The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Anselmheifer]

I wouldn't touch Hendrickson at his age after how he played last season for that price. Terry got hurt but looked as good as ever when on the field. Trey however had extremely low production compared to previous seasons

I’m not saying I want Hendrickson. But, he had a core muscle injury last year. That’s not an age related injury and he generally hasn’t had health problems. But, “how he played last year”, was very solid. He had a PFF grade of 82.9 with a 90.0 pass rush grade. He’s been EXTREMELY consistent. And I think atv31, he has at least 3 really good years left. But, Id still rather have a younger player, and he doesn’t sound like a scheme fit, as the Flores defense generally requires its edges to drop into coverage.



Love this. It sounds like we will be pursuing top of the market guys. This is the most direct that Keim has been about this, I think.

 

[KDawg]

The big thing is that we will, for the most part, not be wow’ed with our FA period. So here is what I am looking for:

-Fill majority of holes with adequate players while understanding we aren’t going to be able to spend enough to get world breakers in each spot: WRx2, RB, Edge x2, CB, Safety x2, LG, C

-Re-up the one guy

-Make at least 2 “splashy” signings. Big names. But not necessarily the top of the crop. But in that range.

-Be aggressive.

 

[heisenberg]

We didn't need to cut him at this time. We should have held onto him longer until a team needed a C. There was zero advantage to us for releasing him.

Im about to seriously contradict myself and my statement that sometimes I'd like to see Quinn and peters be a little more ruthless but playing devils advocate a little there is value in being a destination players trust.

We're on the eve of an incredibly important free agent period, our front office and ownership are getting A plus grades for a reason.

Im sure it didn't go unnoticed by the players that one veteran center was forced to relocate somewhere he had no choice and another (before free agency even began) was able to pick where he wanted to go and get a little raise in the process.

Is that worth throwing away a late round draft pick, thats very debatable.

We're all hoping for the team to make a bunch of huge splashes in free agency, well it takes two to tango and we need the players to want this to be a premium destination and that starts with being a place they trust.

Who knows maybe Peter's is playing a little 3d chess, maybe he looked around the best he could get was a 6th or something and decided the goodwill just before free agency was more valuable than that.

Just my optimistic angle on what looks like a patently bad move on the surface.

 

[Boone]

If we come out of free agency with a couple of high tier WRs and either a top DB or top Edge rusher, I will be satisfied. If they some how manage to upgrade at RB, that would be alright too.

 

[Conn]

Okay I didn't realize he mentioned the position that often.

However, CB has not been discussed very often in recent times in this thread, not like Edge, DE, RB, WR, C, G, TE, LB...Guess that's why I said sneaky

For me it’s mostly because there are a ton of CB’s potentially available on Monday and I really don’t know what skillset this new D prioritizes vs how much coin they’re looking to drop.

It’s also an awkward situation because if you project that they’re spending to add a legit outside CB to pair with Amos, which in a vacuum sounds good, it means they’re likely still mistakenly thinking of misusing Sain in the slot which he just hasn’t been very good at. His lack of size/length and lack of press ability make him unideal outside but he’s undoubtedly been better there than elsewhere. Allegedly this new D will allow him to play off and hunt, but we don’t know

So the other alternative is that we spend on a proven slot CB, and just risk it with Sain outside.

So it’s just kinda messy to figure out not only who may fit us, but what we actually need and what they’ll prioritize.

EDGE, WR, off ball LB are all simpler lol

 

[skinsinparadise]

Yup and probably means no to a couple others discussed like Mays and McGovern. Could they be thinking Hennessy to pair up with Allegretti???

Listening to Keim feels like he thinks they will add someone to compete with Allegretti but no one expensive.

 

[Boone]

Which begs the question - why release a reasonably capable starter (if you don’t intend a major upgrade there)?!

 

[skinsinparadise]

For me it’s mostly because there are a ton of CB’s potentially available on Monday and I really don’t know what skillset this new D prioritizes vs how much coin they’re looking to drop.

It’s also an awkward situation because if you project that they’re spending to add a legit outside CB to pair with Amos, which in a vacuum sounds good, it means they’re likely still mistakenly thinking of misusing Sain in the slot which he just hasn’t been very good at. His lack of size/length and lack of press ability make him unideal outside but he’s undoubtedly been better there than elsewhere. Allegedly this new D will allow him to play off and hunt, but we don’t know

So the other alternative is that we spend on a proven slot CB, and just risk it with Sain outside.

So it’s just kinda messy to figure out not only who may fit us, but what we actually need and what they’ll prioritize.

EDGE, WR, off ball LB are all simpler lol

Yeah agree, there are like 7 different corners they can chase. Not sure who they are zeroing in on. Listening to Keim and to some extent Standig, feels like they have heard buzz about what players are on their radar at edge, WR, TE. But they know they want a CB and maybe a RB but not quite sure, who. Keim mentioned A. Taylor and Dean but from what I recall said-wrote it just once and I couldn't sense of those were meaningful name drops. My rule of thum is I want to hear it at least twice.

I'd say the biggest mystery for me if they do something or not is at LB. I've listened and read as much as I can from people I trust and this is the spot that I don't feel like I have any good guess as to what they do.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Which begs the question - why release a reasonably capable starter (if you don’t intend a major upgrade there)?!

At least according to Keim and to some extent Sheehan, they think Alegretti is as good and a slightly better fit to the scheme. As for why to add one, they don't for starters have a decent backup center on the roster.

Whether they are right or wrong, I got no idea. Clearly some here think its the wrong move. But clearly they don't think they are wrong. Will see it play out.

If I had to give the most optimistic take of it.

A. Saves 8 million in cash. Fans can be obsessed with the cap, but owners seem more obsessed with the cash.

B. They are supposedly about to go to town and spend a lot of cash so perhaps its like hey we want to spend big on these players, lets add more cash to give us flexibility to sign even more.

I get the impression that they will spend a ton this FA season and if they do I'll be happy. But the cash issue is interesting. I read a long article years back that one of the advantages of the Eagles is that Lurrie doesn't give a crap about the cash budget and he's one of the only owners who operates that way. So it gives them advantages in negotiations -- front loading the cash for signing bonuses, guaranteed money fazing them less.

I think Josh Harris has been great on so many levels. My only dissapointment is it seems like he's the typical owner and not Lurrie when it comes to using cash as a weapon.

 

[skinsinparadise]

If we come out of free agency with a couple of high tier WRs and either a top DB or top Edge rusher, I will be satisfied. If they some how manage to upgrade at RB, that would be alright too.

I'd be very surprised if they don't. Except for WR, I see a top one signed -- but feels like Aiyuk is the plan for the 2nd WR signed and SF oddly hasn't released him yet. I wonder if SF is pissed about the Aiyuk connection to Jayden and this team. Peters didn't exactly do a hot job cloaking liking Aiyuk.

 

[KDawg]

Which begs the question - why release a reasonably capable starter (if you don’t intend a major upgrade there)?!

yeah, this is weird. Especially because Blough is going to use some Ben Johnson style stuff… and Ben Johnson just got Biadasz.

I still believe there is a plan.

I am interested to see what it is and if it can be executed…

 

[SkinsFTW]

yeah, this is weird. Especially because Blough is going to use some Ben Johnson style stuff… and Ben Johnson just got Biadasz.

I still believe there is a plan.

I am interested to see what it is and if it can be executed…

BJ tried to look at Biadasz, but he went to the Chargers instead.

 

[KDawg]

BJ tried to look at Biadasz, but he went to the Chargers instead.

Yeah, I meant to say that. First coffee. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Ya I dont know what im missing with the Hype on this guy. I just dont see it.

He's a 25 year old, really good (but not great) WR and compared to the other WRs in the market, he isn't old or injured.

It's supply/demand. People need a starting WR, and there aren't a lot of them available. Ergo, he's going to get overpaid and by a lot.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Let's talk WR for a minute:

I think Adam Peters is smart enough to look a year in the future, which is why I think we've been hearing they want to chase WR options.

Terry McLaurin will be 32 at the beginning of the 2027 season. He will carry a $34m cap hit, but only an $18m dead cap hit if they trade/release him. He then carries a $39m cap hit in 2028. The chances a 33 year old receiver is going to justify that would be really, really unusual. They could easily move on from Terry after this season. Or ask him to restructure.

We have also seen Terry isn't exactly the easiest guy to negotiate with, and at least last year, seemed to have an over-inflated value of himself.

Ergo, the team has to start planning for life without Terry. Whether that be in 2027 or 2028. They are going to need another #1 WR in the next 2 years. And without doing a lot of analysis, the hit rate of 1st round WRs turning into top 5 league WRs isn't great. It feels like that position is much more hit or miss in the draft for whatever reason. Which is why I think we're hearing rumblings they really want to upgrade WR. It's not just for this year. It's for down the road as well.

So this is my plan:
1. Figure out if Aiyuk is both healthy from a knee perspective and a mental health perspective. If he is, sign him. It won't cost much. Peters knows him, Daniels knows him, Quinn does really well with players, they could probably support him and surround him with a good structure to keep him happy and motivated.
2. Immediately forget that you did that and sign another young FA WR who you can count on to be the WR 2 this year and then possibly the WR 1 in 2026 or 2027 when Terry is not here.

Any production you get out of Aiyuk is complete gravy. You can't count on him. But, assuming both physical and mental health, signing him to a low money deal would be a low-risk move.

If things work out with Aiyuk and whoever else you sign, you're set up to replace Terry when he leaves.

Another option would be to sign Aiyuk (assuming physical and mental health) and draft the best WR in the class at #7, but that's more risky because you never know who's going to do something unpredictable in the draft, and you might not get the guy you want.

As an addendum, this is also probably the last year of the McCaffery experiment. Either he grabs the WR3 role and produces like a competent WR3, or he's not going to be assured a roster spot in 2027. And if that's the case, then you need another WR position filled next year.

So, all that said, I think they could do all three things:
1. Sign Aiyuk to a low-dollar deal
2. Sign another WR to a big money contract to start
3. Draft a guy high.

That probably means Burks doesn't make the team, or they bump McCaffery early. McLaurin and Lane are 100% safe. McCaffery is mostly safe unless they sign 2 roster locks and draft a guy. That would make life for him very challenging.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

The big thing is that we will, for the most part, not be wow’ed with our FA period. So here is what I am looking for:

-Fill majority of holes with adequate players while understanding we aren’t going to be able to spend enough to get world breakers in each spot: WRx2, RB, Edge x2, CB, Safety x2, LG, C

-Re-up the one guy

-Make at least 2 “splashy” signings. Big names. But not necessarily the top of the crop. But in that range.

-Be aggressive.

I think if we did all those things it would kindof be wow, if we're being honest.

 

[KDawg]

I think if we did all those things it would kindof be wow, if we're being honest.

It could be. It depends on the manner but in a general sense, I agree.

 

[SkinsFTW]

I think if we did all those things it would kindof be wow, if we're being honest.

They will probably have to do all of those things, but 1/2 of them are going to be cheapskate deals for randos.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I don't think anybody knows what we're going to do at center. I probably agree with Standig that it doesn't seem overly likely they will sign Linderbaum to a $20m/year deal.

But I also don't think they're going to go into the season just giving Allegretti the role.

They're going to sign a FA at center who is at least a capable starter. They were also the same guys who benched Allegretti last year. They're not going to put all of their eggs into that basket.

And as an aside, nowhere has it been reported directly (or maybe indirectly?) that this was a cash saving move. I think people have said "they save this amount of cash" but i don't think there has been any correlation between that fact and a reason why they released Biadasz.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

It could be. It depends on the manner but in a general sense, I agree.

If we land, as you outlined above, basically 5 starters, with one or two of the top FA prospects, I think I would go