Best NBA Bets Today – Monday, March 3, 2025
Sam Choudhury
Tuesday is the deadline for this year’s NFL franchise tag decisions, and it promises to be one of the quietest years for the tag on record. The Chiefs have said they will be tagging right guard Trey Smith, and the Bengals still might use the tag on WR Tee Higgins, but there’s a chance that is the extent of the tagging for 2025.
How does that measure up to the tag usage of the last few years? Let’s check it out. Below is a comprehensive year-by-year breakdown of NFL franchise tag deadline history and rankings over the last 15 years. We’re ranking each year’s tag class by overall NFL league-wide impact.
Shout out to Pro Football Rumors for handy information regarding NFL franchise tag history dating back to 2010.
Franchise Tag Rankings (2009–2024)
1. 2016 – A New Precedent Begins
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Josh Norman (CAR) | CB |
| Trumaine Johnson (LA) | CB |
| Muhammad Wilkerson (NYJ) | DE |
| Justin Tucker (BAL) | K |
| Cordy Glenn (BUF) | LT |
| Von Miller (DEN) | OLB |
| Kirk Cousins (WSH) | QB |
| Eric Berry (KC) | S |
| Alshon Jeffery (CHI) | WR |
Washington’s decision to put Kirk Cousins on the tag was the start of a two-year dance that ultimately led to him leaving. But importantly, when he left, he started to request guaranteed contracts – not dissimilar to his franchise tag contracts. This article on NFL.com does a brilliant job breaking down how Cousins gamed (and maybe broke) the system.
This was not even 10 years ago, and Cousins earning $20-$25 million guaranteed was a big story at the time. QB contracts have already doubled since then with most of it guaranteed. You can make the case that it all points back to Cousins’ moves.
The Panthers decided to rescind Norman’s tag, which led to him to Washington and was the start of Carolina choosing not to build on its 2015 campaign. (They went 15-1 in 2015 and went to the Super Bowl before going 6-10 in 2016). Only six teams in the NFL gave up more points than the Panthers in 2016.
2. 2023 – The Rental RBs & Saquon Breaking the Wheel
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Evan Engram (JAX) | TE |
| Josh Jacobs (LV) | RB |
| Saquon Barkley (NYG) | RB |
| Tony Pollard (DAL) | RB |
| Lamar Jackson (BAL) | QB |
The fact that Lamar Jackson – a 26-year-old former MVP (and future multi-MVP) – was even available for a moment in time and received no interest feels like one of those historic periods that ESPN will make a documentary about one day. Baltimore eventually signed him to a long-term deal and the rest is history (still being written).
All three RBs on the list played on the franchise tag but received no extension after the 2023 season and ended up on different teams. This reinforced the trend of teams reluctant to pay RBs big second contracts – but it also was the start of Saquon’s journey to blow up that storyline.
3. 2012 – Tag City
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Robert Mathis (IND) | DE |
| Cliff Avril (DET) | DE |
| Calais Campbell (ARI) | DE |
| Drew Brees (NO) | QB |
| Ray Rice (BAL) | RB |
| Matt Forte (CHI) | RB |
| Tyvon Branch (OAK) | S |
| Wes Welker (NE) | WR |
| Dwayne Bowe (KC) | WR |
| DeSean Jackson (PHI) | WR |
The sheer number of tags (21) and star power makes 2012 impressive. This group included future Hall of Famers and multiple Pro Bowlers (Drew Brees, Ray Rice, Matt Forte, Wes Welker and Calais Campbell), many of whom signed big extensions and reset markets.
4. 2020 – Thuney Goes from GOAT to Mahomes
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Yannick Ngakoue (JAX) | DE |
| Leonard Williams (NYG) | DL |
| Chris Jones (KC) | DT |
| Brandon Scherff (WSH) | G |
| Joe Thuney (NE) | G |
| Matthew Judon (BAL) | OLB |
| Shaquil Barrett (TB) | OLB |
| Dak Prescott (DAL) | QB |
| Derrick Henry (TEN) | RB |
| Justin Simmons (DEN) | S |
| Hunter Henry (LAC) | TE |
| A.J. Green (CIN) | WR |
A lot of players were tagged this season. The biggest names all ended up re-signing with their current teams (Henry, Prescott, Jones), but this was also an early indication of Jerry Jones’ dealings with current star players in Dallas.
The biggest long-term ripple here was New England’s decision not to sign Thuney to a long-term deal in 2020 (or in 2021 after the tag year was over). Thuney has started every game for the Chiefs since and was named first-team All-Pro in both 2023 and 2024 (second-team in 2022).
5. 2011 – Omaha, Omaha
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Haloti Ngata (BAL) | DT |
| Logan Mankins (NE) | G |
| Chad Greenway (MIN) | LB |
| LaMarr Woodley (PIT) | LB |
| Tamba Hali (KC) | LB |
| Michael Vick (PHI) | QB |
| Peyton Manning (IND) | QB |
| Vincent Jackson (SD) | WR |
The decision to tag Manning happened before the Colts knew he was going to miss the 2011 season, and the team ultimately locked him up later that summer in a long-term contract. In reality, the franchise tag had no real impact on Manning leaving the Colts, but it was a bit of early drama in his final year.
The Eagles initially signed Vick to a one-year deal before committing to him for six years and $100 million. He ended up only playing 30 games over three years for the Eagles. He was replaced by Nick Foles, who also ended up leaving the Eagles (despite playing well) but came back to the team and ended up with a statue in front of the stadium. If the Eagles didn’t tag Vick, would they have signed him to a long-term deal? Would they have ended up with Foles 1.0 before getting Foles 2.0 for the Super Bowl run?
6. 2019 – The Pass-Rush Year
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Dee Ford (KC) | DE |
| DeMarcus Lawrence (DAL) | DE |
| Frank Clark (SEA) | DE |
| Jadeveon Clowney (HOU) | DE/OLB |
| Grady Jarrett (ATL) | DT |
Nearly every 2019 tag involved an elite player, and it triggered a flurry of blockbuster trades that included first-, second- and third-round NFL draft picks that were subsequently re-traded several times over around the league.
Clark helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl that same season, while the Seahawks and 49ers secured draft picks. The aggressive tag-and-trade moves showed the growing trend of using the tag as a tool to acquire draft capital.
7. 2018 – The Le’Veon Bell Year
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| DeMarcus Lawrence (DAL) | DE |
| Ezekiel Ansah (DET) | DE |
| Le’Veon Bell (PIT) | RB |
| Jarvis Landry (MIA) | WR |
Though only a handful of players were tagged, 2018 featured one of the most consequential tag decisions ever: Le’Veon Bell sitting out the entire season rather than signing the deal. This ultimately led to the Steelers drafting Najee Harris in the first round of 2021.
Bell’s holdout was the first season-long holdout by a tagged player in over 20 years. He ended up never being as good (shocker), but only one RB was tagged in the four years after his stance.
Miami pulled the tag-and-trade with Landry, which saw him go to Cleveland as part of their attempt to give Baker Mayfield weapons. Miami used the pick acquired to select TE Durham Smythe, who spent seven seasons with the team.
Lawrence was tagged two times in a row before signing a long-term deal.
8. 2022 – The Beginning of the End For The Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Era
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Cam Robinson (JAX) | LT |
| Jessie Bates III (CIN) | S |
| Dalton Schultz (DAL) | TE |
| David Njoku (CLE) | TE |
| Chris Godwin (TB) | WR |
| Davante Adams (GB) | WR |
This year saw Green Bay’s decision to tag-and-trade Davante Adams The Packers ended up with the most picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, leading into what ended up being Aaron Rodgers’ final year with the team. Subsequent years saw the Rodgers-Adams partnership bury the Jets. Would that have happened if the Packers didn’t tag Adams?
The Bucs ended up tagging and retaining Godwin, and he’s been a stalwart for the team ever since. Njoku was also retained by the Browns and saw a nice upward career trajectory after a rocky start.
9. 2015 – Elite WRs
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Jason Pierre-Paul (NYG) | DE |
| Stephen Gostkowski (NE) | K |
| Justin Houston (KC) | OLB |
| Demaryius Thomas (DEN) | WR |
| Dez Bryant (DAL) | WR |
The 2015 tag class was small but full of elite talent in their prime. Two top-10 (or maybe even top-five) receivers in Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas were tagged and ultimately re-signed. All players in this list re-signed with their current team, reducing the league-wide impact of this franchise tag season despite the big names. It ranks somewhat in the middle, though, because the tags helped set up market-resetting WR contracts.
10. 2017 – The Beginning of Cousins and Bell Playing the Game
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Chandler Jones (ARI) | OLB |
| Melvin Ingram (LAC) | OLB |
| Kirk Cousins (WSH) | QB |
| Le’Veon Bell (PIT) | RB |
Should I have ranked this higher, since I put the Cousins tag at No. 1 and this was technically the second year it happened? Maybe. But this is a pretty small class of impactful players, and it feels like the little brother to 2016 and 2018.
11. 2009 – The Foundation for Mahomes to KC?
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Julius Peppers (CAR) | DE |
| Leroy Hill (SEA) | LB |
| Terrell Suggs (BAL) | LB |
| Matt Cassel (NE) | QB |
| Brandon Jacobs (NYG) | RB |
| Darren Sproles (SD) | RB |
It takes a bit of mental gymnastics, but hear me out: Cassel being tagged-and-traded from New England to KC sparked KC getting Mahomes.
The Chiefs stuck with Cassel until 2013, when they signed Smith, who was their QB until Mahomes. That’s actually a pretty straight line. But I’m still ranking this near the bottom because it’s obviously a stretch to say the Patriots tagging Cassel in 2009 directly led to the Chiefs drafting Mahomes in 2017. But it at least played some small part in the process!
13. 2021 – The End of Allen Robinson
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Leonard Williams (NYG) | DL |
| Brandon Scherff (WSH) | G |
| Dak Prescott (DAL) | QB |
| Taylor Moton (CAR) | RT |
| Justin Simmons (DEN) | S |
| Allen Robinson (CHI) | WR |
| Chris Godwin (TB) | WR |
Robinson was fresh off a 102-1,250-6 year and was primed for a huge contract. He ended up playing poorly on the tag (39-410-1 in 11 games) and never earned that big deal. He has been on four teams in the last four seasons.
14. 2024 – Too Early to Tell
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Jaylon Johnson (CHI) | CB |
| L’Jarius Sneed (KC) | CB |
| Nnamdi Madubuike (BAL) | DT |
| Brian Burns (CAR) | OLB |
| Josh Allen (JAX) | OLB |
| Antoine Winfield Jr. (TB) | S |
| Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) | WR |
| Tee Higgins (CIN) | WR |
These are all significant names, but it’s a bit too early to tell. What will happen with Higgins and the Bengals? If he leaves and breaks up the trio of Burrow-Chase-Higgins, the ripple effects dating back to Cincy’s decision to tag him in 2024 will be huge. These deals haven’t dramatically altered the league landscape … yet.
15. 2013 – Battling For Last Place
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Randy Starks (MIA) | DT |
| Branden Albert (KC) | LT |
| Ryan Clady (DEN) | LT |
| Pat McAfee (IND) | P |
| Jairus Byrd (BUF) | S |
2013 had limited lasting impact. The biggest name, OT Branden Albert, left Kansas City in 2014 after playing on the tag – but KC had already drafted Eric Fisher No.1 overall. Fisher may not have been No. 1-worthy, but he did start every game for the Chiefs every game he played until 2020.
16. 2010 – No League-Altering Shifts
Notable tags:
| Player (Team) | Position |
| Richard Seymour (OAK) | DT |
| Ryan Pickett (GB) | DT |
| Vince Wilfork (NE) | DT |
The 2010 tag class was the smallest and arguably the least star-studded of this span (no offensive skill players or marquee QBs). The big names (Wilfork and Seymour) ended up staying with their teams anyway.
Franchise Tags by Position (2009–2024)
The table below summarizes how many franchise players at each position were tagged each year (2009–2024). “K/P” includes kickers and punters. (Transition tags not included):
| Year | QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DE | DT | LB | CB | S | K/P | Total |
| 2009 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| 2012 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 21 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 2023 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
- Over the last 15 seasons, defensive front-seven players were tagged most often.
- Pass-rushers and WRs are frequent tag targets –most years have at least one, and two WRs have been tagged in three of the last four seasons
- A QB was tagged in six of these 15 seasons (often leading to record long-term deals)
- Running backs have only been tagged in one of the last four years – but three RBs were tagged that season (2023)
- Kickers/punters were tagged often up until 2016
