With the 2025 Scouting Mix behind us, the subsequent huge step within the NFL offseason is free company.
Tuesday marks the subsequent huge deadline, as groups have till 4:00 p.m. Jap to designate Franchise or Transition Tag gamers. That deadline comes forward of the league’s official tampering interval, which begins on March 10.
Right here at SB Nation we’re monitoring all of it, together with the gamers which have obtained the franchise tag.
Replace: The Tuesday deadline has come and gone, and solely Trey Smith and Tee Higgins obtained the franchise tags from their present groups.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tag OL Trey Smith
Recent off a loss in Tremendous Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles — a loss that noticed defending Patrick Mahomes change into a difficulty for the Chiefs — Kansas Metropolis is putting the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith. The Chiefs used the non-exclusive tag with Smith, that means he’s free to discover gives from different groups.
In keeping with experiences, the Chiefs hope to work out a long-term cope with Smith. If a contract extension can’t be reached, he would play for $23.4 million in 2025, making him the highest-paid guard in league historical past.
Cincinnati Bengals tag WR Tee Higgins
For the second yr in a row the Cincinnati Bengals have positioned the franchise tag on vast receiver Tee Higgins. Which means that by putting the tag on Higgins for the second-season in a row as famous above that might imply Cincinnati would personal him 20% improve over yr’s quantity, as an alternative of the conventional tag quantity.
Higgins performed for $21.816 million in 2024, so a second tag would quantity to $26.18 million in 2025.
In keeping with obtainable reporting, the Bengals are hoping to work out a long-term cope with Higgins reasonably than seeing him play beneath the tag for the second consecutive season.
The deadline for a long-term deal beneath the tag is July 15.
