The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Dlts20]

Call me crazy, but I think they believe in Burks. Call me even crazier, I kind of believe he will blossom here too.

I believe in him also. Get me Aiyuk and I will feel a lot better about the group

 

[Primus Porcus]

It's been my button with Peters. That is, putting the offense on Jayden's back. It's the opposite of what the other teams who drafted QBs in 2024 have done. I'll say this for example if Peters thought like Ryan Poles did of the Bears, we'd already know he's taking Love or Tate at 7. No chance with a supporting cast like this would Poles not take an offensive player.

Poles the same guy who already had Moore as a #1 WR, and Kmet as a young TE, and his defense was meh. Yet in year 1, he takes Odunze in round 1. Signs Keenan Allen. Signs another TE in Everett. The year after you'd think he'd move on to other spots. But nope, he doubles down. Adds a young TE in the first round, so they got two of them. And they go for a third WR in Burden in the 2nd round. And beat Washington to depth players by signing Zaccheus. Then they hire arguably a top 3 playcaller as a HC and build the O line, too.

The Pats also chasing supporting cast players. Beat Washington to Doubs and now are trying to trade for AJ Browns. The Vikings have 2 stud WRs. The Falcons have Bijan and Pitts and Drake London

It's all hands on deck for these teams to have their QBs shine.

But I'll give Peters that he did chase Pierce and Doubs. there have been effort. In 2025, it felt like he thought Jayden can deal with a lackluster WR corp because Jayden succeed with a meh one in 2024. And I know i likely will have the same 3 people give or take pushback on me on this point because Deebo, Deebo, Deebo. Deebo as a gadget WR is fine. But he alone didn't offset the WR corp. they had a starting Z WR who would be the 5th WR on most teams and can never stay healthy -- with the most pathetic depth at that spot that was one of the worst I've ever seen following this sport.

So fast forward to now. I think we are back to the 2024 meh corp so that is an improvement. It's still one of the weakest WR crops in the league. But at least the depth isn't pathetic. So that is a change.

And I am not saying they got to take Love or Tate. But if this team felt the same about supporting their young franchise QB as some of the other teams do -- that's what they would do. I got no doubt that Ryan Poles if this is what his WR corp would look like in Chicago, he'd probablly go Love or Tate at 7 and then another WR in the third.

Not going to disagree with any of it, my confidence level if our WR group is this come week 1 is not exactly beaming in that unit. That said I don't think it needs to be. If we had THIS defense in 2024... phew. If we had this defense in 2025 i think it's a dynamically different conversation. There clearly is an argument that we would have preferred to do things surrounding Jayden a bit faster, but we're here now. 1st full offseason we overhauled the O-line. Now we have what appears to be a pretty stable unit for at least 2 more years. Now his 2nd full offseason, the defensive front 7, and it now looks like we have it locked up for more than just one rental season. I've said before and i'll continue to say... we can't fix it all in a single offseason, so I am doing a little convincing myself that he's doing things in phases based on whats available..... we'll see if it continues

 

[clskinsfan]

The Van Jefferson signing is interesting to me. He is a pretty dangerous redzone target. He can stretch the field a little bit as well. Had horrific QB play last year. Not an ideal WR2 But I would place him over Dyami as a weapon.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

See my long post above RE: why Eberflus knew what we were doing.

Actually that game had some bad playcalling of Kliff. I know because I thought- in that one in particular- that he was weirdly calling first down runs at a strange maniacal rate.

I thought I was probably exaggerating it in my head out of annoyance. Then Logan Paulsen - postgame - who is extremely hesitant to criticize the coaches and particularly playcalling out of respect for the difficulty (which makes perfect sense, my criticism is just among friends), actually said - I hope we see fewer first down runs in the future.

Very strange. This season there were issues. My theory on a lot of them is we had some big disconnects among HC and coordinators, particularly HC and OC. I think that may have caused issues. I don’t blame DQ for having opinions but hiring Kliff and being surprised that he is Kliff is quite annoying.

It always sounds like I don’t like Klff. I don’t actually have strong opinions on him, but I don’t think the mix here was good. I also do think he gets overrated by some, but I think if he was really good he would be an OC right now.

 

[RWJ]

I don’t think this is going to prevent us from adding more interior OL. At east, I hope not.

Give me Graham Glasgow on a 1 or 2 year deal. Love the blue collar type player in him.

 

[DogofWar1]

I'm glad Chris Paul is back. Probably the penciled in starter at LG.

Very solid pass defender last year. Bad at run blocking, but hopefully can improve that over the offseason.

 

[KDawg]

Actually that game had some bad playcalling of Kliff. I know because I thought- in that one in particular- that he was weirdly calling first down runs at a strange maniacal rate.

I thought I was probably exaggerating it in my head out of annoyance. Then Logan Paulsen - postgame - who is extremely hesitant to criticize the coaches and particularly playcalling out of respect for the difficulty (which makes perfect sense, my criticism is just among friends), actually said - I hope we see fewer first down runs in the future.

Very strange. This season there were issues. My theory on a lot of them is we had some big disconnects among HC and coordinators, particularly HC and OC. I think that may have caused issues. I don’t blame DQ for having opinions but hiring Kliff and being surprised that he is Kliff is quite annoying.

It always sounds like I don’t like Klff. I don’t actually have strong opinions on him, but I don’t think the mix here was good. I also do think he gets overrated by some, but I think if he was really good he would be an OC right now.

Kliff definitely had stretches of bad playcalls. But him not being an OC now doesn’t mean he’s not a good one. Hes the assistant HC of the Rams…

 

[MartinC]

I’m guessing we may have one more move but this might be the group.

Terry, Jefferson, Aiyuk, Brown, Burks and one of Lane/McCaffrey is so much better. It’s not great. We’re still below par in the NFL. But it’s an NFL group.

Terry, Tate, Aiyuk, Brown, Lane, Jefferson, Burks 😉

Joking about the draft pick aside that group with a high draft pick like Tate looks like an NFL group - but Aiyuk is a gamble. Without Tate it’s all on Terry staying healthy and us finding lightening in a bottle with Aiyuk - I’d be underwhelmed.

 

[MartinC]

The Van Jefferson signing is interesting to me. He is a pretty dangerous redzone target. He can stretch the field a little bit as well. Had horrific QB play last year. Not an ideal WR2 But I would place him over Dyami as a weapon.

If he’s our 4th/5th WR we are in good shape. If he’s competing for WR #2 we are in trouble.

 

[Faithful Fan]

Juxtapose this with other receiving corps around the league and this is at the minimum league average

I agree our receivers aren’t as bad as people seem to think, especially if we add somebody like Deebo or Aiyuk and a draft pick. People are expecting the posse, but that’s unrealistic. I think there is an unconscious lack of confidence in JD lurking beneath this.

Anyway here are the receivers on the roster as of now:

1. Terry - WR1 pay and usually good for 70 catches and 1000 yards.
2. Jefferson - 2nd round pick in 2020, journeyman vet with Super Bowl experience, good for about 30 catches per year.
3. Burks. Former 1st round pick who has been hampered by injuries, showed some potential when healthy.
4. LMC. Good pedigree, special teams ace, gadget player, was starting to make some plays before breaking his collarbone
5. Dyami Brown. Has played with JD and shown flashes.
6. Lane. Wicked fast, special teams contributor, has not shown much on offense yet, but it’s only year 2.

And here are possible additions:

7. Aiyuk. Former 1st round pick and All-Pro. Super Bowl experience. Friends with JD. Uncertainty about his injury and off-field antics.
8. Draft pick. Unless Love falls, this could be a very high pick.
9. Vet free agent like Deebo or Keenan Allen.

Keep in mind we can only keep 6 of these guys on the roster.

What’s good about this group is there is unrealized potential, athleticism, and upside. It should make for good competition in camp, and hopefully one or two of the young guys really emerge.

The bad news is there is no clear WR2 or solid backup for Terry, but this could and should be resolved by adding somebody like Aiyuk, Allen, or Deebo.

 

[burgold]

There is the little whisper in my head that hopes that Peters can find a team with a surplus of great wide receivers but that needs a DT and we do a player swap of Payne for X. I'd even recommend we swallow some of Payne's salary this year to make it work.

 

[aledb11]

I agree our receivers aren’t as bad as people seem to think, especially if we add somebody like Deebo or Aiyuk and a draft pick. People are expecting the posse, but that’s unrealistic. I think there is an unconscious lack of confidence in JD lurking beneath this.

Anyway here are the receivers on the roster as of now:

1. Terry - WR1 pay and usually good for 70 catches and 1000 yards.
2. Jefferson - 2nd round pick in 2020, journeyman vet with Super Bowl experience, good for about 30 catches per year
3. Dyami Brown. Former 1st round pick who has played with JD and shown flashes.
4. Burks. Former 1st round pick who has been hampered by injuries, showed some potential when healthy.
5. LMC. Good pedigree, special teams ace, gadget player, was starting to make some plays before breaking his collarbone
6. Lane. Wicked fast, special teams contributor, has not shown much yet.

And here are possible additions:

7. Aiyuk. Former 1st round pick and All-Pro. Super Bowl experience. Friends with JD. Uncertainty about his injury and off-field antics.
8. Draft pick. Unless Love falls, this could be a very high pick.
9. Vet free agent like Deebo or Keenan Allen.

Keep in mind we can only keep 6 of these guys on the roster.

What’s good about this group is there is unrealized potential, athleticism, and upside. It should make for good competition in camp, and hopefully one or two of the young guys really emerge.

The bad news is there is no clear WR2 or solid backup for Terry, but this could and should be resolved by adding somebody like Aiyuk, Allen, or Deebo.

Dyami Brown was a 3rd round pick.

I get a feeling that Van Jefferson is going to make a much bigger impact than anticipated

 

[Faithful Fan]

Dyami Brown was a 3rd round pick.

I get a feeling that Van Jefferson is going to make a much bigger impact than anticipated

My mistake, thank you. I got him confused with Dotson I think. We have tried to draft receivers.

 

[Dlts20]

I agree our receivers aren’t as bad as people seem to think, especially if we add somebody like Deebo or Aiyuk and a draft pick. People are expecting the posse, but that’s unrealistic. I think there is an unconscious lack of confidence in JD lurking beneath this.

Anyway here are the receivers on the roster as of now:

1. Terry - WR1 pay and usually good for 70 catches and 1000 yards.
2. Jefferson - 2nd round pick in 2020, journeyman vet with Super Bowl experience, good for about 30 catches per year
3. Dyami Brown. Former 1st round pick who has played with JD and shown flashes.
4. Burks. Former 1st round pick who has been hampered by injuries, showed some potential when healthy.
5. LMC. Good pedigree, special teams ace, gadget player, was starting to make some plays before breaking his collarbone
6. Lane. Wicked fast, special teams contributor, has not shown much yet.

And here are possible additions:

7. Aiyuk. Former 1st round pick and All-Pro. Super Bowl experience. Friends with JD. Uncertainty about his injury and off-field antics.
8. Draft pick. Unless Love falls, this could be a very high pick.
9. Vet free agent like Deebo or Keenan Allen.

Keep in mind we can only keep 6 of these guys on the roster.

What’s good about this group is there is unrealized potential, athleticism, and upside. It should make for good competition in camp, and hopefully one or two of the young guys really emerge.

The bad news is there is no clear WR2 or solid backup for Terry, but this could and should be resolved by adding somebody like Aiyuk, Allen, or Deebo.

Nash also

 

[Faithful Fan]

Nash also

Probably camp fodder, but I don’t mind loading up on potential and having a competition in camp, especially given the state of the WR market in free agency.

 

[Boone]

I'm gonna push back on the psychoanalysis a bit Faithful... no one doubts Jayden. But other than Terry, those are ALL JAGs at WR. The only WR we had besides Terry who was an impact player was Deebo and we appear to be letting him walk. Those talking about TEs and pass catching RBs - those are helpful additions there is no doubt. But it doesn't preclude our need for guys not name Terry who can play the position at a high level. None of the guys currently on this roster fit that description. It's so obvious that we really shouldn't even be wasting time discussing it.

I myself said on our recent pod that it may not be possible to 'fix' every position group in one offseason. I have zero doubt they have tried every possible avenue at WR and are probably still working the problem. Sometimes the stars just don't align. As others have said, we may start to fix that position group in the draft. It may take a couple more seasons to really fix it. It's not the end of the world - Jayden will find ways to thrive no matter what. But Jesus - do we have to make it so hard for the poor guy?

 

[Gooseneck]

They have got to be pretty tight on money at this point don't they?

Unless they have a steal of a contract like White's they should wait, There will be some good vets looking for another year at bargain basement prices in the next few months- we will see how things go

 

[Faithful Fan]

Boone I do agree we really need a clear WR2 one way or another. Do you not think that can be addressed with the #7 pick or Aiyuk? What about adding Deebo, Diggs, Hill, or Allen?

I actually really like the mix of Burks, LMC, Lane, and Nash as potential breakout players. I have high hopes for LMC and Burks in particular, though you are right those are yet unrealized.

I’m not saying WR is a position of strength or anything, but I think we are doing okay supporting JD. We rebuilt the line and are trying to bring in guys he has chemistry with. Two stud wideouts would obviously help, but that’s a rare luxury.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Boone I do agree we really need a clear WR2 one way or another. Do you not think that can be addressed with the #7 pick or Aiyuk? What about adding Deebo, Diggs, Hill, or Allen?

I actually really like the mix of Burks, LMC, Lane, and Nash as potential breakout players. I have high hopes for LMC and Burks in particular, though you are right those are yet unrealized.

I’m not saying WR is a position of strength or anything, but I think we are doing okay supporting JD. We rebuilt the line and are trying to bring in guys he has chemistry with. Two stud wideouts would obviously help, but that’s a rare luxury.

Theres an argument that the guy who's available at 7 isn't the best option for the team, so don't spend if you can create elsewhere. I've been in the camp of Love to this point, and I think i'd still take Love over Tate to this point because he's an X-factor. I think Boone is saying we haven't fixed it, but we may not be able to fix it this year, and reaching for a guy at 7 because you're trying to fill a 'need' may not be the best plan of attack, if you can create a dynamic option elsewhere.

 

[Boone]

I don’t want to get into individual players because it will sound a lot more negative than I intend it to. But none of the guys on the roster have put up significant numbers. We can make every excuse in the world for them but I tend to think they just aren’t that talented.

Aiyuk isn’t on the roster and I don’t think it is guaranteed he will be. I don’t know if he’ll be a #2 caliber guy after his injury. Diggs is a legal mess. Hill maybe? Keenan Allen signed elsewhere. I hope we do draft a starter.