Well in the 2013 trailer when the camera zoomed out to show lower manhatten and brooklyn the player squad engaging the one that was extracting had a tag, as did the hero players from the trailer. As it keeps zooming more and more names like that pop up kind of suggesting that clans or squad names were meant to be a thing from the get go.

I think it's about time they finally put the idea into action if that was the initial idea.

(Sidenote: Bipods, I want pods for my MMR's and LMG's I want to be a god damn MG nest or Emplaced Sniper. I ache for it. Been over on Ghost Recon Wildlands asking for the same cause ubisoft and bipods apparently do not get along anymore.)