Cam Heyward blasts "stupid" franchise tag

Key Points:

• The NFL's franchise tag, introduced in the 1993 Collective Bargaining Agreement, remains widely unpopular among players, with Steelers' Cam Heyward calling it "stupid" for limiting player earnings and mobility.
• The franchise tag formula changed in 2011 from basing salaries on the five highest-paid players at a position to a five-year average of cap percentages, resulting in tagged salaries that often lag behind current market rates.
• Examples include Cowboys receiver George Pickens and Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., whose franchise tag values for 2026 fall significantly below their market worth, highlighting the disconnect between tag salaries and actual player value.
• The franchise tag benefits teams by allowing them to retain elite players without open market competition, which suppresses overall market growth and player salaries; changing or abolishing the tag would require negotiation and concessions from the NFLPA.
• Despite player dissatisfaction, the franchise tag is unlikely to be eliminated soon, as it remains a valuable tool for teams and would require significant bargaining leverage from the players, which may not be forthcoming.