NFL franchise tag deal deadline 2022: Which players are still looking for long-term contracts?
(Update: None of the players on the franchise tag agreed to a long-term deal before Friday's deadline.)
For a handful of NFL players, Friday marks the last opportunity for some time to seize long-term security.
Players who are on the franchise tag face a 4 p.m. ET deadline to sign a multiyear contract. Otherwise, they can only sign a one-year deal – likely for the amount of their franchise tender – before returning to the market again in 2023.
Several players – Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (who was originally tagged by the Green Bay Packers before being traded), Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson – have signed lucrative extensions in recent months after receiving the tag earlier this offseason. Yet others are still waiting and might not be as fortunate.
Here's a full explainer of where things stand:
Which players are currently on the franchise tag for 2022?
Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati Bengals: A key catalyst on a Cincinnati defense that helped pave the way for last season's trip to the Super Bowl, Bates is an apparent long shot to receive the long-term deal he covets.
Bates and the Bengals have made "zero" progress toward a long-term contract, and the safety does not intend to report to training camp, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of negotiations. Having yet to sign his tender, Bates can miss training camp without incurring a fine.
Orlando Brown, OT, Kansas City Chiefs: One year after the Chiefs traded for Brown and made him Patrick Mahomes' blindside protector, Kansas City and the left tackle are at an impasse. Brown and the Chiefs will not reach a multiyear deal by Friday's deadline, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of negotiations. A training camp absence could follow, Garafolo reported, as Brown has not yet signed his tender.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins: Despite setting career highs last season with 73 catches and 780 receiving yards, Gesicki likely will need to wait a year before landing a long-term contract. The fifth-year tight end is not expected to reach an agreement with the Dolphins on a long-term contract before Friday's deadline, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
The Dolphins made a splashy investment in their receiving corps earlier this offseason by trading for Tyreek Hill and giving him a four-year, $120 million deal. Though Gesicki established himself as a consistent threat as a pass catcher, his underdeveloped blocking could be a problem in first-year coach Mike McDaniel's scheme.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys don’t dispute Dalton Schultz’s 2021 production. The 2018 fourth-round’s 808 yards and eight touchdowns earned him a raise from $2.2 million to $10.9 million on the tight end franchise tag. But the financial boon, for 2022 at least, is expected to stop there.
Conversation hasn’t progressed in roughly three weeks, a person with knowledge of the confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday night. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of negotiations, pegged the chance of deal closure before Friday’s deadline at “less than 1%.”
The Cowboys haven’t been afraid to tag players in recent years. Quarterback Dak Prescott played 2020 on the franchise tag; defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence played on the designation in 2018. Each player received a long-term deal from the club. Schultz’s long-term future with Dallas is less certain after recent ballooning of the tight end market. In May, the Cleveland Browns awarded tight end David Njoku — whose production amounted to roughly 50% of Schultz’s across the last two years — a four-year extension worth up to $56.75 million with $28 million guaranteed. With future contract offers expected for receiver CeeDee Lamb, linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys aren’t jumping to commit to Schultz long-term.
What is the franchise tag, and how are values determined?
The franchise tag is a designation that each NFL team may issue to one player ahead of free agency. Unless a long-term deal is reached, teams will offer a one-year tender that – in the case of the more commonly used non-exclusive tags – amounts to either the average of the top-five salaries at the player's respective position over the last five years or 120% of the player's salary, whichever is greater. Figures can increase if the exclusive tag – which bars other teams from negotiating with the player – is applied or if the tag is used in consecutive years, but neither scenario applies to any of the players still on the franchise tag as of Friday.
What are the positional payouts for the franchise tag in 2022?
Quarterback: $29.703 million
Running back: $9.570 million
Wide receiver: $18.419 million
Tight end: $10.931 million
Offensive linemen: $16.662 million
Defensive end: $17.859 million
Defensive tackle: $17.396 million
Linebacker: $18.702 million
Cornerback: $17.287 million
Safety: $12.911 million
Kicker/punter: $5.220 million
Contributing: Tyler Dragon, Jori Epstein, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL franchise tag deadline 2022: Latest news, rumors on deal talks
