NFL insider weighs in on how Colts could use franchise tag

Feb. 11, 2026, 3:46 p.m. ET

The NFL’s franchise tag window opens on February 17th and closes on March 3rd.The Indianapolis Colts are considered a prime candidate to use the franchise tag this offseason.Quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce are the two potential tag candidates for the Colts.

The window for NFL teams to utilize the franchise tag begins Feb. 17th and ends March 3rd. One NFL insider believes that the Indianapolis Colts are a prime candidate to utilize the tag.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports recently shared what he’s hearing about the top free agents and early franchise tag decisions.

When it comes to the Colts, they are a prime candidate to use the tag because there are two players they could use it on — Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce. As Jones put it, the Colts are “destined” to use the tag.

Now, the tricky part for the Colts is that the franchise tag can only be used once per offseason. So, which player do they use it on?

“The priority is Jones, who is recovering from an Achilles injury and would cost about $47 million on the tag,” Jones wrote. “Indy would prefer to sign Jones to an extension, and there is mutual interest in him remaining there, sources say. But there will be interest in the quarterback if he somehow hits free agency.”

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This would mean that Pierce would hit free agency, unless he and the Colts can agree to a new deal beforehand, and Indianapolis will have to compete with other teams to retain the ascending wideout.

Whether it be from the Colts or someone else, Pierce is in store for a big payday this offseason.

With either of these players, the goal of using the franchise tag isn’t to have Jones or Pierce playout the 2026 season on that deal. For one, that is not a salary-cap-friendly option for the Colts, and both players want long-term deals.

But what using the tag does accomplish is that it would keep Jones, in this example, from hitting free agency, which then provides him and the Colts a longer negotiating window.

We saw the Colts use this tactic in 2024 with Michael Pittman. A little over a week after the tag was applied, the two agreed upon a contract extension.

While the Colts and Jones have made it known that they want to work out a new deal, determining the length of the contract and the amount could be a hurdle, with Jones coming off a major injury.