The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[KDawg]

Did we possibly dodge a bullet?

I assume the Colts knew this was coming when they signed him.

 

[Dlts20]

I assume the Colts knew this was coming when they signed him.

Idk. Sounds a little iffy. Either way, you should have taken care of that immediately after the season. Ankles are nothing to play with. Once you start cutting on them, things can quickly go left. I also seriously doubt that he's going to be full go for the start of camp.

 

[Dlts20]

I still believe in Mikey. A lot of guys had down years last season. He showed me enough in year 1 to believe.

 

[Bulldog]

One of the reasons I don't want to bring back Deebo is as a hybrid player he doesn't make the 15-20 yard out catches, he's not a down the field option in the middle of the field either. He's a slasher who works best picking up 7-10 yards between the hashmarks. Many of his catches begin at or near the line of scrimmage.

The problem with not having a legitimate outside threat to go deep means the defense can sit on this offense and once again make Jayden Daniels put on the Superman cape to make critical plays on his own.

Besides even in 2024 too often Washington's scores were the result of 8-12 play drives, we never seemed to pick up chunk plays like the Rams or 49ers or Cowboys on offense.

While we have improved the number of options on offense with White and Okonkwo and Chig does have some wiggle to him in the open field to make some bigger plays we are still without that home run hitter.

Spending $20M on Deebo to me just gives us more of what we already have in the basket.

And that to a degree seems to be the opinion of the league because if Deebo was still the 1,400 yard player he was in 2021 you can bet he still wouldn't be sitting around waiting to see who is desperate after the draft.

 

[Discobob]

One of the reasons I don't want to bring back Deebo is as a hybrid player he doesn't make the 15-20 yard out catches, he's not a down the field option in the middle of the field either. He's a slasher who works best picking up 7-10 yards between the hashmarks. Many of his catches begin at or near the line of scrimmage.

The problem with not having a legitimate outside threat to go deep means the defense can sit on this offense and once again make Jayden Daniels put on the Superman cape to make critical plays on his own.

Besides even in 2024 too often Washington's scores were the result of 8-12 play drives, we never seemed to pick up chunk plays like the Rams or 49ers or Cowboys on offense.

While we have improved the number of options on offense with White and Okonkwo and Chig does have some wiggle to him in the open field to make some bigger plays we are still without that home run hitter.

Spending $20M on Deebo to me just gives us more of what we already have in the basket.

And that to a degree seems to be the opinion of the league because if Deebo was still the 1,400 yard player he was in 2021 you can bet he still wouldn't be sitting around waiting to see who is desperate after the draft.

Some of the problem you are addressing is just based on the fact that he was our best receiver for most games last year. You can't have your best receiver be a scheme open guy. I'd be happy to bring Deebo back, but it only really works if you get another viable receiving option opposite Terry. If you have Terry and Tate / Aiyuk... then guys like Deebo and Chig working as slot / underneath guys.... that could work well.

 

[Bulldog]

Some of the problem you are addressing is just based on the fact that he was our best receiver for most games last year. You can't have your best receiver be a scheme open guy. I'd be happy to bring Deebo back, but it only really works if you get another viable receiving option opposite Terry. If you have Terry and Tate / Aiyuk... then guys like Deebo and Chig working as slot / underneath guys.... that could work well.

Yes, but you are assuming we draft Tate or Tyson and also add Aiyuk and right now none of those transactions are guaranteed to happen.

If after the draft we are sitting in that position and Peters wants to run Deebo back on a one year deal for $15M, I am OK with that.

But in no circumstances can we expect Terry at 31 to play all 17 games and be out there for every rep, we need to find a #2 that can make plays without Terry on the field for us.

One lesson I think the Chiefs learned is that putting guys like Hollywood Brown and a 37 year old DeAndre Hopkins around Mahomes was just failing him.

You have to give even the best quarterback adequate tools to work with.

Ironically the ONE guy that seems to understand that, despite the fact he doesn't understand a lot of other things, is Jerry Jones.

He had Dak Prescott at 29/30 so he went out and drafted CeeDee Lamb and has come back and augmented the WR group with trades for players like Pickens.

We don't make those kinds of investments in providing our franchise quarterback with real scary weapons for defenses to face.

 

[Discobob]

Yes, but you are assuming we draft Tate or Tyson and also add Aiyuk and right now none of those transactions are guaranteed to happen.

If after the draft we are sitting in that position and Peters wants to run Deebo back on a one year deal for $15M, I am OK with that.

But in no circumstances can we expect Terry at 31 to play all 17 games and be out there for every rep, we need to find a #2 that can make plays without Terry on the field for us.

One lesson I think the Chiefs learned is that putting guys like Hollywood Brown and a 37 year old DeAndre Hopkins around Mahomes was just failing him.

You have to give even the best quarterback adequate tools to work with.

Ironically the ONE guy that seems to understand that, despite the fact he doesn't understand a lot of other things, is Jerry Jones.

He had Dak Prescott at 29/30 so he went out and drafted CeeDee Lamb and has come back and augmented the WR group with trades for players like Pickens.

We don't make those kinds of investments in providing our franchise quarterback with real scary weapons for defenses to face.

I'm pretty much in lock step with you on that - there are some big "what-ifs" going on right now. Where I stand, we are either going into the season with a big ??? at either CB or WR. We only have the ability to bring in a likely starter at one of those positions with the #7 pick.

So we are stuck weighing our options...

CB - The likelihood of a starting caliber CB coming available as a FA is basically non-existent...

WR - There are the old guys (Allen, Diggs, Hopkins, Deebo)... and most likely Aiyuk...

I think it would be rational to think that we should draft CB and roll the dice at WR, only because there are better "potential" options there. My preference is to go WR at #7, but that is only because we are in danger of hurting our best asset (JD5) if we can't support him.

 

[Bulldog]

Both the Bills and Ravens for a number of years tried to surround Allen and Jackson with wide receivers that could make a difference.

The fact most of these picks and trades didn't work out always kept them one step behind the Chiefs.

It's a quarterbacks league. Yes, you need a defense, but more than anything else you need a quarterback and enough weapons for him to be at his best.

Even Seattle which you can make the argument was a defense-led club in the postseason had JSN and Kenny Walker to support Darnold.

 

[ES1974]

I’m out on Deebo too. Backwards step.

 

[Bulldog]

Deebo could have some value as the #3 on a one year deal. But I bet he is looking for a two year deal in the $18-20M range and that's a bit rich for where he is now in his career.

Teams pay for speed and height down the field at wide receiver. Guys that are running at near linebacker speed and are mostly possession receivers don't get those kinds of contracts.

 

[bowhunter]

I’m out on Deebo too. Backwards step.

96% agree. Deebo would be (yet again) kicking the WR can down the road, but if we don't add more talent for JD then it would be absolute gross negligence. Hence if we don't add some upper tier talent to the WR room during the next week I think it would be prudent to call Deebo back. Better to step back than to fall on our asses.

 

[KDawg]

I don’t agree at all. If we don’t draft a receiver early tomorrow, we need vets. Vets that Jayden has a rapport with have extra value. Deebo fits an immediate need.

However, I have a feeling Blough said he doesn’t need/want Deebo and Deebo may not be an option. Though I hope I’m wrong.

I hate the idea of one year contract vets.

After this season, if Terry goes, we have…

Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey.

That’s it. That’s all that are under contract.

We have a MAJOR problem coming.

 

[NickyJ]

I hear you, but listen. That's secondary to what's really important: We could get a totally awesome CB for the third year in a row. It's foolproof!

If we do, it would make 4 years in a row of taking DBs in one of the first two rounds of the draft. Hopefully the hole will get filled if they pour enough draft picks into it. Either way, WR can take of itself. They just need to find a receiver who is good, healthy, young, doesn't expect to make more than vet min + incentives, and isn't pursued by another team.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

It’s not that they can’t allow it, they can. It’s that from our perspective, starting from his current contract and working backwards does not end in a win for us. We’ll need the contract ripped up and Aiyuk a true FA before we can negotiate the 1/12 or whatever he’ll demand. I prefer 2/20+ with half guaranteed, so that if it’s a worthwhile investment we’re not negotiating with a nutcase immediately a year from now.

But either way you aren’t getting his agent to cut his current contract down to those levels if it’s a negotiation that starts with a current WR1 contract. Imo of course

So, there was some SF reporter on Galdi, and he said something somewhat opposite of what you're suggesting. What he said was Aiyuk knows nobody is going to pick up his contract. So he will be amenable to essentially negotiating a new contract which would be signed BEFORE the trade occurred, assuming he wanted to go to the team he's being traded to.

Said that for all intents and purposes, Aiyuk has a no trade clause because nobody is trading for him without a new contract in place.

But if there was a trade, they would go to Aiyuk, and since there is no guaranteed money left on the deal, they can essentially rip it up and start over. That's impossible if there is guaranteed money on the deal.

What I think I forsee happening is some team (maybe us?) does something like a 6th for Aiyuk + a 7th. So essentially moving down maximum 20-30 spots and getting Aiyuk, but not giving up a draft pick. However it would have to come with essentially a new deal prior to signing.

I don't know if that guy is right or you're right. But that's what he said.

 

[Conn]

So, there was some SF reporter on Galdi, and he said something somewhat opposite of what you're suggesting. What he said was Aiyuk knows nobody is going to pick up his contract. So he will be amenable to essentially negotiating a new contract which would be signed BEFORE the trade occurred, assuming he wanted to go to the team he's being traded to.

Said that for all intents and purposes, Aiyuk has a no trade clause because nobody is trading for him without a new contract in place.

But if there was a trade, they would go to Aiyuk, and since there is no guaranteed money left on the deal, they can essentially rip it up and start over. That's impossible if there is guaranteed money on the deal.

What I think I forsee happening is some team (maybe us?) does something like a 6th for Aiyuk + a 7th. So essentially moving down maximum 20-30 spots and getting Aiyuk, but not giving up a draft pick. However it would have to come with essentially a new deal prior to signing.

I don't know if that guy is right or you're right. But that's what he said.

He could be right and I’m projecting a stubbornness onto his agent that won’t be there. But negotiating for potential trade purposes gives a little too much leverage than I’m comfortable with. Negotiating from a starting position of “the alternative is zero guaranteed dollars and you don’t play with your buddy Jayden” feels smarter to me but that’s also playing off my assumption that we are in a unique position to even have interest in this nutcase, and 30 other teams won’t be. So why give up any leverage at all. If it lets him work the offseason program, maybe it’s worth it to let the 49ers save a little face. On principle I don’t really want to hook them up at all, even at low value. Really depends on the contract we can negotiate in the case you’re describing, I guess. Maybe it’s not as different from him negotiating as a free and clear FA as I’m projecting.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I don't think people realize how good Deebo was for us last year when he was essentially playing a role he shouldn't have been playing, and played through an injury for several weeks.

72 receptions for 727 yards and 5 touchdowns over 16 games. He also added 17 rushing attempts for 75 yards and 1 touchdown.

That's really not bad at all considering he was playing with a backup QB and practice squad receivers most of the season.

He was also the only starting WR to participate in training camp.

Maybe I'm on an island (maybe not) but he is a professional WR, and can help any offense. You just shouldn't be forced to play him as your #1 guy or #1 option.

But there is a role for Deebo, especially if they don't draft a starting WR.

I still wouldn't do it before the draft, but he would be very high up on the list of phone calls as soon as the draft is over if we still have a need.

I wouldn't have a problem signing BOTH Jennings and Deebo, and Deebo might be easier to sign first.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

He could be right and I’m projecting a stubbornness onto his agent that won’t be there. But negotiating for potential trade purposes gives a little too much leverage than I’m comfortable with. Negotiating from a starting position of “the alternative is zero guaranteed dollars and you don’t play with your buddy Jayden” feels smarter to me but that’s also playing off my assumption that we are in a unique position to even have interest in this nutcase, and 30 other teams won’t be. So why give up any leverage at all. If it lets him work the offseason program, maybe it’s worth it to let the 49ers save a little face. On principle I don’t really want to hook them up at all, even at low value. Really depends on the contract we can negotiate in the case you’re describing, I guess. Maybe it’s not as different from him negotiating as a free and clear FA as I’m projecting.

The devil's advocate position is if he's not traded, the 49ers might just wait until Sept 1 and then cut him, and that also ends in zero. Except it ends in zero when almost all rosters are set.

EDIT: Again, you might be right. I'm not arguing with you and your position is very reasonable. I'm just saying what that guy said.

 

[burgold]

I guess the biggest knock on Deebo is that, so far, no one wants him or at least no one wants him at a price he’s willing to sign at.

 

[Conn]

The devil's advocate position is if he's not traded, the 49ers might just wait until Sept 1 and then cut him, and that also ends in zero. Except it ends in zero when almost all rosters are set.

EDIT: Again, you might be right. I'm not arguing with you and your position is very reasonable. I'm just saying what that guy said.

Yeah, I mentioned that the calculus might change if the difference is having him for the offseason program/training camp or not. It’s so hard to know with all the unknown variables. I don’t even know if this guy is running full speed routes on air right now. So does having him hit the ground running for minicamp installs soon actually add extra value for us? Probably but I don’t know if this guy is still hobbling around and ignoring doctors or what. The latest info on his long rehab away from the 49ers is sketchy at best, but then there’s that clip where Kittle says he was basically running full speed at the facility before the 49ers told Aiyuk to stay away. So I really don’t know what to think about his readiness and it’s value this offseason

 

[Dlts20]