Beginning today, NFL teams may begin using the franchise tag to retain the negotiating rights on one of their unrestricted or restricted free agents. The deadline to use the franchise tag is 4pm ET on March 5.
The formula for calculating the amount of each franchise tender has changed. Instead of using the average of the Top 5 cap numbers from the previous season at each position, the amounts of the franchise (and transition tags) at each position from the previous five seasons will be added up and divided by the sum of the salary caps from the previous five seasons (for the uncapped 2010 season, the league will take the average of the 2009 and 2011 salary caps).
The resulting percentage will be multiplied by the salary cap from the upcoming season to determine the non-exclusive franchise tag and transition tag amounts.
In January, I provided projected franchise tag numbers in the "Under the Cap" section at Football Outsiders. The range began based on a 2012 salary cap of $120.375 million and the higher number was based on a salary cap of $125 million, a figure used in examples in the collective bargaining agreement document.
Notable unrestricted free agents whose franchise tender would be greater than the amounts below are Miami Dolphins nose tackle Paul Soliai ($14.971 million, 120 percent his $12.476 million franchise tender from 2011), San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson ($13.709 million, 120 percent his 2011 franchise tag of $11.424 million) and Houston Texans linebacker Mario Williams, whose tender would be worth $21.99 million, 120 percent his $18.325 million cap number from 2011.
Quarterbacks
Projected Franchise Tender: $14.374M - $14.926M
Projected Transition Tender: $12.409M - $12.886M
Running Backs
Projected Franchise Tender: $7.778M - $8.088M
Projected Transition Tender: $6.691M - $6.949M
Wide Receivers
Projected Franchise Tender: $9.443M - $9.806M
Projected Transition Tender: $8.477M - $8.802M
Tight Ends
Projected Franchise Tender: $5.416M - $5.624M
Projected Transition Tender: $4.673M - $4.852M
Offensive Linemen
Projected Franchise Tender: $9.447M - $9.81M
Projected Transition Tender: $8.437M - $8.762M
Defensive Tackles
Projected Franchise Tender: $7.89M - $8.193M
Projected Transition Tender: $6.613M - $6.867M
Defensive Ends
Projected Franchise Tender: $10.595M - $11.002M
Projected Transition Tender: $8.914M - $9.257M
Linebackers
Projected Franchise Tender: $8.843M - $9.183M
Projected Transition Tender: $7.869M - $8.171M
Cornerbacks
Projected Franchise Tender: $10.431M - $10.832M
Projected Transition Tender: $8.705M - $9.04M
Safeties
Projected Franchise Tender: $6.22M - $6.459M
Projected Transition Tender: $5.391M - $5.599M
Punters/Kickers
Projected Franchise Tender: $2.665M - $2.768M
Projected Transition Tender: $2.452M - $2.546M
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