The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Faithful Fan]

Everybody wants to trade Daron Payne? I disagree, his production this year will probably be worth more than any compensation we could get in return.

I would take a second round pick, maybe a high 3rd, but otherwise I prefer another year of Payne, who contributed in various ways last season. In 15 games, he had a safety, a forced fumble, 5 passes blocked, 8 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, and 8 quarterback hits. I would take another year of that over a fourth round draft pick. It’s not like we need the cap space, and his proving it in the last contract year could benefit our defense immensely.

I understand we need draft picks, and thinking long term, but it would have to be a pretty high pick. Payne is one of our better players.

 

[MartinC]

Yeah the comp pick conversation to me is silly. And Voice_of_Reason lol might enjoy a shot at Keim from me, and see I don't always endorse Keim's takes. Keim loves to do the hey they can get such and such comp pick. IMO almost no chance that's happening untill this roster is built up. I don't expect a light FA in 2027 -- keep in mind still a lot of 1 year contracts and in turn likely turnover again.

But even playing along, Payne would be 30 years old and if he has his typical year, how much are you paying for an underacheiving DT who isn't young anymore? I doubt Payne would get a big contract.

Payne is about to enter the 1 year deal phase of his career.

 

[Dlts20]

 

[Boone]

If the team could get a 3rd for Payne, we wouldn't be having this conversation imho, because they'd likely have pulled the trigger on that deal. The whole point of a veteran trade scenario is that you are giving up something now for something you percieve will help you develop the roster for later. So yeah, if we could move him for compensation that was a fair value, it would hurt us in 2026 but might well help us down the road. That's the mindset we should have unless someone thinks we are a Super Bowl contender (the mindset that got us 2025)?

 

[burgold]

Everybody wants to trade Daron Payne? I disagree, his production this year will probably be worth more than any compensation we could get in return.

I would take a second round pick, maybe a high 3rd, but otherwise I prefer another year of Payne, who contributed in various ways last season. In 15 games, he had a safety, a forced fumble, 5 passes blocked, 8 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, and 8 quarterback hits. I would take another year of that over a fourth round draft pick. It’s not like we need the cap space, and his proving it in the last contract year could benefit our defense immensely.

I understand we need draft picks, and thinking long term, but it would have to be a pretty high pick. Payne is one of our better players.

Payne's production only matters if you're optimistic about the team. That is, if you think this is a bounce back year and we will find 2024-like success then you need contract year Payne to show up. If, however, you think we are in for a middling or poor year then it doesn't. I mean 8 sacks and 30 tackles for loss feels good from a DT, but if it happened last year as part of a 5 game winning season would we really care? It's great that Miles Garrett got that sack record. The team still sucks. So, if you told me that Payne was going to have a Aaron Donald-type year and the team was going to the playoffs then I'm keeping Daron. If you told me Payne was going to have an Aaron Donald-type year and we were going to get six wins then give me whatever we can get in trade for him.

Personally, I think this will be a better year. I think the D has a chance to be better than average. I like our running group already and if we get Love it could be amazing. Chig makes tight end more of a threat. Wide receiver could be a problem and we need help there. The fact that we could snare him for Vet minimum with almost no guaranteed money pretty much means the NFL thinks nothing of him so we still have at least one major hole to fill and maybe two. There's still time to do that but I don't know how good the offense can be with a good running game, good production at TE, and good QB play, but needing to overcome the drag of sub par WRs?

 

[HTTR]

We might not be a strong contender, but when you have a superstar quarterback, you have a chance. So I hope they do have the mindset that they can win this year. If/when it doesn’t happen, then sure you try to unload him at the deadline. But just getting rid of him now for a day three pick sends the wrong signal to the team, and the fans, that you are not in it to win it.
That said though, yeah, I agree for a third or higher we should do it anyway. We’re not getting that though.

 

[Due East]

Nobody else watched Jayden hit Odell and said to themself.... why not!!!!! lol we had Chris Moore week 1 last year and Robbie Chosen at one point.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Or at least trade him at the deadline if he’s balling out, if you’re going to anticipate his contract year heroics. Even if it looks like a playoff berth is possible or probable

So we are in the playoff hunt. Our DT is playing well. And you want to trade him in mid-season and take away a productive player and leave a hole that could derail a playoff season for a future 4th?

 

[KDawg]

So we are in the playoff hunt. Our DT is playing well. And you want to trade him in mid-season and take away a productive player and leave a hole that could derail a playoff season for a future 4th?

I think we either trade him now if possible or at the deadline in a rough year - I don’t make a change at the deadline if we are succeeding unless we know someone behind him is balling and ready.

 

[D’Pablo]

I would rather have Payne play alongside competent DEs and under a well regarded D Coordinator for a year than create another hole filled by a needlessly expensive older free agent. All of this for a mid round pick who has a greater than 50% chance of being mediocre at best. I do want additional draft capital, but this is a pretty haphazard plan.

 

[Discobob]

Nobody else watched Jayden hit Odell and said to themself.... why not!!!!! lol we had Chris Moore week 1 last year and Robbie Chosen at one point.

Guilty.....

I mean ROBBIE f'n CHOSEN people!!!

 

[Conn]

So we are in the playoff hunt. Our DT is playing well. And you want to trade him in mid-season and take away a productive player and leave a hole that could derail a playoff season for a future 4th?

I think we’d have a lot more information at that time, before having to make that decision. About how the team is actually performing, how the division is looking, what part the D is playing in that record, how likely the current staff is to keep their jobs, how Payne himself is actually playing and how our other DL (especially Newton) are playing…I wouldn’t shut the idea down even if we’re doing well, no. But there are a lot of unknown factors in this hypothetical that would actually be known factors when the decision is being considered.

 

[Conn]

I would rather have Payne play alongside competent DEs and under a well regarded D Coordinator for a year than create another hole filled by a needlessly expensive older free agent. All of this for a mid round pick who has a greater than 50% chance of being mediocre at best. I do want additional draft capital, but this is a pretty haphazard plan.

I mean, it really depends how things are going. Payne is right now the “needlessly expensive older FA” you criticize the idea of. If we had just signed him at his age (29 this season) and production level (uninspiring) to the contract he’s currently enjoying (hilarious cap hit), that’s how people here would talk about him. Peters would be raked over the coals for that situation if it was an addition to the roster.

 

[heisenberg]

I mean, it really depends how things are going. Payne is right now the “needlessly expensive older FA” you criticize the idea of. If we had just signed him at his age (29 this season) and production level (uninspiring) to the contract he’s currently enjoying (hilarious cap hit), that’s how people here would talk about him. Peters would be raked over the coals for that situation if it was an addition to the roster.

That's a good point.

Ive been leaning keep Payne.
we have the money and I'd rather not open another hole on our roster.

we did that with biadasz and even though we weren't paying him as much we now have a gaping hole that wasn't there before.

You're right though, if we signed Payne today for one year 28.5 mil as a free agent the chit would hit the fan.

 

[Discobob]

If the team could get a 3rd for Payne, we wouldn't be having this conversation imho, because they'd likely have pulled the trigger on that deal. The whole point of a veteran trade scenario is that you are giving up something now for something you percieve will help you develop the roster for later. So yeah, if we could move him for compensation that was a fair value, it would hurt us in 2026 but might well help us down the road. That's the mindset we should have unless someone thinks we are a Super Bowl contender (the mindset that got us 2025)?

You're probably right.

The ultimate Troll job would have been trading Payne and then resigning Jon Allen in FA (i'm not saying we should have done this)

 

[ES1974]

That Pierce deal doesn’t look too bad now. AP might be regretting that he let that one escape, should have gone all in.

 

[Primus Porcus]

That Pierce deal doesn’t look too bad now. AP might be regretting that he let that one escape, should have gone all in.

Doesn't look any different, still an overpayment

 

[ES1974]

Doesn't look any different, still an overpayment

You’re not going to sign many high end free agents unless you overpay them. Got to have some incentive to move. Until we are a more credible destination we should learn to push the boundaries more.

If we were in salary cap difficulty, I’d be more cautious, but we aren’t.

 

[Primus Porcus]

You’re not going to sign many high end free agents unless you overpay them. Got to have some incentive to move. Until we are a more credible destination we should learn to push the boundaries more.

If we were in salary cap difficulty, I’d be more cautious, but we aren’t.

There's overpaying because you're not a destination, and overpaying to a point that's detrimental. Paying Pierce $30M+ (assuming there's even a realistic number that would have gotten him here) is strategically dangerous. Paying him like a top 5 player at his position is not smart, especially when you have a QB likely to re-set the market coming up during the term of that contract. Paying him $29M to come here would have been overpaying because you're not a destination, and it's clear that wouldn't have got it done.. Paying him Top 5 money is not... that's irresponsible.

 

[Anselmheifer]

There's overpaying because you're not a destination, and overpaying to a point that's detrimental. Paying Pierce $30M+ (assuming there's even a realistic number that would have gotten him here) is strategically dangerous. Paying him like a top 5 player at his position is not smart, especially when you have a QB likely to re-set the market coming up during the term of that contract. Paying him $29M to come here would have been overpaying because you're not a destination, and it's clear that wouldn't have got it done.. Paying him Top 5 money is not... that's irresponsible.

Agreed. Paying $30 to a guy that’s never caught 50 balls seems ridiculous. In his career, he’s had 41, 32, 37, and 47 receptions.