How NFL Franchise Tag Deadline Influences the League
The official deadline for the NFL franchise tag ended recently causing only two teams to utilize the tag designation. Nonetheless, this precipitated a wave of business transactions within various teams. We will delve into the impact these decisions have had by evaluating the five winners and losers from all the action that unfolded near this deadline. The forthcoming initiation of the free agency’s legal tampering window will give us a clear picture of what these transactions mean.
J.J. McCarthy, the promising 10th overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, was a key player in these transactions. His goal of securing the starting quarterback role for the Minnesota Vikings faced uncertainty initially. McCarthy has been recovering from a training camp meniscus tear that necessitated two surgeries. Tuesday’s events, however, increased his potential of being the starter in the coming 2025 season.
The Vikings credited a successful campaign of 14 winning games to the bridge quarterback Sam Darnold last season, but decided against securing Darnold with a $40 million franchise tag. Consequently, Darnold is poised to attract a larger total in guarantees, with some teams even considering a multiyear extension. Despite this, the possibility of Darnold’s return to the Vikings remains open. Meanwhile, after a successful deal with the Los Angeles Rams involving Matthew Stafford, Darnold has risen to be the prime free-agent quarterback on several teams’ radar.
With a noticeably deficient drafting class this year, Darnold is likely to receive lucrative offers, which McCarthy will keenly observe. Elsewhere, Micah Parsons stands out as another deadline winner. The Dallas Cowboys preemptively surpassed the tag deadline by securing defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa with a robust four-year, $80 million extension, including $52 million in guarantees. This deal doesn’t just benefit Odighizuwa but indirectly benefits Parsons as well.
Before the deal, the Cowboys had intended to put the hefty $25.1 million franchise tag on Odighizuwa. This would have fully counted against their 2025 cap, thereby complicating any possible extension talks for Parsons. But now, with Odighizuwa already locked-in, there’s room to maneuver and propose more deals. The deal further benefits Parsons as it falls short of the projected $22-27 million payment that Odighizuwa was expected to draw from other sources.
This extension not only secures Odighizuwa on the team but also bolsters the defense, allowing Parsons to bring his best gameplay. Another significant move was seen around Caleb Williams, triggered by the Chicago Bears securing top head-coaching candidate Ben Johnson. Johnson’s offensive genius needs strong offensive line support, something which the Bears’ somewhat unstable 2024 unit couldn’t assure.
By trading a sixth-round pick for guard Jonah Jackson, alongside his $17.5m salary for 2025, Williams now has better support. Before his stint with the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, Williams had 57 starting games at left guard for the Lions and Johnson. His deep familiarity with Johnson’s scheme will help in executing more cohesive play calls—a critical factor considering the heavy 68 sacks for a high 466 yards he endured the previous year.
Williams will, undoubtedly, need to release the ball more promptly in his second year. However, provided with more reliable protection and stability than his three-coordinator rookie year, Williams’ framework for success seems to be taking shape. Yet another winner from Tuesday’s saga was Matthew Stafford. Amidst various reasons advocating for their mutual collaboration, the Rams gave Stafford the freedom to test the market, which very quickly saw the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders jumping in with offers.
Despite their keenness, the roster and coaching infrastructure of neither team matches all that the Rams have to offer Stafford. With a higher remuneration bid and an opportunity to return to a competitor, Stafford is well-placed. Puka Nacua, who has accomplished 184 catches, 2,476 yards, and nine touchdowns over just two seasons alongside Stafford and the Rams, is another beneficiary of this deal.
After the 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders, and the Bengals tagged Higgins, teams are left with limited options in the free-agent receiver class. A solid choice would be Davante Adams who saw explosive individual success in the 2024 season (1,063 yards and eight touchdowns), even though his teams couldn’t replicate that success. However, at 32, he is older than Samuel and Higgins who are 29 and 26, respectively.
Patrick Mahomes found himself in an interesting predicament by the end of Tuesday. Initially, AFC interior defensive linemen thought they had lost when the Chiefs placed one of the two league franchise tags on Smith. However, a sigh of relief was breathed after the Chiefs exchanged two-time All-Pro guard Joe Thuney with the Bears just before lunch Wednesday. Given the return of tight end Travis Kelce and the finite possibilities of this version of the Chiefs’ roster, the question of whether the offensive line is the best area to trim arises.
The San Francisco 49ers have consistently proven to be able to elevate their players and perform beyond expectations with the head coach Kyle Shanahan’s strategy. They still boast of a strong lineup, including Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. Thus, while Samuel’s move to Washington leaves a gap, it isn’t an unfathomable task to find a fitting replacement, if they strategize well.
However, the Los Angeles’ gain of Stafford seems to have caused a setback for New York and Las Vegas. Both teams were in talks for a deal with Stafford only to lose him to the Rams. Now, without a clear returning starter and equipped with the third and sixth picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, the predicament these teams find themselves in is a result of the deals made around the NFL franchise tag deadline and the subsequent deals that shaped the rest of the market.