Franchise Tag

The franchise tag is a way for teams in the NFL, a player from the squad with expiring contract to bind to at least the short term. A distinction is made between "exclusive" and "non- exclusive". Where a team has a franchise tag " exclusive" on it thus ensures that the player will definitely play at least another year for the appropriate team. Because this exclusive variant prevents the so occupied player may play for another team, unless he is passed or dismissed by trade. The player receives while the guaranteed salary from the maximum of the average salary of the five highest-paid players in the previous season on the relevant position or 120 percent of his previous year's salary.

Although financial terms make between "exclusive" and "non- exclusive" no difference, many teams turn to the only "non- exclusive" variant. This way, the player is given the opportunity to negotiate within the Free Agency with another team. Achieving the two parties reach an agreement, so the player's current team would have to have the opportunity to make an identical offer or pull the player. In return, the donor team, however, would receive two Erstrundenpicks in the draft of the new team of the player.