The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Skinfanjon]

So far, all the new contract details are IMO

 

[DWinzit]

I won't discount the idea that Doubs saw the Pats in the Super Bowl and it affected him. He may have thought it was his easiest road to success. It's possible. Lots of people have a bandwagon versus a builder mentality.

For sure there are many different criteria players may have for signing with specific teams.

The big two reasons are of course $ and/or the ring potential that drive players to sign with certain teams.

Sometimes it has to do with wanting to play with other players, coaches, playing in regions or weather conditions, their favorite team or their home town team...

Good examples of recent Commanders signings are Rachaad White wanting to play with his buddy Jayden and Nick Cross playing for his home town team

Hopefully we see more of players wrong to play here for a ring as we move forward...this FA run gives off a great feeling that this isn't that far off!

 

[Higskin]

Ref Aiyuk in Keim's last podcast, he doesn't believe they would trade for him nor wait around and will continue building the WR room. They are interested but not to the extent he delays their plans.

It's in his opening remarks.

 

[DWinzit]

Ref Aiyuk in Keim's last podcast, he doesn't believe they would trade for him nor wait around and will continue building the WR room. They are interested but not to the extent he delays their plans.

It's in his opening remarks.

Makes sense and means do they wait out Jennings or sign one of the other vets like we discussed.

They can't plan on getting WR2 in the draft unless they go into the draft with the intent of taking whatever or their top WRs are their at 7.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I am good with it too -- though a bit surprised. Washington Commanders aren't even remotely cool now after being the coolest team after the 2024 season. And Jayden isn't cool anymore.

If they didn't enjoy being the hunted last year and prefered to be the hunted -- congratulations so many don't take this team seriously anymore. So you got round 2 of hopefully catching teams by surprise again.

I'm not sure I agree with your post that AP did little to help Jayden. He invested a lot to secure a top LT, invested his first round pick to secure the other side and signed Deebo who played well. That was a decent investment in the offense in one off season but obviously he screwed up with the backup WRs.

 

[Conn]

(Or they just don’t mind rolling over the extra cap space from this year if they have it, counterbalancing the higher cap hits in future years on these contracts, and acknowledging that the cap will keep going up—with a large jump in 2028/2029 with new media deals)

 

[burgold]

I think we should send this trade proposal to San Francisco.

We send them Daron Payne. They send us Brandon Aiyuk and their second round pick. If they balk, we ask for the Brandon and their first round pick. Only slightly kidding.

 

[ES1974]

Jax need DL help don’t they…

 

[ES1974]

(Or they just don’t mind rolling over the extra cap space from this year if they have it, counterbalancing the higher cap hits in future years on these contracts, and acknowledging that the cap will keep going up—with a large jump in 2028/2029 with new media deals)

Had estimated we had about $40m in cap space left, with the caveat on the Tunsil deal. That’s basically got us another $13m or so back in 2026 space.

Cap space of $53m is more than healthy, right ?

Hopefully AP has intentions to keep investing this offseason….

 

[KDawg]

Jax need DL help don’t they…

I would give up McCaffrey, Payne and our third for BTJ.

 

[ES1974]

I would give up McCaffrey, Payne and our third for BTJ.

I can see our 2027 second rounder burning a hole in AP’s pocket.

 

[KDawg]

I can see our 2027 second rounder burning a hole in AP’s pocket.

Well he needs a fire extinguisher. Because don’t trade future picks. This year? BTJ would be in effect our third rounder.

 

[heisenberg]

I would give up McCaffrey, Payne and our third for BTJ.

I like the thought of bringing in guys Jayden has a rapport with but surrounding him with 3 of his old college teammates feels like something that has a chance to backfire.

Don't ask me why it just feels like a chemistry experiment that has as much chance of turning into plutonium as it does something sweet.

If we did bring in aiyuk, white and BTJ in one offseason it better work or the criticisms will write themselves.

 

[KDawg]

I like the thought of bringing in guys Jayden has a rapport with but surrounding him with 3 of his old college teammates feels like something that has a chance to backfire.

Don't ask me why it just feels like a chemistry experiment that has as much chance of turning into plutonium as it does something sweet.

If we did bring in aiyuk, white and BTJ in one offseason it better work or the criticisms will write themselves.

I’d forego Aiyuk, if it’s an issue, if we could get BTJ.

BTJ is legit. 1200 yards his rookie year and then Jacksonville basically screwed him with the Hunter experiment and then Jakobi Myers.

And we’re in such dire straights I wouldn’t say no to Aiyuk still.

BTJ is legit.

 

[Anselmheifer]

Had estimated we had about $40m in cap space left, with the caveat on the Tunsil deal. That’s basically got us another $13m or so back in 2026 space.

Cap space of $53m is more than healthy, right ?

Hopefully AP has intentions to keep investing this offseason….

If they have that much money, I wish they’d have gone a little bit higher on Hendrickson, for instance. I would not have payed more than $31 million on Pierce.

Maybe we still sign Jennings. And probably 10 million more is going to Aiyuk and another 10-15 on depth signings.

I would give up McCaffrey, Payne and our third for BTJ.

Yes to this. I doubt they bite. Especially the way FA contracts have been for WR.

I might try to trade for him after the draft, with picks from next year. I’d honestly hold on to Daron if we can. Not because I think he’s great or worth his contract, but this is a huge season for us. The more depth the better.

How high would you go in terms of a pick next year for BTJ? A 1st? 2nd?

 

[ES1974]

Well he needs a fire extinguisher. Because don’t trade future picks. This year? BTJ would be in effect our third rounder.

I’d be ok with it….if we got something else back in return. Player trades often include pick exchanges these days, and the Jags have more than enough this year…

• Round 2, pick 56
• Round 3, pick 81 (via Detroit)
• Round 3, pick 88
• Round 3, pick 100 (via Detroit)
• Round 4, pick 124
• Round 5, pick 164
• Round 5, pick 166 (via Philadelphia)
• Round 6, pick 203 (via Philadelphia)
• Round 7, pick 233 (via Detroit)
• Round 7, pick 240
• Round 7, pick 245

 

[heisenberg]

I’d forego Aiyuk, if it’s an issue, if we could get BTJ.

BTJ is legit. 1200 yards his rookie year and then Jacksonville basically screwed him with the Hunter experiment and then Jakobi Myers.

And we’re in such dire straights I wouldn’t say no to Aiyuk still.

BTJ is legit.

I had watched so much damn jayden film i kind of fell in love with BTJ by default.
I was almost as high on him coming out as nabers.

I agree i think hes legit.

I do worry that Coen seems to really have his ducks in the right rows especially when it comes to offense and if he fell out of favor with Coen its a bit of a red flag but its the only one I can think of.

 

[ES1974]

If they have that much money, I wish they’d have gone a little bit higher on Hendrickson, for instance. I would not have payed more than $31 million on Pierce.

Maybe we still sign Jennings. And probably 10 million more is going to Aiyuk and another 10-15 on depth signings.

We absolutely could have given ourselves a better chance to win the battle on a couple more deals by ploughing over the top with inflated contract offers. Should have done that once or twice more, in my opinion.

However AP apparently has that line and discipline. Fair enough. However, sometimes needs must, right.

 

[Dlts20]

Man im not really trying to trade Payne in a contract year with Jones here, especially if we end up drafting someone like Styles who may change Jones defensive base to more of a 4-3 scheme. I see Payne being dominant in the 4-3 but I will probably trade him on draft night if we don't draft Styles.

 

[Dlts20]