Why Kyle Pitts Sr. and George Pickens Will Likely Play on the Franchise Tag
The Combine has come and gone, and it's time to look ahead to the franchise tags that will shape the NFL landscape.
Kyle Pitts Sr. and George Pickens are two players who, despite their immense talent, may find themselves playing on the franchise tag in 2026 rather than signing long-term deals. But why is this the case? Let's dive in and explore the circumstances surrounding these two players and the strategic decisions their teams are making.
Kyle Pitts Sr.: A Promise Yet to Be Fulfilled
Kyle Pitts Sr.'s journey has been one of promise and setback. After a stellar rookie year in 2021, a knee injury in the following season set his career back, requiring regular drainage and impacting his development. By 2024, he was in a platoon with Charlie Woerner, and in 2025, he bounced back with 88 catches, 928 yards, and five scores. The question remains: is this the new Pitts? The franchise tag gives the Falcons another year to figure it out, with a new coaching staff and a head coach (Kevin Stefanski) who values the position.
George Pickens: A Thornier Case
George Pickens' first season with the Cowboys was unbelievable, with 93 catches, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns. However, the question remains: will he continue to grow, work, and be the right kind of guy in the locker room? The franchise tag gives Dallas the chance to test this without exchanging vows, and it's a risk worth taking given the problems that led to the Steelers giving up on him.
Breece Hall: A Clear-Cut No. 1 Running Back
The Jets franchised running back Breece Hall, and GM Darren Mougey & Co. are expected to work out a long-term deal by mid-July. Hall is a really good player who will help whoever the next quarterback is, and the franchise tag helps to further define the running back market. It leaves Kenneth Walker III as the top back on the market, with a likely contract between $12 million and $16 million per season, and makes Travis Etienne Jr. the clear-cut No. 2 guy on the market, with a potential contract of $10 million per year.
Daniel Jones: A Transition Tag or Franchise Tag?
The Colts' talks with Daniel Jones have dragged on, and the potential for him to receive the transition tag has come up. The transition tag gives him the chance to test the market without another team needing to yield compensation, but gives Indianapolis matching rights. So why not franchise him? It's about getting a long-term deal done, and the quarterback franchise tag is $43.895 million, while the transition tag is $37.833 million. The APY on a long-term deal is typically the equivalent of two tags, split in half, which would mean Jones signing in the $41.6 million per year range off the transition tag, and at around $48.3 million per year off the franchise tag.
Alec Pierce: A Hot Name on the Market
The Colts can't transition tag one player and franchise tag another, so tagging Jones in any way would take away the option to tag Alec Pierce. My expectation is that Pierce's name would be a hot one on the market, and I'd expect him to pull down a deal in excess of $25 million per year, and maybe close to $30 million per, if he doesn't get tagged. The receiver tag is $27.298 million and the transition tag is $23.852 million.
Texans' Trades: Filling Voids and Restocking the Cupboard
The Texans' trades on Monday, sending Tytus Howard, Juice Scruggs, and fourth- and seventh-round picks out of town, with David Montgomery and a fifth-rounder coming back, have two levels to them. The first is the most obvious: Montgomery arriving to fill a void and pair with promising 2025 draftee Woody Marks in the backfield. The second is more layered: Houston wasn't pleased with its offensive line at the end of 2024, and actions since have shown it. With only two long-term answers arriving, there's pressure to restock the cupboard through free agency and the draft.
Lions and Browns: Offensive Line Reworking
As for the Lions, I'd expect the acquisition of Scruggs to be the first in a little bit of an offensive line reworking. Detroit's identity was built through that position group through Dan Campbell's first four years, and fell off a bit last year. To get it back to where it was, I wouldn't rule out a big swing by Detroit, maybe on someone such as Ravens free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum. And ditto on the Browns' offseason. Their offensive line looms as a focus, and Howard is just the first piece of diving in on that. Howard has good guard-tackle flexibility, and was available in part because of the financials associated. Four of the Browns' five regular starting linemen are free agents.
