The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[burgold]

Kerrigan was also a pretty good example of the difference between good and very good or great.

Kerrigan was solid and one of our best players for years. He just wasn’t a guy who could ever take over a game. I do imagine the hope was he would become Charles Mann to Orakpi”s Dexter Manley and I think Kerrigan was as a consistent 10 ask a year guy was petty close to Mann, but he never had a Manley to play with.

 

[DWinzit]

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To me his cap hit would have been bonkers. I mean he is a good player but I don't see him as a legit WR1 but that's the kind of contract we would have spent on him.

Andi we did spend that much on hiim, would it hurt Terry's feelings....I added this sarcastically (mostly)

 

[ES1974]

Exactly.

Its why we always end up with Ryan Kerrigan instead of jj watt, jahan Dotson instead of Chris olave, Mike sanristil instead of Cooper dejean.

Enough already, if a team wants to trade up, figure out who it is they want and take that guy.

But did the trade back drive those selections, or did the people doing evaluations drive those selections?

For this FO, Quinn was in love with Sanristil. Every chance we were taking him anyway, so the trade back didn’t cost us Cooper at all, because we were more than likely never picking him.

 

[DWinzit]

But did the trade back drive those selections, or did the people doing evaluations drive those selections?

For this FO, Quinn was in love with Sanristil. Every chance we were taking him anyway, so the trade back didn’t cost us Cooper at all, because we were more than likely never picking him.

You are probably right and I have never really looked at it that way. I was always justt pissed they didn't take the obvious choice of Cooper.

Honestly, I expected to hear Coopers name when they announced our selection at 36 and was shocked to hear Newtons name

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

The idea behind trading Payne isn’t for cap space, it’s getting something for a player we are likely to not have next season.

Generating assets off of Payne is the ideal step forward. It isn’t necessarily based on his play, it’s more so to recoup assets.

Now, there is nuance there. Do I trade Payne for a 7th rounder? Probably not.

Do I trade Payne in a package for Brian Thomas, Jr? Yes.

Do I trade him for a third rounder? Yes.

One thing good teams do is get assets for guys that they won’t be re-signing.

We have done the opposite so far. We extended Tunsil, which is excellent. But we gave up assets for Deebo and right now it looks like we aren’t going to re-sign him.

Was that worth it? I’d say for the player, yes. But for the team’s performance with that player? No. Which isn’t Deebo’s fault (bring him back, Commanders.)

Generating assets off of guys we aren’t going to keep keeps our cupboard full and gives us more tickets in the lottery (for trades, draft selections, etc.)

If they think they might re-up Payne and plan to do that? Okay - keep him. I don’t think they will, but maybe.

I would never extend Payne. I would take advantage of a contract year and tap a motivated player who has shown that he will perform in a contract year. I don't want to go into the season with Kinlaw, Settles and a bunch of DTs who just don't perform. That would handicap this team considerably. And I don't think Payne at his age and with 1 year left will even net a 3rd. And even if it did I understand that expecting a 3rd round pick to be a regular contributor is a long shot, most likely that player will be a backup/Teams player.

Now if they can sweeten the pot to acquire a player like BJT with Payne I'm all for that. But that will still leave a hole at DT.

 

[ES1974]

You are probably right and I have never really looked at it that way. I was always justt pissed they didn't take the obvious choice of Cooper.

Honestly, I expected to hear Coopers name when they announced our selection at 36 and was shocked to hear Newtons name

Because AP was in love with Newton, another he graded as a 1st rounder.

Edit…just realised this is the FA thread and not the draft one…..

 

[Boone]

I would never extend Payne. I would take advantage of a contract year and tap a motivated player who has shown that he will perform in a contract year. I don't want to go into the season with Kinlaw, Settles and a bunch of DTs who just don't perform. That would handicap this team considerably. And I don't think Payne at his age and with 1 year left will even net a 3rd. And even if it did I understand that expecting a 3rd round pick to be a regular contributor is a long shot, most likely that player will be a backup/Teams player.

Now if they can sweeten the pot to acquire a player like BJT with Payne I'm all for that. But that will still leave a hole at DT.

You are making valid points. But it goes back to 'it's not about 2026'. Of course, when you trade a player - you lose his services. And most of the time, it creates a 'gap' you can't immediately fill. But the whole point of considering a trade is that you can get younger assets that have the potential to be important pieces in the future when you are no longer rebuilding but competing.

 

[HTTR]

I do agree in theory with moving on from Payne while we can get future assets for him. I just question whether we can actually get anything worthwhile for him.

 

[Boone]

I would be surprised if the team hasn't entertained offers for Payne (or even floated his availability) and has just not gotten any offers they felt were sufficient to warrant making a deal.

 

[Discobob]

But did the trade back drive those selections, or did the people doing evaluations drive those selections?

For this FO, Quinn was in love with Sanristil. Every chance we were taking him anyway, so the trade back didn’t cost us Cooper at all, because we were more than likely never picking him.

Ive posted some version of this multiple times when people start complaining about trade backs. The issue is talent evaluation, not the act of trading back.

You can't use the benefit of hindsight on one side of the ledger (but we could have had _____) and not on the other.

In many cases, if you are a competent GM (so not Brucifer or Snyderato)... a trade back calculation is based on having multiple similarly values players in a cluster, or having a target player in the range you are moving to. These are personal decisions... if you don't like their trades, it's because they did a bad job on that front.

 

[ES1974]

What do people think is an acceptable offer for Payne ? I’d take a 4th, or push for a 3rd and throw in a late round draft pick along with Payne to balance it out.

 

[HTTR]

I’d want a third, and i’d be surprised if there’s a team willing to give that up plus have the willingness (and cap space) to take on his contract. So I’d be hanging onto him.
If I was all about punting this season to build for the future as some of you seem to be, I would no problem take less. In fact, if I thought we had no chance to contend this year, I would take any pick I could get.

 

[philibusters]

What do people think is an acceptable offer for Payne ? I’d take a 4th, or push for a 3rd and throw in a late round draft pick along with Payne to balance it out.

Difficult to say. I don't love the player, but he probably makes this team better. Granted we could draft a player like Domninique Orange at 71 and then he would be less of a necessity.

In terms of compensation because losing him is a blow to this upcoming season, I would want a premium so like a 3rd or 4th rounder. But the realistic side of me realizes that unless we take some of his 16.5 salary that is unlikely to happen. If the other team is going to pick up his his entire 16.5 million dollar salary probably a 5th or 6th is the realistic competition. And a 5th or 6th probably isn't worth it---its probably better to have him on this year's team. If we do draft a DT at 71, that would change the picture and a 5th or 6th rounder would become acceptable compensation.

 

[Conn]

This is silly because it’s just a Raven’s fan page floating it, but just as an example of a trade offer for Payne that I’d break my hand in my haste to pick up the phone and accept:

 

[skinsinparadise]

But did the trade back drive those selections, or did the people doing evaluations drive those selections?

For this FO, Quinn was in love with Sanristil. Every chance we were taking him anyway, so the trade back didn’t cost us Cooper at all, because we were more than likely never picking him.

Where did you hear that it was Quinn being in love with Sainristil? Not saying its not so but that's the first I've heard of it so am curious.

I recall on the draft day filmed by the team, Peters was beaming about the player and calling Joe Whitt over to explain the player, you like picks this is the guy. Similar scenario with Kliff where Peters came over to explain Sinnott. It could be just editing but it gave that vibe that those picks where Peters' picks and the coordinators weren't that clued in.

Cooper Dejean, bigger, faster, longer, better RAS more versatile with the same number of picks in college as Sainristil -- be surprised if Dejean wasn't their cup of tea, he seems to fit the mold more than Sainristil does if past is prologue judging by their type in Dallas.

 

[RedWolf]

This is silly because it’s just a Raven’s fan page floating it, but just as an example of a trade offer for Payne that I’d break my hand in my haste to pick up the phone and accept:

Hell no

 

[MartinC]

Hell no

I think Payne is a good DT. Not great or a game changer but a quality starter. But I’d take that deal in a heartbeat.

Not that I think the Ravens would offer it.

 

[Conn]

Hell no

Hell no as in you wouldn’t trade a guy who won’t be here next year for a 3rd round pick?

Interesting, I think most observers would say that’s an unrealistic scenario because he’s not worth that to anyone.

 

[burgold]

It's a shade under a 3rd rounder which is likely the comp pick he would net. Not sure why we would need to send them a pick.

 

[Boone]

Yeah, I would take that deal all day every day. He's not going to be a part of our future.