NFL Franchise Tag Recipients Since 2013

The franchise tag is now past the 30-year mark. Implemented in 1993 to protect teams against losing top free agents, the tag brings key chapters each offseason. Over the past 10 years, 31 of the 32 teams have used it to keep a player off the market. This strategy peaked in 2020, with 14 teams bringing out the franchise tag and one using the lesser-deployed transition tag amid the market uncertainty the COVID-19 pandemic caused.

Some teams have used the tag as a bridge to an extension by the July deadline; others have cuffed players to effectively rent them for a year. Tag-and-trade sequences have become more prevalent as of late; the 2019 Chiefs were on both ends of tag-and-trade maneuvers. And a handful of teams have tagged the same player twice in recent years. The Steelers tagged Le’Veon Bell twice; in the second year (2018), the All-Pro running back became the first player in 21 years to sit out a season after being tagged.

Early in the tag’s fourth decade, here is how teams proceeded with it over the past 10 years.

2013

• Branden Albert, T (Chiefs): No extension reached; signed with Dolphins in 2014
• Jairus Byrd, S (Bills): No extension; signed with Saints in 2014
• Ryan Clady, T (Broncos): Signed five-year, $52.5MM extension
• Michael Johnson, DE (Bengals): No extension; signed with Buccaneers in 2014 (re-signed with Bengals in 2015)
• Pat McAfee, P (Colts): No extension; re-signed with Colts in 2014
• Henry Melton, DT (Bears): No extension; signed with Cowboys in 2014
• Anthony Spencer, DE (Cowboys): No extension; after two tags, Cowboys re-signed Spencer in 2014
• Randy Starks, DT (Dolphins): No extension; re-signed with Dolphins in 2014

2014

• Nick Folk, K (Jets): Signed four-year, $12MM extension
• Jimmy Graham, TE (Saints): Signed four-year, $40MM extension
• Greg Hardy, DE (Panthers): No extension; signed with Cowboys in 2015

2015

• Dez Bryant, WR (Cowboys): Signed five-year, $70MM extension
• Stephen Gostkowski, K (Patriots): Signed four-year, $17.2MM extension
• Justin Houston, OLB (Chiefs): Signed six-year, $101MM extension
• Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (Giants): No extension reached; re-signed with Giants in 2016
• Demaryius Thomas, WR (Broncos): Signed five-year, $70MM extension

Given transition tag: TE Charles Clay; Dolphins did not match Bills‘ five-year, $38MM offer sheet

2016

• Eric Berry, S (Chiefs): No extension; re-signed with Chiefs in 2017
• Kirk Cousins, QB (Washington): No extension reached
• Cordy Glenn, T (Bills): Signed five-year, $60MM extension
• Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): No extension; signed with Eagles in 2017
• Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): No extension reached
• Von Miller, LB (Broncos): Signed six-year, $114.1MM extension
• Josh Norman, CB (Panthers): Tag rescinded; signed five-year, $75MM deal with Washington
• Justin Tucker, K (Ravens): Signed four-year, $16.8MM extension
• Muhammad Wilkerson, DL (Jets): Signed five-year, $86MM extension

Given transition tag: DE Olivier Vernon; Dolphins rescinded tag, leading to five-year, $85MM Giants deal

2017

• Le’Veon Bell, RB (Steelers): No extension
• Kirk Cousins, QB (Washington): No extension; signed with Vikings in 2018
• Melvin Ingram, DE (Chargers): Signed four-year, $64MM extension
• Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): No extension; signed with Jets in 2018
• Chandler Jones, OLB (Cardinals): Signed five-year, $82.5MM extension
• Kawann Short, DT (Panthers): Signed five-year, $80.5MM extension

2018

• Ezekiel Ansah, DE (Lions): No extension; signed with Seahawks in 2019
• Le’Veon Bell, RB (Steelers): No extension; sat out season. Signed with Jets in 2019
• Lamarcus Joyner, S (Rams): No extension; signed with Raiders in 2019
• Jarvis Landry, WR (Dolphins): Traded to Browns; signed five-year, $75.5MM extension
• DeMarcus Lawrence, DE (Cowboys): No extension reached

Given transition tag: CB Kyle Fuller (Bears); Chicago matched four-year, $56MM Packers offer sheet

2019

• Frank Clark, DE (Seahawks): Traded to Chiefs; signed five-year, $105.5MM extension
• Jadeveon Clowney, DE (Texans): Traded to Seahawks; signed with Titans in 2020
• Dee Ford, DE (Chiefs): Traded to 49ers; signed five-year, $85.5MM extension
• Robbie Gould, K (49ers): Signed four-year, $19MM extension
• Grady Jarrett, DT (Falcons): Signed four-year, $68MM extension
• DeMarcus Lawrence, DE (Cowboys): Signed five-year, $105MM extension

2020

• Shaquil Barrett, OLB (Buccaneers): No extension; re-signed with Bucs in 2021
• Bud Dupree, OLB (Steelers): No extension; signed with Titans in 2021
• A.J. Green, WR (Bengals): No extension; signed with Cardinals in 2021
• Anthony Harris, S (Vikings): No extension; signed with Eagles in 2021
• Derrick Henry, RB (Titans): Signed four-year, $50MM extension
• Hunter Henry, TE (Chargers): No extension; signed with Patriots in 2021
• Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): Signed four-year, $80MM extension
• Matt Judon, OLB (Ravens): No extension; signed with Patriots in 2021
• Yannick Ngakoue, DE (Jaguars): Traded to Vikings, who later traded him to Ravens
• Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): No extension
• Brandon Scherff, G (Washington): No extension
• Justin Simmons, S (Broncos): No extension
• Joe Thuney, G (Patriots): No extension; signed with Chiefs in 2021
• Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): No extension

Given transition tag: RB Kenyan Drake (Cardinals); signed with Raiders in 2021

2021

• Chris Godwin, WR (Buccaneers): No extension reached
• Marcus Maye, S (Jets): No extension reached; signed with Saints in 2022
• Taylor Moton, T (Panthers): Signed four-year, $71.2MM extension
• Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): Tagged for procedural purposes; signed four-year, $160MM extension
• Allen Robinson, WR (Bears): No extension reached; signed with Rams in 2022
• Cam Robinson, T (Jaguars): No extension reached
• Brandon Scherff, G (Washington): No extension; signed with Jaguars in 2022
• Justin Simmons, S (Broncos): Signed four-year, $61MM extension
• Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): Signed three-year, $63MM extension
• Marcus Williams, S (Saints): No extension agreement; signed with Ravens in 2022

2022

• Davante Adams, WR (Packers): Traded to Raiders; signed five-year, $140MM deal
• Jessie Bates, S (Bengals): No extension reached; signed with Falcons in 2023
• Orlando Brown Jr., T (Chiefs): No extension reached; signed with Bengals in 2023
• Mike Gesicki, TE (Dolphins): No extension reached; signed with Patriots in 2023
• Chris Godwin, WR (Buccaneers): Signed three-year, $60MM extension
• David Njoku, TE (Browns): Signed to four-year, $54.75MM extension
• Cam Robinson, T (Jaguars): Signed to three-year, $52.75MM extension
• Dalton Schultz, TE (Cowboys): No extension reached; signed with Texans in 2023

2023

• Saquon Barkley, RB (Giants): No extension reached; signed with Eagles in 2024
• Evan Engram, TE (Jaguars): Signed to three-year, $41.25MM extension
• Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): Signed to five-year, $260MM extension
• Josh Jacobs, RB (Raiders): No extension reached; signed with Packers in 2024
• Daron Payne, DT (Commanders): Signed to four-year, $90MM extension
• Tony Pollard, RB (Cowboys): No extension reached; signed with Titans in 2024

2024

• Josh Allen, OLB (Jaguars): Signed five-year, $150MM extension
• Brian Burns, OLB (Panthers): Traded to Giants; signed five-year, $141MM extension
• Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals)
• Jaylon Johnson, CB (Bears): Signed to four-year, $76MM extension
• Justin Madubuike, DT (Ravens): Signed to four-year, $98MM extension
• Michael Pittman Jr., WR (Colts): Signed to three-year, $70MM extension
• L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Chiefs): Traded to Titans; agreed to four-year, $76.4MM extension
• Antoine Winfield Jr., S (Buccaneers): Agreed to four-year, $84.1MM extension

Given transition tag: S Kyle Dugger (Patriots); agreed to four-year, $58MM extension