You don’t have to worry about the Vikings using their franchise tag this year

Well, barring something completely shocking, anyway

The window for NFL teams to designate members of their roster as “franchise” or “transition” players opens on Tuesday, and if you’re wondering whether or not the Minnesota Vikings will be using the tag for just the fourth time in franchise history, the answer to that question is almost certainly going to be “no.”

A look at the team’s pending free agents doesn’t show anybody really worth using the tag on for this season. And unfortunately for the Vikings. . .or fortunately, depending entirely on one’s perspective. . .the two guys that might be worth using it on are immune from it.

The Vikings can’t use the tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins because his contract doesn’t void until after the franchise tag deadline passes. The “legal tampering” period of free agency starts on 11 March, and Cousins’ contract doesn’t officially void until 12 March, the day before players can officially start signing with new teams.

In the case of Danielle Hunter, the contract extension that he signed with the team prior to the 2023 season had a clause in it that prevents the Vikings from using the tag on him this season. So it’s not an option for him, either. After a couple of years worth of contract drama, it looks like Hunter might finally hit unrestricted free agency.

As far as the rest of the potential players the Vikings could use the tag on, there isn’t anyone that would be worth anything remotely close to what the franchise tender amounts are for their respective positions, so it doesn’t appear that the Vikings will use the tag this year.

The Vikings have only used the franchise player tag three times in their history. The first time was on tight end/fullback Jim Kleinsasser in 2003. They then used the tag on linebacker Chad Greenway in 2011, and the most recent time was for safety Anthony Harris in 2020.

There might be some drama surrounding the franchise tag with some players and teams, but it appears that the Vikings will once again not have to deal with that sort of thing.