Before NFL free agency begins, teams are allowed to apply franchise tags to players from Feb. 18 through March 4 to give them a sense of what they need to do before the league year starts March 12.
What is the franchise tag? It is a designation teams can apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and it binds the player to the team for one season. Franchise tag figures are based on the top five salaries at each position.
Last season, nine players were tagged. Among them was Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins -- who was tagged again this season. Here's a look at players who have been tagged, the reasons they were and the tag figure:
Tee Higgins, receiver, Bengals
Franchise tag salary: $26.2 million
Why he was tagged: Higgins was tagged for the second straight year. Quarterback Joe Burrow has been adamant about trying to keep Higgins in the building this offseason. By using the tag, the Bengals can extend any contract talks until the summer deadline or find a way to get draft picks for Higgins via trade.
Stat to know: Higgins has played in only 12 games in back-to-back seasons because of various injuries, including multiple soft-tissue problems, which has been a key conversation point when a long-term deal has been discussed.
What he brings: When he's on the field, Higgins has been one of the league's most productive receivers. Last season, Higgins was 10th among qualifying receivers in average yards per game (75.9).
Trey Smith, guard, Chiefs
Franchise tag salary: $23.4 million
Why he was tagged: The Chiefs struggled to adequately protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2024 and were in no mood to let a young and talented lineman such as 25-year-old Smith get away. Despite concerns about a blood clot disorder in college, Smith has been a very durable player, starting 80 of a possible 81 regular-season and playoff games since joining the Chiefs in 2021.
Stat to know: Smith was in the top four among guards in pass block win rate in each of his first three NFL seasons before finishing 13th (93.9%) in 2024. Smith had the best run block win rate of his career last season (75.1%). That was sixth best among guards.
What he brings: Smith is an aggressive player who at times has been overlooked playing on an interior offensive line with guard Joe Thuney and center Creed Humphrey. But he's been an excellent player and a key member of the Chiefs' offensive line. -- Adam Teicher