Feb. 16, 2026, 4:00 p.m. ET

The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the primary teams possibly set to use a franchise tag this offseason.

Tuesday marks the opening of the window to apply franchise and transitional tags to players. The window remains open from Tuesday, February 17, to March 3.

For the Bengals, the big name is obvious: Trey Hendrickson.

Here’s a quick rundown for the Bengals during the franchise tag window.

NFL franchise tag contract projections (via Over The Cap)QB: $47.3 million franchise; $40.8 million transitionRB: $14.5 million franchise; $11.7 million transitionWR: $28.8 million franchise; $25 million transitionTE: $16.3 million franchise; $13.9 million transitionOL: $27.9 million franchise; $25.3 million transitionDE: $27.3 million franchise; $22.9 million transitionDT: $26.3 million franchise; $21.6 million transitionLB: $28.2 million franchise; $23.6 million transitionCB: $21.4 million franchise; $18 million transitionS: $20.9 million franchise; $16.5 million transitionK/P: $6.9 million franchise; $6.2 million transitionNeed a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!

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Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson franchise tag decision

As documented at the time of Hendrickson’s “re-do” with the Bengals before last season, the Bengals can tag Hendrickson and it would cost roughly $30.2 million. 

Whether the team wants to bother is an entirely different discussion. 

Some reports have said the Bengals will likely tag Hendrickson. If nothing else, it gives them leverage, more time to work out a deal and perhaps even perform a tag-and-trade. 

But plenty of other reporting has said the relationship between Hendrickson and the Bengals is bad and pretty much over. 

Letting an All-Pro who led the NFL in sacks during his last healthy season walk is a rough thing to consider. But the constant contract drama with Hendrickson over the last few years has caused problems of its own, too.

For the Bengals, taking that $30 million or so and spreading it across a needy defense might be the course they elect to take. But retaining control of a player is a very Bengals thing. Doing a tag-and-trade? Very much not a Bengals thing. 

No easy answer, clearly. And like most tag drama around the league, onlookers might not hear anything about this until right up at the deadline on March 3.

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