NFL Announces Franchise, Transition Tag Contract Values for 2026 Season Ahead of Free Agency

The cost of player franchise and transition tags climbed alongside the NFL's record-high salary cap ahead of the 2026 season.

Teams received the official tender prices in a memo sent out Friday and shared by ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A non-exclusive franchise tag allows a player to sign an offer sheet, at which point the team that has used the tag can match the offer or receive two compensatory first-rounders.

A transition tag allows the team using the tag to match an offer sheet, but does not provide the team with draft compensation if the tagged player leaves.

The NFL confirmed Friday the salary cap will rise to a record $301.2 million in 2026, a $22 million jump from last season.

That's a $22 million jump, or 7.9 percent increase, from the $279.2 million salary cap imposed on teams during the 2025 season.

How much franchise and transition tags increase in cost each year is based in part on what top players earned at the position the season prior.

The cost of using a franchise tag on a quarterback jumped from $40.24 million in 2025 to $43.895 million in 2026, about a nine percent jump between seasons.

Franchise tagging a wide receiver rose in cost from $23.96 million to $27.298 million, a 14 percent rise over last season.

Some tags had already been used before the costs were officially confirmed by the NFL.

The Atlanta Falcons announced Tuesday the team had placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts, which will now officially be worth $15.045 million.

The Dallas Cowboys placed the same tag on wide receiver George Pickens, which is currently set to cost $27.298 million barring the negotiation of another deal.

New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey recently confirmed the Jets are planning to use a tag, the non-exclusive franchise version of which would cost $14.293 million, on running back Breece Hall if the franchise can't finalize an extension ahead of the tag deadline.

Another candidate for a tag is Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin recently said nothing is "off the table" with regard to Hendrickson, who would cost $24.424 million to non-exclusively franchise tag for 2026.

Teams have until March 3 at 4 p.m. ET to place a franchise or transition tags on any players set to hit free agency when the next league year starts March 11.

Players on non-exclusive franchise tags can begin negotiating offer sheets starting March 9, at which point the team using the tag would have five days to match, per Spotrac.

Once a tag is applied to a player, teams have until July 15 to negotiate a multi-year extension before both sides are limited to a one-year contract for the 2026 season.