What Does the NFL Franchise Tag Mean?
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If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably heard of the NFL franchise tag. But what does it mean? In this blog post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the franchise tag, including how it works and what it means for players and teams.
Introduction
The NFL 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 season, during which he is paid either the average of the top-five salaries at his position, or 120 percent of his salary from the previous season, whichever is greater. A player who receives the franchise tag cannot negotiate with other teams.
What is the franchise tag?
In the NFL, 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 not met.
There are two types of franchise tags: exclusive and non-exclusive. The exclusive tag prevents the player from negotiating with other teams. The non-exclusive tag allows the player to negotiate with other teams, but if he signs an offer sheet with another team, his current team has the right to match the offer and keep him. If the team does not match the offer, it receives two first-round draft picks as compensation.
The franchise tag can be used to keep a star player on a team for an extra year while negotiations for a long-term contract are ongoing. It can also be used as a stopgap measure to keep a good player on a team until a replacement is found or developed. In some cases, it is used as leverage in contract negotiations. For example, a team may threaten to use the franchise tag on a player in order to get him to sign a contract with less favorable terms.
The franchise tag is not without controversy, as some feel it restricts player movement and prevents them from getting fair market value for their services. Others believe it is necessary in order to ensure that teams can retain their best players and prevent them from leaving in free agency.
How does the franchise tag work?
Under the current collective bargaining agreement, each team is allowed to designate one player with the franchise tag each year. The tag binds the player to the team for one season and pays him an average of the top five salaries at his position, or 120 percent of his previous salary—whichever is greater. Players have no say in whether they receive the tag; it’s strictly at the discretion of the team.
For a team to use its franchise tag, it must notify the NFL by 4 p.m. ET on the deadline day (usually in early March). The player then has until July 15 to sign a long-term extension with his team, or he plays under the one-year contract and becomes a free agent again next offseason.
What are the benefits of the franchise tag?
The franchise tag is a designation that a team can apply to a player that allows the team to retain the player’s rights for one year. The tag prevents the player from becoming a free agent and signing with another team. Franchised players must be paid the average of the top five salaries at their position, or 120% of their previous salary, whichever is greater.
What are the drawbacks of the franchise tag?
There are a few drawbacks to the franchise tag. First, it can be cost prohibitive for teams to keep a player on the tag for multiple years in a row. Second, the franchise tag can create bad blood between a player and his team. A player who feels he is worth more than the team is willing to pay him may hold out or demand a trade. Finally, the franchise tag can hinder a team’s ability to build a cohesive unit, as key players may leave in free agency in search of bigger contracts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the NFL franchise tag is a designation given by the league to a player on a team that wants to keep that player for another season. The player is then given a one-year contract worth the average salary of the top five players at their position. The franchise tag can be used on any player, but is typically given to quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers.
