The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[KDawg]

Of course I can’t say I’m not worried at all. Tunsil may make ridiculous demands and if so, there’s nothing they can do about it. But I don’t see how you can look at the Terry situation and say that AP is somehow too incompetent to realize the obvious.

You can’t see why I’m worried about AP getting this done when he didn’t extend Tunsil when we traded assets and took on his contract last year?

 

[HTTR]

You can’t see why I’m worried about AP getting this done when he didn’t extend Tunsil when we traded assets and took on his contract last year?

Sure I can, you’ve been very clear about it. I just think you’re overly worried. And I don’t think we agree on the Terry situation. I’m curious how in hindsight you would’ve handled it? Just give Terry whatever he wanted to get it done early? Because it seems to me that we are in a better position now going forward with the team friendly deal that we ended up with. And I also think the hold out was likely unavoidable anyway. Terry’s agent was going to take it to that point for maximum leverage no matter what. I don’t have any proof of that, just my opinion.

 

[KDawg]

Sure I can, you’ve been very clear about it. I just think you’re overly worried. And I don’t think we agree on the Terry situation. I’m curious how in hindsight you would’ve handled it? Just give Terry whatever he wanted to get it done early? Because it seems to me that we are in a better position now going forward with the team friendly deal that we ended up with. And I also think the hold out was likely unavoidable anyway. Terry’s agent was going to take it to that point for maximum leverage no matter what. I don’t have any proof of that, just my opinion.

Start earlier, prepare to move on without him, shop him. There’s a number of ways. Not pay Deebo more than him.

Terry had us by the nuts because we just paid Deebo more than he was making.

 

[Bulldog]

There's a world of difference between Tunsil and McLaurin.

McLaurin can be replaced just in re talent and ability by 15-20 other receivers in the NFL.

Meanwhile LT is such a premium position there are perhaps 6-7 guys in the NFL that really are and have been consistently at the top over the past 4-5 years and Tunsil is one of them.

The draft picks is the other issue. McLaurin cost us a #3 pick 7 years ago under a previous regime.

Peters traded a basket of draft choices that helped to thin out our 2025 and 2026 draft classes to a large degree to satisfy the trade with Houston for Tunsil, so the assets in this situation are current and immediately impactful.

 

[burgold]

In hindsight, the Terry situation was always going to be impossible. Terry and his agent were determined not to reset the wide receiver market but give him a contract in line with the top 2 wide receivers in the NFL as if Terry was in his prime. Terry also wanted pain and suffering bonuses for being a good soldier through the Snyder years.

So, I don't know "when" Peters first exchanged numbers with Terry's agent, but I do know that supposedly the agent's first offer was so outlandish that Peters almost got up and left the table.

Now, I do fear the Tunsil situation being a CF because Tunsil has been very open about wanting to reset the market. Tunsil wants QB money or what was considered QB money only a very short time ago. I imagine he will start with a request of 35 or 40m/year. Peters will probably be thinking 28-30. So, maybe not undoable, but when you're talking money that big it is never easy.

 

[Riggo44]

If we run a lot of outside zone, Paul is a poor fit.

If we run it at all, Paul is a poor fit.

38.5 PFF run grade, got blown up repeatedly by the Eagles backups.

 

[burgold]

I really don't know that I want to see Brandon Coleman being given another shot at guard. Maybe with two offseasons he could do it, but the kid looks solid to good at tackle and he really struggled at guard.

 

[Riggo44]

Terry and his agent

This is the biggest difference with Tunsil. He is his own agent--and Terry's was a demonstrable ass.

 

[burgold]

This is the biggest difference with Tunsil. He is his own agent--and Terry's was a demonstrable ass.

Where's that fingers crossed emoji

 

[Riggo44]

I really don't know that I want to see Brandon Coleman being given another shot at guard. Maybe with two offseasons he could do it, but the kid looks solid to good at tackle and he really struggled at guard.

LG is a bigger need than many realize. Go watch the Eagles tape, Paul is useless as a bag of hammers in the run game.

 

[philibusters]

I like Brandon Coleman as a swing tackle in the role that Cornelius Lucas was for years.

Chris Paul's reputation is that he strong and explosive but lacks lateral mobility. If he catch latch onto a player with two hands he has strong grip strength and can get displacement in the run and can anchor well in pass pro, but if you put on the move he lacks lateral mobility. Thus I would expect him to be a decent gap scheme run blocker and bad at things like outside zone, but this is my general impression of him based on reputation rather than watching him. If that impression is correct, then they need to figure out where he fits in Blough's scheme.

 

[Riggo44]

Where's that fingers crossed emoji

The other thing with Tunsil: Terry THOUGHT he was top-5; Tunsil IS Top-5

 

[KDawg]

The other thing with Tunsil: Terry THOUGHT he was top-5; Tunsil IS Top-5

No doubt.

Not sure that was in debate, though.

If the implication is that AP sees that and that means it gets done - great. Can’t wait to see it!

 

[Riggo44]

Yeah, that's why I am less concerned about Tunsil. His value is pretty clear and it would not be totally unreasonable to make him the highest paid OT in the league--an overpay, yes, but not outlandish. To pay McLaurin--as much as I love him--in the same stratosphere as Chase, Jefferson, or even AJ Brown would be idiotic.

 

[HTTR]

Start earlier, prepare to move on without him, shop him. There’s a number of ways. Not pay Deebo more than him.

Terry had us by the nuts because we just paid Deebo more than he was making.

Prepare to move on without him I can agree. Not adding more quality depth to the receiving room we all agree was a big mistake regardless of Terry’s contract situation.

No doubt.

Not sure that was in debate, though.

If the implication is that AP sees that and that means it gets done - great. Can’t wait to see it!

He will. He knows it’s his ass if he doesn’t get this done. He’s going to have to make him the highest paid tackle in the league to start the contract, and that’s OK. If he screws this up by trying to lowball him, I’ll be standing right next to you with pitchfork in hand.

 

[skinsinparadise]

They bungled Terry. Has nothing to do with Snyder. It’s Peters that concerns me.



Tunsil doesn’t need to hold out for the season… If he holds out of a few weeks of camp and the offseason his chances of getting hurt increase dramatically. Business decisions will be made.

“We’ll get it done because we have to” doesn’t mean anything to me. I agree - we have to. I kinda even think we will. But until it’s done, that is my top priority. Period.

No amount of “ya man, it’ll get done! If we don’t that’s so bad!” will prevent me from being concerned.

I, for one, will feel a weight off my shoulders when this extension is done.

OK, so you are saying we aren't on a hold out but that he skips some camp and then in turn gets hurt and then Coleman is the starter. I guess that's possible. But I am not going to assume he's going to get injured. He doesn't play a spot where you got those soft tissue injuries to the same degree as receivers.

Terry's agent apparently is a hard ass, did the same to the FO under Rivera with the first FA contract looming, according to Keim there was no progress for an agreement and it was dragging but then Dan didn't like the bad PR and said pay him whatever he wants.

So Terry's agent went round 2 on this, this time with Peters. Apparently asking for near 40 million a year. He wanted a Snyder tax for what he endured among other things. His agent played a game of chicken with Peters and clearly figured the longer they'd go the more likely they thought Peters would cave.

They took it to the limit and Peters didn't cave.

Did Peters blow it? Depends on perspective. He could have just given Terry his 40 million I gather. Or tell Terry you can take or leave the deal earlier on in the process -- with the idea is if he leaves it, then Kirk syle he can become a FA in 2026. I don't know if any scenario would have been a "win".

I've been critical of some of Peters moves. But I don't think he's a moron. By reputation he's a smart dude.

 

[KDawg]

OK, so you are saying we aren't on a hold out but that he skips some camp and then in turn gets hurt and then Coleman is the starter. I guess that's possible. But I am not going to assume he's going to get injured. He doesn't play a spot where you got those soft tissue injuries to the same degree as receivers.

Terry's agent apparently is a hard ass, did the same to the FO under Rivera with the first FA contract looming, according to Keim there was no progress for an agreement and it was dragging but then Dan didn't like the bad PR and said pay him whatever he wants.

So Terry's agent went round 2 on this, this time with Peters. Apparently asking for near 40 million a year. He wanted a Snyder tax for what he endured among other things. His agent played a game of chicken with Peters and clearly figured the longer they'd go the more likely they thought Peters would cave.

They took it to the limit and Peters didn't cave.

Did Peters blow it? Depends on perspective. He could have just given Terry his 40 million I gather. Or tell Terry you can take or leave the deal earlier on in the process -- with the idea is if he leaves it, then Kirk syle he can become a FA in 2026. I don't know if any scenario would have been a "win".

I've been critical of some of Peters moves. But I don't think he's a moron. By reputation he's a smart dude.

I mean I don’t think he’s a moron, either. But that doesn’t mean I think this is getting done for sure. I think it will, but I’m not sure. I’m also not sure what kind of purse strings we have… why didn’t we extend on trade?

 

[skinsinparadise]

Yeah, that's why I am less concerned about Tunsil. His value is pretty clear and it would not be totally unreasonable to make him the highest paid OT in the league--an overpay, yes, but not outlandish. To pay McLaurin--as much as I love him--in the same stratosphere as Chase, Jefferson, or even AJ Brown would be idiotic.

Absolutely. The you add they traded for Tunsil.

Peters would have to be a moron to lose Tunsil for the 2026 season in whichever way it happened.

The O line is the strength. He traded for Tunsil. they are in a must win year. While I don't blame Peters for Terry's selfish contract ploys -- he still would have to be dumb not see the consequences of it. I don't think he's dumb.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I mean I don’t think he’s a moron, either. But that doesn’t mean I think this is getting done for sure. I think it will, but I’m not sure. I’m also not sure what kind of purse strings we have… why didn’t we extend on trade?

Because he was under contract already for 2 years. Extending him would just cost you more money before you need to.

Also felt like they were going to make a run, and wanted their guys hungry -- ala Deebo, etc. Fight for that big contract. Arguably Deebo while was good wasn't good enoough to earn big money. Tunsil was great and earned that big contract.

 

[heisenberg]

Why are we assuming that tunsil is going to use Terry's playbook?

Has he said he will holdout if he doesn't get an extension?