What's the difference between NFL's exclusive, non-exclusive franchise tag?

What’s the difference between NFL’s exclusive, non-exclusive franchise tag?

Posted by author February 17, 2025 NFL

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The 2025 NFL offseason is set to kick into full gear soon, and the first milestone of note will be the league’s franchise tag window.

Over two weeks from mid-February to early March, NFL teams will reserve the right to slap one of their key free agents with a franchise tag. This will allow them to retain these pending free agents on one-year contracts, or at least until the two parties can agree to a long-term extension.

But how exactly does the franchise tag work? There are a few different versions of the tender that exist. Some allow the player to speak to and sign offer sheets with other teams around the NFL. Others prevent the players from talking to anyone but their own club but come at a higher cost than the non-exclusive tags.

Here’s what to know about the three main versions of the franchise tag and how they differ from one another.

What is the franchise tag?

The NFL’s franchise tag is a tool general managers can use once per offseason. It allows them to tender a one-year contract to a pending free agent to prevent the player from departing.

Typically, the franchise tag is used as a stopgap contract when a player and team cannot agree to a multi-year contract extension. The tag allows the two sides extra time to negotiate a lucrative contract while allowing their partnership to continue at least one more season.

NFL teams also use the franchise tag on players expressly to trade them. This is less common, but it gives general managers a tool to recoup assets for a player who might otherwise willingly leave the team.

Different types of franchise tags

There are a few different types of franchise tags at the NFL level. They are as follows:

Exclusive franchise tag
Non-exclusive franchise tag
Transition tag

Here’s what to know about each tender.

What is the non-exclusive franchise tag?

The non-exclusive franchise tag is an agreement that ties the free-agent-to-be to his team for a period of one year. However, he and his agent can negotiate contract terms with other teams across the NFL.

The original team can either match the best offer that a player receives – if any team signs the player to an offer sheet – or choose to decline it and receive two first-round picks as compensation for their loss.

Most franchise tags are of the non-exclusive variety, as teams are typically not worried about losing the player. NFL teams rarely sign players to offer sheets, as few players league-wide who hit free agency are considered to be worth multiple first-round selections.

The one-year value of the non-exclusive tag is worth either the average of the top five salaries at a player’s position over the last five years or 120% of his previous salary. The tag is worth whichever value is greater.

What is the exclusive franchise tag?

The exclusive franchise tag designation prohibits a player from negotiating with another NFL team. He is locked into his one-year deal with the club that tendered the offer, provided he signs it. If he doesn’t, his one-year contract will toll.

The exclusive franchise tag is typically more valuable than the non-exclusive tag, as it is worth either the average of the top five salaries at his position for the current year or 120% of the player’s previous salary. Whichever is greater.

The extra cost of the exclusive rights franchise tag is part of the reason NFL teams typically prefer to use the non-exclusive tag when applying it to players.

What is the transition tag?

The transition tag is similar to the non-exclusive franchise tag. It allows the original team to match any offer sheet signed by the departing player.

What are the major differences between the transition tag and the non-exclusive franchise tag? The transition tag is slightly cheaper, as the value is locked in as the average salary of the top 10 players at the position compared to the top five for the non-exclusive tag. Additionally, if a player leaves a team after signing the transition tag, the club does not receive compensation for his services.

When is the franchise tag deadline 2025?

Window opens: Tuesday, Feb. 18
Deadline: Tuesday, March 4

The NFL’s franchise tag window for 2025 will run from Feb. 18 through March 4 at 4 p.m. ET. By then, all 32 NFL teams must have used or eschewed their tags for the 2025 offseason.

If a player is slapped with the franchise tag, they have until Tuesday, July 15 at 4 p.m. ET to agree to a long-term extension with their team. Once that deadline passes, players are only allowed to sign one-year deals with teams. They are not allowed to sign extensions in addition to that deal until after the season.