Don’t expect 49ers to use franchise tag entering 2023 offseason

While the 49ers have some tough contractual decisions to make heading into NFL free agency in 2023, using the franchise tag isn’t likely one of them.

Heading into the 2019 season, the San Francisco 49ers made something of a shocking move by applying the franchise tag to veteran kicker Robbie Gould.

For starters, the current Niners regime of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan haven’t been known to use the franchise or transition tags, and the actual practice of using a tag on a specialist was, well… shocking.

Now, with the 2023 NFL offseason swinging into full gear, San Francisco could again ask itself whether or not placing a franchise tag on Gould would be a wise move.

Gould is one of a number of high-profile players the 49ers have hitting NFL free agency this offseason. Back in 2019 after the franchise tag was used, Gould and the Niners subsequently agreed to a four-year, $19 million deal that kept him in San Francisco through the 2022 season.

It doesn’t seem likely the 49ers would do so again with the 40-year-old Gould, who has said he has no plans on retiring, especially with a fully guaranteed franchise tag costing over $5.3 million.

A lot of money for a kicker, and it’d be even more than what the Niners spent on his previous contract.

If Gould isn’t a likely candidate for the franchise tag, would any other San Francisco pending free agent be?

Will 49ers use a franchise tag on any player in 2023?

Over the Cap has an excellent breakdown of what franchise and transition tags will cost. To quote them on how it works:

"Franchise and transition tenders are calculated by adding the respective tag numbers, divided by the sum of the salary caps, from the previous five seasons, and finally multipled by the current season’s salary cap. Franchise tag figures are based upon the top five salaries at each respective position, while transition tag figures are based on the top ten."

Franchise tags offer that fully guaranteed salary, so while many players dislike the notion of no long-term security or freedom to test the open market, the fully guaranteed cash can be attractive.

It doesn’t mean the 49ers will use it, though.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent, yes. And for the small cadre of fans who think the Niners should retain him in 2023 over the other two signal-callers on the roster, Brock Purdy and Trey Lance, Garoppolo’s renegotiated contract from last year has a clause that prevents the Niners from placing the tag on him.

Two other possibilities, safety Jimmie Ward and right tackle Mike McGlinchey, are easily the best other candidates for franchise-tag consideration.

Related Story: 49ers NFL free agency primer: Key dates, returning players and more

The tag on Ward would cost $14.46 million, per OTC, which is nearly $2 million more than what he made in the final year of his soon-to-expire deal. Perhaps San Francisco wants to keep the versatile Ward around, but it wouldn’t be at that cost.

Likewise, a tag on McGlinchey would cost $18.24 million fully guaranteed. Perhaps the 49ers ultimately decide to keep McGlinchey heading into 2023, but it wouldn’t be at that cost. Especially considering OTC valued his 2022 performance at $9.58 million, almost half of what the franchise tag would cost.

If either McGlinchey or Ward was the kind of players for whom the franchise tag was originally envisioned, using it would make sense.

They aren’t, though, and the Niners will respond accordingly and not use the tag this offseason.