The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Bulldog]

True and we also don’t have that many big contracts.

McLaurin is basically on a deal we can get out of after 2 years.

We have Cosmi signed to a multi year deal at competitive salary.

Payne’s deal can be cut this season and Lattimore has no more guaranteed money and appears to be a cap casualty.

Look how many big contracts Dallas and the Eagles are sitting on.

The cap can be massaged 😎

 

[method man]

Sam Williams is a name to watch on a cheap one year deal. 2nd round pick of the Cowboys who was a solid rotational EDGE while DQ was there. Tore his knee in camp in 24 and missed the season.

Sucked this year. He was expected to be their top EDGE threat but failed and fell behind Ez and Clowney on the depth chart.

He has maturity issues and character concerns but he’d seem like the type of guy you’d sign to a minimum deal to see what he can bring

 

[DWinzit]

Sam Williams is a name to watch on a cheap one year deal. 2nd round pick of the Cowboys who was a solid rotational EDGE while DQ was there. Tore his knee in camp in 24 and missed the season.

Sucked this year. He was expected to be their top EDGE threat but failed and fell behind Ez and Clowney on the depth chart.

He has maturity issues and character concerns but he’d seem like the type of guy you’d sign to a minimum deal to see what he can bring

That's a good find and yes, would be worth a look to see if he's healthy and matured. Has the size and tools but needs to put it all together. Also perhaps he and DQ have a good relationship which can't hurt.

I love that Dallas over-drafted him and he failed for them.

 

[Conn]

Being reported that Devin Lloyd will indeed hit FA

 

[method man]

Being reported that Devin Lloyd will indeed hit FA

I would go hard after him to add another blue chip. He also complements Luvu well with his ability in coverage. Question with him is can he own the green dot? Oluokon owned it in Jacksonville

 

[HTTR]

That’s great! I also hope we go hard after Lloyd. Seems like a great fit for the new scheme where we need versatile linebackers, and he’s still young. Probably going to be a lot of competition for him though so bring the checkbook!

 

[DWinzit]

I would go hard after him to add another blue chip. He also complements Luvu well with his ability in coverage. Question with him is can he own the green dot? Oluokon owned it in Jacksonville

If Eric Wilson hits FA I'd think Jones would be looking hard at him and he'd be a lot cheaper. He wore the green dot for Minny the past two years. BTW, I was a big fan of Lloyd on draft day and still am so I'd be thrilled with him

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

The post to me that Kinlaw isn't overpaid provides unintentionally the thought that you are debating that point with me. Not only did I not say Kinlaw is overpaid but I've defended that signing and the player lol maybe more than anyone here, including showing stills of him being double teamed.

Kinlaw for the money he got, was a decent signing. In fact it brings home my point, 16 million, can find you a replacement for Payne, its more or less what Kinlaw got paid.

I get the quandary on Payne. I don't think its a no brainer. And I've explained both sides of the point. It's just another dumb move from Rivera as to the overpay for Payne. So the idea that you got to pay an OK player like he's elite for his last two seasons including this coming season, I gather it is what it is.

Sorry, I wasn't really making that point to you, but a whole lot of people said Kinlaw was overpaid. It was a big story and many pages were posted about it and many radio segments were taken up by the ridiculous overpayment of Kinlaw, which was never really true.

My overall point is that if we cut Payne, and you sign another Kinlaw type player to replace him, you end up at about exactly the same salary cap number.

Maybe there is upside in signing a different player to a lower-end deal for longer. But for this year, it's probably a wash. I'd bet that Payne on the open market might command about the same, maybe a touch more, than Kinlaw.

Which is where I've kindof landed on "I don't really care what they do, but I understand why they would just suck it up for another year."

Which is the same thing I've been posting since October when others said there was no way they would keep him on the roster for his current salary cap hit. Shrug.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Tunsil is his own agent, thanks I didn't know that.

So, when Tunsil speaks out on the fact the team hasn't begun discussions with him and he would like to get things done early, that's not just social media posturing behind the efforts of his agent (like McLaurin) but a POV straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.

I think Tunsil is in a similar place to where Trent Williams was at age 31 and looking for a new contract. There are so few premium players at LT in the NFL that if you have one you keep them and if you don't you find a way to add one when one becomes available.

That's why the 49ers didn't blink in trading a #3 pick and immediately signing Williams to a $123M deal.

While Washington is not quite where SF was at the time as a top contender and having come off a Super Bowl in 2020 against the Chiefs, etc.

But the need to protect Daniels for Washington is no less great for the development of our team long-term.

We see tackles like Williams, Lane Johnson, Jason Peters who play at a high level into their mid to late 30's.

On offense I would like to see the team resign Tunsil and get it done before the draft and also add a #2 WR in free agency like Alec Pierce.

I think we have so many needs on defense that getting our house in order on offense and then looking to add 2-3 players on defense who are impact performers will leave Peters the flexibility to upgrade the team and perhaps be more aggressive on that side of the ball come April.

Sorry, has this happened, has Tunsil come out and said the team hasn't begun discussions with him? Serious question, I haven't seen it but I might have missed it.

I have to imagine Peters factored in the new contract when he decided he was going to trade 4 draft picks for Tunsil. If he didn't, then he's an idiot. And I don't think he's an idiot. So I think they're going to pay him. When? I'm not sure. After the new league year starts for sure. But when in the calendar, I don't know. SF was notoriously slow for signing contracts to just about everybody. So maybe Peters picked that up as the way he does business. I'm not sure.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

True and we also don’t have that many big contracts.

McLaurin is basically on a deal we can get out of after 2 years.

We have Cosmi signed to a multi year deal at competitive salary.

Payne’s deal can be cut this season and Lattimore has no more guaranteed money and appears to be a cap casualty.

Look how many big contracts Dallas and the Eagles are sitting on.

The cap can be massaged 😎

We can get out of Terry's contract after this season for an $18m cap hit, but he would cost $34 on the cap, so it's a $16m savings.

Depending on how this year goes, that might be a real option. $34m on the cap will be projected to be ~10% of the cap. For a not top-5 WR, that's a lot.

Payne's deal has been discussed ad nauseum. But there's a good chance he plays out his deal. Lattimore is going to be released. I have no idea why they haven't done that yet.

 

[method man]

If Eric Wilson hits FA I'd think Jones would be looking hard at him and he'd be a lot cheaper. He wore the green dot for Minny the past two years. BTW, I was a big fan of Lloyd on draft day and still am so I'd be thrilled with him

I'd be worried about a 31 year old former UDFA journeyman who came out of nowhere to have a career season. Ideally, to your point, we'd go cheaper and get good bang for the buck at off ball LB but there is not a single blue chip player on this defense. I'm down to collect those pieces anywhere on the field as those guys don't hit FA often

 

[method man]

This draft has a Van Ginkel type hybrid EDGE/LB player in Arvell Reese. Is there a guy like this in FA? Not necessarily talent level but the dexterity to both provide some pass rush and cover

 

[method man]

This draft has a Van Ginkel type hybrid EDGE/LB player in Arvell Reese. Is there a guy like this in FA? Not necessarily talent level but the dexterity to both provide some pass rush and cover

One idea is trading a 6th for Zaven Collins or doing some sort of pick swap for their 7th or a 6th in 2027. If you guys remember him, he was in the same draft as Jamin Davis. He didn't really work out as an off ball linebacker so the Cardinals moved him to EDGE. He is not going to offer a ton as a pass rusher but he is one of the best run defending EDGEs in the league and he has a reputation of being good in zone coverage too given his athleticism

 

[DWinzit]

One idea is trading a 6th for Zaven Collins or doing some sort of pick swap for their 7th or a 6th in 2027. If you guys remember him, he was in the same draft as Jamin Davis. He didn't really work out as an off ball linebacker so the Cardinals moved him to EDGE. He is not going to offer a ton as a pass rusher but he is one of the best run defending EDGEs in the league and he has a reputation of being good in zone coverage too given his athleticism

Lloyd and Collins, you guys are bringing up some of my draft day crushes from a few years back. Collins would be a good fit and we could get him similar to how you suggest, that would not hurt. He also is extremely good dropping back into coverage even though he is not super fast. My understanding is the Vikes D requires this quality in most of their front 7

 

[KDawg]

We absolutely need to be in on Devin Lloyd. But so do about 20 other teams.

Some other linebackers that are interesting:

Nakobe Dean
Ivan Pace - RFA
Quay Walker
Isaiah Simmons (I think he is a scheme fit versatility wise for this defense)
Devin Bush
Leo Chanel

 

[skinsinparadise]

Love to have Lloyd. Chanel, Bush, Walker, Dean. Simmons, Pace I liked before the draft both have been somewhat dissapointing in the pros aside from Pace's rookie season albiet I never expect RFAs to hit the market.

 

[skinsinparadise]

This draft has a Van Ginkel type hybrid EDGE/LB player in Arvell Reese. Is there a guy like this in FA? Not necessarily talent level but the dexterity to both provide some pass rush and cover

Because of his lack of production late in the season I am starting to think he might be there at 7. I saw PFF just had him there at 7 in a mock.

I rewatched the Ohio State-Indiana game, and Reese wasn't hot IMO in that one, Styles was much more active in that one.

 

[method man]

We absolutely need to be in on Devin Lloyd. But so do about 20 other teams.

Some other linebackers that are interesting:

Nakobe Dean
Ivan Pace - RFA
Quay Walker
Isaiah Simmons (I think he is a scheme fit versatility wise for this defense)
Devin Bush
Leo Chanel

I’d bet Leonhard is in Beane’s ear about Chenal and Sanborn. Those guys crushed it with him as his linebacking duo at Wisconsin

 

[Higskin]

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

Calling Shenanigans on that.

2 first rounders + a defensive starter isn't enough for Crosby? Parsons was 26, Crosby will be 29 in the first seasons with their new team. That kind of matters a lot.