The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Phantvm]

I wouldn’t have done anything with Pickens coming out of Pittsburgh. It would have been more costly from a draft compensation perspective and he was coming off a head case season.

If he behaves himself in Dallas and they let him hit the market, I’d absolutely kick the tires.

Originally it would have been a 3rd and a much more cost friendly contract extension, (assuming he would’ve extended with us), vs a break the bank contract after his prove it year.

We could be splitting hairs here.

 

[DWinzit]

I think AP was hamstrung - not much draft capital to play with and not a lot of highly demanded players to package for picks. I trust AP to get it right.

I think Terry's looming contract hamstring him some as well.

It also seemed like AP was oddly confident that he'd be able to get other big names like Hendrickson or Higgins from Cincy and much cheaper than their asking price.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I think there might be something to where you are in the development lifecycle which allows you to do this.

We’re still building. Hindsight being 20/20, we should not have made the move for Lattimore. Deebo for a 5th is a non-issue for me.

And if you can get a top 5 Lt, you do it.

I’d like to see Peters’s swing a bit more in FA, but at the same time, I appreciate the roster flexibility.

He’s going to have a ton of cap space again to play with.

I am good with the trade for Tunsil. But to me what speaks to Peters in FA is the rumor on the first day of FA that Washington is going to get younger and better by taking BOTH the Eagles D lineman -- Sweat and M. Willliams. they went after neither.

Instead they made a semi aggressive move for Kinlaw. That was as aggressive as they got. They did let Jonathan Allen go so it was sort of a cash swap between the two tackles. They let their best pass rusher Fowler go.

And then their big moves for edge was signing 31 year old D. Wise, 4 sack artist, they got him for peanuts and billed him as some sort of run stopping beast because of his size albiet that wasn't his rep. And journeyman J. Martin. And later on V. Miller.

The method to the madness was low risk signings. that's part of the reason why this team is old -- the older guys are often cheaper. A younger and in theory emerging Josh Sweat cost a lot more.

Look I like Peters. And I think he's smart. But heck even us dummies were touting guys like Sweat and C. Campbell (Campbell is old but has been a beast) who have helped made Arizona's defense strong. NE who some made fun of for their aggression in FA, are now touted for their boldness. The Seahawks overhauled their roster an also are applauded for their boldness.

I think Peters is medium level bold. The whole idea of him being bold this off season is colored by the Tunsil trade. What else did he do bold? I don't always agree with Standig but I am with him on this point that Peters didn't go all in and its a false characterization.

Think of it this way. Part of the rumors of them being all over guys like Sweat and M. Williams was about their D line was meh last season. So expect Peters to in the quest of a SB overhaul that spot. But he didn't do it. He doubled down on the same patchwork approach.

But I don't think Peters is a moron. He tried the same approach twice on the D line and failed. Don't get me wrong he gets a lot of his FA signings right. But this isn't a game of can you connect on singles if the idea is to win a SB. You got to be bold.

And I don't think just one in season trade deadline where he grossly overpaid for a CB to outbid the Ravens in 2024 and one trade for a LT makes Peters that bold. He's somewhat bold. But medium level bold. He's willing to sacrifice draft capital Cerrato style. That's fine if he connects. But in FA his approach is more Bruce Allen albiet he's good at making good bargain picks unlike Bruce who loved bargain hunting and was awful at it.

 

[Bulldog]

We may not have gone all in by trading away our #1 picks, but Washington gave up essentially an entire draft class for Lattimore, Tunsil and Samuel.

Of that group only Tunsil represents a 'must have' position for Daniels' development combined with the difficulty of finding players at that position.

I think Peters proved this year that in drafting Trey Amos with a #2 pick you can find a capable young starting corner who will only get better and quickly outpace (if he hasn't already) what Lattimore brought to the table.

Samuel? He's productive when he gets on the field. He gets hurt each year and misses games. That's the reality. The other reality is that Deebo is not a true outside receiver who can step in when McLaurin or another #1 we acquire in the future is out for a few weeks and present a legitimate target down the field to prevent teams from stacking the line of scrimmage, etc.

We need to find YOUNGER players at these positions. Lattimore's ACL all but guarantees he's going to be out until after the 2026 season is underway. I would waive him with an injury settlement next Spring.

I would let Deebo Samuel go in free agency.

We have to accentuate youth and speed. It also means finding new players to replace the mess we have at tight end where Ertz is 36 years old and coming down the home stretch of his career and the other players have largely failed to step up and be reliable receivers for Daniels.

One of the first things Jimmy Johnson did in Dallas was get Jay Novacek to act as a safety valve for Troy Aikman. Reid already had Travis Kelce to work with Patrick Mahomes. Brady obviously had Gronk.

For Daniels and the offense's development we need to nail down the receiving TE spot before the 2026 season.

We overpaid to keep McLaurin and that lesson should be out there for the future - do not get caught in a position of depending upon a player hitting the back end of his career to be successful on the field if you don't pay him 'X' or 'Y'.

Teams like KC and Baltimore don't get caught over a barrel with players like McLaurin. They trade them or make them work out their deals and move on.

Andy Reid wasn't going to pay Tyreek Hill the highest WR salary in the NFL in 2020 even after winning a Super Bowl together. Not at 29.

He got him out of town.

It's Lesson #1.

Sometimes you have to jettison a player popular with the fans as the GM and look to the long-term health of the franchise and cap.

The only stat that made McLaurin a 'top' receiver in 2024 was his 13 touchdowns. His total catches and yardage totals were not elite by any stretch.

The best corners regularly shut him down with games where he had sample sizes of 5 catches for 65 yards, etc.

That's not franchise.

Justin Jefferson or CeeDee Lamb or Jamar Chase at 1,600 or 1,700 yards and 110 catches. That's elite.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Originally it would have been a 3rd and a much more cost friendly contract extension, (assuming he would’ve extended with us), vs a break the bank contract after his prove it year.

We could be splitting hairs here.

I put a lot of emphasis on the fact he was a head case for Tomlin, and they couldn’t wait to get rid of a really good player even while brining in Rodgers.

That’s a huge red flag. It’s worked for Dallas. If he came here and clashed with Quinn, Peters would be taking a lot of heat for gambling a 3rd round pick on a guy who was a problem last year.

My overall point was Deebo was a safer one year gamble. Let somebody else take the risk. A lot of times these risks turn out badly.

 

[Bulldog]

Pickens is not a winner. He's a bum and not worth the cost. Dallas is 3-5-1 after all those 'fantastic' moves Jerry has made since last season. And his roster is largely healthy, so no excuses there.

His team is done because the 33 year old Dak Prescott is set to count $76M against the cap next year and $90M in 2027.

The numbers for Dallas to be a consistent contender over the next 3-5 years is not there, despite some good drafting by the personnel guy who Jerry doesn't allow to get any credit for the things that are working there.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I put a lot of emphasis on the fact he was a head case for Tomlin, and they couldn’t wait to get rid of a really good player even while brining in Rodgers.

That’s a huge red flag. It’s worked for Dallas. If he came here and clashed with Quinn, Peters would be taking a lot of heat for gambling a 3rd round pick on a guy who was a problem last year.

My overall point was Deebo was a safer one year gamble. Let somebody else take the risk. A lot of times these risks turn out badly.

I will add, every owner/GM/HC (team "braintrust") can have different philosophies on building the team.

Our braintrust has clearly chosen to really emphasize culture. One reason they all may have agreed on Connerly could be in that too; the draft pundits don't tend to emphasize team fit and culture, and our braintrust right now seems to really be keen on that. No opinion from me, just looking at what's happening.

Dallas's braintrust... on headcases... on "culture..." hmm. I think we all know what they like.
Random search easily shows so much data, I picked one that seemed funny. I don't remember a lineman for them actually trying to bribe his way out of a failed drug test! Classic.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/blue-star/nfl-says-cowboys-lineman-lael-collins-bribed-drug-testing-official/2762183/

In a way, Pickens does fit Dallas' culture like a glove. Maybe that's unfair to him, I don't know of any arrests. I guess there's still time for him.

 

[RexTomb]

I am absolutely looking at cost effective feature backs this offseason. Etienne, Javonte, Dowdle, B. Hall, K9, Dobbins, Allgeier and Dobbins all free agents. Most of these guys would bring credibility to RB1 here

There is no way Carolina lets Dowdle get away. He is making himself an s-ton of money this season with the way he's playing.

 

[method man]

There is no way Carolina lets Dowdle get away. He is making himself an s-ton of money this season with the way he's playing.

Probably not but they did already pay Hubbard

 

[SkinsLife]

I will add, every owner/GM/HC (team "braintrust") can have different philosophies on building the team.

Our braintrust has clearly chosen to really emphasize culture. One reason they all may have agreed on Connerly could be in that too; the draft pundits don't tend to emphasize team fit and culture, and our braintrust right now seems to really be keen on that. No opinion from me, just looking at what's happening.

Dallas's braintrust... on headcases... on "culture..." hmm. I think we all know what they like.
Random search easily shows so much data, I picked one that seemed funny. I don't remember a lineman for them actually trying to bribe his way out of a failed drug test! Classic.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/blue-star/nfl-says-cowboys-lineman-lael-collins-bribed-drug-testing-official/2762183/

In a way, Pickens does fit Dallas' culture like a glove. Maybe that's unfair to him, I don't know of any arrests. I guess there's still time for him.

Ahh yes, the famous "Culture" most idiotic excuse for poor roster management in the NFL

 

[Bulldog]

I think the point is we can't go into next season with 30 year old running backs headlining our offense.

MacNichols and Ekeler - these guys were good fill-ins and depth players but they are not front line starters at this point of their careers.

How we came to the decision to start the season running Ekeler as the primary back with his injury history is beyond me.

Merritt was perhaps pushed forward too quickly because of the poor decision-making in terms of depth at RB by the front office.

But he was the ONLY younger player with credible speed and quickness on the roster. I think he showed in the Chargers game what speed on the outside can do.

We need to move on from retreads and start using our own UDFAs, draft picks, etc. as depth players behind the starters. And keep tracking moves by other teams in terms of personnel on and off their practice squads and on cut down day.

This team is nowhere near complete from top to bottom, and we need to get a LOT younger.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Ahh yes, the famous "Culture" most idiotic excuse for poor roster management in the NFL

Well, that was a wild theory on Connerly by me, but assuming that was the case (that they picked him above others due to "culture fit") I would vehemently disagree with that decision.

However, I would not disagree with avoiding Pickens necessarily. Hard to say. Are you saying it would be easy for you to say, and you would go for Pickens or any other talented headcase?

I am NOT a fan of over-emphasizing culture. I agree that there are many organizations who miss on amazing talent when they do that, and it's a very workable problem that they misunderstand. However, I do think there is a line. Pickens, for me, would be over the line most likely from what I can see. You know, if they spoke with him and came away thinking it was worth the gamble, so be it though. We are never privy to every conversation or interaction.

 

[Bulldog]

Pickens doesn't cure what ails this team.

He's another player like Lattimore that disappears in games and has a checkered history with coaches.

He doesn't have the mindset of a winner and he's not the type of veteran player that is a good guy to have when building a younger team.

Jerry is in 'win now' mode because Dak Prescott is 33 years old and his cap hit for next season is like $80M

So, he's willing to throw the dice on just about any move.

And so far all he has is a 3-5-1 record to show for it.

 

[method man]

Pickens doesn't cure what ails this team.

He's another player like Lattimore that disappears in games and has a checkered history with coaches.

He doesn't have the mindset of a winner and he's not the type of veteran player that is a good guy to have when building a younger team.

Jerry is in 'win now' mode because Dak Prescott is 33 years old and his cap hit for next season is like $80M

So, he's willing to throw the dice on just about any move.

And so far all he has is a 3-5-1 record to show for it.

Mindset of a winner? The guy was part of a national championship team in college and has a winning record as a player.

You can make the same subjective judgment about AJ Brown and any other diva receiver and a bunch of these guys have been winners

 

[Phantvm]

Well the reality is that Pickens is the only receiver worth discussing via free agency and even that is dependent on the Cowboys letting him hit FA. Otherwise it’s the draft which would come at the detriment of the defense thanks to our lack of a full allotment of selections.

Also I don’t think anyone is suggesting that Pickens is the ointment that will cleanse all our wounds, but he is only 25 and ascending. He’s exponentially better than anyone we have on our roster at the position this season. That I don’t think is even debatable.

 

[method man]

Back to the topic of this thread, here are some cheap 1 year deal FAs I would look at:

Kader Kohou - Was going to be Dolphins starting nickel this year but had a partial ACL tear, which ended his season

Martin Emerson - OUtside CB. Had a very promising 2023 season, sucked last year and then tore his Achilles in camp. Bigger outside CB who could compete for an outside CB job in camp if healthy

Donovan Wilson - Was with DQ in Dallas. I think we made a run at him offseason before last and he resigned with Dallas. Having a bad year with the rest of the Dallas secondary. He is a box safety who is a good blitzer

Kyle Dugger - We went to the NE well twice. When you get traded with a 7th for a 6th, it probably means you are not getting a multiyear deal. Was really good for the Patriots but was one of the guys who got shelved by Vrabel and got shipped. The guy is a box safety who plays that buffalo nickel role

Micah McFadden - Has been overshadowed by Okereke but he's been a solid starter for the GMen. His season ended in Week 1 against us. Probably looking at a 1 year deal here. Potential cheap option if we want to bring a guy in to compete for a starting spot with Magee

Nate Landman - Undrafted unheralded linebacker from Zimbabwe. Was a good starter for the Falcons in 2024 and then signed a 1 year deal with the Rams this year. He's been good in both places. Probably gets a multiyear deal but may slip through the cracks given his pedigree

 

[method man]

We should watch the Seahawks D for potential FAs. Jobe (starting CB), Woolen (ex Pro Bowl CB in doghouse), Coby Bryant (starting FS), Boye Mafe (quality starting EDGE), K9 (starting RB), and Rashid Shaheed (new starting WR) are all young free agents finishing up their rookie contracts. I doubt the Seahawks can keep all these guys and I bet at least a couple hit FA. I'd take any of these guys here

 

[method man]

Well the reality is that Pickens is the only receiver worth discussing via free agency and even that is dependent on the Cowboys letting him hit FA. Otherwise it’s the draft which would come at the detriment of the defense thanks to our lack of a full allotment of selections.

Also I don’t think anyone is suggesting that Pickens is the ointment that will cleanse all our wounds, but he is only 25 and ascending. He’s exponentially better than anyone we have on our roster at the position this season. That I don’t think is even debatable.

He is the only star receiver who will likely hit FA but there are some interesting names. Doubs, Shaheed, Meyers, Wan'Dale Robinson and Pierce are all guys who can win against man coverage and are legitimate NFL starting receivers who would start here.

 

[Phantvm]

Yeah I’m just not enthralled with any of those guys. Doesn’t mean they can’t be solid players for us, just means we have more work to do.

If Shaheed were younger I’d be all for him. The rest? Nah. Meyers couldn’t contribute anything of note in Vegas, Doubs is the definition of JAG, Wan’Dale is 5ft8. Just no thanks on these guys.

Alec Pierce would be interesting though. I’d rather him over any of these other guys outside of Pickens

 

[DWinzit]

Back to the topic of this thread, here are some cheap 1 year deal FAs I would look at:

Kader Kohou - Was going to be Dolphins starting nickel this year but had a partial ACL tear, which ended his season

Martin Emerson - OUtside CB. Had a very promising 2023 season, sucked last year and then tore his Achilles in camp. Bigger outside CB who could compete for an outside CB job in camp if healthy

Donovan Wilson - Was with DQ in Dallas. I think we made a run at him offseason before last and he resigned with Dallas. Having a bad year with the rest of the Dallas secondary. He is a box safety who is a good blitzer

Kyle Dugger - We went to the NE well twice. When you get traded with a 7th for a 6th, it probably means you are not getting a multiyear deal. Was really good for the Patriots but was one of the guys who got shelved by Vrabel and got shipped. The guy is a box safety who plays that buffalo nickel role

Micah McFadden - Has been overshadowed by Okereke but he's been a solid starter for the GMen. His season ended in Week 1 against us. Probably looking at a 1 year deal here. Potential cheap option if we want to bring a guy in to compete for a starting spot with Magee

Nate Landman - Undrafted unheralded linebacker from Zimbabwe. Was a good starter for the Falcons in 2024 and then signed a 1 year deal with the Rams this year. He's been good in both places. Probably gets a multiyear deal but may slip through the cracks given his pedigree

You are on this early, love it!

At this stage I'm assuming Kliff will be the OC and DQ possibly the DC with others that somewhat follow his style D...possibly Whitt still pew

I am not familiar with some of the guys. I'd look at Emerson and McFadden. I might offer two year deals with some of these guys. I know they may not bite thinking they want a one year prove it in hopes of a big contracts the following year but it's their crap shoot

Pierce would be a great fit and a good starting point for upgrading our WR room. I sure hope there are a lot of cap casualty decent WR's this year. Last year was almost void of this

You mention Seattle as a team we should keep our eye on. I agree but honestly, most of the teams of a younger more talented roster than ours so they need to keep the pulse on all of them. If AP has better sett up his scouting team, they should already be working hard on FA and draft prospects like you have begun! One advantage we have is we already know our season is kind of done and can plan out needs which are all over the roster.