2026 NFL franchise tag candidates: Kyle Pitts, George Pickens - ESPN

The two-week NFL franchise tag window opens Tuesday and runs until 4 p.m. ET on March 3. During that time frame, each team is allowed to tag one player who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Doing so would keep the player with the team for the 2026 season, but the price tag isn't cheap.

Franchise tag figures are based on the top five annual salaries at each position, and the price goes up each time a player gets tagged. Teams must determine whether it's in their best interest to pay the franchise tag price, extend the player or possibly tag him and continue negotiating a long-term deal. Last year, only two players were tagged: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith.

Here is a look at each NFL team that has a player who might receive the franchise tag this offseason:

Jump to a team:
ATL | CIN | DAL | IND | JAX
LAC | NYG | NYJ | SF | SEA

TE Kyle Pitts Sr.

After three subpar seasons, Pitts, the 2021 No. 4 pick, was largely considered a bust. But in 2025, when healthy, he established himself as one of the best tight ends in the league. Now he is heading into potential free agency following his best season since his record-breaking 2021 rookie campaign.

In Year 5, he finished second among tight ends in receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) and had a career-high five touchdown catches.

When wide receiver Drake London went down with a knee injury late in the season, Pitts was the Falcons' most potent weapon through the air. Against the Buccaneers in December, Pitts had 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first tight end to reach at least 150 yards with three touchdowns in a game since Shannon Sharpe in 1996.

The Falcons might want to tag