PHOENIX — There are Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers who requested their locker to be as close as possible to Clayton Kershaw.

There are Dodgers players who already have Kershaw’s jersey framed and hanging on their walls at home, while others have autographed baseballs in their trophy cases.

And there are Dodger officials already eyeing the day a statue is built in his honor, knowing no one will ever again wear No. 22 once Kershaw retires.

Kershaw, who turns 37 next month, was officially welcomed back Thursday for his 18th season, signing a one-year, $7.5 million contract with another $8.5 million in incentives simply by staying healthy for a half season.

He doesn’t know how much longer he wants to pitch or how long his body will permit him to stay on the mound, but he wasn’t ready to walk away from the game after pitching just 30 innings last season, missing the entire postseason en route to the World Series championship.

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“Hopefully I can walk out on my own terms whenever that is,’ Kershaw said. “But it just didn’t feel like it was the right time. You know, even though we won, being on the shelf for that wasn’t the way that I had scripted it out.

“I’m still super thankful to be a part of it last year and get to see everything, but I want to be out there when it happens.

“That was a good motivating factor for sure.’

While Kershaw might have entertained the possibility of staying home in Dallas and pitching for the Texas Rangers a year ago, the thought didn’t cross his mind this time around.

He will never wear another uniform, assuring that he spends his entire career with the Dodgers.

“I’m a Dodger,’ Kershaw flatly said. “I am so thankful for this organization. I don’t think I put enough merit on it at times of what it means to be able to be in one organization for your entire career. You look at people throughout all of sports that have been able to do that, and it is special. I don’t want to lose sight of that.

“So, getting to be here for my whole career, however long that is, is definitely a goal, and I’m thankful I get to continue with that.’

Kershaw, one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, has three Cy Young awards, an MVP award, 10 All-Star selections and five ERA titles on his resume. He could leave the game right now and stroll into Cooperstown. Yet, there still are goals. He is just 32 strikeouts shy from becoming only the 20th pitcher in baseball history to produce 3,000 strikeouts. He will tie a franchise record by completing his 18th season in a Dodger uniform.

Most of all, he wants to leave when he’s ready, not because of injuries or age eroding his greatness.

He’s coming off surgeries on his left knee and left toe, which kept him on crutches for four weeks and a walking boot for another four weeks. He expects to be placed on the 60-day injured list when the season opens. Yet, he believes that when the 60 days expire, he’ll be ready to go by late May or early June.

“Honestly, the foot surgery has been hard,’’ Kershaw said. “It’s just not an easy process. Walking has been hard, but I finally started turning the corner a few weeks ago, being able to throw. It hasn’t felt this way in awhile, so that’s good. And the knee has been fine.

“I’m thankful now to kind of be on the other side, and I feel like I’m getting closer to being 100%. … It’s been about five or six weeks of walking and learning how to walk. And I ran here for the first time. Just a lot of baby steps.’

Small steps for Kershaw, but a giant leap for the Dodgers organization, who can’t imagine life without him.

“When you say Dodgers, the first name that comes to mind is Clayton Kershaw,’ Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez said. “He’s the man here. He’ll always be the man.’

You know you’re an icon when Blake Snell, the two-time Cy Young award winner, requested when he signed his $182 million contract during the winter that the Dodgers place his locker next to Kershaw’s in spring training at Camelback Ranch. New relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates thanked Kershaw for giving them each an autographed jersey before they signed with the Dodgers.

“I feel so lucky to be beside him,’ Snell said. “He’s got three Cy Youngs, and MVP, two World Series rings. I mean, he’s done everything.

“I can’t wait for the games to start so we can sit there and talk about the game, talk about situations, feelings, moments. Man, I’m excited.’

Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes has been Kershaw’s teammate the past 10 years but has never taken Kershaw’s presence for granted.

“He epitomizes how to compete, what it means to be a Dodger,’ Barnes said. “He sets the tone for everything.’

Says infielder Miguel Rojas: “He’s more than just a player. He shows what this organization is all about.’

Kershaw would love to go out as a World Series champion, but this time, on the mound during for a postseason run.

Who knows, if Kershaw had been able to pitch last year during the World Series, would he have called it quits? Kershaw isn’t sure. He just knows that he’s back for this year and never wants to experience more surgeries and torn muscles.

“Look, I hope this is the last time I ever have to rehab,’ said Kershaw, who didn’t open the season until July 25 last year recovering from shoulder surgery. “I’m kind of done with that, but at the same, I don’t want that to be the reason I stop playing. I don’t want it to be, ‘Ah, I just can’t do it. It hurts.’ ‘

If Kershaw again endures a myriad of injuries – not having pitched more than 131 innings since 2019 – the Dodgers still will be just fine. They don’t need Kershaw to regain his elite status, or even be healthy all year. They’ve got eight other starters with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and yes, Shohei Ohtani.

“It’s pretty amazing,’ Kershaw said. “You have to give credit to [president] Andrew [Friedman] and ownership for going after it. We got so many talented arms. Obviously, last year we saw what can happen.’

The Dodgers employed 40 different pitchers in 2024, and were left with only three healthy starters for the postseason.

“We’re throwing bullpen games in the postseason,’ Kershaw said. “We have a great bullpen, obviously, but that’s not the recipe. So, I think this year maybe we over-did it.

“We’ve got so many good starters, but that’s a good thing.’

And, hey, any time you can add a future Hall of Famer to the mix, what can it hurt?

“As we’ve seen, pitching plays itself out in a lot of different ways,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “so to know we’ve got him in our back pocket is pretty exciting.’’

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It was never about protecting women’s sports.

The same folks who’ve used defending women as cover to erase the handful of transgender athletes in youth and NCAA sports just rolled back guidance that would have made NIL (name, image and likeness) money subject to Title IX.

To put that in plain English, the Trump administration is giving schools permission to ignore the rules requiring equitable treatment of female athletes, telling them it’s OK to funnel their NIL millions to football and men’s basketball players while throwing women athletes a couple of pennies. If that.

But go on about all the things cisgender women have “lost” because of transgender athletes.

“Title IX says nothing about how revenue-generating athletics programs should allocate compensation among student athletes,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said.

Title IX doesn’t say anything about how to define sex, either, but that hasn’t stopped transphobes and Trumpers from trying to use it as a cudgel against transgender athletes.

So much of what is happening right now is meant to distract you from noticing that someone is stabbing you in the guts. The obsession over transgender women in sports has never been anything more than a witch hunt, a license for cruelty. Oh, the proponents paint their cause as noble, styling themselves as standing up for women and women athletes.

But on issues that are actually causing women harm? They’re nowhere to be found, their silence speaking volumes.

On Wednesday, legislation was proposed in both the House and Senate to close loopholes that allow schools to skirt Title IX. A USA TODAY review in 2022 found that, for every $1 schools spent on travel, equipment and recruiting for their men’s teams, they spent 71 cents for their comparable women’s squads.

In just a two-year period, that added up to $125 million more spent on men than women in basketball, baseball and softball, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis.

Schools also are manipulating rosters to make it appear they’re in compliance, double-counting athletes and counting male practice players. They’re ignoring legitimate requests to add participation opportunities.

“The Fair Play for Women Act strengthens Title IX enforcement, brings real transparency to college and K-12 athletics, and ensures every girl gets the same shot at success as her male peers,” Alma Adams, a Democratic Representative from North Carolina, said in announcing the legislation, which is co-sponsored in the House by Lori Trahan, D-Massachusetts, and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, and Democratic Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, both of Connecticut, and Ron Wyden from Oregon.

Did any of the Republicans so hell-bent on “protecting” women’s sports co-sponsor the legislation? Or support it when many of these same lawmakers proposed it during the last session? Is Riley Gaines using her megaphone to lobby for this legislation? Or protesting schools getting the blessing to circumvent Title IX by providing extra benefits to male athletes in the form of NIL money?

Do the athletes who’ve invested so much of their time, energy and venom targeting transgender women not care that it’s their own schools actually robbing them of opportunities and making them less safe?

The answer to all of these questions, of course, is no.

President Donald Trump also wants to gut the Department of Education, which just so happens to be the agency responsible for adjudicating Title IX complaints. Those aren’t only complaints about inequities in sports, but sexual assault and harassment on campuses, as well.

Kind of big things if you’re sincere about wanting to protect women.

But that was never what this was about. And all the people who’ve joined in the hateful chorus because they don’t know a transgender person or are afraid of a changing world got played.

History has shown us that the erasure of one marginalized group does not end the hate; it emboldens it. It’s people of color and transgender men and women in the crosshairs now. But as the NIL decision indicates, it will eventually be all women, and your support for stripping others of their rights will do nothing to protect your own.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

LOS ANGELES — No undefeated teams remain in women’s college basketball.

JuJu Watkins had another signature performance and No. 6 Southern California played lights-out defense down the stretch to take down No. 1 UCLA 71-60, handing the rival Bruins their first loss of the season. 

The hometown star had been in a shooting slump entering the night, but she drilled her first attempt – a 3-pointer – and it was her game after that. She finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and a whopping eight blocks. She played a key defensive role in the fourth quarter as USC outscored UCLA 24-8 as the Galen Center crowd roared.

The Trojans win round one of the crosstown showdown. The two sides will play the second matchup at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in the regular-season finale on March 1. 

USC vs. UCLA highlights

Final: USC 71, UCLA 60

Trojans pulling away

The home crowd is starting to feel it. USC continues to play incredible defense and the offense is getting to the hoop, leading 64-57 with three minutes to go.

USC retakes lead

The defensive intensity has picked up for USC and it now leads 53-52 with less than six minutes to go.

The Trojans haven’t let UCLA get anything easy and the Bruins are 0-for-8 from the field with three turnovers. Meanwhile, Watkins has picked it up once again, converting a fast-break attempt into a layup that gave the Trojans the lead, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

End of third quarter: UCLA 52, USC 47

A strong start to the third quarter gave UCLA the lead and it is out in front by five points heading into the final frame.

The Bruins started the third quarter with 10 consecutive points − propelled by Lauren Betts − for a seven point lead and the Trojans struggled to make much from the field. Despite only making one field goal, USC went 7-for-7 from the free throw line to prevent UCLA from breaking away.

USC’s JuJu Watkins has a game-high 30 points with six made 3-pointers. Betts leads UCLA with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

UCLA continues strong third quarter

USC has finally found the bucket in the third quarter but UCLA is still scoring, leading 49-43 with just under five minutes left in the frame.

UCLA’s Lauren Betts continues to take control of the quarter with nine points and four rebounds out of halftime. JuJu Watkins converted an and-one attempt to bump her scoring to a game-high 28 points.

UCLA storms out of halftime, takes lead

UCLA is carrying the momentum it had at the end of the first half into the second half. The Bruins started the third quarter on a 10-0 run to take a sudden 45-38 lead.

Star center Lauren Betts took command to start the run, scoring the first seven points down in the paint and at the free throw line. Guard Londynn Jones got open for a 3-point shot that forced USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb to call a timeout and the Bruins bench to erupt.

Halftime: USC 38, UCLA 35

We’ve got a game in Los Angeles.

UCLA used a late run in the second quarter to close the deficit. The Trojans lead by three halfway through Thursday’s contest.

UCLA was down by 13 points when it started making shots, going on a 14-1 run to tie the game with a minute left. However, JuJu Watkins drained another 3-point shot in the final minute to return the lead to the Trojans.

Watkins has shined and seemingly shaken off the shooting slump she was in entering the night. She has 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and she’s been nearly automatic from 3-point land at 6-for-7. UCLA star Lauren Betts leads the Bruins with nine points, drawing fouls to get to the charity stripe.

UCLA ties it

The Bruins aren’t letting USC run away with this one, tying the game at 35-35 thanks to a 14-1 run. UCLA has made its last four shots while USC has gone cold, with one shot made in its last 10 attempts.

JuJu Watkins continues to lead USC

It’s become the JuJu Watkins show. She has 21 of USC’s 34 points as the Trojans lead by 11 points halfway through the second quarter.

She’s been getting anything she wants, whether it’s been getting to the bucket or pulling up from 3-point land. She is 8-for-12 from the field and an astounding 5-for-6 from 3.

End of first: USC 24, UCLA 15

A buzzer-beating circus shot from USC’s Talia von Oelhoffen summed up what was a dominant first quarter for the Trojans, who lead the No. 1 team in the country by nine points at the end of the first 10 minutes.

USC has simply been knocking down shots, and UCLA has not. The Trojans are 8-for-15 (53.3%) from the field, with four of those shots from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Bruins are 5-for-16 (31.1%) and only 1-for-7 from 3-point land. USC’s JuJu Watkins has a game-high 11 points.

USC jumps out to double-digit lead

The Trojans are on fire, going on a 14-2 run to take a 20-10 lead with two minutes left in the first quarter, forcing UCLA to take a timeout.

USC is making shots, with six of its last eight attempts going in.

JuJu Watkins’ strong start gives USC early lead

The stars have come to play in Los Angeles, with JuJu Watkins off to a hot start in Thursday’s contest. USC leads 11-8 with four and a half minutes to go in the first quarter.

Watkins has eight of those points, including two 3-point shots that have the Galen Center crowd rocking early. UCLA has gotten to the foul line and is 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, but just 2-for-6 from the field.

When is UCLA vs. USC women’s basketball game?

The game is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 13.

How to watch UCLA vs. USC

Date: Thursday, Feb. 13
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Streaming: Peacock

What channel is UCLA vs. USC women’s basketball game on?

USC and UCLA’s matchup on Thursday will be streamed exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service.

UCLA starting lineup

Kiki Rice, G
Londynn Jones, G
Gabriela Jaquez, F
Angela Dugalic, F
Lauren Betts, C

USC starting lineup

Kennedy Smith, G
JuJu Watkins, G
Talia von Oelhoffen, G
Rayah Marshall, F
Kiki Iriafen, F

USC vs. UCLA women’s basketball betting odds

Odds according to BetMGM

Spread: UCLA (-1.5)
Moneyline: UCLA (-115); USC (-105)
Over/under: 139.5

UCLA resume

Record: 23-0
NET ranking: No. 5
Quad 1 record: 7-0
Quality wins: No. 4 South Carolina, Baylor, No. 15 Maryland, No. 8 Ohio State
Losses: None

USC resume

Record: 21-2
NET ranking: No. 6
Quad 1 record: 6-2
Quality wins: Mississippi, No. 7 Connecticut, No. 15 Maryland, No. 8 Ohio State
Losses: No. 2 Notre Dame, Iowa

Spotlight shines on Los Angeles with UCLA-USC

In January 2022, Cori Close and UCLA visited Lindsay Gottlieb and Southern California at the Galen Center in a matchup between middling crosstown rivals. The attendance in that game was 1,982 people in the 10,258 capacity arena. 

Three years later, it’ll be hard to find an empty seat in Los Angeles.

A sold out crowd will be on hand to watch two of the best teams in the country finally meet Thursday night when top ranked and undefeated UCLA visits No. 6 USC in one of the biggest matchups in women’s college basketball.

“It’s great for LA,” Gottlieb said. “The energy is gonna be off the charts.”

– Read more about the matchup here.

Lauren Betts: ‘Most unique player in college basketball’

UCLA women’s basketball is having its best season in program history, and it’s all thanks to a center dominating the paint.

Lauren Betts was a top-ranked recruit out of Aurora, Colorado, who committed to join a highly-stacked Stanford team under Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer, adding a potential star to one of the best frontcourts in the country. 

However, Betts didn’t spend much time on the court. Her confidence was affected and it didn’t feel like a good fit. She entered the transfer portal after one season at Stanford. UCLA pushed hard to make her a Bruin, feeling like she could help the team take that next step toward a championship.

Now, in her second season at UCLA, Betts is elevating the Bruins and the team is eyeing its first Final Four berth. If Betts keeps up her standout play, there won’t be anything stopping UCLA from reaching Tampa. 

– Read more about Betts here.

The other USC star: Meet Kiki Iriafen

When JuJu Watkins decided to play for Southern California, part of the appeal was bringing glory back to her hometown. The banners from USC’s 1983 and 1984 championships have stood together for decades … without much expectation of adding a third one. 

For as talented as she is – setting numerous freshman records in 2023-24 and guiding the Trojans to their first Elite Eight in 30 years – Watkins could only shoulder so much of the burden. While she commanded the backcourt and had a solidified post presence in Rayah Marshall, another star could have really elevated the team.

Luckily, Watkins has made USC the place to be, and another star joined the fold when Kiki Iriafen returned to her roots. She’s helped make the Trojans one of the championship favorites. 

– Read more about Iriafen here.

The Boston Red Sox stopped operating like a small-market team.

Alex Bregman stopped demanding $200 million.

The Detroit Tigers stopped from adding another year.

The Chicago Cubs stopped from subtracting a year.

The Houston Astros stopped cold in their tracks.

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And just like that, Bregman, a two-time World Series champion, two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, is now a Red Sox infielder after spending his entire career with the Astros.

Bregman, who dropped his demands for a long-term deal, agreed to a three-year, $120 million deferred contract with the Red Sox that includes an opt-out after each season, a person with direct knowledge of the contract told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke only on the condition of anonymity since the contract won’t become official until Bregman passes a physical.

The deal was staggering with its annual average salary of $40 million, tying Yankees MVP Aaron Judge for the sixth-highest AAV in baseball history, but a bargain price for the Red Sox with only a three-year commitment.

After all of the winter bluster, it really came down to only three teams: the Red Sox, Tigers and Cubs.

The Tigers, who offered a six-year, $171.5 million contract for Bregman, could have easily had him if they just bumped it up and added a seventh year, making it a $200 million deal. They refused.

The Cubs, who jumped into the sweepstakes late, could have grabbed him if they changed their four-year, $120 million offer to the same 3-year, $120 million like the Red Sox, or perhaps even went to five years. Nope.

The Astros, who made the first offer Bregman received for six years, $156 million, refusing to ever alter it, and even took it off the table.

And the Toronto Blue Jays were used only as a stalking horse, and were never involved in the bidding at any juncture.

The Red Sox, who blew it by insulting everyone from Mookie Betts to Jon Lester to Xander Bogaerts with low offers, and overpaid for Trevor Story, now land the man who could get them back to the postseason.

It’s unknown whether the Red Sox can talk Rafael Devers into moving from third base to accommodate Bregman. Bregman, 30, who originally was drafted by the Red Sox out of high school in 2012, has a career .375 batting average (30-for-80) with a 1.240 OPS in 21 games at Fenway Park, including seven homers, 15 RBI and nine doubles.

The only player in history with a higher career on-base percentage at Fenway with at least 95 career plate appearances is Hall of Famer Ted Williams.

“Alex is a champion,’’ agent Scott Boras said at the winter meetings in December. “All of these teams realize what a leader he is and what a champion he is, plus his skill level.’’

The deal with Boston reunites him with Red Sox manager Alex Cora, his former bench coach in 2017 with the Astros, snubbing his former manager, A.J. Hinch of the Tigers. Hinch managed Bregman from 2016-2019 before he was fired in the aftermath of the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal.

“He can help any major league team,’’ Hinch said Wednesday before Bregman’s decision. “Special guy.’’

Well, maybe the Tigers can jump back into the fray for Bregman if he somehow decides to leave the Red Sox and his remaining $80 million after this season, but for now he belongs to the Red Sox.

And for now, the Red Sox are acting like one of the big boys again and have become a legitimate power in the AL East. They had quite the winter trading for left-handed ace Garrett Crochet, and signing starters Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval, and also left-handed relievers Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson.

The Red Sox, who slashed payroll after being a top-five team from 2004-2020, simply realized you need to spend to win. They were a last-place team in the AL East in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and just a .500 team last year.

They boasted that they would spend big money all winter, but spent just $52.3 million. They lost out to the New York Mets in the Juan Soto sweepstakes. They couldn’t land aces Corbin Burnes or Max Fried. And finally got a prized free agent in Bregman, their most lucrative free-agent signing since shortstop Trevor Story in 2022, pushing their payroll past the $241 million luxury tax threshold.

Now, the Red Sox finally have the right-handed bat they badly needed to balance their heavy left-handed lineup, shored up an infield defense that led the major leagues in errors, and have a clubhouse leader that has been missing since the departures of Betts and Bogaerts.

The Red Sox, who have one of the game’s top farm systems and plenty of infield depth with Vaughn Grissom and David Hamilton, also have some valuable trade chips in DH Masataka Yoshida and first baseman Triston Casas. If the Red Sox trade one of them, it would enable Bregman to play his natural third-base position where he won a Gold Glove award last season and slide Devers to first base or DH.

But for now, they’ve got one of the finest infielders in the game and a two-time World Series champion who has played in the postseason every year of his career.

“Alex is a complete player,’’ Cora said in December at the winter meetings. “He’s a player that’s been on winning teams his whole career. Good defender. Offensively, he’s really good. He’s a guy that a lot of people are talking about, and I do believe he can impact a big-league team, a championship-caliber team.’’

That team is now the Red Sox.

They’re finally back, acting once again like a genuine big-market team, and even a threat to the powerful New York Yankees.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

LOS ANGELES — When UCLA and Southern California face off Thursday night, it will be more than just a matchup between crosstown rivals. It will be two top-10 teams meeting in what could be a preview of the Final Four.

The spotlight will be shining on the City of Angels as the Bruins and Trojans meet again. With star center Lauren Betts, UCLA is the No. 1 team in the country and, at 23-0, the only undefeated team left. On the other side, star JuJu Watkins and USC are 21-2, a deeply-talent squad still building off last season’s success. The Trojans will be at home playing in a sold-out Galen Center.

While both sides know each other well, this will be the first time the rivals face off as Big Ten foes. The two teams have handled their new conference well − UCLA is in first while USC is in second. Thursday is the first of two meetings between the two teams, but they both carry equal importance as both sides prepare for a deep run in March.

Follow USA TODAY Sports for live updates and highlights from the top-10 showdown in Los Angeles:

When is UCLA vs. USC women’s basketball game?

The game is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 13.

How to watch UCLA vs. USC

Date: Thursday, Feb. 13
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Streaming: Peacock

What channel is UCLA vs. USC women’s basketball game on?

USC and UCLA’s matchup on Thursday will be streamed exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service.

USC vs. UCLA women’s basketball betting odds

Odds according to BetMGM

Spread: UCLA (-1.5)
Moneyline: UCLA (-115); USC (-105)
Over/under: 139.5

UCLA resume

Record: 23-0
NET ranking: No. 5
Quad 1 record: 7-0
Quality wins: South Carolina, Baylor, Maryland, Ohio State
Losses: None

The window for teams to franchise tag players is almost open and will remain open for two weeks ahead of the start of free agency. But how much is the franchise tag worth in 2025?

The value of a franchise tag is almost entirely dependent on the position of the player receiving the tag. While a franchise tag can be worth 120% of a player’s previous salary, it is more often worth some kind of average of the salaries of the top-paid players at their position.

There are three kinds of franchise tags, all with slightly different ways of calculating value.

Here’s an explanation of the three kinds of franchise tags, how much each one is worth and a full breakdown of franchise tag value by position in 2025:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

NFL franchise tags, explained

Two types of franchise tags are dependent on a given player’s position.

The non-exclusive tag – which is the most common type of franchise tag – allows players and their agents to negotiate with other teams. The team that placed the tag on the player can match any offer from another team or receive two first-round picks as compensation if the player departs.

It is worth either the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years or 120% of the player’s last salary (whichever is greater).

The transition tag is the other kind of franchise tag that is dependent on a player’s position. Like the non-exclusive tag, it allows a player and his agent to negotiate with other teams and gives the original team the right to match any offer. However, the team would receive no compensation if the player departed.

A transition tag is worth the average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position in the current year.

There is a third type of tag – the exclusive franchise tag – which is worth either the top five salaries at the player’s position in the current year or 120% of his previous salary (whichever is greater). The value of the ‘top five salaries at the player’s position in the current year’ is not determined until restricted free agency ends.

NFL franchise tag value by position

Here’s how much the non-exclusive tag and transition tag is worth for each position:

Quarterback:

Non-exclusive: $41,325,000
Transition: $35,267,000

Running back:

Non-exclusive: $11,951,000
Transition: $9,765,000

Wide receiver:

Non-exclusive: $25,693,000
Transition: $22,523,000

Tight end:

Non-exclusive: $14,241,000
Transition: $12,069,000

Offensive line:

Non-exclusive: $25,156,000
Transition: $22,745,000

Defensive end:

Non-exclusive: $24,727,000
Transition: $20,769,000

Defensive tackle:

Non-exclusive: $23,468,000
Transition: $18,934,000

Linebacker:

Non-exclusive: $27,050,000
Transition: $22,612,000

Cornerback:

Non-exclusive: $20,357,000
Transition: $17,198,000

Safety:

Non-exclusive: $19,626,000
Transition: $15,598,000

Kicker/punter:

Non-exclusive: $6,459,000
Transition: $5,830,000