As the NFL’s deadline for franchise and transition tags passed on Tuesday, four players were designated with tags, but Seattle Seahawks’ star running back and recent Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III was notably excluded. This development leaves Walker, coming off an outstanding season, poised to enter free agency and explore opportunities beyond Seattle.
The Indianapolis Colts opted to place a transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones, while the New York Jets applied the franchise tag to running back Breece Hall. The Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons had already placed franchise tags on wide receiver George Pickens and tight end Kyle Pitts, respectively, ahead of the deadline. Other significant players who went untagged and could become unrestricted free agents include Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum, Los Angeles Chargers’ Odafe Oweh, and Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne.
Kenneth Walker III’s Impressive Season and Playoff Performance
Walker concluded his fourth NFL season by earning Super Bowl MVP honors after rushing for 135 yards in Seattle’s championship victory over New England last month. This marked his second season surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in his career. During the playoffs, Walker demonstrated his capacity to carry a significant workload, especially after teammate Zach Charbonnet suffered a season-ending knee injury in the divisional round, averaging 104.3 rushing yards per game.
Despite this success, the Seahawks declined to place a franchise tag on Walker before the deadline. At the NFL Combine last week, Seattle’s general manager, John Schneider, remained noncommittal when asked if the team planned to use a tag to retain Walker for the 2026 season.
“We’d love to have Ken back, we’d love to have everybody back,”
Schneider stated.
“But he knows this better than anybody, it’s about our 70, our collective, and what it’s going to look like. And we’ll have those meetings down here. We’ll start, you know, talking to all the agents and, yeah, we’ll have a better feel of where we’re going to go toward the end of the week. But, obviously, we’d love that (having Walker back). When you get something special like that, let’s run it back.”
?John Schneider, Seattle Seahawks General Manager
Context of Franchise and Transition Tags This Season
The four tags placed this year exceed the two tags issued in 2024. Historically, from 2020 through 2024, more than nine franchise tags were handed out annually on average. The Colts’ decision to use the $37.8 million transition tag on Jones rather than the $43.9 million franchise tag allows room for another team to sign the quarterback without compensation to Indianapolis, beginning March 11 when free agency officially opens. The Colts then have five days to match any offer or let Jones join the new team.
Jones showed early promise before a torn Achilles tendon ended his season prematurely in Week 14. He helped lead the Colts to an 8-2 start—their best mark since 2015—before injuries sidelined him. Despite the injury setbacks and a seven-game losing streak that caused the Colts to miss the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, Jones achieved career highs in passer rating (100.2) and completion percentage (68%). He also contributed 19 touchdown passes against only eight interceptions and added five rushing touchdowns.
Uncertainty remains around Jones’ recovery timeline. The Colts currently have sixth-round pick Riley Leonard and first-round quarterback Anthony Richardson—who has been allowed to seek trade options—on their roster for the coming season.
Jets Secure Breece Hall with Franchise Tag Amid Roster Changes
Breece Hall secured the $14.3 million franchise tag from the New York Jets, ensuring the team will receive two first-round draft picks if another franchise signs him and New York chooses not to match the offer. The 24-year-old running back, drafted in the second round in 2022 from Iowa State, had not previously received a contract extension unlike first-round teammates Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, leading to some uncertainty about his future.
Despite injury setbacks to running back Braelon Allen and the role of Isaiah Davis as the clear secondary back, the Jets intend to keep Hall as a primary offensive weapon. With offensive coordinator Frank Reich set to debut and a quarterback search underway, Hall’s tag provides security for New York’s rushing attack while contract talks continue.
Hall rushed for a career-high 1,065 yards in the 2025 season, despite missing the final game due to a knee injury—becoming the first Jets player to exceed 1,000 rushing yards in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015. Additionally, Hall has surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in three consecutive seasons, a milestone achieved by only five other running backs in franchise history.
On social media, Hall expressed confidence in his future with a simple declaration: bet on myself.
Among NFL running backs, only former Offensive Players of the Year Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Derrick Henry hold contracts with higher average annual values than Hall’s franchise tag figure.
Dallas and Atlanta Protect Key Offensive Players with Franchise Tags
The Dallas Cowboys placed a franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, valued at roughly $27.3 million for the upcoming season. Pickens, who will turn 25 soon, achieved career highs with 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns in a strong offensive showing despite the team’s defensive struggles and 7-9-1 record.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons assigned the franchise tag to tight end Kyle Pitts, worth around $15 million next season. Pitts, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, logged a career-best 88 catches and five touchdowns last year, earning second-team All-Pro honors. His 928 receiving yards ranked second among NFL tight ends, just behind Arizona’s Trey McBride.
Teams now have until July 15 to negotiate long-term contracts with tagged players; otherwise, these players will participate in the 2026 season on exclusive one-year deals.
Seahawks Prepare for Offseason Moves Amid Player Uncertainty
Seattle’s offseason will focus on critical roster decisions following the decision not to tag Kenneth Walker III. Anticipated free-agent negotiations and draft strategy are expected to be priorities, with attention on re-signing key contributors. Speculation surrounds Seattle’s plans to address wide receiver needs and tender exclusive rights free agents to maintain depth.
The forthcoming free agency period will reveal how the Seahawks intend to approach retaining star talents like Walker, alongside the broader challenges other NFL teams face as they balance salary caps and roster composition heading into the 2026 season.
