Franchise and Transition Tag Amounts, 1997-2008 from http://www.vertgame.com/fa/fa_rules.html : "Each team can designate one of its players - who would otherwise be an unrestricted free agent - as a franchise (or a transition) player. The club must automatically offer the player a one-year contract averaging the five highest prior year salaries at his position. The player can entertain offers from other teams, but his team retains a right of first refusal. If the player's current team refuses to match an offer, the new team must give up two first-round draft picks as compensation. An exclusive franchise player may not negotiate with other clubs. Each team is permitted to designate one of its players as a transition player. Note that these need not be unrestricted free agents. The player's team must offer a transitional player a salary at least equal to the average of the top 10 NFL players at his position (prior year's salaries) or a 20% raise, whichever is greater. He can negotiate with other teams, but his current team retains the right to match any offer. If he is also restricted, and his current team refuses to match an offer, the league can order compensation." The historical trend of these numbers is therefore a rough indication of how player salaries at various positions have changed, though since the tags' calculation is limited to sampling salaries for only the highest-paid players at each position, it can only be an approximation. - tgryn 2008 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $10.73 million $9.56 million Running Back $6.538 million $5.699 million Wide Receiver $7.848 million $6.872 million Tight End $4.522 million $3.733 million Kicker/Punter $2.514 million $2.245 million Offensive Lineman $7.455 million $6.895 million Defensive Tackle $6.775 million $5.554 million Defensive End $8.879 million $7.679 million Linebacker $8.065 million $7.335 million Cornerback $9.465 million $7.659 million Safety $4.396 million $3.893 million 2007 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $12.615 million $10.182 million Running Back $6.999 million $5.981 million Wide Receiver $7.613 million $7.040 million Tight End $4.371 million $3.612 million Kicker/Punter $2.078 million $1.926 million Offensive Lineman $9.556 million $8.267 million Defensive Tackle $6.775 million $5.554 million Defensive End $8.644 million $7.701 million Linebacker $7.206 million $6.493 million Cornerback $7.790 million $6.766 million Safety $4.490 million $3.984 million 2006 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $8.789 million $8.327 million Running Back $6.085 million $5.153 million Wide Receiver $6.172 million $5.160 million Tight End $3.327 million $2.718 million Kicker/Punter $2.468 million $2.045 million Offensive Lineman $6.983 million $6.391 million Defensive Tackle $5.656 million $4.463 million Defensive End $8.332 million $7.075 million Linebacker $7.169 million $6.144 million Cornerback $5.893 million $4.774 million Safety $4.109 million $3.592 million 2005 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $8.078 million $6.831 million Running Back $6.323 million $5.239 million Wide Receiver $7.768 million $6.414 million Tight End $2.687 million $2.095 million Kicker/Punter $1.787 million $1.599 million Offensive Lineman $7.424 million $6.201 million Defensive Tackle $5.134 million $4.436 million Defensive End $6.666 million $5.615 million Linebacker $5.950 million $5.120 million Cornerback $8.816 million $6.938 million Safety $4.968 million $3.926 million 2004 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $9.958 million $8.169 million Running Back $5.167 million $4.494 million Wide Receiver $7.229 million $6.420 million Tight End $2.612 million $2.104 million Kicker/Punter $1.611 million $1.446 million Offensive Lineman $7.021 million $6.012 million Defensive Tackle $5.613 million $4.561 million Defensive End $6.503 million $5.796 million Linebacker $5.834 million $5.063 million Cornerback $6.801 million $5.698 million Safety $4.113 million $3.578 million 2003 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $8.305 million $7.102 million Running Back $6.667 million $4.989 million Wide Receiver $5.010 million $4.538 million Tight End $3.050 million $2.360 million Kicker/Punter $1.471 million $1.342 million Offensive Lineman $5.734 million $5.141 million Defensive Tackle $5.942 million $4.689 million Defensive End $7.169 million $5.870 million Linebacker $5.614 million $4.845 million Cornerback $5.962 million $4.838 million Safety $3.043 million $2.769 million 2002 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $7.446 million $6.28 million Running Back $5.6 million $4.703 million Wide Receiver $4.303 million $3.906 million Tight End $2.288 million $2.07 million Kicker/Punter $1.241 million $1.129 million Offensive Lineman $4.92 million $4.442 million Defensive Tackle $5.028 million $4.11 million Defensive End $5.699 million $4.975 million Linebacker $5.515 million $4.573 million Cornerback $4.493 million $4.077 million Safety $3.342 million $2.926 million 2001 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $6.926 million $5.776 million Running Back $4.222 million $3.673 million Wide Receiver $3.856 million $3.458 million Tight End $2.107 million $1.804 million Kicker/Punter $1.093 million $1.030 million Offensive Lineman $4.509 million $4.214 million Defensive Tackle $5.084 million $4.335 million Defensive End $5.390 million $4.177 million Linebacker $4.762 million $4.054 million Cornerback $4.179 million $3.780 million Safety $3.223 million $2.822 million 2000 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $ million $ million Running Back $3.53 million $ million Wide Receiver $4.095 million $ million Tight End $ million $ million Kicker/Punter $ million $ million Offensive Lineman $4.1 million $ million Defensive Tackle $ million $ million Defensive End $4.253 million $ million Linebacker $4.1 million $ million Cornerback $ million $ million Safety $ million $ million 1999 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $ million $ million Running Back $ million $ million Wide Receiver $ million $ million Tight End $ million $ million Kicker/Punter $ million $ million Offensive Lineman $ million $ million Defensive Tackle $ million $ million Defensive End $ million $ million Linebacker $ million $ million Cornerback $ million $ million Safety $ million $ million 1998 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $ million $ million Running Back $ million $ million Wide Receiver $ million $ million Tight End $ million $ million Kicker/Punter $ million $ million Offensive Lineman $3.062 million $2.8 million Defensive Tackle $ million $ million Defensive End $ million $ million Linebacker $ million $ million Cornerback $ million $ million Safety $ million $ million 1997 Position Franchise Transition -------------------------------------------------- Quarterback $4.8512 million $4.3392 million Running Back $3.0862 million $2.5527 million Wide Receiver $2.7742 million $2.4498 million Tight End $1.515 million $1.3598 million Kicker/Punter $0.869 million $0.7775 million Offensive Lineman $3.037 million $2.8 million Defensive Tackle $2.7918 million $2.5022 million Defensive End $3.1818 million $2.9737 million Linebacker $3.448 million $3.131 million Cornerback $3.362 million $2.787 million Safety $2.4204 million $2.0941 million