The NFL's franchise tag window opened today, but don't expect the San Francisco 49ers to use it on any of their many impending free agents. The non-exclusive franchise tag is a one-year tender that pays a player either the average of the top five salaries at their position over the last five years or 120% of their previous salary—whichever is greater.
While a tagged player can negotiate with other teams, their current team has the right to match any offer. If they decline, the signing team must surrender two first-round draft picks as compensation, making it unlikely that a tagged player departs.
However, given the steep price tag associated with top salaries at each position, the 49ers are unlikely to use the franchise tag this offseason. They don't have a pending free agent whose value justifies the cost. Instead, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will likely let several key players test the open market to gauge interest.
"The 49ers are facing expiring contracts for several key contributors in Charvarius Ward, Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufanga — all of whom rank in the top 25 of PFF's (Pro Football Focus) top free agents list," wrote Pro Football Focus analyst Mason Cameron. "Of the three, Ward has the most proven body of work, but on-field struggles in 2024 may create some hesitancy to offer him a significant one-year deal under the tag."
According to ESPN, the 49ers using the franchise tag would mean committing $20.36 million to Ward, $19.63 million to Hufanga, or $27.05 million to Greenlaw.
San Francisco could save some money by using the transition tag, which offers a slightly lower salary and still allows the team to match any offer. However, unlike the franchise tag, the 49ers would receive no compensation if the player signed elsewhere.
In Ward's case, the transition tag would still cost $17.2 million for one year—a steep price for a team preparing to make quarterback Brock Purdy one of the NFL's highest-paid players.