The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Boone]

I think most NFL insiders thought the Colts would almost certainly franchise tag Pierce, so it may be a bit of a surprise he is hitting the open marketZzz

 

[clskinsfan]

I think most NFL insiders thought the Colts would almost certainly franchise tag Pierce, so it may be a bit of a surprise he is hitting the open marketZzz

There were kind of stuck with the Daniel Jones situation. He played well for them last year. And they have nothing else at the position. I am more shocked they didnt reach an agreement with him to allow them to tag Pierce.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Bram in his podcast made the point that he expects them to be aggressive and to add to the no choice aspect of it, he believes all three NFC east rivals are going to go to town in FA. Cowboys cleared a ton of cap space via restructing and I've read they are clearing more. Giants I believe need to clear more space to be active. Eagles always seem to be able to figure out how to manipulate the cap and Lurrie usually famously has no limits as to cash budget.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I am in with Allegeir. Him or Etienne or Walker or Rachaad White, Gainwell even Dowdle. Good FA crop.

 

[skinsinparadise]

It's not just Keim but all the reporters are kind of saying the same. Heck, even Jason Bishop (Lurch) on The Junkies this morning said expect them to go after 2 in the top 15 FA's. I realize he is not an insider but does talk to people over at the park. I was trying to figure it out not including offensive line guys. I don't feel like Hendrickson is in play but who knows.

2026 NFL free agency: Ranking the top 100 players available

Could Kenneth Walker III, Trey Hendrickson, Jauan Jennings and Malik Willis get a lot of interest from teams? Let's stack the best NFL free agents.

www.espn.com

1. Trey Hendrickson, Edge​

2025 team: Cincinnati Bengals | Age entering 2026 season: 31

What he brings: Hendrickson is a relentless defender off the edge, with a deep toolbox of counters and a knack for making plays late in the down. In seven games last season, he had four sacks. His 17.5 sacks and 65 pressures in 2024 were league highs. Hendrickson would immediately upgrade just about any team's defensive line.

3. Jaelan Phillips, Edge​

2025 team: Philadelphia Eagles | Age entering 2026 season: 27

What he brings: With his long 6-foot-5 frame, Phillips can play as both an edge setter and pocket disrupter. After being traded to the Eagles on Nov. 3, he had two sacks and 27 pressures in coordinator Vic Fangio's system, flashing improved range to the ball. Over his five-year career, Phillips has accounted for 28 sacks and 150 pressures.

4. Alec Pierce, WR​

2025 team: Indianapolis Colts | Age entering 2026 season: 26

What he brings: A vertical stretch target at 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds, Pierce averaged a league-best 21.3 yards per catch in 2025. He also topped the 1,000-yard receiving mark and brought in six touchdowns. Pierce has the straight-line speed to lift the safeties, creating open coverage voids underneath for other targets. With more volume and an increased role, he has the skills to produce as a multilevel route runner.

6. Odafe Oweh, Edge​

2025 team: Los Angeles Chargers | Age entering 2026 season: 27

What he brings: An explosive pass rusher who gets off the ball in a hurry, Oweh can also flatten his path to maneuver around offensive tackles. After getting traded from the Ravens on Oct. 7, Oweh had 7.5 sacks and 27 pressures in Los Angeles. Plus, he recorded three sacks in the team's wild-card loss to the Patriots.

8. John Franklin-Myers, DL​

2025 team: Denver Broncos | Age entering 2026 season: 29

What he brings: Franklin-Myers lacks the lateral speed and bend to turn pressures into a bunch of sacks from edge alignments. But he's an active inside rusher who can play as a defensive tackle or 5-technique with his 6-foot-4, 288-pound frame. He had 7.5 sacks and 23 pressures last season.

9. Alontae Taylor, CB​

2025 team: New Orleans Saints | Age entering 2026 season: 27

What he brings: Taylor's versatility and urgent play style show up on tape. He has the speed to cover receivers on the perimeter, but he can also play a disruptive role in the slot. In four seasons with the Saints, Taylor has 4 interceptions, 40 pass breakups and 7 sacks.

10. Quay Walker, LB​

2025 team: Green Bay Packers | Age entering 2026 season: 26

What he brings: Walker's explosive traits create playmaking upside; he can cover ground as a run-and-hit defender. Plus, he diagnosed the run game at a quicker rate in 2025, averaging 4.9 tackles on designed rushes per game (11th highest). Overall, Walker had 2.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss and 4 pass breakups.

11. Riq Woolen, CB​

2025 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age entering 2026 season: 27

What he brings: Woolen has 12 interceptions and 36 pass breakups so far in his four-year career. A lack of consistent eye discipline has prevented him from reaching his ceiling in coverage, but he has the physical traits and speed at 6-foot-4 to help a defense majoring in man coverage and two-deep zone.

13. Jaylen Watson, CB​

2025 team: Kansas City Chiefs | Age entering 2026 season: 27

What he brings: Watson isn't a high-end playmaker, but he has the length to challenge in press and the route awareness to play top-down on the ball in zone schemes. He has three career interceptions and 23 pass breakups.

15. Kenneth Walker III, RB​

2025 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age entering 2026 season: 25

What he brings: Walker is a decisive runner who can press the edges with speed, find cutback lanes in zone schemes and provide big-play ability. His 33 rushes of 10 or more yards were the sixth most in the regular season, and he can be targeted on screens or swing routes out of the backfield. He has had at least 25 receptions in all four of his NFL seasons.

Yeah including Rapoport saying expect fireworks from Washington.

I am stoked for next week, Peters don't let me down.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Didn't FA start the first week of March before? Sucks to have to keep waiting but at least it's going to be soon, and this thread can reach 200 pages by then lol.

 

[DWinzit]

Would you be excited, or bummed if Washington walked away from the first week of FA with a list of something like the following instead of a couple bigger names? It would be leave us more open for drafting
RB - Rachaad White
WR - Doubs
TE - Otton
C - McGovern
Edge - Ebiketie
CB - Taylor

That's 6, I am assuming something like it could be possible but eat up most of the cap space

 

[method man]

Honestly this FA period is lining up to be a really good one. As long as you dont mind adding some vets with age. The Tunsil trade makes a lot of sense in the fact that this draft is lacking in high end talent. I hope we are very aggressive in FA. Becton only 26 by the way. Never really found his place with the Chargers after some injuries.

Stoutland may be gone but I can see him going back to Philly. Played at a pro bowl level there

 

[RexTomb]

Would you be excited, or bummed if Washington walked away from the first week of FA with a list of something like the following instead of a couple bigger names? It would be leave us more open for drafting
RB - Rachaad White
WR - Doubs
TE - Otton
C - McGovern
Edge - Ebiketie
CB - Taylor

Throw in Brandon Aubrey and I'd be stoked. That would be a nice haul, although I don't really trust Otton to do much on offense, but that's just my previous experience as his manager in fantasy football talking.

 

[DWinzit]

Throw in Brandon Aubrey and I'd be stoked. That would be a nice haul, although I don't really trust Otton to do much on offense, but that's just my previous experience as his manager in fantasy football talking.

I can appreciate that and there are a number of other TE's that fit in the same cap space.

 

[KDawg]

Would you be excited, or bummed if Washington walked away from the first week of FA with a list of something like the following instead of a couple bigger names? It would be leave us more open for drafting
RB - Rachaad White
WR - Doubs
TE - Otton
C - McGovern
Edge - Ebiketie
CB - Taylor

That's 6, I am assuming something like it could be possible but eat up most of the cap space

I’d be underwhelmed. Significantly.

 

[DWinzit]

I’d be underwhelmed. Significantly.

So happier to just hit with a few bigger names like Walker or Etienne and Hendrickson or Oweh with one of two of them?

 

[0rder 0f 0ut]

Totally 100% agree w/everything you stated… and add to that imho if he acted this way on a class organization like the 9ers and with the Alpha males in Lynch and Shanahan how much worse would he be here under DQ and more so Peters… DQ I think would be fine but I don’t see Peters being a Alpha.. and again I stated this pages ago… I don’t see the hype with this guy… he’s not as good as ppl make him out to be… I personally wouldn’t take him in league minimum salary… to much of a diva

Yeah get your boy Chris Simms ankle tattoo, total Alpha move!

 

[KDawg]

So happier to just hit with a few bigger names like Walker or Etienne and Hendrickson or Oweh with one of two of them?

I mean we have a ton of cap.

And you didn’t include Tunsil in that group. Are we still assuming he’s locked in? I have abstained from discussing him since my ban of talking about him.

 

[Due East]

If the Patriots release Diggs..........

 

[skinsinparadise]

If the Patriots release Diggs..........

Guessing Pats clearing space to chase Pierce

 

[skinsinparadise]

Would you be excited, or bummed if Washington walked away from the first week of FA with a list of something like the following instead of a couple bigger names? It would be leave us more open for drafting
RB - Rachaad White
WR - Doubs
TE - Otton
C - McGovern
Edge - Ebiketie
CB - Taylor

That's 6, I am assuming something like it could be possible but eat up most of the cap space

I'd be good with it but not excited. Throw in another edge and I'd be excited

My hopes and factoring Keim's podcast name dropping and a little from Standig. In other words, players that feel realistic

RB: Etienne (I got 4 RBs in that same price or less that I'd like too
Edge: Mafe, Ebiketie. (I want 2)
TE: Okonkwo (Likely would be my 2nd, but woudn't mind Otton)
C: Don't have a strong opinion, seems like they are signing someone but likely not for big money
CB: Taylor (got like 5 other corners I'd be happy with
WR: Jennings (Rasheed or Doubs would be great, too. Also sign a slot. I love Atwell and I doubt he gets paid big

I am guessing LB, something going down either Wagner back on the cheap as a 2 down LB, or maybe Eric Wilson. I'd love Chenal but I am not hearing much one way or another as to LB interest.

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[Bulldog]

No to Trey Hendrickson, yes to Alec Pierce.

No more geezers!

 

[heisenberg]

So happier to just hit with a few bigger names like Walker or Etienne and Hendrickson or Oweh with one of two of them?

I dont think people are doing the math here.

We have 30 unrestricted free agents and most of them aren't expected back.

We have 6 draft picks but only two in the first 4 rounds.

So unless we're planning on fielding a roster with 2 dozen undrafted free agents we need to bring in at least 20 free agents.

So yeah if we bring in only 6 or 7 mid level guys or 2 big name guys we're fucked.

We literally have no choice but to go nuts in free agency, so it'll either be like 2 years ago when we had the most roster turnover in the league with mostly aging stop gap signings or it'll be a plethora of big names combined with a bunch of stop gap type signings but it won't be 6 to 8 guys unless we're planning to transfer to the NBA.