A powerful negotiation tactic for organizations is utilizing the “franchise tag” for qualifying players seeking a long-term deal. Positional value changes for each player, but for the most part, it’s a one-year deal for significant money, which delays the negotiation another year.
Under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers have used the franchise tag once, and it was for kicker Robbie Gould. Past 49ers to get tagged include Steve Young (1993), Terrell Owens (1999), Julian Peterson (2004-05), Aubrayo Franklin (2010), and Dashon Goldson (2012).
Will the 49ers use the franchise tag in 2025? From February 18th to March 4th, teams can place one of three tags on a single player.