2024 NFL franchise tag tracker: Bengals tag Tee Higgins, plus all other reported players getting tagged

Free agency is on the horizon around the NFL, even though some players are awaiting to see whether they’ll hit the open market. Some free agents will have the franchise tag placed on them in the days leading up to free agency, giving teams more time to negotiate long-term deals with the player while keeping them under team control for the next season. 

There are two different kinds of franchise tags, which can only be used for one player. If the player signs the tender, that player receives a one-year, fully guaranteed contract for the upcoming season.

• Exclusive franchise tag: The exclusive tag prevents players from negotiating offer sheets with other teams, but costs more than the non-exclusive tag. The salary is determined by whichever figure is higher: The average of the top 5 salaries at the player’s position during the current year, or 120% of that player’s previous salary. 
• Non-exclusive franchise tag: Players can negotiate and sign offer sheets with any team once the new league year begins, but the player’s previous team retains the right to match that offer sheet. If they do not match it, that team will receive two first-round picks from the team that signed the player to an offer sheet. The salary for the non-exclusive franchise tag is lower than the exclusive tag, as it’s determined by the higher figure between: the average of the top 5 salaries at a player’s position over the last five years applied to the current salary cap, or 120% of the player’s previous salary. 
• Transition tag: A transition player is offered the greater of the average of the top 10 prior-year salaries at the player’s position, which average is calculated using the same methodology used for non-exclusive franchise players (the Cap Percentage Average); or 120% of his prior year salary. If a club extends a required tender to a transition player, the player shall be permitted to negotiate a contract with any club subject to his prior club’s right of first refusal, except that no draft choice compensation shall be made with respect to such player if his prior club declines to exercise its right of first refusal.

Here’s a rundown of everyone who had the franchise tag placed on them and the players that reportedly receive the tag. Teams could start placing the franchise tag on a player on Feb. 20. The franchise tag deadline is March 5. 

2024 franchise tag rundown