, $8 million deal: ReportLinebacker Isaiah McDuffie and the Packers have agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.McDuffie, 25, played all 17 games last season for Green Bay and compiled 97 tackles, three tackles for loss, three passes defensed and one forced fumble. The Packers’ 2021 sixth-round pic, he’s averaged 62 tackles in his four NFL seasons.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 9:18 AM MSTRonnie Stanley top OT in free agency; no deal with Ravens reportedly imminentRonnie Stanley is the top offensive tackle available in free agency and teams looking for a left tackle don’t have many other options with Alaric Jackson re-signing with the Rams.That could make it more difficult for the Ravens to bring Stanley back, though the team views it as a priority. No agreement reportedly appears to be close, however.Stanley, who turns 31 on March 18, started all 17 games for Baltimore last season. He allowed two sacks in 575 pass block snaps (1089 total), according to Pro Football Focus. He is rated as the No. 5 free agent available by Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab.Placing a franchise tag on Stanley if a long-term contract isn’t negotiated is an option. But the Ravens are projected to be $10.4 million under the salary cap, according to Spotrac, while a franchise tag would guarantee Stanley a one-year salary of $25.2 million.The NFL’s highest-paid offensive tackle is Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs at an annual salary of $28.1 million as part of a five-year, $141 million extension he signed before last season. Detroit’s Penei Sewell is next at $28 million per season. He signed a four-year, $112 million deal last spring.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM MSTCowboys, LB Micah Parsons begin extension talksStar linebacker Micah Parsons is signed for one more season after the Cowboys picked up his fifth-year option for $21.32 million. But the team wants to sign him to a long-term contract extension before he can become a free agent.That process reportedly began this week at the NFL scouting combine with Dallas starting “general” contract talks with Parsons this week, the Dallas Morning News reported.Where could contract negotiations begin? Nick Bosa is the NFL’s highest-paid pass rusher, signing a five-year, $170 million deal in 2023, giving him an average annual salary of $34 million. He had nine sacks and 55 tackles in 14 games last season. Parsons registered 12 sacks and 44 tackles, limited to 13 games by an ankle injury.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 5:59 AM MSTNFL Top 25 free agentsAs the opening of the NFL free agency “tampering” period opens on March 10, who are the top players available to be signed? Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab assembled a list of the top 25 free agents on the open market.It’s not a great crop for teams that need a quarterback, but that will likely make Sam Darnold a man in demand.”It didn’t end on a high note, but Darnold was excellent for most of the 2024 season. And there’s a lot of desperation at quarterback around the NFL. The case for Darnold is his draft pedigree and the results he showed when he was finally in a good situation. The case against him is it’s a small sample of success and the final two games were ugly. He’ll get paid, and it’ll come with risk.”Teams in need of pass rushers, interior defensive linemen and offensive lineman will find plenty of options.Who is the No. 1 player on the market? View the complete list of top 25 free agents here.
NFL free agency, franchise tag tracker: Bengals are in fact tagging WR Tee Higgins
The NFL’s franchise tag deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Who will receive it this year? What will that mean for the free agent market? Here’s everything you need to know.Which players have received the franchise tag?Kansas City Chiefs OL Trey SmithCincinnati Bengals WR Tee HigginsThe Dallas Cowboys, meanwhile, reportedly intend to franchise defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa if the two sides can’t work out a long-term deal before Tuesday’s deadline.What is the NFL franchise tag?The franchise tag is a designation NFL teams may use to retain one player set to be an unrestricted free agent and sign them to a set contract for another year. There are exclusive and non-exclusive tags, as well as transition tags.Exclusive tags mean the contract must be no less than either the average of the top five salaries at that player’s position or 120% of the player’s salary the previous season, whichever is greater. It also means the player is not allowed to negotiate with other teams and may not sign with another team should they reject the offer.Non-exclusive tags mean the contract must be no less than either the average of the top five cap hits at that player’s position or 120% of the player’s salary the previous season, whichever is greater. Unlike the exclusive tag, however, the player is allowed to negotiate with other teams, and if he receives an offer, his current team has the chance to match. If the team chooses not to match, it’s entitled to receive draft compensation equivalent to two first-round draft picks from the signing team.Transition tags are another designation NFL teams may use to retain one player set to be an unrestricted free agent and sign him to a set contract for another year. The contract must be no less than the average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position, and there is no guaranteed compensation. Also, players are allowed to negotiate with other teams.What are the NFL franchise tag positional values for 2024?Quarterback: $40.242 millionRunning back: $13.64 millionWide receiver: $23.959 millionTight end: $13.826 millionOffensive line: $23.4 millionDefensive end: $22.0625 millionDefensive tackle: $25.12 millionLinebacker: $25.45 millionCornerback: $20.187 millionSafety: $18.601 millionPunter/kicker: $6.313 millionLive8 updatesMon, March 3, 2025 at 12:34 PM MSTBREAKING: Bengals are tagging WR Tee HigginsThe #Bengals have, in fact, franchise tagged WR Tee Higgins a second time, per @teehiggins5.No surprise, as Cincy is not in the business of letting good players walk away. They’ll hope to do a long-term deal after the more than $26M tag. pic.twitter.com/XW56WgiW6a— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 3, 2025Mon, March 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM MSTEagles releasing CB Darius Slay: ReportThe Eagles are releasing cornerback Darius Slay, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.Slay, 34, played five seasons with Philadelphia after being acquired from the Lions. He has said that he plans to retire after the 2025 season.Eagles are releasing six-time Pro-Bowl CB Darius Slay, per sources.If he is designated a post-June 1 release, the Eagles will save $4.3 million against the cap. pic.twitter.com/tUq4ScIK79— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2025Last season, Slay had no interceptions for the first time since his rookie year. He started 14 games, totaling 49 tackles with three tackles for loss, 14 pass break-ups and one forced fumble.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 10:16 AM MSTSean McVay says trading Cooper Kupp is the “hardest decision” he’s had to make as a coachWhen speaking with reporters on Monday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay addressed one of the elephants in the room: receiver Cooper Kupp, who the team is looking to trade.Last month, Kupp, who has spent his entire NFL career with the Rams, announced that the team was looking to “immediately” trade him. “I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA,” Kupp wrote as part of a statement thanking Rams fans.McVay told reporters on Monday that deciding to trade Kupp was the “hardest decision” he’s made as a head coach.”We just felt like that was the best direction for our football team … in terms of putting together the whole puzzle. There’s obviously a lot of layers to that,” McVay said.Sean McVay on Rams making Cooper Kupp available via trade: “We just felt like that was the best direction for our football team … in terms of putting together the whole puzzle. There’s obviously a lot of layers to that.”— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) March 3, 2025As for whether McVay will bring Kupp back if the Rams can’t find someone to trade him to: “I would never speak in absolutes,” McVay told reporters.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 9:53 AM MSTMatthew Stafford will stay with Rams under adjusted version of current deal, per Sean McVayMatthew Stafford is staying with the Los Angeles Rams for the near future, with the team announcing Friday that the veteran QB sticking around on a restructured deal. Although the terms of the deal were unknown at the time, Rams head coach Sean McVay provided a few more details during a press conference on Monday.McVay told reporters that Stafford’s restructured deal would be part of his existing extension, which he signed in 2022. Stafford’s current deal runs through 2026, holding salary cap hits of $49.7 million and $53.7 million, respectively, over the next two seasons; most likely, those amounts are what the team will work to adjust.The Rams coach added that he expects to have a similar conversation with Stafford next season, but that it hopefully won’t take as long.Sean McVay: Rams will adjust Matthew Stafford’s financial terms under existing extension – operating on a year-to-year basis. He expects this conversation again next year (reiterating he wants Stafford as long as Stafford wants to play). He hopes it takes even less time in 2026.— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) March 3, 2025McVay told reporters that he’d “been sleeping better these last couple of days” since Stafford agreed to stay.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 9:48 AM MSTPackers, LB Isaiah McDuffie agree to 2-year, $8 million deal: ReportLinebacker Isaiah McDuffie and the Packers have agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.McDuffie, 25, played all 17 games last season for Green Bay and compiled 97 tackles, three tackles for loss, three passes defensed and one forced fumble. The Packers’ 2021 sixth-round pic, he’s averaged 62 tackles in his four NFL seasons.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 9:18 AM MSTRonnie Stanley top OT in free agency; no deal with Ravens reportedly imminentRonnie Stanley is the top offensive tackle available in free agency and teams looking for a left tackle don’t have many other options with Alaric Jackson re-signing with the Rams.That could make it more difficult for the Ravens to bring Stanley back, though the team views it as a priority. No agreement reportedly appears to be close, however.Stanley, who turns 31 on March 18, started all 17 games for Baltimore last season. He allowed two sacks in 575 pass block snaps (1089 total), according to Pro Football Focus. He is rated as the No. 5 free agent available by Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab.Placing a franchise tag on Stanley if a long-term contract isn’t negotiated is an option. But the Ravens are projected to be $10.4 million under the salary cap, according to Spotrac, while a franchise tag would guarantee Stanley a one-year salary of $25.2 million.The NFL’s highest-paid offensive tackle is Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs at an annual salary of $28.1 million as part of a five-year, $141 million extension he signed before last season. Detroit’s Penei Sewell is next at $28 million per season. He signed a four-year, $112 million deal last spring.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM MSTCowboys, LB Micah Parsons begin extension talksStar linebacker Micah Parsons is signed for one more season after the Cowboys picked up his fifth-year option for $21.32 million. But the team wants to sign him to a long-term contract extension before he can become a free agent.That process reportedly began this week at the NFL scouting combine with Dallas starting “general” contract talks with Parsons this week, the Dallas Morning News reported.Where could contract negotiations begin? Nick Bosa is the NFL’s highest-paid pass rusher, signing a five-year, $170 million deal in 2023, giving him an average annual salary of $34 million. He had nine sacks and 55 tackles in 14 games last season. Parsons registered 12 sacks and 44 tackles, limited to 13 games by an ankle injury.Mon, March 3, 2025 at 5:59 AM MSTNFL Top 25 free agentsAs the opening of the NFL free agency “tampering” period opens on March 10, who are the top players available to be signed? Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab assembled a list of the top 25 free agents on the open market.It’s not a great crop for teams that need a quarterback, but that will likely make Sam Darnold a man in demand.”It didn’t end on a high note, but Darnold was excellent for most of the 2024 season. And there’s a lot of desperation at quarterback around the NFL. The case for Darnold is his draft pedigree and the results he showed when he was finally in a good situation. The case against him is it’s a small sample of success and the final two games were ugly. He’ll get paid, and it’ll come with risk.”Teams in need of pass rushers, interior defensive linemen and offensive lineman will find plenty of options.Who is the No. 1 player on the market? View the complete list of top 25 free agents here.