The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Anselmheifer]

That explanation from Ap was almost creepy, it was so bad. Do you want him to be surrounded by winners or not?

I had no idea how AP’s response could be taken as a negative.

Also, of course our separation numbers were terrible. We were playing guys that had been working for Amazon. On the aggregate, we almost had amateur players at WR.

 

[Conn]

 

[NickyJ]

AP's explanation wasn't creepy to me, nor was it inspiring. There was a room-sized elephant in the room; he has once again acknowledged it. But what shall he do about it? It looks like I could be eagerly waiting for the next 5 months until I find out, which is not reassuring to me. He got a TE, he got some RBs who don't suck. The job is half done.

 

[bowhunter]

I disagree.

If he has another 2025 we exercise his 5th year option and kick the can just like the texans did with stroud.

If he has another 2024 then he resets the market but its all going to depend on the year he has.

You'd think the fanbase that saw 2nd overall pick Rg3 and second overall pick Chase young have rookie of the year seasons followed by extremely disappointing sophmore campaigns would at least have doubts in their minds about our recent 2nd overall pick that so far has followed a similar path.

I want nothing more in this world than to have jayden tear the league apart next year and put the doubts to rest but id be lying if i said there wasn't a little devil on my shoulder telling me to stay medium.

I disagree with your disagreement.
JD has shown to have a strong arm, quick processing, tremendous accuracy, amazing mobility, and best-in-class leadership/locker room comradery. If you have a tree in your yard that grows that, plant some more.
He had a bad year in 205 due to injuries, play calling, and occasional complete lack of surrounding talent. If he has another 2025 type year there's a good chance that blame will likely be shed to new OC playcalling and quality of talent. Those are on DQ and AP respectively. So, (IMO) unless he misses time due to injury again he will still be considered to be a franchise guy. JD aint Kirk Cousins, hence there won't be any can kicking. The discussion will start at a avg of $64M/yr.

I acknowledge that this is the FA thread and we can argue this point in the JD thread, but be prepared: I come armed with little facts, resources, celebrity references or anything other than the opinion of a guy who likes peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

 

[heisenberg]

I disagree with your disagreement.
JD has shown to have a strong arm, quick processing, tremendous accuracy, amazing mobility, and best-in-class leadership/locker room comradery. If you have a tree in your yard that grows that, plant some more.
He had a bad year in 205 due to injuries, play calling, and occasional complete lack of surrounding talent. If he has another 2025 type year there's a good chance that blame will likely be shed to new OC playcalling and quality of talent. Those are on DQ and AP respectively. So, (IMO) unless he misses time due to injury again he will still be considered to be a franchise guy. JD aint Kirk Cousins, hence there won't be any can kicking. The discussion will start at a avg of $64M/yr.

I acknowledge that this is the FA thread and we can argue this point in the JD thread, but be prepared: I come armed with little facts, resources, celebrity references or anything other than the opinion of a guy who likes peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

I wish you could quote someone and move it to the proper thread, that'd be a nice feature.

There is very little jayden could do negatively this year that would prevent him from being our franchise quarterback in 2027, just like the texans are 100 percent behind cj stroud but they haven't given him a new deal.

If jayden has anything less than an average season id be very surprised if we gave him a new deal next offseason.

 

[Conn]

I wish you could quote someone and move it to the proper thread, that'd be a nice feature.

There is very little jayden could do negatively this year that would prevent him from being our franchise quarterback in 2027, just like the texans are 100 percent behind cj stroud but they haven't given him a new deal.

If jayden has anything less than an average season id be very surprised if we gave him a new deal next offseason.

If you multi-quote, you should be able to navigate to another thread (the one you want) and then insert it there and type your reply, FYI

 

[method man]

Saw an article with possible cut candidates- Arik Armstead (lack of cap for JAX), Patrick Jones (back surgery in 2026) & Tony Pollard (if Tennessee takes Love).

All are guys with longtime ties to AP and/or DQ. Despite going into his age 33 season, Armstead had 48 pressures last year. Jones had 7 sacks in a walk year for Minnesota in 2024 and Pollard has had 4 straight 1K seasons with proven ability as a receiver

 

[Kalu44]

Listening to McShay's podcast right now, he has the Giants taking Love. He said he heard Washington has serious interest in Love. Who knows? but fun listen.

This makes sense, as RBs are not making $35M/year. Plus, they have a shorter shelf life than other skill positions.

 

[Dlts20]

This is also how I feel about Jennings yet it seems like a lot of our fans really want him while crapping on Aiyuk but in reality Brandon the superior player. I get it with the injuries and maybe some other worries but I'd rather take the risk with Aiyuk than paying Jennings a lot. If he drops the price then great but he's not worth big money until he has at least one more good receiving year.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I mean, it really depends how things are going. Payne is right now the “needlessly expensive older FA” you criticize the idea of. If we had just signed him at his age (29 this season) and production level (uninspiring) to the contract he’s currently enjoying (hilarious cap hit), that’s how people here would talk about him. Peters would be raked over the coals for that situation if it was an addition to the roster.

But nobody is suggesting we sign Payne today for 28.5. The question is what to do with him now. I agree with heisenberg, it's the same situation as Biadasz by creating a hole needlessly. Only with Bad Ass we know that he can't blow up in a contract year where with Payne we have direct evidence that he has done this and it could very well happen again.

 

[burgold]

On top of that, it's unclear if Payne really has it in him to generate another blow up contract year. I think he wanted to last year. He came out hot for about four games and then regressed along with the team. Maybe he saw the team going nowhere and decided it wasn't worth the effort or maybe he just lacked the fire/juice to keep it going. Either speaks badly of him. Either speaks warningly of his future play a few years down the road.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

On top of that, it's unclear if Payne really has it in him to generate another blow up contract year. I think he wanted to last year. He came out hot for about four games and then regressed along with the team. Maybe he saw the team going nowhere and decided it wasn't worth the effort or maybe he just lacked the fire/juice to keep it going. Either speaks badly of him. Either speaks warningly of his future play a few years down the road.

I think it was the first scenario. He saw where the season was going and went in the tank again. Such a frustrating player. In that draft I would have been happy with Vita Vea or Payne, I didn't have a preference. I sure do now.

 

[actorguy1]

 

[bowhunter]

Wonder if that is Australian for JAG?*
*Copyright and intellectual property Darrel Green Fan 2026. May not be reproduced or distributed without express written consent of Darrell Green Fan

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Wonder if that is Australian for JAG?

I was going to use JAG in my response but it would not have been as clever as this.

 

[bowhunter]

I was going to use JAG in my response but it would not have been as clever as this.

Thank you. I edited my post to grant you intellectual property rights.

 

[Dah-Dee]

I come armed with little facts, resources, celebrity references or anything other than the opinion of a guy who likes peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

 

[Chris 44]

I was going to use JAG in my response but it would not have been as clever as this.

Somebody had to.

 

[Dlts20]

 

[D’Pablo]

On top of that, it's unclear if Payne really has it in him to generate another blow up contract year. I think he wanted to last year. He came out hot for about four games and then regressed along with the team. Maybe he saw the team going nowhere and decided it wasn't worth the effort or maybe he just lacked the fire/juice to keep it going. Either speaks badly of him. Either speaks warningly of his future play a few years down the road.

By the end of week 5, we had lost Armstrong, Wise, and Jean-Baptiste. I really can't imagine any DT thriving next to backup to backup DEs. Regardless, I don't like Payne a whole lot. I just think he's better than whoever else we have on the roster and what's available in free agency. It's worth eating his salary until we have the draft capital and renewed free agency class of next year.