Franchise Tag Window Opens as Dolphins Make Major Cuts, Coaching Moves Continue

The 2026 NFL franchise tag window is now open, several high-profile candidates emerge, Miami makes sweeping roster cuts, and multiple teams finalize coordinator hires.

^Don't Feel like reading? Watch the video above!^

The NFL’s 2026 franchise tag window officially opened Tuesday, creating the first major contract checkpoint of the offseason and giving clubs a defined mechanism to retain priority negotiating rights with key players before free agency begins.

Teams may designate franchise or transition players between Feb. 17 and March 3 at 4 p.m. ET. Once tagged, a player can still negotiate a long-term extension with his current team until July 15. If no deal is reached by that deadline, the player will play the season on a one-year tender based on league salary formulas tied to position and prior compensation. Final tag dollar figures will be set after the 2026 salary cap is finalized.

Franchise Tag Window

• Opens: Feb. 17

• Deadline to apply tag: March 3 — 4 p.m.

• Multi-year deal deadline after tagging: July 15

• If no deal — player plays on one-year tender

The non-exclusive franchise tag is the most frequently used version. It assigns a one-year salary based on the average of the top five cap hits at the player’s position over a multi-year calculation window or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. A player tagged this way may negotiate with other teams, but his original club retains the right to match any signed offer sheet or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

The exclusive franchise tag removes outside negotiation entirely. A player under this designation may only negotiate with his current club. The salary is calculated using the top five current-year positional salaries rather than the longer average formula, typically resulting in a higher one-year figure. This tag is most commonly associated with elite quarterbacks and premium cornerstone players.

The transition tag carries a lower salary threshold, based on the average of the top 10 salaries at the position. It gives the original team the right of first refusal if the player signs an outside offer sheet, but unlike the franchise tag, there is no draft-pick compensation if the team declines to match.

Potential Tag Candidates

• George Pickens

• Daniel Jones

• Alec Pierce

• Kyle Pitts

• Kenneth Walker III

• Trey Hendrickson

• Breece Hall

Coaching staffs also continued to take shape across multiple organizations as coordinator and position coach roles were finalized. The Cleveland Browns hired Falcons defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg as their new defensive coordinator, filling a key defensive leadership vacancy ahead of offseason install periods. The Las Vegas Raiders completed several staff additions, agreeing to terms with Joe DeCamilis as special teams coordinator while also hiring Travis Smith as defensive line coach and Matt Robinson as safeties coach. The cluster of hires reflects a broader leaguewide acceleration in secondary staff construction as teams move from head coach and coordinator searches into full unit-level staffing ahead of offseason programs.

Coaching News

Cleveland Browns

• Hiring Mike Rutenberg as defensive coordinator

Las Vegas Raiders

• Joe DeCamilis — special teams coordinator

• Travis Smith — defensive line coach

• Matt Robinson — safeties coach

Significant roster movement followed in Miami, where the Dolphins released wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, guard James Daniels, and linebacker Bradley Chubb as part of an early cap and roster reset under new head coach Jeff Hafley. Chubb’s release had been widely anticipated after last year’s contract restructure created a $31.2 million cap hit for 2026. Hill previously signed a four-year, $120 million extension in 2022 and later reworked the deal in 2024, pushing total guaranteed money to $106.5 million, which at the time set a record for an NFL skill-position player. Although Hill carried no guaranteed salary into 2026, he still counted $51.1 million against the cap this season. The combined moves signal a decisive financial and roster recalibration as Miami transitions into a new coaching era.

Major Roster Moves — Miami Dolphins

• Released Tyreek Hill — carried a $51.1 million cap hit this season and had no guaranteed money scheduled for 2026; cap structure combined with a major injury is viewed as a key factor in the decision

• Released Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

• Released James Daniels

• Released Bradley Chubb — prior restructure created a $31.2 million 2026 cap hit

With tag decisions pending, cap structures shifting, and coaching staffs still being finalized, the competitive landscape is already moving before free agency opens. Which tag designation or veteran release will most affect roster construction, and which front office is setting itself up best for the next phase of the offseason cycle? Let’s Talk About It!