The 2023 salary cap coming in at $224.8MM will lead to teams knowing what it will cost to use the franchise or transition tags this year. Those decisions are coming soon, and the numbers emerged Monday.
These figures are similar to what we heard six weeks ago, but the official totals (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter) are listed below:
Franchise tag:
- Quarterback: $32.42MM
- Running back: $10.1MM
- Wide receiver: $19.74MM
- Tight end: $11.36MM
- Offensive linemen: $18.24MM
- Defensive end: $19.73MM
- Defensive tackle: $18.94MM
- Linebacker: $20.93MM
- Cornerback: $18.14MM
- Safety: $14.46MM
- Kicker/punter: $5.39MM
Transition tag:
- Quarterback: $29.5MM
- Running back: $8.43MM
- Wide receiver: $17.99MM
- Tight end: $9.72MM
- Offensive linemen: $16.66MM
- Defensive end: $17.45MM
- Defensive tackle: $16.1MM
- Linebacker: $17.48MM
- Cornerback: $15.79MM
- Safety: $11.87MM
- Kicker/punter: $4.87MM
These are the nonexclusive franchise tag figures. The nonexclusive tag, which comprises the bulk of the tags utilized throughout the tag’s 30-year history, is determined by a formula that includes the cap figures and the nonexclusive franchise salaries at the player’s position for the previous five years. This will not be the tag figure for every player at these positions, however. If the Bengals want to tag Jessie Bates for a second time, his price will be higher than the 2023 safety tag. Due to being tagged in 2022, Bates would check in at 120% of his 2022 tag salary. That would produce a 2023 salary of $15.48MM. This will apply to the Chiefs and Orlando Brown Jr. as well.
The seldom-used transition tag either averages the 10 highest salaries at a player’s position in the previous league year or checks in at 120% of the player’s previous salary, whichever is greater. Whereas the nonexclusive franchise tag would award two first-round picks to a team that loses a tagged performer, teams do not receive any compensation if they lose a transition-tagged player via offer sheet.
This year’s franchise and transition tag windows open at 3pm CT on Feb. 21; they close at 3pm CT, March 7. Teams, then, have until July 15 to work out extensions for tagged players. If no extensions are reached, no additional talks can commence until the 2023 season ends. That player must play the season on the tag salary — or a renegotiated lower price, as was the case with Yannick Ngakoue in 2020 — for that team or a team that acquires the player via trade.
In addition to Bates and Brown, a number of first-time candidates will be on this year’s tag radar. Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Evan Engram and Daron Payne are among the possible franchise tag recipients. Because of the low running back price, the Raiders and Giants will certainly consider cuffing their Pro Bowlers via the tag. Jones’ free agent status complicates the Giants’ plans, however. Jackson is a candidate for the exclusive tag, which could hit the Ravens with a historic $45MM-plus number.
How did linebacker end up higher than D End?
I think it’s because a lot of edge defenders end up classified as outside linebackers. It’s out of touch with the edge term era, so it has guys like Watt boosting the number, even though that’s not what we think of when we say linebacker in today’s NFL. At least I’m pretty sure.