The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[HOF44]

I’m
Can anyone explain why we didn’t attempt to get draft compensation for him or wait until we had another center under contract before we released the competent center?

So far, I haven’t seen that explanation.

It’s the most confounding thing I’ve seen this regime do. There has to be something besides performance behind this. Just PLEASE don’t let it be the 8 million cash.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I don’t know why people keep saying that it’s obvious the team didn’t want Biadasz. That is evident given the fact that he is no longer on the team.

That’s not the conversation on this message board that is used to discuss opinions.

I have not gone back and watched every game, but I’m not sure I believe that Biadasz was problematic. I believe there is a percentage of players that can be an upgrade. I believe his run and pass pro could both improve. I believe he was the best center on the roster. And I believe he was a lot better than people here give him credit for as a run blocker.

Can anyone explain why we didn’t attempt to get draft compensation for him or wait until we had another center under contract before we released the competent center?

So far, I haven’t seen that explanation.

There isn’t an obvious explanation that they have revealed yet, so it will all be conjecture.

- they didn’t see him as a fit for their future plans
- he stepped on Blough’s foot and didn’t apologize

I can come up with a ton but as far as I know there is no admitted reason. In terms of logical guesses… well it is troubling. Usually a “poor fit” gets a shot at being coached if they have been a good teammate, so I don't fully buy the "poor fit" conjecture I have read here. As for actual potential logical conjecture?

1)
What I can buy is that our new OL coach and/or new OC told AP that they don't want him, and the reason is they had a preference from their work experience. What formed that preference? I have no idea. Something did though.

2)
If it's not something similar to that, then it came from AP or DQ? It seems far-fetched to me, but it could just be something I don't see.

3)
Then it could be some third thing that I can't imagine at the moment.

Those are my 3 logical conjectures. So basically 1; why? He didn't do much to earn getting let go that we know or can see, so the most logical path here is to pick what changed around him in the environment: the coaches. They must have decided they didn't want him for reasons unclear at this time.

 

[HTTR]

We have a plan, we know what we’re doing

 

[JPPT1974]

Hopefully a bounce back season 2026!

 

[method man]

I think that’s possible. Pretty annoying to be considering since we spent a 2nd on a TE recently, but definitely possible. Would be nice to see us lean into the strength of a draft class for once instead of taking random ass ST’s prospects in the mid rounds that people projected 50+ slots later.

Last year taking JCM in the 7th, in a strong RB draft class where nearly every other team with a RB need already took one, is a good example of actually identifying and exploiting a deep positional class. I remember especially under Rivera never doing this. Deep LB class? Reach for a toolsy projection in the 1st. Deep CB class? Ignored, go elsewhere, maybe sign an UDFA. Deep TE Class? Nope, we have other needs in the mid rounds.

There’s an art to exploiting these things to increase hit rate after the premium picks are off the board. It feels rare that we’ve actually attempted to take advantage of it.

Definitely frustrating given Sinnott's failures but it is what it is. I wish we had more picks through round 5. I wouldn't be surprised if day 1 starters at safety and center were found Day 3 of the draft this year

 

[method man]

I believe some here pointed to him earlier in the thread but Hargrave on a 1 year deal is kind of interesting. He and AP were together in SF and he was obviously in Minnesota with Daronte last season.

At 34, he is definitely well past his prime and he kind of sucked until he finished the season strong. If we go odd front, assuming Payne is the NT and Kinlaw plays one DE spot, we would need another. Newton hasn't earned the trust to start next year. Unfortunately, the DT/3-4 DE class is one of the weakest position groups to the point where Hargrave may be one of the better options

 

[HeelsSkinsBraves]

I don’t know why people keep saying that it’s obvious the team didn’t want Biadasz. That is evident given the fact that he is no longer on the team.

That’s not the conversation on this message board that is used to discuss opinions.

I have not gone back and watched every game, but I’m not sure I believe that Biadasz was problematic. I believe there is a percentage of players that can be an upgrade. I believe his run and pass pro could both improve. I believe he was the best center on the roster. And I believe he was a lot better than people here give him credit for as a run blocker.

Can anyone explain why we didn’t attempt to get draft compensation for him or wait until we had another center under contract before we released the competent center?

So far, I haven’t seen that explanation.

You’re assuming they didn’t. Ever occur to you that no one was willing to give up anything?

 

[HeelsSkinsBraves]

For Christ’s sake, David Montgomery requested a trade and was traded like a day later. You don’t think they knew they wanted to get rid of Biadasz a few days before and made some calls, then possibly/maybe figured out there wasn’t a market to trade him? I bet the best offer they got was a 8th round pick in 2036. Relax and see what happens and what his value is/what he gets offered before you jump off of a cliff. None of us, myself included, know more than the front offices of any team, and we also don’t know the future/what moves will be made.

 

[HeelsSkinsBraves]

i also drink way too much, so take all of my ramblings with a tiny grain of margarita/tequila salt.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Yeah, it's pretty sad that our starting C doesn't even get us a 7th rounder in 2027.

 

[HeelsSkinsBraves]

Yeah, it's pretty sad that our starting C doesn't even get us a 7th rounder in 2027.

Probably a testament to his ability vs what he was getting paid. But surely we could have suckered a team into taking his contract for a 2nd or 3rd rd pick. Maybe the Jets or Browns would have given up a 1st, but AP was being nice a doing Biadasz a solid. Do we really think that our front office is that inept, considering everyone was singing AP’s praises when he got hired, and especially after the NFC Championship game. Last offseason, and the subsequent season was even worse, but for god’s sake, he inherited the worst roster in the NFL. How quickly y’all turn on the guy that you all were drooling over, not that long ago. Homie Roseman wasn’t liked early on. Dean Smith was hung in effigy in Chapel Hill early on. At least give the man some time. I’ll be upset if he doesn’t spend this offseason, but for Christ’s sake, you think this fanbase could give him a little rope after enduring Snyder, Allen and Cerato. He also may very well have a “budget” which would be an ownership issue, not a GM issue. Hard to do you job with 1 or 2 arms tied behind your back. Y’all act like your bosses/wives don’t tell you what to do.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Yeah, I heard that Harris and his crew were going to start up a go fund me for FA signings. Anybody have a link?

 

[KDawg]

And we likely won’t. This front office doesn’t air its laundry like others in the past who would be out leaking stuff in the media to justify their decisions.

They choose to move on from guys and let sleeping dogs lie… when they’re proven right… like Jamin Davis or Benjamin St Juste, they tend to just fade away.

I wasn’t really talking about the team telling us, more so the people defending the move having any kind of explanation for the release timing

 

[Riggo44]

 

[Boone]

Probably a testament to his ability vs what he was getting paid. But surely we could have suckered a team into taking his contract for a 2nd or 3rd rd pick. Maybe the Jets or Browns would have given up a 1st, but AP was being nice a doing Biadasz a solid. Do we really think that our front office is that inept, considering everyone was singing AP’s praises when he got hired, and especially after the NFC Championship game. Last offseason, and the subsequent season was even worse, but for god’s sake, he inherited the worst roster in the NFL. How quickly y’all turn on the guy that you all were drooling over, not that long ago. Homie Roseman wasn’t liked early on. Dean Smith was hung in effigy in Chapel Hill early on. At least give the man some time. I’ll be upset if he doesn’t spend this offseason, but for Christ’s sake, you think this fanbase could give him a little rope after enduring Snyder, Allen and Cerato. He also may very well have a “budget” which would be an ownership issue, not a GM issue. Hard to do you job with 1 or 2 arms tied behind your back. Y’all act like your bosses/wives don’t tell you what to do.

The oozing snark isn’t really necessary - is it? You have no concerns about him being released, that’s cool. But others see it differently and are raising valid questions … kind of what a forum is built for.

I agree that it’s quite possible the team tried to find a trade partner and couldn’t. But at that point you have to wonder if outright releasing a guy who was able to start for several years is the best plan. Yeah, the offense may be changing but that still seems like an extreme move for zero compensation and without his clear replacement/upgrade on the roster.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

For Christ’s sake, David Montgomery requested a trade and was traded like a day later. You don’t think they knew they wanted to get rid of Biadasz a few days before and made some calls, then possibly/maybe figured out there wasn’t a market to trade him? I bet the best offer they got was a 8th round pick in 2036. Relax and see what happens and what his value is/what he gets offered before you jump off of a cliff. None of us, myself included, know more than the front offices of any team, and we also don’t know the future/what moves will be made.

None of us liked the leaky boat that Snyder ran but with the Lions and Montgomery there is a lot of description out there of how he worked with the coaches and FO to see how he could fit and mutually decided to go this route. Also they describe his attempts falling off a cliff last year and that being frustrating for him.

I think we are just wanting to get a better understanding of why he was released. It is not obvious. Of course there should be a reason.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Montgomery was lucky to have been on that Lions offense. He was a 3.8 and 4.0 ypc dude in Chicago. Now he's going to disappear on a team with NO OL. He better get resigned for a payday right now or he's probably done. Marks is going to take away most of his carries there too, probably. Also, he was losing carries in Chicago his last year. He was only 40 carries under his last year in Chicago last year and had almost as many yards.

Lions are also lucky that the Texans were desperate for a RB at the right moment, yet not even the Browns wanted to throw down a 7th for our Center when they have 0 OL right now. While the Texans got a 5th for a 25th percentile RT.

 

[Higskin]

On Keim's Washington Free Agents pod -

-There will be competition brought in at center
-Looking for more athletic offensive lineman (letting Paul walk but could be back if he doesn't get what he wants)
-No Deebo
-Ertz only in emergency maybe later in season
-Will bring in more at TE
-50/50 on Wagner, not sure of fit but maybe situational guy
-Mariota is a good chance to come back
-No Ekler
-CRod makes sense to come back
-D Wise he could see him back for depth
-Sees Burks coming back for depth (6th rotational) but will get another WR or 2
-Drake Jackson maybe 1 yr deal
-Jacob Martin sees him as backup pass rusher would like to bring back
-Von Miller maybe later in season
-Sees Jeremy McNichols on a 1 yr

Note: He'll have another Pod this week with names on possible FA's outside the team

 

[Canuck]

On Keim's Washington Free Agents pod -

-There will be competition brought in at center
-Looking for more athletic offensive lineman (letting Paul walk but could be back if he doesn't get what he wants)
-No Deebo
-Ertz only in emergency maybe later in season
-Will bring in more at TE
-50/50 on Wagner, not sure of fit but maybe situational guy
-Mariota is a good chance to come back
-No Ekler
-CRod makes sense to come back
-D Wise he could see him back for depth
-Sees Burks coming back for depth (6th rotational) but will get another WR or 2
-Drake Jackson maybe 1 yr deal
-Jacob Martin sees him as backup pass rusher would like to bring back
-Von Miller maybe later in season
-Sees Jeremy McNichols on a 1 yr

Note: He'll have another Pod this week with names on possible FA's outside the team

Looks like we have a lot of depth piece options that could come back. But no real difference makers.

 

[burgold]

Looks like we have a lot of depth piece options that could come back. But no real difference makers.

That might not be a bad definition of the talent on this team in general.