The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[burgold]

Agreed. But how viscous? More slimy, or more molasses?

(I do think at this point there’s probably a 60% chance we just roll with the current WR corps, aside from a big injury. Depending on if Aiyuk ever plays football again, and we can’t depend on it)

The funny thing is, I can imagine it working and imagine it being a train wreck equally. The real question to me is were they right about Chig and White and Williams. Likewise, but strangely of lesser importance to my projection if not the teams, how much do Lane, McCaffrey and Bill improve.

I guess one more lens to look through would be... Would a two receiver line up with McLaurin and Williams at wide and two tight ends (or two running backs Bill and White) be effective. Do we plan to do more 2 wide than three or four wide? Have we overconditioned ourselves to think of the spread as the norm?

 

[KDawg]

The funny thing is, I can imagine it working and imagine it being a train wreck equally. The real question to me is were they right about Chig and White and Williams. Likewise, but strangely of lesser importance to my projection if not the teams, how much do Lane, McCaffrey and Bill improve.

I guess one more lens to look through would be... Would a two receiver line up with McLaurin and Williams at wide and two tight ends (or two running backs Bill and White) be effective. Do we plan to do more 2 wide than three or four wide? Have we overconditioned ourselves to think of the spread as the norm?

Not sure two backs with White and Bill would be highly effective. White is the better pass blocker and receiver, so on pass plays Bill would be fairly useless. On run plays, neither Bill nor White are run blockers.

The possibilities of what they may be planning are endless, though. We’ll find out. I’d imagine we will be in more true 11 and sometimes 12 personnel with Bates in-line and Chig split or as an H.

 

[burgold]

Or maybe, Chig and Bates as the tight end role and Sinnott as the H-back/full back. I wonder how well that would work on passing downs? Sounds pretty to good to me on running downs with two flanking receivers... or maybe like you said the two backs could be Bill and the Fat Man. As you said, lots of possibilities.

 

[SkinsLife]

as this Aiyuk thing drags on .. i have less and less faith that he ends up here at all... and even if he does, he'll be capable of contributing the first half of the season. If Terry gets hurt, we're done. Every strong offense in the NFL has 2 higher end WRs on the team. Seattle being the only anomaly, but JSN was the best wr in the game last year..and having the #1 D helped 'a bit' - even still, they tried to upgrade #2 WR position with Shaheed. Maybe they have someone in mind after roster cuts.. but i highly doubt anyone worth a damn will get cut... O is looking bleak

 

[Conn]

 

[Riggo44]

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

Or maybe, Chig and Bates as the tight end role and Sinnott as the H-back/full back. I wonder how well that would work on passing downs? Sounds pretty to good to me on running downs with two flanking receivers... or maybe like you said the two backs could be Bill and the Fat Man. As you said, lots of possibilities.

I think Chig should be viewed less as our TE and more like our Deebo replacement. Sounds like he'll be Big Slot most of the time.

 

[burgold]

I think Chig should be viewed less as our TE and more like our Deebo replacement. Sounds like he'll be Big Slot most of the time.

If so, then that answers my thought about us being in a two WR set much of the time. I kind of like the idea even if it is really old school. It may also explain why they haven't been in a rush to get that vet wide receiver if the plan is to basically run a system with two WRs, two TEs, and a RB most of the time. In my book you still want another WR if that's the case. We need someone who can hold court if Terry gets hurt. The others may be fine as backups or change ups, but as the main (I'm going to get you ten touches) guy, there's just no one proven.

 

[Chris 44]

as this Aiyuk thing drags on .. i have less and less faith that he ends up here at all... and even if he does, he'll be capable of contributing the first half of the season. If Terry gets hurt, we're done. Every strong offense in the NFL has 2 higher end WRs on the team. Seattle being the only anomaly, but JSN was the best wr in the game last year..and having the #1 D helped 'a bit' - even still, they tried to upgrade #2 WR position with Shaheed. Maybe they have someone in mind after roster cuts.. but i highly doubt anyone worth a damn will get cut... O is looking bleak

I gave up on Aiyuk months ago, I'm surprised anyone is still discussing him and thinks he is a realistic option.

 

[DWinzit]

As much as I'd love AP to bring in another WR, I'd hate to hear that he pulled the trigger on a meh player signing or trade like the rumored Keon Coleman. He would just add to the glut of WR4's we have now.

 

[Conn]

If so, then that answers my thought about us being in a two WR set much of the time. I kind of like the idea even if it is really old school. It may also explain why they haven't been in a rush to get that vet wide receiver if the plan is to basically run a system with two WRs, two TEs, and a RB most of the time. In my book you still want another WR if that's the case. We need someone who can hold court if Terry gets hurt. The others may be fine as backups or change ups, but as the main (I'm going to get you ten touches) guy, there's just no one proven.

It’s not really old school at all anymore, it’s come back around, 12 and 13 personnel is the hottest thing in the league right now. Eagles are also chasing it with their new OC, every team is chasing what the Rams and others are doing playing more TE’s and less WR’s.

You still need outside WR’s though which is why hoping Williams can effectively play the Z is a risk, unless you want that to be a Dyami/Van/Treylon combo

It’s why many of us were hoping we’d sign both Chig and another guy with more of a well-rounded skillset (I was a Goedurt advocate but he didn’t end up signing elsewhere)

 

[SkinsFTW]

It's been over 24 hours and not a single person has mentioned that we haven't picked up a WR2 yet!

Where's Diggs at?

What about Keenan Allen?

 

[burgold]

It's been over 24 hours and not a single person has mentioned that we haven't picked up a WR2 yet!

Where's Diggs at?

What about Keenan Allen?

stop it

 

[NickyJ]

Can't risk it. It might turn out that they're good and want more money next season. Better that we have nobody now and need to find someone new next season than to have somebody now and need to find someone new next season.

(In before someone quotes this post to say that "offensive linemen counts as somebody, right?")

 

[Ashburn Dave]

Diggs who?

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[skinsinparadise]

It's been over 24 hours and not a single person has mentioned that we haven't picked up a WR2 yet!

Where's Diggs at?

What about Keenan Allen?

 

[DWinzit]

lol
I just saw this on Aiyuk. It's like, no sh*t Fowler

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said his “feeling” is that the 49ers will “probably not” be able to trade WR Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers voided Aiyuk’s 2026 guarantees in November and will only be required to pay him if he remains on the roster on September 1st. Fowler said a trade is still possible, but questions remain about Aiyuk’s surgically repaired knee. He also has not spoken to the organization for some time. It’s an unfortunate situation that could drag on for a while.
5m ago
Source: Jeremy Fowler

 

[skinsinparadise]

lol
I just saw this on Aiyuk. It's like, no sh*t Fowler

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said his “feeling” is that the 49ers will “probably not” be able to trade WR Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers voided Aiyuk’s 2026 guarantees in November and will only be required to pay him if he remains on the roster on September 1st. Fowler said a trade is still possible, but questions remain about Aiyuk’s surgically repaired knee. He also has not spoken to the organization for some time. It’s an unfortunate situation that could drag on for a while.
5m ago
Source: Jeremy Fowler

Yeah the SF are holding out for a trade, insults people's inteligence, they know they aren't trading him. I think those in the media that carry their water on their issue are just sucking up to them.

 

[skinsinparadise]

just listened to Warren Sharp on Ben Standig's podcast. Really good listen. He dug into the analytics behind this team, breaking down both the strengths and weaknesses.

One thing he was very bullish on was the schedule, the rest advantage Washington will have this season. And for anyone who gets annoyed hearing the discussion about Jayden not having enough weapons or the team not fully maximizing his rookie-contract window, fair warning—Sharp touches on that, too. But there's a lot more substance in the conversation beyond that topic.

Last year, Washington had the 3rd-worst rest differential in the NFL. They've had a negative net rest differential in four of the last five seasons. This year, they flip the script and have the 4th-best rest differential in the league. Meanwhile, the Eagles go from being one of the beneficiaries to having the 2nd-worst rest differential this season.

Sharp also pointed out that during Jayden's career so far, there's been a noticeable correlation between Washington's performance when they have a rest advantage versus when they're at a rest disadvantage.

The one point I wasn't sure about was his comment that the Eagles have the easier overall schedule than Washington and Dallas within the division. Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't part of that be because the Eagles get to play Washington twice based on last year's standings, while Washington has to play the Eagles twice? If one team is viewed as significantly stronger than the other, that alone would naturally skew the strength-of-schedule numbers.