Today at 4pm ET is the official deadline for NFL teams to use tags on players that were set to expire before the new league year.
There are three bidding options: 1) Non-Exclusive Franchise; 2) Patent mark; 3) Transition tag.
Non-Exclusive Franchise Marks: The most common sign. When most people refer to the “licensed mark” they are generally talking about the non-exclusive version. This is a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The tagged player can sign with other teams, but his current team has the right to match any offer or receive two first-round picks as compensation if he signs with another club.
Patent Marks: Unlike the non-exclusive version, the labeling team retains the sole right to contract with the player. The exclusivity raises the wage scale (current average wage versus the average of the last five years). It is a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position in the current year, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is higher. Few people get the private label. Generally, players that other teams would gladly give up two first-round picks get this version of the tag — read: running backs.
Transition Marks: The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position — as opposed to the top five for the franchise tag. It gives the original club the right of first refusal to match any offers a player might receive from another club. The labeling team receives no compensation if it chooses not to match a contract.