In the National Football League, the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has access each year to only one franchise tag (of either the exclusive or non-exclusive forms) or one transition tag. As a result, each team may only designate one player each year as that team's franchise player. Usually reserved for players of great skill or of high importance to the team, a franchise tag allows a team's manager the privilege of strategically retaining valuable free-agent players while seeking talent through the NFL draft or other acquisitions without exceeding the League's salary cap. If the designated franchise player elects to play for the team that designated him with the franchise tag, and does not negotiate a contract with another team his one year salary is guaranteed. If a club withdraws their offered contract the player immediately reverts to an unrestricted free agent. [edit] Types of franchise tags There are two types of franchise tag designations: the exclusive rights franchise tag, and non-exclusive rights franchise tag: - An "exclusive" franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player's position as of a date in April of the current year in which the tag will apply, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is greater. Exclusive franchise players cannot negotiate with other teams.
- A "non-exclusive" franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player's position in the previous year, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is greater. A non-exclusive franchise player may negotiate with other NFL teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another team, the original team has a right to match the terms of that offer, or if it does not match the offer and thus loses the player, is entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.
[edit] 2009 franchise-tagged players [edit] 2009 non-exclusive franchise player costs by position | Position | Cost | | Quarterback | $14,651,000 | | Offensive Linemen (includes Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Center) | $8,451,000 | | Wide Receiver | $9,884,000 | | Running Back (includes all Fullbacks and Halfbacks) | $6,621,000 | | Tight end | $4,462,000 | | Defensive End | $8,991,000 | | Defensive Tackle | $6,058,000 | | Linebacker | $8,304,000 | | Cornerback | $9,957,000 | | Safety | $6,342,000 | | Kicker or Punter | $2,483,000 | [edit] 2008 franchise-tagged players [edit] 2008 non-exclusive franchise player costs by position | Position | Cost | | Quarterback | $10,730,000 | | Offensive Linemen (includes Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Center) | $7,455,000 | | Wide Receiver | $7,848,000 | | Running Back (includes all Fullbacks and Halfbacks) | $6,538,000 | | Tight end | $4,522,000 | | Defensive End | $8,879,000 | | Defensive Tackle | $6,363,000 | | Linebacker | $8,065,000 | | Cornerback | $9,465,000 | | Safety | $4,396,000 | | Kicker or Punter | $2,514,000 | [edit] 2007 franchise-tagged players [edit] 2007 non-exclusive franchise player costs by position | Position | Cost | | Quarterback | $12,789,000 | | Offensive Linemen (includes Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Center) | $6,983,000 | | Wide Receiver | $6,172,000 | | Running Back (includes all Fullbacks and Halfbacks) | $6,085,000 | | Tight end | $3,327,000 | | Defensive End | $8,332,000 | | Defensive Tackle | $5,656,000 | | Linebacker | $7,169,000 | | Cornerback | $5,893,000 | | Safety | $4,109,000 | | Kicker or Punter | $2,468,000 | |