With 2025 scouting combined behind us, free agency is the next big step in the NFL offseason.
Tuesday is the next big deadline. This is because the team designates a franchise or transition tag player until 4pm in the East. That deadline comes before the league's official tampering period, which begins on March 10th.
Here SB Nation We track everything, including players who received the franchise tag.
Kansas City Chief Stag Ol Trey Smith
Fresh from losses at Super Bowl LIX Philadelphia Eagles – The losses seen protecting Patrick Mahomes become a problem for the Chiefs. Kansas City has its franchise tag on security guard Trey Smith. The Chiefs used non-exclusive tags at Smith. This means he is free to explore offers from other teams.
Reports say the Chiefs hope to have a long-term deal with Smith. If the contract extension is not reached, he $23.4 million in 2025making him the highest-paid security guard in the history of the league.
Cincinnati Bengals Tag WR Tee Higgins
For the second year in a row Cincinnati Bengals The franchise tag was placed at wide receiver Tee Higgins. This means that, as mentioned above, Cincinnati owns him by placing tags on Higgins in the second season, so that it means that Cincinnati will increase by 20% in the number of years rather than the usual amount of tags.
Higgins played for $21.816 million in 2024, so the second tag would be $2618 million in 2025.
According to available reportsthe Bengals hope to settle a long-term contract with Higgins, rather than seeing him play under the tag for two consecutive seasons.
deadline The long-term contract based on the tag is July 15th.
