NFL Franchise Tag: Will the Cincinnati Bengals use it, and what may happen next?
A big decision now looms over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The first notable date on the NFL calendar following the Super Bowl is the opening of the two-week window for clubs to use the franchise tag or transition tag. It’s a time the Cincinnati Bengals are very familiar with.
Cincinnati has used the franchise tag three times on two different players in the last four years. Only once in the history of the tag have the Bengals directly following using it to work out a long-term contract.
Should the tag be exercised by Cincinnati this year, something could happen that’s never happened before from the franchise. But let’s go over some basics first.
When does the franchise tag window open and close?
NFL clubs can place the franchise tag on any rostered veteran player starting Feb. 17 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The two-week window officially closes on Mar. 3 at 4:00 p.m. ET, eight days before the 2026 league year begins.
Players do not have to sign the tag immediately once it is placed on them, but the tag does eliminate them from entering free agency when the new league year begins on Mar. 11 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Clubs have until July 15 to work out a long-term extension.
Will the Bengals use the tag?
The only player who may be tagged by the Bengals is defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The 31-year old’s one-year, $29 million contract officially voided late last week, and is considered one of the best free agents, if not THE best, set to hit the open market.
Tagging Hendrickson would cost Cincinnati $30.2 million in both cash and salary cap space, as it would be 120% of his 2025 salary. That’s a very large number and would take up more than half of the Bengals’ available cap space. For a team looking to add multiple additions to their defense this offseason, it feels unlikely the Bengals will tag Hendrickson with the intent on having him sign it and play under it.
That’s why if the tag finds Hendrickson, the expectation is Cincinnati will look to trade him to a team that wants to sign him to a multi-year contract. The Bengals could get a 2026 NFL Draft pick (or two) in return for trading the four-time Pro Bowler.
Cincinnati has never executed a tag-and-trade before, and only last year did the franchise finally use the tag to successfully work out a long-term contract with wide receiver Tee Higgins. It would be a very progressive move for the Bengals to gain extra draft capital in the current year in exchange for a player they have no intention of paying what he wants instead of forcing him to play out another year, or letting him walk in the hopes that a compensatory draft pick comes back their way next year.
That’s the calculus the Bengals will be working out over the next two weeks, starting today at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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