The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Conn]

A caution about all these tweets come out about "these teams are involved in this guy" or "price is this or that" or any variation of information coming out this morning until actual signings are being announced:

The only people who are talking to any media member at this point in the process are agents, and they have a clear agenda to drive up price, make it seem like their clients are wanted, and try and get teams into a bidding war, potentially with only themselves.

It would be absolutely shocking if any team official is telling any media member, national or local, anything. Unless they are using the media to try and screw with other teams, which can happen, but

You always have to keep in mind "who benefits from this information getting out?"

At this time of year, it's always the player/agent.

Which is not to say the information is not valid. It's just that it can evolve over time and needs to be taken with some degree of a sideways glance. There will be some super obvious signings which everybody "got right." Then there will be others which nobody reported any interest about. Not just for out team, league wide.

This isn't a shot at any reporter or any report. Just a PSA keep in mind as we go forward over the next day or two.

Well, the frenzy starts in 30 minutes so the time-killing “empty report to create hype” time of the offseason is pretty much over. Now the cards get laid down and we see who was bluffing

 

[Boone]

One of the biggest things to watch over the next week - are we able to re-sign Mariota, and if not who do we bring in as #2 not named Carson Wentz?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I could happily live with a lesser tier guy at either WR or CB if it means Linderbaum. Or skip over RB in FA. Needs everywhere, but what we need the most is blue chip talent, regardless of position. And it would give us possibly the best line in the league as many have already mentioned. Hopefully it’s in the works!

I partially agree with this.

I cannot express this enough: they NEED weapons so Daniels doesn't have to expose himself on scrambles and designed runs. Which he will do if they don't have weapons.

Getting the best FA center available is a really good thing.

But they HAVE to pair it with an actual starting TE and at least 1 dependable starting WR. That doesn't have to be Pierce. It just has to be a dependable and healthy option to line up across from Terry. They can also sign Aiyuk when he's available as a secondary move.

If it's an either/or, I'd actually take adequate center and significantly upgraded weapons.

 

[mcdonaldrw]

Pretty sure AP is going to bring in Tua to give JD some direct competition.

 

[Conn]

Is it just me, or were there more deals to stay with teams finalized this year in the last couple days than there normally are? Feels like more guys are coming off the board later than normal.

That could be just a recency bias, not entirely sure.

Indeed feels like it’s happened more this year (and the year before) and I think it may be because the salary cap is going up every year beyond the conservative estimations teams probably plan around just to be safe. Think it went up $22M this year and only became official a week or two ago.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Pretty sure AP is going to bring in Tua to give JD some direct competition.

I mean, the only reason it hasn't been reported is because it's so obvious.

 

[Discobob]

I partially agree with this.

I cannot express this enough: they NEED weapons so Daniels doesn't have to expose himself on scrambles and designed runs. Which he will do if they don't have weapons.

Getting the best FA center available is a really good thing.

But they HAVE to pair it with an actual starting TE and at least 1 dependable starting WR. That doesn't have to be Pierce. It just has to be a dependable and healthy option to line up across from Terry. They can also sign Aiyuk when he's available as a secondary move.

If it's an either/or, I'd actually take adequate center and significantly upgraded weapons.

🔥 x1000 🔥

Giving Daniels weapons maximizes our best asset... we can't "Josh Allen" our star quarterback

 

[SkinsFTW]

Pretty sure AP is going to bring in Tua to give JD some direct competition.

Those 2 can then rotate concussions and leg/arm injuries.

 

[mcdonaldrw]

You know if AP plays his cards right he could buy the Leg/Knee brace at the same time as they would buy Tua a Guardian helmet, just maybe he would get a discount

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

One of the biggest things to watch over the next week - are we able to re-sign Mariota, and if not who do we bring in as #2 not named Carson Wentz?

Leave Carson alone.

I went through this in the draft thread, there aren't THAT many teams in search of QBs because Caleb Williams, Daniels, Maye and Nix all look like starters from the 2024 draft, Cam Ward and Dart are going to get a few more years. I also think the Vikings are going to try again with McCarthy before agreeing with me that he should never have been drafted (I thought he was a terrible prospect, by far the worst of the group in 2024. I could still be proven wrong, but so far, I'm not) and Penix is clearly going to get another year or maybe 2.

The QB needy teams who would be looking for bridge starters: Raiders, Dolphins, Cardinals. Minnesota probably gives McCarthy another shot, Saints seem to want Shough to be the guy, Browns have a bunch of guys, and who knows what the Jets are doing. Also, only 1 QB is going to be drafted high.

But there aren't a lot of open "bridge QB" jobs.

So I think there's a really good chance Mariota re-signs, because he's going to be a backup, and if he's going to be a backup, why not here? If I was Peters, however, I'd sign him to a 3 year, $30m deal. Give him $10m in signing bonus, and then spread the rest out over 3 years plus a voidable 4th. That lowers the cap number you'd get for a 1 year deal, gives him some security, and then you don't have to revisit this every year.

 

[DogofWar1]

We just extended Allegretti an hour ago and last I checked he was like 7M against the cap this year. That's a little too expensive for a backup lineman imo, he kinda needs to be a starter or we gotta move him. Rumors post Biadasz release were people thought Allegretti would be a better center tham guard.

Circumstantial evidence still points to Allegretti being the penciled in C starter but we'll see.

 

[heisenberg]

Is it just me, or were there more deals to stay with teams finalized this year in the last couple days than there normally are? Feels like more guys are coming off the board later than normal.

That could be just a recency bias, not entirely sure.

It's a direct result of tampering becoming more prevalent.

 

[Boone]

I think Allegretti is likely plan B if they can't upgrade. Voice - I think you are wrong both on the Vikings and Atlanta (in fact, the Falcons are rumored to be going after Tua). There are more QB vacancies than you are identifying in other words. I wouldn't sign Mariota as my starter, but maybe someone will. So I think it's more likely than not he is back with us, but certainly not a guarantee until it happens.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

🔥 x1000 🔥

Giving Daniels weapons maximizes our best asset... we can't "Josh Allen" our star quarterback

Or Patrick Mahomes.

Having said that, I LOVE the idea of an elite OL. So if we could have Tunsil/Coleman/Lindy/Cosmi/Connerly, I think that would be one of the best units, the only ? being did Coleman learn anything last year and can he actually start.

But if we had that group last year, they could have blocked for 15 seconds per play, and the WRs we had wouldn't have gotten open.

We need both.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I think the math is fine, we’ve got the capacity to spend seriously big money. The questions are more around our desire/intent, and our ability to convince players to head our way.

Math doesn't add up to me if they idea is to sign a high end CB, DE, WR -- witth also medium level edge, maybe high end RB, TE. But will see. Vinny for his faults could always punt the cap forward and deal with the pain later, maybe that's part of it, will see.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Standig just now. Where he's a little different.

Thinks they do nothing at TE aside from add depth

Doesn't love the idea of going for Linderbaum, but understands if they do, not sure if they do it.

He's sticking to if its Aiyuk they aren't signing a major Wr with him.

 

[ES1974]

Math doesn't add up to me if they idea is to sign a high end CB, DE, WR -- witth also medium level edge, maybe high end RB, TE. But will see. Vinny for his faults could always punt the cap forward and deal with the pain later, maybe that's part of it, will see.

How many high end corners and receivers are actually in this FA class ?

 

[Discobob]

 

[skinsinparadise]

Linderbaum whatever happens is a new one for me as to my emotions if they sign him I am excited but if they don't I am relieved.

 

[skinsinparadise]

How many high end corners and receivers are actually in this FA class ?

Enough that will likely cost you 15-20 millions.

They will be a crap team again if they fish in the low end of the pound at WR, Edge, CB.