The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[skinsinparadise]

I can't read this article because its behind a paywall but I don't find the point hyperbole -- IMO they are one good WR away from making a run.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Logan pushing that its Diggs easily over Aiyuk

 

[SkinsLife]

Rodriguez is now the best pure RB? Really?

yes, he was the best pure rb on this team.. its not a debate.

 

[SkinsLife]

In 2025 (and if we are honest 2024) Ertz was an outlet more than a receiving threat. He was savvy and knew how to break a zone especially because the defense was scared to death of Daniels running, but it is also true that Ertz was helpless after the catch for the most part and couldn't really beat match up coverage. So replacing him with an equally productive tight end that actually can scare a defense a little is a plus. Again, Ertz was great at finding holes in zones and being that outlet, chain mover and that is a wonderful thing to have. Every team needs a reliable possession receiver, but part of the reason he was open so often was because defenses just didn't think he could hurt them.

its different skill sets.. yes Chig brings something after the catch that Ertz doesnt anymore... but he also looses a big chunk of what made Ertz highly effective and important. i dont agree with you that Ds didnt think he could hurt them. He hurt them with moving the chains catches and RZ tds. D would play each TE differently. When the team signed Chig only, as a TE replacement, they lost the big contested catch/ TD threat guy. They still dont have one. In the red zone w a short field i just dont see Chig being as effective... i guess time will tell.
To be clear i dont want Ertz back... he is like the Bobby Wagner equivalent on O. Sure he can be effective at times but lost too many steps to elevate the team.

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[ES1974]

Diggs over Aiyuk for me too.

However I’d actually consider bringing both in, unless of course AP has another secret WR move up his sleeve.

 

[Ashburn Dave]

Diggs has been a no brainer since his legal troubles were wiped out. Still not sure why AP is taking so long to sign him.

 

[burgold]

Sometimes, people get locked in.

I'd argue it's irresponsible not to at least bring in Diggs for a conversation and looksee. Mind you, I don't hear about Diggs being on any sort of tour so maybe Diggs is not interested in being in OTAs and is the one waiting?

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[burgold]

Brandon should come to 49ers camp dragging a copier behind him in a little red wagon and let them know if they don't make a decision he's just making copies of the playbook and shipping them out to all thirty-one teams.

 

[Chris 44]

Brandon should come to 49ers camp dragging a copier behind him in a little red wagon and let them know if they don't make a decision he's just making copies of the playbook and shipping them out to all thirty-one teams.

For his future and financial well being, Aiyuk should show up to SF training camp in the best shape of his life and with the best attitude of his life. If he did that he would have all kinds of suitors including the 49ers.......but that wont happen.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Listening to Keim and Finlay talk about it with Finlay bringing up SF IRs Aiyuk for the season as a possibility -- similar thought with some SF reporters who wonder if Aiyuk shows up to camp.

 

[heisenberg]

yes, he was the best pure rb on this team.. its not a debate.

Did you just tell riggo its not a debate?

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[Conn]

I recall hearing a couple of national insiders say during the height of the 2024 season that players wanted to come to Washington and that was a change, it was in vogue-hot. If so, too bad it coincided with an off season where this team wasn't aggressive in FA.

They had sort of a short honeymoom period where we had:

A. Jayden spoken about as the next Mahomes
B. 10 page articles about how Quinn is a master culture builder and how he changed the organization
C. Peters being this GM genius who overhauiled a bad roster overnight

It's wild how most of that has flipped in one season and the NFC East dormat in recent years, the Ny Giants, are seen as more of the sexy team as to a brighter future by some than this team.

lol, hopefully my Rocky 3 analogy that I started using last summer also ends like the movie does.

As to FA, some say in the end its money that drives where players go, everything being equal of course destination matters, but agents-personnel guys have said the money rarely is equal because of its not about the base salary, it could be incentives, guaranteed money, etc -- often something.

But clearly also some players aren't diven by money.

At least judging by narratives, true or not true, I don't know. Washington might have offered Doubs more money but he wanted to play with Maye. And one in our favor, supposedly Chaisson took less money to play here versus NO.

Yeah, not taking advantage of the fluid and fickle good vibe economy when we were on top of the world coming off the 2024 playoff run is by far the thing that annoys me about this regime the most. That FA period was an opportunity to load up with massive cap space and a sexy young franchise QB, and we just…didn’t want to. More than any specific roster, draft, or staffing issue I may have with this operation, the apparently MASSIVE philosophical difference that speaks to is my biggest bugaboo. Just makes me feel like I’m on an entirely different planet than the decision-makers. It backfired horribly for them of course but I felt this way at the time, before that. Still don’t understand it.

 

[Chris]

Sure, George.

 

[COWBOY-KILLA]

I've got to get this off my chest.

Our FO seems downright NEGLIGENT in addressing our WR room and CB room.

Like, we know its a huge issue staring us in the face and we sit there and have 50Mil in our wallet and scoff at getting it done.

It's souring how I feel about them and the overall plan. It's total bullshit. Ok there, feel better.

 

[DWinzit]

I've got to get this off my chest.

Our FO seems downright NEGLIGENT in addressing our WR room and CB room.

Like, we know its a huge issue staring us in the face and we sit there and have 50Mil in our wallet and scoff at getting it done.

It's souring how I feel about them and the overall plan. It's total bullshit. Ok there, feel better.

Sometimes we just need to word vomit a little to relieve some stress and pain

The only thing I can figure is some of the leftover offensive staff have full faith in at least one of the young receivers. They must figure they can put him or them in a better position to succeed that Kliffy

 

[skinsinparadise]

Yeah, not taking advantage of the fluid and fickle good vibe economy when we were on top of the world coming off the 2024 playoff run is by far the thing that annoys me about this regime the most. That FA period was an opportunity to load up with massive cap space and a sexy young franchise QB, and we just…didn’t want to. More than any specific roster, draft, or staffing issue I may have with this operation, the apparently MASSIVE philosophical difference that speaks to is my biggest bugaboo. Just makes me feel like I’m on an entirely different planet than the decision-makers. It backfired horribly for them of course but I felt this way at the time, before that. Still don’t understand it.

And its not just the fans. In Standig's interview of agents that off season, some said they were surprised they weren't more aggressive considering Jayden's rookie contract window.

It feels like a small number of people, maybe Peters too? don’t view this stretch as any more urgent than other points in Jayden’s tenure. But the reality is, this window matters—because once you’re paying a quarterback $65 million instead of $10 million, it changes everything.

Unless the idea is to operate now as if you are paying Jayden that amount so lol its not that jarring when it happens.

But yeah it was entertaining to listen to Sheehan muse about how the Rams are linked to Diggs, and he goes yeah with all of their other weapons, wow, but that team really goes for it every year then sways he wants this team to be aggressive and then references signing both Diggs and Aiyuk.

 

[burgold]

As I said, I really think it was a philosophical choice more than being cheap.

Peters wanted to build through the draft. The one-year contracts were meant to be easily filled patches and players replaced by the pups as they proved themselves ready. It worked in year one and was a disaster in year two. Part of the problem was that they depended on one-year patches for two years and we all know how temporary fixes left too long can lead to bigger problems. The reality was that the draft picks weren't deemed ready to take over or they got injured to so we had to patch the patches with other patches.

This year, possibly because the trades left them on draft picks or maybe because of how poorly the patch strategy worked last year, they leaned very heavily on free agency. Even so, I think there is this philosophical hesitation. It's really the only reason I can see for us not reaching out to Diggs or Hill or some surer thing. Peters still wants to leave open a slot for his draft picks and knows if he signs a free agent then it is almost guaranteed that his draft pick will be forced to sit unless that FA is patch (like Brown or Van Jefferson.)