What does being tagged a franchise player mean in the NFL?

Each team in the league has the opportunity to label one player a year with a "franchise tag". In the case of the Bears's Briggs he was labeled an "exclusive franchise tag". That means he had to be offered a one year contract that was the average of the top five salaries at his position in the year that the tag is applied (for Linebackers it's $7,206,000 for one year). A "non-exclusive franchise tag" means they have to offer the average of the top five salaries from the previous year at that player's position. The tag applies to unrestricted free agents.





It's the team's choice whether or not they want to use the franchise tag. And when they do it's usually the smart part on a team because it saves them cap room as well as retains key players.





The kicker here though is that when you "franchise" a player, another team can make an offer. The team that is potentially trading the player can match that offer or trade the player for TWO 1st round draft picks.





So pretty much no one wants to make the trade because no one wants to waste that much on one player. That's why there was all the uproar with Briggs, because he wanted to go elsewhere since he's in Urlacher's shadow most of the time and franchising him locked him up with the Bears for another year.

What does being tagged a franchise player mean in the NFL?
it means that You are Team Property unless You request for Free Agency, which the case the owner and GM don't want you to sign with another team.
Reply:It means they have to be with the team for one more year playing under the salary they have now.
Reply:it means that the player is on the team 1 more year with the salary they have now
Reply:From a player's perspective, it means you're screwed. The time doesn't want to give you a new contract and pay you what you're worth, but they can designate you the franchise player, give you a one-year contract, and keep you from hitting the free-agent market.
Reply:it means no other team can talk to you about trading or contracts because more than likely youll finish you career with the team your on but now a days theres allways a clause somewhere for a team to allways let you go
Reply:It means that if a another team wants that player, they will have to give up their 1st round draft pick and the team the player is currently on has the option to match the offer the other team is offering to get that player.
Reply:a price tag of the top 5 players at the position
Reply:It means they are signed to a one year deal and they receive the average pay for the top 5 highest paid at the position. This usually makes players upset, as it keeps the team from having to sign the player to a long-term deal and in many cases gives the player less then they would command on the free-agent market