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The franchise tag window is here, and there are several big names to keep an eye this offseason.

While there are plenty of players who could pick up the tag over the next week, it’s unclear how many actually will get the franchise tag. Last offseason, only two players — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith — were tagged. The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly already planning to use the tool, so we we’re halfway to reaching last year’s mark. Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts, assuming the Cowboys actually make the move, then got us there.

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Here’s everything you need to know, and who to watch out for, during the franchise tag window.

What dates is the franchise tag window open?

The franchise tag window opened Feb. 17 and runs until 4 p.m. ET on March 3.

What are the franchise tag rules?

During this two-week window, teams are allowed to tag one player who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. That would then keep that player with the team for the 2026 season. The sides can still negotiate a long-term deal up until July 15. If that deadline passes without a new deal, a tagged player will play on a one-year contract under the tag’s price determined by position.

Franchise tag salaries by position for 2026

The projected franchise tag costs for each position in 2026, per Spotrac.

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Offense
QB: $47.242 million
RB: $14.186 million
WR: $28.037 million
TE: $16.007 million
OL: $27.764 million

Defense
DE: $26.710 million
DT: $27.424 million
LB: $27.559 million
CB: $20.783 million
S: $20.758 million

Special Teams
K/P: $6.846 million

Which players have been franchise-tagged?

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

UPDATE: The Falcons will place the franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday.

Pitts looked significantly better last season, much more like the dominant tight end he was during his rookie campaign. He had 928 yards and a career-high five touchdowns on 88 catches, and was a very reliable piece for the Falcons’ offense that lost both quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wide receiver Drake London due to injuries.

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But Pitts has been underwhelming for much of his career. Outside of his first and most recent season, Pitts has largely failed to live up to the expectations that came with being the No. 4 overall draft pick.

It’s unclear how the Falcons’ new leadership feels about Pitts, but tagging him for one final season appears to be their safe strategy. The Falcons can now revisit his long-term future with the organization this fall, depending on how his fifth campaign with them goes.

Top franchise tag candidates for 2026

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

This is an easy one, and a move the Cowboys have been planning to do for quite some time.

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Pickens is coming off the best season of his career in 2025, his first with the Cowboys after being traded there from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pickens had 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns on 93 catches last season alongside star CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys will have the second-most expensive wide receiver duo in the league next season when the deal is done. The Cowboys have made it clear they want Pickens on a long-term contract, too.

While negotiations on that deal could take some time, the Cowboys aren’t going to risk losing Pickens to free agency this offseason.

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

The Jets may want to spend their money elsewhere this offseason amid yet another rebuild, but Hall would be a great franchise tag option for them. That is, if they want to keep him.

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Hall racked up a career-high 1,065 rushing yards with five total touchdowns last season, his fourth in the league. The former Iowa State star was easily the most consistent part of New York’s offense amid a 3-14 campaign, and he may be the top running back in the free agent market this offseason. There will undoubtedly be interest for him, and Hall would get paid if he left.

But Hall, remember, was a big name to watch at the trade deadline. So who knows if the team even wants to utilize this option.

Odafe Oweh, LB, Los Angeles Chargers

Oweh looked like a different player once he landed with the Chargers ahead of the trade deadline. Oweh had 7.5 sacks and 28 total tackles in just 12 games, and he had three total sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in L.A.’s playoff loss in New England. He seemed to be a very good fit for a Chargers defense that struggled frequently last fall.

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The Chargers have a lot of money to spend this offseason, too, so securing Oweh could be a very easy move if the two sides can’t agree to a long-term deal. But letting Oweh walk after his revival of sorts feels like something the Chargers need to avoid.

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

This may not even be necessary, but it’s something to look out for. Both the Colts and Jones have made it clear that they want to reunite next season after Jones’ career-best start with the franchise last fall. He’s currently recovering from a torn Achilles he went down with in December, but said he expects to be ready for training camp.

If the Colts use the tag on Jones — they’ve used it only once in the past decade — expect it to be a short-term option before a real extension is reached.

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Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks rarely use the franchise tag, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change, even if they don’t want to let Walker go this offseason. But last week, ESPN reported the Seahawks won’t use their franchise tag on Walker.

Walker racked up 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 carries last season while leading the Seahawks to their Super Bowl title. He was the game’s MVP, with 135 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards in the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the Patriots. That made him the first running back to win the award in decades.

Walker will be a free agent this offseason if the Seahawks don’t reach a long-term deal with him. And the team is very likely going to want him back this fall, especially since fellow running back Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an ACL injury. Yet, considering Walker’s injury history — he made it in only 11 games during the 2024 campaign, and last season was his first full season in the league — securing Walker on the tag would be an easy short-term solution for the Seahawks as they work to defend their title. Then a long-term deal, or the decision to move on, will be an issue for another day.

The NBA has always been a league of superstars — real superstars. The players good enough to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best and still come out on top.

Michael Jordan. Tim Duncan. LeBron James. Magic Johnson. Larry Bird. Bill Russell. Wilt Chamberlain. You all know the names, and the list most certainly doesn’t end there.

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In today’s league there is no shortage of stars, and even a handful of truly elite players.

Yet as NBA observers, we must always have an eye toward the future in an attempt to identify the next big thing.

Of course, that journey is not linear. Steve Nash didn’t become an MVP until he was 31, and we’ve seen others not hit the league as instant stars, but eventually get there. (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, anyone?)

So, are there players currently in the NBA who are productive but could have more in the tank than we might believe?

Needless to say, we don’t know the answer, but here are three players we at least should keep under a watchful eye.

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(For the sake of this exercise, Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are not included, as both are already on star-like trajectories.)

Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

The rookie wing is older than most at 22, which usually isn’t a strong indicator of a ton of future growth. However, Coward’s game seems to have the potential to carry more.

The 6-foot-5 guard/wing is a solid scorer who has a strong, physical NBA body, and he knows how to use it. He understands the value of the 3-point line and has virtually flawless jumpshot mechanics.

On top of that, he’s an outright ridiculous rebounder at his size, grabbing 6.2 per game in just 26.3 minutes. He moves the ball well (2.9 assists), doesn’t turn it over frequently and even gets to the foul line a fair bit, considering his tendency to seek the 3-point line.

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As he stands to gain a bigger role with the trade of Jaren Jackson Jr., could we see a quick rise out of Coward in Year 2? Probably, but the role of genuine franchise leader and potential league-wide superstar is probably not in the cards.

Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

The 6-9 combo forward is in his second year and is showing signs of becoming something most teams are looking for: a plug-and-play guy. Buzelis takes 5.6 triples per game and almost 35% of his overall shot attempts are right at the rim.

He can routinely create his own looks, particularly inside the 3-point line but is also very capable of playing off lead guards.

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There is a world where Buzelis, 21, becomes an All-Star, given his tools and two-way upside. But superstar status is a tall task — and perhaps unreasonable.

Like Coward, Buzelis is likely to become a critical part of a rebuilding franchise, and more of a complementary star down the line, who needs someone better next to him, if he wants to compete for championships.

Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers

When a guy averages 24.4 points, 7 rebounds, 6.6 assists and makes the All-Star game, presumably he’s on his way to ultimate superstardom.

Except, Avdija still has a ways to go, and at 25, this does look like his major leap. He’ll refine on what he does now and improve within the margins of his current game, but is there another step up from here?

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As good as the 6-9 Israeli forward is — and he is very, very good — you have to wonder if he can be the best player and primary decision-maker on a team that could ever compete for a title.

If anything, Avdija seems to represent the absolute ceiling of Coward and Buzelis, which means he’s ahead of the curve in that he’s already there and is currently at the established star stage. To go from where he is now to something better seems almost unfathomable.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is out for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry considers himself “highly unlikely” to participate. But that’s not stopping Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant from trying to win another gold.

Durant, 37, says he would like to play for Team USA when it suits up for the 2028 Games, per ESPN.

“You guys, the media, have projected that,” Durant told ESPN recently. “That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from? I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from me.”

Durant later made his intentions extremely clear, saying, “Hell yeah, I want to play.” But he added a few caveats to that statement. Durant doesn’t want to be put on the team due to his stature. He still wants to earn his spot.

“I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting, I want to produce on the floor and make Grant and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team. I don’t want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can help the team win.”

If he makes the team at that point, Durant will be a few months away from turning 40. That would be record-setting territory. James currently holds the crown for the oldest NBA player to suit up for Team USA in the Olympics. He was 39 years, 6 months old back when he helped the U.S. win the gold in 2024. Durant would beat James by a few months if he took the court in July 2028.

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As for Durant’s chances … well, it’s tough to doubt a future Hall of Famer. Despite his already advanced age — for a basketball player, at least — Durant has not shown many signs of decline just yet. He’s averaging 26.1 points with the Rockets this season. While that is his lowest scoring average since the 2018-19 NBA season, that’s not really a sign of decline. It’s more an acknowledgment of both how good and how consistent Durant has played over the past eight seasons.

While it’s impossible to know how Durant will continue aging, James’ success at 40 and beyond provides hope that Durant can remain effective as he approaches that number. It also helps that Durant — like James — is considered one of the best players of his era.

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That should provide some hope that Durant still has a shot to make Team USA in 2028.

Team USA’s women’s hockey team was asked to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, but declined that invite Monday.

In a statement, a USA hockey spokesperson said the team was grateful for the invite, but had “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments,” per NBC News.

“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal–winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” a USA Hockey spokesperson said. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”

“They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment,” the spokesperson added.

Trump drew some criticism Sunday after video emerged of him congratulating the men’s hockey team for also winning the gold medal at the 2026 Olympics. Toward the end of the call, Trump laughed as he told players, “We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached.” That comment drew laughs from players in the locker room.

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FBI director Kash Patel also drew criticism for flying to Italy and celebrating with the men’s hockey team. He was the one who called Trump following Team USA’s win.

While Trump chuckled about the suggestion on the phone, the invite was ultimately extended to the women’s team. And the women’s team opted to decline.

The women took home the gold medal last Thursday, defeating Canada in overtime 2-1. The women’s team trailed late in the contest before Hilary Knight deflected the puck into the goal with roughly two minutes to play. Megan Keller then pulled off a tremendous move on a defender before scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to give Team USA the win. It wound up being the most-watched women’s hockey game of all time.

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Three days later, the men defeated Canada in overtime 2-1 in eerily similar fashion. With the contest tied 1-1, Jack Hughes scored in overtime to give the men the walk-off, gold-medal win. It marked the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” team that the U.S. men took home gold in hockey at the Olympics.

Tarik Skubal’s stint with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic will be short-lived.

The Detroit Tigers ace told reporters Monday that he’ll make one WBC start and then be done with the tournament. It sounds like the start will come in pool play, rather than a potential appearance the knockout round.

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Skubal confirmed the plan from spring training in Florida and explained that he’s prioritizing getting ready for Detroit’s season after his start.

“I’m trying to do both things, trying to pitch for Team USA but I understand the need to be here with these guys and get ready for the season,” Skubal said, per The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen. “I think it’s kind of the best of both worlds in that aspect, and I’m grateful they took me in that capacity.”

Skubal also said that he’d lobby the Tigers to rejoin Team USA as a spectator if it makes the finals, indicating that his start will come sometime early in pool play.

“If they go to the finals, I think I’m going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys,” he added.

The WBC finals will be played in Miami, not far from Detroit’s spring training home of Lakeland in central Florida.

The reigning two-time AL Cy Young winner, Skubal’s absence after his planned start will leave USA without arguably its top pitcher for the remainder of the tournament. USA has a deep roster of nine starting pitchers to choose from, including reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, two-time All-Star Logan Webb and All-Star Joe Ryan.

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The upgrade of its pitching staff from the previous WBC was expected to give USA a leg up in the tournament after it lost to Japan on the final at-bat of the championship game in 2023. Skubal’s limited availability is a blow to those plans and will leave USA without one of its top options on the mound in high-leverage elimination games if it advances beyond pool play.

The decision appears to be a compromise from the Tigers allowing Skubal to pitch for Team USA while limiting his exposure to wear and tear and injury risk. The Tigers are coming off a season in which they bounced back from a regular-season collapse that allowed the Cleveland Guardians to win the AL Central to clinch a wild-card berth and beat the Guardians in the wild-card round. The Tiger lost to the Seattle Mariners in the divisional round of the playoffs.

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Detroit’s projected to contend for the AL Central title in 2026, and Skubal’s health and performance is a big part of those plans.

After exhibitions against the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies, Team USA will begin pool play at the WBC against Brazil on March 6. The WBC finals are scheduled for March 17. MLB’s full Opening Day slate including Detroit’s season opener against the San Diego Padres is scheduled for March 26.

A future teller could not have predicted Jack Hughes future more accurately than the ESPN letter he wrote himself in 2019.

“Maybe we all represented the United States at the Olympics or World Championships,” Hughes wrote. “Maybe we won a gold medal (or gold medals) together. What an honor that would be.”

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Hughes is coming off scoring a goal in overtime in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Canada to help Team USA win its first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the famed 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” After Hughes’ overtime goal and his resiliency through the game, he has become the poster boy for the Team USA men’s hockey team.

Early in the third period, the 24-year-old forward got his front two teeth knocked out after taking a stick to the face. Later in the period, Hughes was in the penalty box after accidentally hitting a Canadian player in the face with his stick while fighting for a loose puck in the corner. He feared the worst.

“I pictured myself on Barstool being the guy that America hates because Canada scores on the power play,” Hughes said. “I was like, Oh my God, here it comes.”

In the end, Hughes traded his front teeth for a gold medal. Instead of being the punchline of jokes on Barstool, Hughes’ goal will be ingrained in Team USA history and it was all predicted in 2019.

Charles Bediako isn’t giving up on his quest to play for No. 17 Alabama again this season.

Bediako officially asked the Alabama Supreme Court to give him “interim injunctive relief” so that he can play the rest of the season with the Crimson Tide, just weeks after a judge ruled he was ineligible to continue playing with the program.

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Bediako had already filed an appeal to that ruling with the state’s supreme court. But Monday’s request asks that the court allow him to continue to play with the team, as the season is now almost over and his request would “become moot without interim relief.” Bediako has been helping the Crimson Tide as a scout team member ever since he was deemed ineligible.

“We understand that Charles is pursuing an appeal in his case against the NCAA, and ultimately, he must do what he considers to be in his best interest,” Alabama said in a statement, via ESPN. “The University continues to support Charles as he works toward completing his degree.”

The Crimson Tide hold a 20-7 record and sit in second in the SEC standings entering Wednesday’s game against Mississippi State. They have four games left in the regular season, which will end with a rivalry matchup against Auburn on March 7.

Charles Bediako’s saga continues

Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA earlier this year in order to return to Alabama, where he had last played during the 2022-23 campaign. Bediako entered the NBA Draft after that season, but was not selected. He then spent the last few seasons in the G League, and he even played in six games for the Motor City Cruise this season.

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Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order in January, which allowed him to start playing with Alabama again after the NCAA had initially denied the request. Bediako ended up appearing in five games with the Crimson Tide, and averaged 10 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest over that span. Alabama went 3-2 with him.

But then earlier this month, A Tuscaloosa judge overruled the temporary restraining order that Bediako was granted. The judge who had originally granted that order to allow him to play was actually removed from the case after revelations that he was an active donor to Alabama athletics. The new ruling then made him ineligible once more, and Alabama has been playing without him ever since.

The NCAA praised the decision, and said that “common sense won a round.” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey argued against granting Bediako eligibility in an affidavit, too, saying that it could fuel “disruption in college sports.”

Bediako is one of just several former professional players trying to make their way into the college ranks again. Baylor signed former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji in December, though he never played in an NBA game and instead was with FC Barcelona since 2020. Two other G League players are set to play for programs next season, too.

“There’s a reason … there’s a lot of G League players trying to come back to college,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said after Bediako was ruled ineligible again. “The money’s a lot better. The development is a lot better. You get a full-time dietician, full-time strength coach, you’re not traveling on commercial flights, spending all your time in airports, not being able to develop.

“Charles actually has lost weight since he went to the G League. His development wasn’t what you would think being a pro. You’re more of a professional able to focus on getting your body right in college. He’s here. He’s in school. We’re going to help him try to gain weight back he’s lost since he was in the G League. We’re going to continue to help his basketball development. We’re going to continue to help his development as a student, as a student-athlete.”

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Kevin O’Connor is joined by Jason Timpf to check in with unhappy fan bases across the NBA. They discuss whether the criticism of Karl Anthony-Towns is fair and offer solutions to the problems in New York. Then, they break down the root of Atlanta’s issues since the Trae Young trade. Plus, what’s going on in Los Angeles and can it even be fixed?

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Next, KOC shares why Collin Murray-Boyles could be the next Draymond Green and why the Celtics-Pistons matchup is the game of the week. Who should the Pistons target before the trade deadline? KOC gives his picks! Plus, is Ja Morant’s stock rising? Do the Timberwolves need to make a trade to find success this season?

Later, Justin Boone joins to discuss why the Buffalo Bills parted ways with Sean McDermott, recap the wild NFL divisional games and preview the upcoming championship weekend.

(0:15) Jason Timpf joins

(1:23) Unhappy fan bases: New York Knicks

(9:18) Unhappy fan bases: Atlanta Hawks

(15:49) Unhappy fan bases: Los Angeles Lakers

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(25:16)  Collin Murray-Boyles = Draymond Green

(29:13) Celtics vs. Pistons preview

(41:56) Is Ja Morant’s stock rising back up?

(49:19) Do Timberwolves need to make a trade?

(1:06:23) All-Star starters announced

(1:10:26) NFL 6 Points! with Justin Boone

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family athttps://apple.co/3zEuTQj or atyahoosports.tv

Nate Tice & Matt Harmon react to the latest NFL coaching hire news before determining what went wrong for playoff losers and what each team can do to get further next season. The duo start with their thoughts on the latest coaching hires, including the Miami Dolphins hiring Jeff Hafley, the Tennessee Titans getting Robert Saleh, the Detroit Lions hiring OC Drew Petzing and the Kansas City Chiefs hiring OC Eric Bieniemy.

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Next, Nate & Matt deep dive on the four Divisional Round losers, determining what direction each team needs to take to retool and get even closer to a Super Bowl next season. The duo cover the post-Sean McDermott Buffalo Bills and their need to nail the next coaching hire, the Chicago Bears and how they can fix their defense, the Houston Texans and next steps to fix C.J. Stroud and the San Francisco 49ers, who are entering a sketchier offseason than you may realize.

(5:00) – Titans hire Robert Saleh

(14:10) – Dolphins hire Jeff Hafley

(20:30) – Key OC hires: Petzing to Lions & Bieniemy to Chiefs

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(41:00) – Bills deep dive

(1:00:45) – Bears deep dive

(1:06:45) – Texans deep dive

(1:20:15) – 49ers deep dive

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

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The New York Mets struck big last year when they reeled in Juan Soto from the Bronx to headline an eventful winter. However, after a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Amazin’s have been on a mission to retool this offseason, and thanks to David Stearns, they’ll go into 2026 with plenty of new faces and hope for success.

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On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the retooled lineup that the Mets have assembled, which includes signing Bo Bichette and trading for Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. In addition to the signings of Devin Williams and Jorge Polanco, the new-look Mets are looking forward to a redemption season in 2026.

Later, Jordan and Jake talk about Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, why the Houston Astros cheating scandal caused Beltrán to have to wait and the improbable climb for Jones to make it into the Hall. Then the guys discuss the Philadelphia Phillies bringing J.T. Realmuto back to the City of Brotherly Love, Elly De La Cruz rejecting a big contract extension from the Cincinnati Reds and take a look at the LIDOM Championship Series.

1:12 – The Opener: New-look Mets

22:09 – Luis Robert Jr. trade

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33:24 – Hall of Fame results

54:26 – Around the League: Phillies re-sign Realmuto

1:03:02 – Three-team trade

1:06:47 – Elly turns down extension

1:09:33 – LIDOM Championship Series

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv