The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Dah-Dee]

Or just keep working out with and running routes for JD5 until the SF toddler tantrum ends and they fall asleep on the floor, then quietly leave the house.

 

[Discobob]

If the 49’ers just keep Aiyuk, and he refuses to play, then they don’t have to pay him, right? So they could just be super spiteful and keep him if they want. Since he no longer has guaranteed money.

I guess he could just claim injury maybe.

I mean... if he shows up, the training camp becomes a circus, so I have to assume the 49ers want to avoid that. They can't stop him from doing national media when he's there...

 

[Primus Porcus]

If the 49’ers just keep Aiyuk, and he refuses to play, then they don’t have to pay him, right? So they could just be super spiteful and keep him if they want. Since he no longer has guaranteed money.

I guess he could just claim injury maybe.

From what I understand, he's due an option bonus on September 1, which if i'm reading this correctly on spotrac it's ~$9.5M, so I don't think they have the ability to be that spiteful unless they want to just light that money on fire. The guaranteed money is gone, so they can cut him without anything owed, but if they do hold on to him, they will run into having to pay him.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

It does feel like the 49ers are having second thoughts about letting him go. I mean, if they really think he’s such a big problem wouldn’t they want to send him off to sabotage another team as soon as possible? Surely they must be tired of answering questions about it by now, and it’s going to continue to be a distraction until they do something about it. I suppose they can maintain the status quo for now since it’s the off-season, but every day that goes by they are getting more and more of a reputation for being petty.

Standig had a guy on who basically said the door was closed on Aiyuk coming back and the FO (Lynch/Kyle) were taken off guard by York’s comments.

He do say that they were not going to release him outright though until potentially September, however, when there is a roster bonus due.

So who knows. There was speculation after the draft there could be a pick swap in the 7th trade + a new contract.

Who knows.

 

[burgold]

I wonder where the 49ers players stand on this? It could really poison morale to watch the front office do this to a player. On the other hand, maybe they all feel betrayed by Aiyuk and are glad to see it?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

From what I understand, he's due an option bonus on September 1, which if i'm reading this correctly on spotrac it's ~$9.5M, so I don't think they have the ability to be that spiteful unless they want to just light that money on fire. The guaranteed money is gone, so they can cut him without anything owed, but if they do hold on to him, they will run into having to pay him.

Yeah. That’s what the guy on Standig said.

However it also doesn’t benefit anybody to wait forever. The general sentiment was if Washington didn’t get a WR in the draft and still needed a WR, some type of a really late round pick trade + new contract could happen after the draft.

I’m still dubious that Peters is going to give up anything. I’m pretty sure they’re planning on life without Aiyuk and if he appears, then he appears.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I wonder where the 49ers players stand on this? It could really poison morale to watch the front office do this to a player. On the other hand, maybe they all feel betrayed by Aiyuk and are glad to see it?

It’s a good question.

I haven’t seen anything reported from players. I wonder if they just know the best thing for them is to keep quiet. Or if it was hinted that was the best thing for them.

 

[Conn]

Kittle recently commented on it and at best was not picking sides. He’s even contradicted some of the timeline narrative from the 49ers, in terms of when Aiyuk was rehabbing and how healthy he looked, etc. There was a video from a podcast posted here not too long ago.

Kittle’s a franchise player for the 49ers, and a guy who leads the locker room and doesn’t mind making noise. I think if the locker room felt particularly betrayed by Aiyuk, he might’ve alluded to it at least.

But who really knows

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

But who really knows

God knows.

 

[Dlts20]

Also have Dyami and Rashad White out there with them

 

[Faithful Fan]

Brian Schottenheimer Hints at Cowboys' Free-Agent Pursuit of 'Stud' LB

The Dallas Cowboys need linebacker help, and Brian Schottenheimer hinted they could be pursuing veteran Bobby Wagner.

heavy.com

Did you guys see this speculation about Bobby Wagner to the Cowboys?

He may not have enough left in the tank to add to his 10 Pro Bowls, but he proved reliable over the last two seasons and still makes a lot of tackles, plus I just like the guy, so I would really hate to see him wearing the star.

 

[Dlts20]

Per Mike Sando :

Washington Commanders
Added: $80.1M (3rd) | Lost: $23.1M (26th) | Differential: $57.0M (3rd)

The Commanders entered free agency with lots of cap space, but that was partly a mirage. They had more roster spots to fill than most after signing so many short-term contracts over the past two offseasons, and they filled them with a league-high seven newcomers earning at least $6.5 million per year.

“You kind of get what you pay for with those $6 million-$8 million guys,” an exec said. “They are fringe starters. It makes some sense. You gotta fill out your roster. They had to get younger.”

Badly in need of pass-rush help, Washington committed $35 million in combined APY to free-agent edge rushers Odafe Oweh ($24 million) and K’Lavon Chaisson ($11 million).

“Those are rotational pieces,” an exec said. “Oweh is more of a DPR (designated pass rusher) than an every-down guy, a little hit and miss. But they needed some speed on defense.”

One under-the-radar signing to watch: defensive lineman Tim Settle, who spent his first four seasons in D.C. after Washington drafted him in 2018.

“Settle was Houston’s best run defender, the interior guy who knocks people back,” one exec said. “I would have loved to have had him. He’s a Virginia Tech kid, from Virginia, so that was what it was.”

Quarterback Jayden Daniels’ return to health under first-time offensive coordinator David Blough stands out as the key variable, more than these signings.

“They are making a bunch of revolving-door moves this year, which looks like a panic to me,” one exec said. “It is going to depend on how the quarterback plays. He can save it all.”

 

[Dlts20]

 

[KDawg]

Per Mike Sando :

Washington Commanders
Added: $80.1M (3rd) | Lost: $23.1M (26th) | Differential: $57.0M (3rd)

The Commanders entered free agency with lots of cap space, but that was partly a mirage. They had more roster spots to fill than most after signing so many short-term contracts over the past two offseasons, and they filled them with a league-high seven newcomers earning at least $6.5 million per year.

“You kind of get what you pay for with those $6 million-$8 million guys,” an exec said. “They are fringe starters. It makes some sense. You gotta fill out your roster. They had to get younger.”

Badly in need of pass-rush help, Washington committed $35 million in combined APY to free-agent edge rushers Odafe Oweh ($24 million) and K’Lavon Chaisson ($11 million).

“Those are rotational pieces,” an exec said. “Oweh is more of a DPR (designated pass rusher) than an every-down guy, a little hit and miss. But they needed some speed on defense.”

One under-the-radar signing to watch: defensive lineman Tim Settle, who spent his first four seasons in D.C. after Washington drafted him in 2018.

“Settle was Houston’s best run defender, the interior guy who knocks people back,” one exec said. “I would have loved to have had him. He’s a Virginia Tech kid, from Virginia, so that was what it was.”

Quarterback Jayden Daniels’ return to health under first-time offensive coordinator David Blough stands out as the key variable, more than these signings.

“They are making a bunch of revolving-door moves this year, which looks like a panic to me,” one exec said. “It is going to depend on how the quarterback plays. He can save it all.”

I actually agree with a lot of what this exec said. One year deals abound, Chaisson and Oweh are good players, Settle is underrated and Chenal is solid. Cross is solid.

We improved the roster but it’s still below par with an inexperienced coaching staff. We need Jayden to carry the team.

 

[Gooseneck]

Remember- it is only the top 51 salaries that count against the cap. THeSkinsRed, my new name for them can sign plenty of helpful free agents not counting against the cap in a later waive of signings.

 

[Command The Best]

I wonder where the 49ers players stand on this? It could really poison morale to watch the front office do this to a player. On the other hand, maybe they all feel betrayed by Aiyuk and are glad to see it?

I would tend tho think the majority would see he’s (Aiyuk) been a clown and pretty much deserves the way he’s being treated… he brought the majority of this chaos on himself imho… some might not remember but last season Shanahan had a no shorts policy (take that however you want, as I’m sure many feel it unjustified) but what did Aiyuk do? That’s right showed up in shorts of course. So again can’t reiterate enough… when employees act a fool then they should be treated a fool regardless of what their profession is or how much $ they make…

 

[Anselmheifer]

I don’t know. The defense looks massively upgraded to me. Maybe from league worst to average, or slightly above depending on scheme. We should be better off at CB, safety, linebacker and in the pass rush, both from the interior and from edge. If we wind up adding a Styles or Delane, the defense could be legitimately good for the first time in forever.

We obviously still need to do more on offense, bunai love the Okonkwo signing. A YAC guy should help unload Jayden a little, as should adding receiving options at running back.

I think there is a good chance that after the draft and the last wave of free agency, that the roster looks very much improved.

 

[Conn]

I actually agree with a lot of what this exec said. One year deals abound, Chaisson and Oweh are good players, Settle is underrated and Chenal is solid. Cross is solid.

We improved the roster but it’s still below par with an inexperienced coaching staff. We need Jayden to carry the team.

Yeah a lot of these “exec quotes” feel super out of touch when you see them but I thought that person was pretty honest and basically spot on

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[burgold]

I doubt it. That contract is not something Peters is likely to want to take on. Aiyuk may be talking with Daniels. He may be talking to the 49ers, but no one is talking trade.

Mind you, I could see the 49ers offering us a second to take Aiyuk off their books. It would be sort of an NBA move. Continuing with that line of thought, if the 49ers offered us their first and second rounders plus Aiyuk for Payne I could see us taking that. But no one's crazy enough to offer that.