Teams can start applying the franchise tag today.
The window for NFL teams to use the franchise or transition tags on pending free agents opens on Tuesday, and the New England Patriots will keep a close eye on it.
Coming off back-to-back 4-13 campaigns, the Patriots are in dire need of an infusion of talent on both sides of the ball. Entering the offseason as the league leaders in salary cap space at a projected $128.69 million, they are in a financial position to bolster their roster by pursuing the biggest names on the market.
The franchise tag window, which remains open until March 4 at 4 p.m. ET, will decide whether they will get a chance to do so. Every team, after all, is allowed to use the tag on one of its players.
There are several candidates to receive it, including multiple potential Patriots targets.
One of those, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, is expected to get tagged over the next two weeks unless a long-term deal is reached at some point. Higgins would have been a prime target for the receiver-needy Patriots, but with him off the board the focus needs to shift elsewhere to improve one of the NFL’s least productive receiving corps.
When it comes to the franchise tag, there may not be a lot of movement at the wide receiver position — a sign of the drop-off in quality behind Higgins. Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin or Houston’s Stefon Diggs are the next best options, but neither might receive the tag at an expected cost of $25.7 million.
To find more realistic candidates, one will have to look at the offensive line class. Tackles Ronnie Stanley and Alaric Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, as well as Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith could get tagged before the closing of the window. Out of those three, Jackson is the most likely to receive it due to his team’s available cap space compared to the Ravens’ and Chiefs’.
Other names to watch are Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun or New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed, two players who would help bolster New England’s depth at their positions. Neither of their teams has vast resources available, which would complicate the use of the tag in both cases.
As for the Patriots themselves, they will not use the franchise tag in 2025. After applying it on safety Kyle Dugger last offseason, they have no realistic candidates on their list of free agents-to-be.