The Denver Broncos released quarterback Russell Wilson

The GIST: Move aside, Love is Blind altar day — yesterday marked NFL franchise tag deadline day, bringing with it a flurry of massive decisions as teams prepare for free agency to open one week from today.

Denver Broncos will release Russell Wilson: Broncos country, let’s ride hide. On Monday, Denver announced they’ll release their much-hyped quarterback (QB), ending his dismal two-year tenure in the Mile High City. The Broncos signed Mr. Unlimited to a hefty — like, nearly $250M hefty — contract back in 2022, but Wilson has struggled mightily since signing on the dotted line.

• Speaking of hefty, Denver will incur an NFL-record $85M dead cap hit for releasing Wilson. Dead money refers to salary cap space allocated to a player that’s no longer on the team’s roster — essentially, releasing Wilson and taking the hit makes it harder for the Broncos to sign other players. No cap.

Eight players receive franchise tag: Elsewhere, eight NFL teams used their one franchise tag on players about to enter unrestricted free agency, keeping them around for one year and ensuring they’ll have the right to match any contract offers from other squads.

• That said, the biggest news might be who didn’t receive the tag. That list includes NY Giants running back (RB) Saquon Barkley, who’ll now hit free agency and headline a stacked RB class.

What’s next: An anticipated free agency frenzy when the new league year (as in their business year) begins next Wednesday. With Wilson, Barkley, and a whole host of other stars set to hit the open market, the chaos is just getting started.