Can a player with an Exclusive Franchise Tag negotiate with other teams?

When a player is given an Exclusive Franchise Tag, it signifies that the team has placed a significant level of commitment and protection on the player. Under these circumstances, the player cannot negotiate with other teams. The Exclusive Franchise Tag guarantees the player a one-year contract worth a certain average salary, which is often based on the top salaries at the player's position or a percentage increase from the previous year's salary, depending on the specific terms in the collective bargaining agreement.

This rule is crafted to ensure that a team retains its star players without any external competition from other franchises. Only the team that placed the tag on the player has the ability to negotiate and finalize a contract during the period after the tag is applied.

In contrast, players who receive a Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag can negotiate with other teams but would need to give up compensation to their original team if they sign elsewhere. This led to the clear delineation in contract rules for players on Exclusive Franchise Tags, ensuring they are not in a position to explore offers from multiple franchises as their counterparts on Non-Exclusive Tags could.