Expect a Bear Free Agent Market this season....which begins March 5th "So, barring a late deal, there will be no salary cap but fewer quality players to spend the money on when free agency opens on March 5. And that list of attractive unrestricted free agents figures to get shorter. Rather than being able to use a franchise tag (average salary of top five players at position; two first-rounders as compensation) or transition tag (average salary of top 10 players at position; no compensation but seven days to match offer), teams will get a franchise tag and two transition tags. Thus, a team could practically lock up three of its unrestricted free agents instead of just one. "