FRANCHISE TAG: Is the Tag WORTH IT Anymore? 2026’s Likely Candidates and Big Decisions DISCUSSED

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4.6 • 966 Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2026

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

NFL franchise tag season sparks tough decisions—are top stars like George Pickens, Kyle Pitts, and Breece Hall facing surprise tags, extensions, or a trip to the open market? Joe Marino and Kyle Crabbs break down why the franchise tag is losing favor across the league and debate which high-profile players actually warrant this costly one-year commitment. Key topics include the shifting economics of tag values for positions like quarterback, wide receiver, and cornerback, the strategic advantages (and pitfalls) of early extensions, and which teams might regret passing over the fifth-year option or making expensive tag moves. Team-building philosophies for the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and New York Jets come into focus as the hosts spotlight emerging trends, questionable front office tactics, and why the future of the tag may hang in the balance. Will front offices adapt—or get left behind as player leverage grows?

Transcript

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0:00.0	The franchise tag window is open.
0:04.2	Isn't an effective tool?
0:06.0	And are there any candidates that it should be applied to?
0:08.8	We're going to explore that today on the Locked-on NFL Scouting podcast.
0:17.0	You are locked on NFL scouting with the Draft dudes, your daily podcast for NFL and college football scouting.
0:25.7	Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day.
0:31.5	What's better than this?
0:33.2	It's guys being dudes here on the Locked on NFL scouting podcast.
0:37.6	Part of the Lockdown podcast network, now the number one sports podcast network. We're the draft dudes. I'm Joe Marino from Lockdown Pills. He's Kyle Crabs, some Lockdown Dolphins, and we are your NFL experts here with you daily to talk team building across the league. We want to issue a big thank you. Shout out and welcome to our everydayers.
0:56.0	Those of you who never miss a single episode,
0:58.4	we appreciate y'all being here very, very much.
1:00.5	Jopi Thursday to you.
1:02.8	Diving into the franchise tag today.
1:05.4	Franchise tech window opened at the beginning of this week and has become one of the more interesting tools because it's become less and less popular.
1:16.2	I think that's the first thing when you consider what the tag used to mean
1:19.8	versus how unattractive it is.
1:22.1	And some of that being because players,
1:23.4	it feels like have gotten a little bit more in the way of leverage over the last 10 years or so
1:27.6	with contract dissatisfaction.
1:31.5	There's been some trailblazers who chose not to sign tenders and really milk this thing out and
1:36.8	create some sticky situations.
1:39.5	So we're going to go wall to wall with the franchise tag today, including why teams like it
	...

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