The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[ES1974]

AP still churning the signings out.

Feeling optimistic that we will get some positive WR news soon.

 

[Bulldog]

The draft is still more than a month away, and there are still roster spots to fill. Since most are one -year non-guaranteed deals there is a good chance that a couple of these recent signings could end up as August or September cuts.

They need to get the roster to 90.

At running back for example I would not necessarily believe that all of the backs signed will be here for the opener or that the presence of Ford, McNichols on the roster means we won't take a back in April.

 

[Boone]

I think you are right Bulldog. Some of these 1 yr deals are insurance contracts for sure.

 

[Dah-Dee]

Thank you, that was very thorough and clears up a lot.

I'm honestly not sure I've really got it right, it's so muddy on roster status, whether they'd really be on the cap hook for the $9.6 option bonus, dates involved etc.

It does seem like Aiyuk could put pressure on SF, maybe accelerate things, by doing one thing: Show up. Attend .... something. OTAs? Something that would qualify as 'reporting to the team.' In that event, I think SF would be required to take him off the 'reserved/left team list' and Aiyuk would suddenly occupy a 90/53/48 roster spot. Don't think Lynch wants that.

 

[HTTR]

Sounds like he might be asking for 20-22 AAV now. Who knows, he might get it in a 2-3 year deal, with the way this FA has gone for WRs and the general lack of depth league-wide at that position. I still think Tennessee is the most likely landing spot for him.

Feels like maybe Commanders wills sign a vet, maybe Deebo, maybe somebody like Allen/Hopkins/Diggs, to go with Aiyuk (big-if he's healthy).

That’s it? That seems pretty reasonable for a solid WR2 based on the market. If we are not willing to pay that, then I’m not sure how we can say we are really looking for one. Especially considering we have the cap room and the need.

 

[ES1974]

$10m 2026 cap hit on a $100m deal. The wonders of the salary cap.

 

[Bulldog]

I would prefer Allen or Diggs over Deebo.

We need outside receivers with proven ability to make the 15-20 yard catches on outs and the inside balls to move the chains.

Allen is 33 but had 81 catches last season. Diggs showed he can still get down the field with Buffalo.

With Okonkwo signed I think at least 40% of Deebo's catches won't be there for him in 2026.

 

[burgold]

One more factor to think about is Peters may know more about Jennings limitations than many have seen him day in and day out for years in San Francisco. There may be a reason that he won't meet the price.

 

[burgold]

The best available is not always the best.

 

[ES1974]

I would prefer Allen or Diggs over Deebo.

We need outside receivers with proven ability to make the 15-20 yard catches on outs and the inside balls to move the chains.

Allen is 33 but had 81 catches last season. Diggs showed he can still get down the field with Buffalo.

With Okonkwo signed I think at least 40% of Deebo's catches won't be there for him in 2026.

Allen is an excellent call in our situation, especially if the intent is WR early in the draft.

 

[burgold]

Allen is an excellent call in our situation, especially if the intent is WR early in the draft.

I'm not sure Josh Allen is up for what it takes to convert himself from a QB to WR. I mean I know he's mobile and tough, but...

 

[Riggo44]

not irrelevant if you are talking about receiving skills/experience of the RBs with respect to roster construction. by leaving out Eckler it makes it seem like AP purposely built the roster to exclude pass catching backs. we didn't have depth, but that's not what AP did...so it is relevant.

Irrelevant. Ekeler was not available for 98% of the season. We played the majority of the season without him. Who cares about intention? He wasn't, and currently, isn't available. It was an issue one way or another that Peters rectified.

 

[clskinsfan]

It does seem like Aiyuk could put pressure on SF, maybe accelerate things, by doing one thing: Show up.

This is exactly what I would do if I was Aiyuk. I would show up then immediately file a greivance with the NFLPA.

 

[heisenberg]

I'm honestly not sure I've really got it right, it's so muddy on roster status, whether they'd really be on the cap hook for the $9.6 option bonus, dates involved etc.

It does seem like Aiyuk could put pressure on SF, maybe accelerate things, by doing one thing: Show up. Attend .... something. OTAs? Something that would qualify as 'reporting to the team.' In that event, I think SF would be required to take him off the 'reserved/left team list' and Aiyuk would suddenly occupy a 90/53/48 roster spot. Don't think Lynch wants that.

I was wondering that myself.

Ive heard a lot of people say the niners are under no pressure to release him because he's not around and therefore not a distraction.

I wondered what aiyuk could do to change that and play a little hardball himself.

 

[ES1974]

Irrelevant. Ekeler was not available for 98% of the season. We played the majority of the season without him. Who cares about intention? He wasn't, and currently, isn't available. It was an issue one way or another that Peters rectified.

I think 98% is a statistical error too…..

 

[Iraolaball]

He's not part of the RB room this season. Likewise, he played in 2 games last year. Therefore totally irrelevant.

 

[prodigy]

Irrelevant. Ekeler was not available for 98% of the season. We played the majority of the season without him. Who cares about intention? He wasn't, and currently, isn't available. It was an issue one way or another that Peters rectified.

White and Ford haven't played a single down yet. don't even know if Ford will make the roster. also, who is to say that both of them won't get season ending injuries before the season even starts?

"Ford and White have 312 career receptions between the two of them. Our RB room last year has a total of 89 between three players. 74 of those were McNichols alone."

the point is that the conversation in the thread before your post was talking about AP and how good/bad he's at constructing the roster. so unless you were making a completely unrelated point, it is fair for someone to point out that AP didn't intend to give us a RB room with virtually no receiving track record.

 

[heisenberg]

I guess I'm surprised at how seemingly pissed off the 49ers are - I mean, they got out of having to pay the guy 30 million dollars on a technicality. You think they'd be ecstatic

I think this is why I side more with the group that thinks the niners are being petty.

Yes, aiyuk acted like a clown but the niners were able to capitalize on that big time.

At this point both parties should part ways feeling like they both won and lost and thats how any good resolution should end but for some reason, despite having nothing to gain the niners want to drag it out.

 

[Bulldog]

Right, we don't have a crystal ball to know what is going to happen and to whom injury wise.

But one thing we have experienced in 2025 is an offense where Terry McLaurin was injured and not in the lineup and we gambled that a collection of possession receivers, draft picks that were mostly contributing as returners and guys like Tay Martin and Chris Moore from the practice squad.

It wasn't pretty and we shouldn't repeat that experiment.

I think we still need TWO receivers, one a younger speedster to stretch the field and a veteran that can be an outside presence and true complement to #17.

If we draft Tate at #7 or step back a few places to take another WR, then that's fine we can modify the profile a bit on what we may need.

But I don't see resigning Deebo and then drafting a RB or DE at #7 and leaving the WR room as 'good to go' at that point as a realistic option.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Vegas with projected 7.5 wins betting odds, tied with the mightly NY Giants.