2024 NFL franchise tag tracker: Tee Higgins first to receive tag

National Football League

Updated Feb. 26, 2024 11:01 a.m. ET

The NFL offseason is underway, and from Feb. 20 to March 5, teams can place the franchise tag on impending free agents.

There are two main types of franchise tags: non-exclusive and exclusive.

The non-exclusive tag means that a player can still negotiate with other NFL teams, while the exclusive tag prevents a player from negotiating with a different team. There are also transition tags, which allow a player to continue negotiating with teams, but his current team has the right to match any offer.

Each team can tag only one player, which results in a fully guaranteed deal for one season if the player opts to play on the tag. A franchise tag salary is based on the average salary of the five highest-paid players at a respective position (e.g. quarterback, running back, wide receiver, etc.), while the transition tag is the average of the 10 highest-paid players at the position. The window to tag a player ends on March 5 at 4 p.m. ET.

Regardless of the type of tag, players and teams can still agree to a long-term deal before training camp even if the tag is used.

Here’s the latest on who’s been franchise-tagged and who could be franchise-tagged.

Players who’ve been franchise-tagged

Bengals WR Tee Higgins

Higgins has officially received the franchise tag, the team announced Monday. It was first reported over the weekend that Higgins was expected to be tagged, and the Bengals informed the receiver that would be the case.

With the move, Higgins remains under the Bengals’ control, but it isn’t a guarantee that he’ll be with the team in 2024. It’s been speculated that the Bengals could trade him if they fail to reach a long-term extension, similar to what the Packers did with Davante Adams in 2022. The Bengals could also ride the year out with Higgins if they aren’t able to agree to an extension, but he’d have to sign his franchise tag tender, which is $21.8 million guaranteed. Both sides have until July to reach a multi-year extension or else Higgins will be scheduled to become a free agent again in 2025.

Higgins had 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games in 2023.

Players who could be franchise–tagged