Franchise Players
 

Where can you deignate a player as a franchise player.

That field name is never open to click

You need to do it before you hit begin free agency to a player that is Unrestricted Free Agent.

Can even tag a restricted free agent. I figured it was my best option one time.

The guy was so good that being a franchise player was cheaper than what he was demanding?

Did it in a FOF 2004 MP game and my going-to-be 4th year starter at CB was just asking for too much in a reneg the previous year. I was concerned that it was going to be a bitch to sign him and I didn't have anyone else to tag, so I used it and took the loyalty hit. I ended up haggling with him and got him to take a pretty decent deal. Did it more as a safety net, so I could haggle with him for a number of stages.

you can negotiate with restricted free agents up until training camp. That's about 28 stages. Fewer if your league sims some of the later stages in groups, but still....