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.

Contents 1 Types of franchise tags 2 2009 franchise-tagged players 3 2009 non-exclusive franchise player costs by position 4 2008 franchise-tagged players 5 2008 non-exclusive franchise player costs by position 6 2007 franchise-tagged players 7 2007 non-exclusive franchise player costs by position

[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

• Arizona Cardinals - Karlos Dansby OLB (Non-exclusive) [1]
• Atlanta Falcons - Michael Koenen P (Non-exclusive) [2]
• Baltimore Ravens - Terrell Suggs OLB (Exclusive) [3]
• Carolina Panthers - Julius Peppers DE (Non-exclusive) [4]
• Cincinnati Bengals - Shayne Graham K (Non-exclusive) [5]
• Houston Texans - Dunta Robinson CB (Non-exclusive) [6]
• New York Giants - Brandon Jacobs RB (Non-exclusive) [7]
• San Diego Chargers - Darren Sproles RB (Non exclusive) [8]
• Seattle Seahawks - Leroy Hill LB (Non-exclusive) (rescinded 4/27/09) [9]
• St. Louis Rams - Oshiomogho Atogwe FS (Non-exclusive) [10]
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant WR (Non-exclusive) [11]
• Tennessee Titans - Bo Scaife TE (Non-exclusive) [12]

[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

• Arizona Cardinals - Karlos Dansby LB (Non-exclusive)[13]
• Baltimore Ravens - Terrell Suggs LB (Non-exclusive)[14]
• Carolina Panthers - Jordan Gross OL (Non-exclusive)[15]
• Cincinnati Bengals - Stacy Andrews OL (Non-exclusive)[16]
• Dallas Cowboys - Ken Hamlin SS (Non-exclusive)[17]
• Green Bay Packers - Corey Williams DT (Non-exclusive)[18]
• Indianapolis Colts - Dallas Clark TE (Non-exclusive)[19]
• Kansas City Chiefs - Jared Allen DE (Non-exclusive)[20]
• Oakland Raiders - Nnamdi Asomugha CB (Exclusive) [21]
• Philadelphia Eagles - L.J. Smith TE (Non-exclusive)[22]
• Seattle Seahawks - Marcus Trufant CB (Non-exclusive)[23]
• Tennessee Titans - Albert Haynesworth DT (Non-exclusive)[24]

[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

• Chicago Bears - Lance Briggs LB (Non-exclusive)
• Cincinnati Bengals - Justin Smith DE (Non-exclusive)
• Detroit Lions - Cory Redding DT (Non-exclusive)
• Indianapolis Colts - Dwight Freeney DE (Exclusive)
• New England Patriots - Asante Samuel CB (Non-exclusive)
• New Orleans Saints - Charles Grant DE (Non-exclusive)
• Seattle Seahawks - Josh Brown PK (Non-exclusive)

[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