The 2026 Free Agency Thread

I enjoy the thought of someone getting called to the office, getting into a shouting match with his boss, and the boss shouting "You're fired!" The employee can hit back with the most devastating retort: "You can't fire me, YOU'RE fired!"

In hindsight, maybe that's not so devastating in a corporate environment.
 
I’d be on board with Peters with no disclaimers if not for three things:

A. The 2024 draft — with six top-100 picks, it was a massive opportunity, and right now it feels like one that wasn’t fully capitalized on.

B. Supporting the QB — in my view, every GM who took a quarterback in that 2024 class has done as well or better—often much better—building the supporting cast around him.

C. The 2025 offseason — it felt more like treading water than pushing aggressively to take the next step.

That said, I do like a lot of what he’s done overall, and I think he’s the type to improve over time. The 2025 draft looks stronger than 2024 to me, the early outlook for the 2026 draft is encouraging, and I think he’s made better moves in free agency this year compared to last.



28.
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Washington Commanders
There seems to be a belief in Washington that the return of a healthy Jayden Daniels will make everybody better. They better be right, though, because the Commanders didn’t do a lot to improve his supporting cast in the offseason. Their best weapon, by far, is still WR Terry McLaurin, who will be 31 in September and coming off an injury-plagued season. Their offensive line improved last year, but they haven’t replaced their center, who left in free agency.


The only weapon the Commanders added in the passing game was solid (and underrated) TE Chigoziem Okonkwo. They did add veteran RB Rachaad White, who could make for a potent duo with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who had a surprisingly good rookie season after being drafted in the seventh round. Don’t underestimate the loss of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, though. He got a lot of credit for helping Daniels post arguably the best rookie season ever for a quarterback. He’s now replaced by former quarterbacks coach David Blough, who has been an assistant for two seasons and has never called plays before.
 
On that supporting cast list, granting no list is gospel but the thoughts on it dovetails with mine for the most part.

Bears #3
Denver #8
Atlanta #12
Patriots #16
 
Well chances are that they will bring in one good player, more than likely a WR and one average DB.

You never though. Just waiting to pounce on a player as soon as they are cut perhaps!
 
I’ll bet $100 that someone else signs Diggs to an affordable contract, we eventually get Aiyuk, he’s a disappointment, and at the end of the season, we wish we had had more weapons.
 
Anselmheifer said:
I’ll bet $100 that someone else signs Diggs to an affordable contract, we eventually get Aiyuk, he’s a disappointment, and at the end of the season, we wish we had had more weapons.
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But I like my $100 👎
 
Yeah if Diggs signs a 1 year deal with some other team for 13-15M it'll be a real head scratcher considering he actually wants to go to DC and might even do it for less.

Maybe AP is just watching his price come down, or they just don't wanna him, like Jennings, which would be odd.
 
I'm with you guys. Where is the urgency? I sense none. A player of Diggs talent level being available at this stage of the offseason is almost unheard of. We should be all over it given the lack of WR talent on this roster.
 
Boone said:
I'm with you guys. Where is the urgency? I sense none. A player of Diggs talent level being available at this stage of the offseason is almost unheard of. We should be all over it given the lack of WR talent on this roster.
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It’s baffling. I really think we are cash restricted and locked in to Aiyuk at this point… and that’s the majority of the money we have left.

But we’ll see. It could be Diggs wanting to wait to sign until OTAs are over, too. Fingers crossed.
 
KDawg said:
It’s baffling. I really think we are cash restricted and locked in to Aiyuk at this point… and that’s the majority of the money we have left.

But we’ll see. It could be Diggs wanting to wait to sign until OTAs are over, too. Fingers crossed.
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That's my guess, too. they have just a certain amount allocated left. Keim has mentioned multiple times in his podcasts, Aiyuk is expected to be cheaper and Diggs is supposed to have multiple suitors. I am guessing he is saying that for a reason.

I think the whole WR by committee that Quinn mentioned, and a minority of fans-local media seem to endorse, will sort of launch the season. I guess that means McCaffrey at Z in more short yardage situations, Dyami when they want screens or post routes, etc. And then Aiyuk gets eased into that rotation and by mid season he takes hold of the position.

I like Josh Harris and he's been a rock star on many fronts IMO. But IMO they are being penny wise and pound foolsih if lets say for example they save 4 million by going with Aiyuk. this IMO is a window to win it all, go for it.
 
skinsinparadise said:
That's my guess, too. they have just a certain amount allocated left. Keim has mentioned multiple times in his podcasts, Aiyuk is expected to be cheaper and Diggs is supposed to have multiple suitors. I am guessing he is saying that for a reason.

I think the whole WR by committee that Quinn mentioned, and a minority of fans-local media seem to endorse, will sort of launch the season. I guess that means McCaffrey at Z in more short yardage situations, Dyami when they want screens or post routes, etc. And then Aiyuk gets eased into that rotation and by mid season he takes hold of the position.

I like Josh Harris and he's been a rock star on many fronts IMO. But IMO they are being penny wise and pound foolsih if lets say for example they save 4 million by going with Aiyuk. this IMO is a window to win it all, go for it.
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Using personnel like this is telegraphing play calls. It is similar to the RB room if you don't have RB's or TE's that are good in all aspects of their positions.

I have some reservations about how the new look offense will function based on this issue with our current roster set up. That is all even though in my eyes we have upgraded the TE and RB rooms but our WR room is not yet upgraded
 
DWinzit said:
Using personnel like this is telegraphing play calls. It is similar to the RB room if you don't have RB's or TE's that are good in all aspects of their positions.

I have some reservations about how the new look offense will function based on this issue with our current roster set up. That is all even though in my eyes we have upgraded the TE and RB rooms but our WR room is not yet upgraded
Click to expand...

I agree as to telegraphing.

I like Chig and pushed for him on the Fa thread but I am not certain they upgraded the TE room. It's just diifferent. Ertz wasn't sexy as a TE but he was Jayden's guy on third down and often in the red zone. lol, remember the championship game against Philly? Ertz was a one man gang. Also was considered the best leader on offense. I know Greg Cosell in his assesement of this roster wasn't impressed with the TE room. lol, I get he's quirky and wrong sometimes but Jay for whatever reason wasn't high on Chig.

Chig is a great YAC, more dynamic, and younger and more fun player. But I don't know if one dynamic is better than the other dynamic. I'd say TE room might be the same. Adding one dynamic to it, and losing another. If its about getting younger, it is younger, that's good.

Not sure the RB room is upgraded either comparing what they started with last year. No Rodriguez. No Ekeler. For Rashaad White who by the way got paid much less than what Rodriguez got with Jax. And the Fatman. Might look a little worse on paper IMO but I'd guess it's about the same.
 
Diggs did say he wanted some time after his case concluded, but yeah, the frustration is shared here too.

One of the clips posted about was also on point. Your QB comes off his rookie deal, but the cap hit really only bites after the first couple of years on that second deal.

Unless of course our primary driver is cash, not cap……
 
KDawg said:
It’s baffling. I really think we are cash restricted and locked in to Aiyuk at this point… and that’s the majority of the money we have left.

But we’ll see. It could be Diggs wanting to wait to sign until OTAs are over, too. Fingers crossed.
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I can totally see Diggs wanting to avoid the OTA's Ike so many elder vets.

Maybe AP and he have been in contact 🤞
 
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