Franchise tag value: What's the price to keep players at each position

The window to apply the franchise or transition tag on players slated to hit the market opens on February 20 in the NFL — it goes through March 5.

According to NFL rules, the franchise tag value is the average of the five highest paid players at the position or 120% of the player's previous salary — whichever is greater. So, there's the base value we will show above, but there might be some exceptions.

Another layer is that there isn't a specific franchise tag for tackles, guards or centers, it's only one tag for offensive linemen — usually, it ends up being the five highest-paid tackles.

Tagged players might sign the deal and play one year under this value, being slated to hit the market again next year. Any player can be tagged three times throughout their careers, but in the third time, it's the position number or 140% of the previous salary.

If another team makes an offer sheet for the player, the original team has the option to match the offer or to receive two first-round picks as compensation.

Franchise tag value per position (via Over The Cap):

• QB $35.952 million
• DE $23.348 million
• LB $22.092 million
• OL $21.72 million
• WR $21.665 million
• DT $19.753 million
• CB $18.421 million
• S $17.22 million
• RB $12.419 million
• TE $12.371 million
• K/P $5.827 million

Teams can also use an exclusive franchise tag, which prevents other teams to making offer sheets. The value might be slightly higher, and that's because the exclusive tag includes contracts signed this offseason — therefore, the exact value only comes later in the process.

Some examples of players who would have tag numbers above their position price range are wide receiver Mike Evans ($28.4 million) and defensive tackle Chris Jones ($32 million).

Transition tag

With the transition tag, the original team has the right to match a potential offer, but it doesn't receive any compensation if it doesn't. The value of the tag is the average of the ten highest salaries at the position.

Transition tag value per position:

• QB $31.158 million
• DE $20.135 million
• OL $19.718 million
• WR $19.398 million
• LB $18.73 million
• CB $15.889 million
• DT $15.798 million
• S $13.957 million
• TE $10.564 million
• RB $10.104 million
• K/P $5.286 million