The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Dlts20]

From the dude, me, who said I was "ecstatic" when they took him, the minute it happened on draft day. Same dude, me, who gave a list of WRs i wanted before that pick who were left and had Antonio #1 on the list. The one person on the draft thread that kept beating the drum for them to take him if they don't take a Wr in the first and explained why. So i am the dude without any confidence in him?

I am getting the impression you want to fall head over heals in love with the player and that he's a big solution here. Look, I love the prospect. But ANY rookie. ANY one of them is a wildcard. The success rate for third round Wrs as it's being point out on the draft thread many times by multiple posters is very low.

But I was an Antonio Williams guy lol before it was cool. But still lets date the rookies before we propose marriage. You got to see it play out a little.

You know that St. Brown made his mark as a slot WR right? He's been playing more Z as his career progressed but his bread and butter is slot.

Being a good slot WR, isn't some handicap. It's as important in my book as Z. Especialy for a team that wants to major in play action and one that doesn't have Zach Ertz anymore.

And if you are pushing as I noticed Aiyuk and overall defending what they are doing at WR -- you don't want to fight me on the idea that his best attributes fit the slot better than Z. Because to defend everything that they got cooking, you'd want Antonio in the slot and Aiyuk at Z. that would be the ideal way to puzzle this clearly if everything works out perfectly.

Amon-Ra St. Brown disrespected in rankings of 25 and under wide receivers

Detroit Lions All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to get disrespected in NFL wide receiver rankings.

sports.yahoo.com

Yahoo Sports' Matt Harmon ranked the top wide receivers in the NFL who are 25 years old or younger. Harmon slotted St. Brown at No.3 on the list, behind Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Ja'Marr Chase and Los Angeles Rams' star Puka Nacua.

"St. Brown is one of the best power slot receivers in the NFL, if not the best. Knocking him down too far in your rankings because of alignment is outdated thinking. St. Brown also deserves tremendous credit for improving as a separator against man and press coverage on an incremental basis every single season of his career. At worst, he’s the first option among the NFL’s second tier of receivers," Harmon wrote.

Having Chase over St. Brown is a no-brainer, as the Bengals receiver is coming off a historic 2024 campaign, where he led the league in receptions (127), yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17). However, St. Brown shouldn't be below Nacua.

Though Nacua is incredibly talented, St. Brown's consistency and proven production should put him over the Rams receiver in Harmon's ranking.

St. Brown has tallied three straight campaigns with over 100 catches and 1,000 yards. The USC product has also posted double-digit touchdowns in two consecutive seasons, including a career-high 12 receiving touchdowns in 2024.

Due to a bulk of his snaps coming from the slot, St. Brown has flown under the radar in rankings of the best playmakers in the sport. The 25-year-old deserves more respect, and another productive season in 2025 could elevate him into the upper echelon of players in the NFL, if he already isn't there.

Sip, idk what you are on and how I am giving you that impression but I literally feel the opposite of everything you are saying. 1st off we all know how you felt about Williams before and during the draft. We all know how well versed you are on him. I never said anything otherwise. I was simply responding to you comparing him favorably Lane and Luka when we all know that we need something better than even a favorable.

2nd, I definitely know that St. Brown is one of the best in the league and thrives out of the slot. Read again what I wrote. I kept separating the Z position from St. Brown. I asked multiple times do you think that he can be a quality starting Z or a slot, poor man's St. Brown,because if you think one or the other then there is no need to mention Luke or Lane since they aren't capable of either.

I said poor man's St. Brown strictly out of respect for his greatness because it's disrespectful to compare them right now. We are running the Ben Johnson, Detroit system so a big part of the reason for the pick is for him to play the St. Brown role but Detroit goes 3 wide with one TE alot and I think we may run more 2 wide, 2 TE sets than them so that's why I talk about the Z because I think he can play the Z in those situations but I have made a ton of post on here saying that he moves to the slot in 2 wide or double receiver, same side sets

 

[MartinC]

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

No but it was burnt to the ground and ruined in 3 days.

 

[bowhunter]

Thoughts on this? BTJ for next years 2nd?

In a heartbeat, but is he really available? I think the Jags have said numerous times that he is not on the trade block. Would be worth it if he was however. Send them Payne and a 3rd

 

[Conn]

Terms like ‘heads in the sand’ and ‘chicken littles’ only serve to reduce the discussion to absolute non-absolutes. In my view that is not genuinely true overall for this board in general but just for some of the most vocal participants.

I don’t view either side as being particularly insightful, just dug into their positions. Positions that are strictly personal opinions and may or may not be ultimately true or sound. Again, time will tell and I don’t think for a second that either side will not be invested in being correct or incorrect down the road or forgo any opportunity to say so.

I guess that’s the fun in forums like this for many. For myself it’s more noise than anything.

Well, sure, that was my point, to emphasize that the most opinionated people on the topic are obviously causing the friction that keeps it going round and round, and to boil it down to its most fundamental disagreements that make it hard to find common ground. Because again, it’s about opinions on process and not outcome (even though we all want the positive outcome regardless)

It’s a discussion forum, as you noted, that’s part of the appeal of attempting to talk offseason sports in regards to a league that is in the offseason for 65% of the year or so.

I find even the people I disagree with most on the topic have posted some insightful things, so I can’t really agree there. Otherwise I wouldn’t participate, I’d keep a journal for myself, to myself. Enjoy commenting from your high perch I suppose, while we squabble in the muck

 

[Conn]

This is the difference with me. I screamed all last year about this being the worst receiving core in the league once Terry went down and how we are doing Jayden a disservice. It's unfair to compare him to a Burrow when you look at the receivers, etc.

However, if people remembered I did think that we were dead wrong for choosing Brown over Dyami after his ascending playoff run. He didn't kill it in Jacksonville but I think he would have been better for us but that's all semantics anyways.

The main thing is that I'm in the minority in that I love talent, want talent, but don't want too much talent to where dudes are going to get upset about roles and playing time. Even yesterday I've been talking about how DQ basically said yesterday that we are going to be running a 3-4 so now we have 4 qualified LBs for 2 inside spots. Dudes are not going to be happy.

I want Terry, Aiyuk, and Williams. Keim and others reported when the off-season started that they want Aiyuk but he won't be the only one. They got Williams. If we get Diggs or whoever then either he or Aiyuk are going to clash about opportunities or Aiyuk may flat out not want to come anymore. Stefon has been great but he's also been a well documented complainer with an ego. He's going to want touches and will be vocal if it doesn't happen.

I said last week that a lot of this comes down to Williams not being perceived to be that guy and that you all wouldn't be complaining that much if we drafted Tate. You wouldn't be desperate like you are now. Some of you disputed that so I am going to double down except switch it up by using Pierce. If we had signed Pierce, then all of you right now would be fine with Pierce and Aiyuk. You wouldn't be clamoring for Diggs. Probably the same with Doubs.

Therefore it again comes back to Williams vs Pierce. Do you think that Williams can reach that level. If you do then I think that you should be pretty satisfied. I for one think that Pierce is just a overrated one trick pony where Williams has way more versatility to his game. This season basically hinges on Williams more than Aiyuk. If he's the guy they think he is then we will be fine. If he's a 3rd receiver then we will be reliant on Aiyuk.

Me personally, I feel like we will be fine no matter what as long as Terry and Chig play 14 plus games. That's going to make us 10x better than last year by itself

We have neither Aiyuk nor Diggs nor any obvious reported path to either as it stands today, and you’re worried about there being too much competition for targets if we get them both.

What happens if we get neither or we only have interest in Aiyuk (as seems most probable) and he isn’t an NFL player anymore? He has no agent and is acting erratically, but we need him to show up healthy and willing to practice to 49ers camp to force their hands, months from now. And if he doesn’t? We’ve got nothing. He’s just a controversial podcast guest at that point.

We finally have some depth at a position we’ve mostly sucked at for a decade (LB) and you’re worried someone’s going to be upset, when some of them are on 1-year deals and some of them are still completely unproven.

We haven’t had good starters across the roster in a lifetime but you’re worried about stacking too much talent at a couple positions (one of which in WR has hardly any proven talent at all and is purely a projection of multiple conflicting best-case scenarios on your part)

It’s just not logical to me

 

[Dlts20]

JP Finlay also said that British hospitality has us playing there on October 4th.. Jacksonville is also supposedly scheduled to play in London the following week. We play at Jacksonville this year so some speculated that we may play b2b weeks in London but then they said that we won't play the Jags in London. Either way, we do seem to be playing their on the 4th.

 

[Dlts20]

We have neither Aiyuk nor Diggs nor any obvious reported path to either as it stands today, and you’re worried about there being too much competition for targets if we get them both.

What happens if we get neither or we only have interest in Aiyuk (as seems most probable) and he isn’t an NFL player anymore? He has no agent and is acting erratically, but we need him to show up healthy and willing to practice to 49ers camp to force their hands, months from now. And if he doesn’t? We’ve got nothing. He’s just a controversial podcast guest at that point.

We finally have some depth at a position we’ve mostly sucked at for a decade (LB) and you’re worried someone’s going to be upset, when some of them are on 1-year deals and some of them are still completely unproven.

We haven’t had good starters across the roster in a lifetime but you’re worried about stacking too much talent at a couple positions (one of which in WR has hardly any proven talent at all and is purely a projection of multiple conflicting best-case scenarios on your part)

It’s just not logical to me

You haven't followed a lot of sports if you don't think guys complain about things like that or it could cause issues. Infact, look no further than this team last year. MaGee was clearly a better option than Wagner but we stuck with Wagner all year because he was the vet whose feelings we didn't want to hurt. It happens all the time.

 

[KDawg]

You haven't followed a lot of sports if you don't think guys complain about things like that or it could cause issues. Infact, look no further than this team last year. MaGee was clearly a better option than Wagner but we stuck with Wagner all year because he was the vet whose feelings we didn't want to hurt. It happens all the time.

Do we know Magee was a better option than Wagner? If so, why wouldn’t Quinn have played him? You’re saying because we didn’t want to hurt his feelings but it is also probably because he was the better option.

Also - complain. Then get traded. That’s fine. The best guys play. The other guys are assets.

Luvu is going to see the field. And he is likely moving on next year.

I have no worry about Magee in any way, shape or form. I haven’t seen a thing that makes me think he is capable of being a high end talent.

 

[Conn]

You haven't followed a lot of sports if you don't think guys complain about things like that or it could cause issues. Infact, look no further than this team last year. MaGee was clearly a better option than Wagner but we stuck with Wagner all year because he was the vet whose feelings we didn't want to hurt. It happens all the time.

1. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I’m saying that worrying about it before we’ve seen a snap of the roster containing these guys is insane when we haven’t even had starting-level players at these positions for many years, for the most part. You’re planning for a problem that is 100% a projection on your part. Depth is good, being able to rotate and play multiple guys is good, and not all of these players are on multi-year deals, not all of them are proven, and not all of them are guaranteed to even make it to the season healthy. We can utilize all of these guys if they’re all good and healthy, it’s a good problem to have. One of the few obviously talented positions we have on the roster.

2. Magee should have been starting over Wagner once the season fell apart (or earlier) because we should have been evaluating him and giving him a chance to grow on the league’s worst defense, rather than worrying about Wagner’s feelings and vanity stats. But we have no idea what Magee actually is and banking on him to grow into being a starting LB and foregoing some of our other LB moves because of it would have been the same mistake we made at WR when our mid-round WR’s didn’t develop (yet at least) and step up to fill the void last year.

Again, insane to worry about before we’ve even fielded the D they’ll be playing in, after years of mostly bad LB play. Good teams have depth. Good teams have enough good players that their coaches actually have to find a way to maximize them all, and that’s where a lot of innovation comes from! That, and hiding holes in the roster.

We were a bad team last year and you’re more worried about having too MUCH talent at certain positions, to the point it causes issues in the locker room…instead of being worried about adding more and more talent, which we have the cap space and roster space for.

We just disagree, it’s okay. I hope your view on the roster and coaching staff is right because we’ll win a playoff game.

But it is very possible we’re in the timeline where neither Diggs nor Aiyuk end up members of this football team. And you’re worried about the problems having both could cause! It’s like we’re the basement dwelling neck beard criticizing the neighbor’s wife.

 

[Dlts20]

1. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I’m saying that worrying about it before we’ve seen a snap of the roster containing these guys is insane when we haven’t even had starting-level players at these positions for many years, for the most part. You’re planning for a problem that is 100% a projection on your part. Depth is good, being able to rotate and play multiple guys is good, and not all of these players are on multi-year deals, not all of them are proven, and not all of them are guaranteed to even make it to the season healthy. We can utilize all of these guys if they’re all good and healthy, it’s a good problem to have. One of the few obviously talented positions we have on the roster.

2. Magee should have been starting over Wagner once the season fell apart (or earlier) because we should have been evaluating him and giving him a chance to grow on the league’s worst defense, rather than worrying about Wagner’s feelings and vanity stats. But we have no idea what Magee actually is and banking on him to grow into being a starting LB and foregoing some of our other LB moves because of it would have been the same mistake we made at WR when our mid-round WR’s didn’t develop (yet at least) and step up to fill the void last year.

Again, insane to worry about before we’ve even fielded the D they’ll be playing in, after years of mostly bad LB play. Good teams have depth. Good teams have enough good players that their coaches actually have to find a way to maximize them all, and that’s where a lot of innovation comes from! That, and hiding holes in the roster.

We were a bad team last year and you’re more worried about having too MUCH talent at certain positions, to the point it causes issues in the locker room…instead of being worried about adding more and more talent, which we have the cap space and roster space for.

We just disagree, it’s okay. I hope your view on the roster and coaching staff is right because we’ll win a playoff game.

But it is very possible we’re in the timeline where neither Diggs nor Aiyuk end up members of this football team. And you’re worried about the problems having both could cause! It’s like we’re the basement dwelling neck beard criticizing the neighbor’s wife.

1st off you are taking what I am saying out of context. I have never said not to sign the guys on defense. On the edge and interior, guys rotate all the time. It's normal and you can never have too many pass rushers, especially with guys on short contracts.

MaGee deserves to have a shot but he's been a, backup and is fine as a depth piece. My comment was about Sonny, Chenal, and Luvu playing for 2 spots. I still never said that you don't sign Chenal or draft Sonny because of it. I simply said that this season, I could actually see them bringing Sonny along slowly, him not starting, or him not being the green dot beause of it and we may end up trading Luvu.

Now offensively, that is different. There have been numerous cases of receivers destroying teams, ruining chemistry, complaining, being a distraction, being a bad influence on a young QB, etc. Diggs had very public issues with Josh Allen. Hopkins and Diggs have complained about targets. Diggs at his advanced age, still thinks highly of himself. A lot of you said you didn't want Aiyuks baggage around the locker room.

A lot of teams hesitate to sign certain receivers if they think it will be a headache. Pittsburgh got rid of a talented receiver in Pickens for it. Why do that if you think that everyone should just stack talent no matter what? Sometimes it's not worth it if you think it will bring more drama than rewards, talented or not. That's my point.

 

[Dlts20]

Do we know Magee was a better option than Wagner? If so, why wouldn’t Quinn have played him? You’re saying because we didn’t want to hurt his feelings but it is also probably because he was the better option.

Also - complain. Then get traded. That’s fine. The best guys play. The other guys are assets.

Luvu is going to see the field. And he is likely moving on next year.

I have no worry about Magee in any way, shape or form. I haven’t seen a thing that makes me think he is capable of being a high end talent.

Come on now. Wagner was such a liability week after week. He had the speed of a defensive end at best. Teams were hunting him. Wagner himself was defending himself online against fans. It's not easy to bench a washed up legend who you coached as a young man and was great the year before.

When we were sucking, the coaches said one of their solutions was to play Magee more. Every week, reporters asked DQ about benching Wagner, how hard it is to sit a past great player, will he play Magee more. You don't remember any of the Wagner issues last year?

 

[Conn]

1st off you are taking what I am saying out of context. I have never said not to sign the guys on defense. On the edge and interior, guys rotate all the time. It's normal and you can never have too many pass rushers, especially with guys on short contracts.

MaGee deserves to have a shot but he's been a, backup and is fine as a depth piece. My comment was about Sonny, Chenal, and Luvu playing for 2 spots. I still never said that you don't sign Chenal or draft Sonny because of it. I simply said that this season, I could actually see them bringing Sonny along slowly, him not starting, or him not being the green dot beause of it and we may end up trading Luvu.

Now offensively, that is different. There have been numerous cases of receivers destroying teams, ruining chemistry, complaining, being a distraction, being a bad influence on a young QB, etc. Diggs had very public issues with Josh Allen. Hopkins and Diggs have complained about targets. Diggs at his advanced age, still thinks highly of himself. A lot of you said you didn't want Aiyuks baggage around the locker room.

A lot of teams hesitate to sign certain receivers if they think it will be a headache. Pittsburgh got rid of a talented receiver in Pickens for it. Why do that if you think that everyone should just stack talent no matter what? Sometimes it's not worth it if you think it will bring more drama than rewards, talented or not. That's my point.

Understood. My point is you’re worried about the effect on chemistry two players who are not on the roster could have.

What is your ideal plan if we don’t sign Diggs, and Aiyuk continues to be a head case and his career is effectively over on the Did Not Report List?

Are you fine with the current WR group? It’s a realistic outcome and the longer we wait for Aiyuk (which may or may not work out), the more alternative options get snapped up around the league.

One thing that may work in our favor is that Diggs seems in no hurry to sign anywhere and will take visits it sounds like. If he’s even on our radar, may buy us some time to see if Aiyuk shows up to 49ers training camp to start leveraging his release, before we have to shit or get off the pot. I’d rather just shit now, with Diggs, personally. If Aiyuk comes available later, we can evaluate its potential as a signing, and see if we’ve had any injuries by then. And either go for it, or not.

But if we get neither? Scary (scarier) WR room.

 

[Chris]

Well, sure, that was my point, to emphasize that the most opinionated people on the topic are obviously causing the friction that keeps it going round and round, and to boil it down to its most fundamental disagreements that make it hard to find common ground. Because again, it’s about opinions on process and not outcome (even though we all want the positive outcome regardless)

It’s a discussion forum, as you noted, that’s part of the appeal of attempting to talk offseason sports in regards to a league that is in the offseason for 65% of the year or so.

I find even the people I disagree with most on the topic have posted some insightful things, so I can’t really agree there. Otherwise I wouldn’t participate, I’d keep a journal for myself, to myself. Enjoy commenting from your high perch I suppose, while we squabble in the muck

I find your characterization of my thoughts as a ‘high perch’ one of the funniest comments in the history of this board. That is one rich reach from a pot/kettle perspective. Thanks for the entertainment! 👊🏼

 

[Conn]

I find your characterization of my thoughts as a ‘high perch’ one of the funniest comments in the history of this board. That is one rich reach from a pot/kettle perspective. Thanks for the entertainment! 👊🏼

I was trying to inject some playfulness back into a conversation where in a single post you referred to many of your board members in this thread as:

a. Not being particularly insightful
b. Stubborn, irrational told-you-so types
c. Mostly contributing noise to the conversation

No offense intended, but you don’t think that’s a bit rude and delivered with an “above it all” attitude deserving of some playful ribbing among peers? Exaggerating for fun: “Hey guys, just dropping into the thread to let you know that your useless conversation is a bunch of self-interested drivel messying up the place, ta-ta!” Come on, that’s kinda amusing in the dead of the offseason

I was trying to de-escalate with the funny emoticon while making my point, but genuinely wasn’t attempting to insult you or anything, I’m still learning the posting styles of the long-timers here. No beef. We’re all just fans, offseason fanning the best way we know how

 

[Dlts20]

Understood. My point is you’re worried about the effect on chemistry two players who are not on the roster could have.

What is your ideal plan if we don’t sign Diggs, and Aiyuk continues to be a head case and his career is effectively over on the Did Not Report List?

Are you fine with the current WR group? It’s a realistic outcome and the longer we wait for Aiyuk (which may or may not work out), the more alternative options get snapped up around the league.

One thing that may work in our favor is that Diggs seems in no hurry to sign anywhere and will take visits it sounds like. If he’s even on our radar, may buy us some time to see if Aiyuk shows up to 49ers training camp to start leveraging his release, before we have to shit or get off the pot. I’d rather just shit now, with Diggs, personally. If Aiyuk comes available later, we can evaluate its potential as a signing, and see if we’ve had any injuries by then. And either go for it, or not.

But if we get neither? Scary (scarier) WR room.

I'm hoping that Aiyuk doesn't even have to show up. I'm hoping that they release him after the 1st and before minicamp on June 9th. If not, then we will have nearly all 9f our answers by then.

We won't have to wait for training camp to know if he shows. Mandatory minicamp is the 9th and 10th, exactly one month from now. It's going to be a big story around the league no matter what.

I'm a Diggs fan. I would be OK with him or a number of guys but I want to see how the Aiyuk situation plays out first. Maybe that's a bad idea because guys may sign elsewhere but it's clear that no one is trading for him and a lot of different things shake in early June so I'm waiting for that but to answer your question, No I am not ok as is. We definitely need to add someone

 

[peanut0862]

I don't care about chemistry we were 5-12 we need new chemistry. Diggs or Aiyuk or trade for Pickens or BTJ we just need help

 

[Dlts20]

I don't care about chemistry we were 5-12 we need new chemistry. Diggs or Aiyuk or trade for Pickens or BTJ we just need help

This is all anyone in that organization is thinking of. He's still different from anyone else if we get him right. He puts us in the SB if we get him right. Both of these guys are coming off of people doubting them. They want to light the league up, with Terry on the other side, Antonio in the slot, and Chig at TE. Jayden would be back in college again with all of those explosives

 

[NickyJ]

I think you are the only person in the world, Commies HQ included, that thinks that signing Aiyuk alone at this point will give the team a Super Bowl.

Actually, considering the team hasn't signed anyone, maybe Commies HQ really does believe that. That thought scares me.

 

[Boone]

I think the reality is, there have been so many changes even on the offensive side of the ball - starting with the one that is more impactful than any position group, having a new inexperienced Offensive Coordinator - that it's impossible to know what to expect. Where I continue to land is, Adam Peters said to start the offseason that the best way to protect Jayden Daniels was to surround him with premium talent. I think it's fair to say that at WR he has so far failed to produce that. We'll see if there's another shoe to drop. I think we are all assuming that with cap room left, and Jayden's buddy Aiyuk presumably becoming available, that this wiil be the move. But the truth is, we don't even know if the Front Office and coaching staff wants him.

 

[KDawg]

Come on now. Wagner was such a liability week after week. He had the speed of a defensive end at best. Teams were hunting him. Wagner himself was defending himself online against fans. It's not easy to bench a washed up legend who you coached as a young man and was great the year before.

When we were sucking, the coaches said one of their solutions was to play Magee more. Every week, reporters asked DQ about benching Wagner, how hard it is to sit a past great player, will he play Magee more. You don't remember any of the Wagner issues last year?

Yet… they didn’t.

And if Magee is so much better than Wagner, and we didn’t play him… why would the team want to keep a guy like Quinn? The goal is to win games.

Just because Magee is younger doesn’t mean he’s better at the game than Wagner.

Do I think we should have seen Magee? Yes. Does that mean he’s better than Wagner? I have no idea… because we haven’t seen enough of him to know that yet.

But based on the coaching decision, you have to assume that the team felt Wags was better than Magee at that point. Because playing the old player who, if what you’re saying is true, is a worse option than the young guy, is fireable.

Two different DCs did it, too.