The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[skinsinparadise]

The Patriots' #3, #4, and arguably even #5 receivers would probably be the WR2 in Washington right now. And for those saying teams just had more picks-resources than Washington to do it. Yeah the Bears did. That's it. The Patriots were in the same boat as Washington in 2024 -- bad defense, meh O line, bad Wrs. And lol like magic fixed it all.

Kayshon Boutte is likely New England's fifth receiver, which is why he's expendable. Keim's point was whether Boutte is enough of a needle-mover or a slam-dunk WR2. Maybe he's not. On most rosters, he's probably a WR3, and I'd agree with that.

But that's the point: Washington isn't being compared to most rosters. This is arguably one of the weakest WR groups in the league outside of Miami. The standard here isn't whether Boutte is a great WR2. It's whether he's an upgrade over what's currently in the room. That's a much lower bar.

I also don't buy the argument that having a decent tight end somehow offsets the need for a legitimate WR2. Ertz was Jayden's second option in the passing game. That's not some unique Washington blueprint that the rest of the NFL is trying to copy. Most contenders have a quality WR1, a quality WR2, and a good tight end. Many of them also have a capable WR3 and TE2.

And while I'm excited about Chig, let's keep some perspective. I was one of the biggest supporters of signing him, but he's not Travis Kelce. I saw a national TE ranking last week that didn't even have him in the top 20. He has talent and upside, but projecting him into an elite-level answer before he's proven it is getting ahead of ourselves.

What I find odd is that virtually every national observer points to receiver as a concern, yet anyone locally who shares that concern gets labeled a hater or told they're missing the bigger picture. To me, it feels like we're being asked to believe McDonald's is a gourmet meal because we're told to trust the chef.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Meanwhile, the Commanders have no interest in trading what they can get for free. So as the Niners and Aiyuk continue to play this game of chicken, it can stretch out through August.

Aiyuk is due a roster bonus if he is on the team in September, but the Niners can put him on the did not report list. He can report trying to force them to cut him, but the Niners can then put Aiyuk on the non-football injury list. He can demand a physical, but the Niners can reject it. The 49ers have the roster tools that can prevent Aiyuk from playing until his contract runs out at the end of 2028, in essence ending his career.

Kyle Shanahan’s surprising minicamp decision shows just how doomed 49ers may be

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan cancelled mandatory minicamp which shows the team may be in trouble with its arduous travel schedule this season.

ninernoise.com

 

[DWinzit]

The Patriots' #3, #4, and arguably even #5 receivers would probably be the WR2 in Washington right now. And for those saying teams just had more picks-resources than Washington to do it. Yeah the Bears did. That's it. The Patriots were in the same boat as Washington in 2024 -- bad defense, meh O line, bad Wrs. And lol like magic fixed it all.

Kayshon Boutte is likely New England's fifth receiver, which is why he's expendable. Keim's point was whether Boutte is enough of a needle-mover or a slam-dunk WR2. Maybe he's not. On most rosters, he's probably a WR3, and I'd agree with that.

But that's the point: Washington isn't being compared to most rosters. This is arguably one of the weakest WR groups in the league outside of Miami. The standard here isn't whether Boutte is a great WR2. It's whether he's an upgrade over what's currently in the room. That's a much lower bar.

I also don't buy the argument that having a decent tight end somehow offsets the need for a legitimate WR2. Ertz was Jayden's second option in the passing game. That's not some unique Washington blueprint that the rest of the NFL is trying to copy. Most contenders have a quality WR1, a quality WR2, and a good tight end. Many of them also have a capable WR3 and TE2.

And while I'm excited about Chig, let's keep some perspective. I was one of the biggest supporters of signing him, but he's not Travis Kelce. I saw a national TE ranking last week that didn't even have him in the top 20. He has talent and upside, but projecting him into an elite-level answer before he's proven it is getting ahead of ourselves.

What I find odd is that virtually every national observer points to receiver as a concern, yet anyone locally who shares that concern gets labeled a hater or told they're missing the bigger picture. To me, it feels like we're being asked to believe McDonald's is a gourmet meal because we're told to trust the chef.

Interestingly the Patriots WR lineup was also Hollins, a FA who was originally a 4th round selection, Douglas and Boutte 6th rounders, Williams a 3rd rounder and Diggs. So they had no real needle movers like they now have in Brown and Doubs, just a bunch of mid to late rounders.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Interestingly the Patriots WR lineup was also Hollins, a FA who was originally a 4th round selection, Douglas and Boutte 6th rounders, Williams a 3rd rounder and Diggs. So they had no real needle movers like they now have in Brown and Doubs, just a bunch of mid to late rounders.

They hit on the picks. I think Peters on the aggregate has done a good job but a mile away from a great job. Can you imagine with those 6 top 100 picks in 2024, he actually had multiple big hits? It would have easily changed the conversation about this roster and for that matter about Peters.

 

[CapsCommies]

Meanwhile, the Commanders have no interest in trading what they can get for free. So as the Niners and Aiyuk continue to play this game of chicken, it can stretch out through August.

Aiyuk is due a roster bonus if he is on the team in September, but the Niners can put him on the did not report list. He can report trying to force them to cut him, but the Niners can then put Aiyuk on the non-football injury list. He can demand a physical, but the Niners can reject it. The 49ers have the roster tools that can prevent Aiyuk from playing until his contract runs out at the end of 2028, in essence ending his career.

Kyle Shanahan’s surprising minicamp decision shows just how doomed 49ers may be

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan cancelled mandatory minicamp which shows the team may be in trouble with its arduous travel schedule this season.

ninernoise.com

If he reports and they play games to keep him from getting his bonus, the PA will get involved

 

[skinsinparadise]

If he reports and they play games to keep him from getting his bonus, the PA will get involved

Yeah the article talked about it.

While I agree that Aiyuk seems a bit of a mess. Likewise, it seems messed up how petty SF is in dealing with this, too.

 

[CapsCommies]

Yeah the article talked about it.

While I agree that Aiyuk seems a bit of a mess. Likewise, it seems messed up how petty SF is in dealing with this, too.

I think the base case outcome is he reports for training camp, summarily gets cut, and signs here. Hard to see him ready for week 1 in that case. And of course there's a decent chance it drags beyond that for various reasons.

 

[Conn]

Meanwhile, the Commanders have no interest in trading what they can get for free. So as the Niners and Aiyuk continue to play this game of chicken, it can stretch out through August.

Aiyuk is due a roster bonus if he is on the team in September, but the Niners can put him on the did not report list. He can report trying to force them to cut him, but the Niners can then put Aiyuk on the non-football injury list. He can demand a physical, but the Niners can reject it. The 49ers have the roster tools that can prevent Aiyuk from playing until his contract runs out at the end of 2028, in essence ending his career.

Kyle Shanahan’s surprising minicamp decision shows just how doomed 49ers may be

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan cancelled mandatory minicamp which shows the team may be in trouble with its arduous travel schedule this season.

ninernoise.com

The only thing here that doesn’t track is the part saying that if the 49ers put him on the Non-Football Injury List (if he reports to avoid DNR), and Aiyuk then requests a physical to contest it, the team can just reject that request?

That makes no sense, the NFLPA couldn’t have agreed to that language.

I’m skeptical he’s healthy enough to pass a physical in a football sense anyways, but this part just doesn’t make sense, you’d think the NFLPA would go to war over that

 

[Primus Porcus]

The only thing here that doesn’t track is the part saying that if the 49ers put him on the Non-Football Injury List (if he reports to avoid DNR), and Aiyuk then requests a physical to contest it, the team can just reject that request?

That makes no sense, the NFLPA couldn’t have agreed to that language.

I’m skeptical he’s healthy enough to pass a physical in a football sense anyways, but this part just doesn’t make sense, you’d think the NFLPA would go to war over that

Pretty sure it's a poorly kept secret that the team Drs are the ones that put on team physicals. That if they want a guy to pass a physical... they will.. because there is no clear cut parameters. I wonder how much control the team has, and if the NFLPA would want to push back on changing the current set up.

 

[Conn]

Pretty sure it's a poorly kept secret that the team Drs are the ones that put on team physicals. That if they want a guy to pass a physical... they will.. because there is no clear cut parameters. I wonder how much control the team has, and if the NFLPA would want to push back on changing the current set up.

Yeah, I imagined the “requested physical” thing to contest Non-Football Injury physical failure would involved a 3rd party physician agreed upon between the NFLPA and the league, or something. Otherwise team doctors can skew in the team’s favor, and random 3rd party docs hired by players could do the same for them. I just assumed there’d be almost a medical arbitration process in place for that situation.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Yeah, I imagined the “requested physical” thing to contest Non-Football Injury physical failure would involved a 3rd party physician agreed upon between the NFLPA and the league, or something. Otherwise team doctors can skew in the team’s favor, and random 3rd party docs hired by players could do the same for them. I just assumed there’d be almost a medical arbitration process in place for that situation.

I dont know if this has ever happened.

What you say makes a lot of sense.. just not confident the team / other teams would be too eager to let go of that 'power' to handle their own physicals.

 

[burgold]

I dont know if this has ever happened.

What you say makes a lot of sense.. just not confident the team / other teams would be too eager to let go of that 'power' to handle their own physicals.

It's got to be a somewhat of a fine line. In the old days, we know teams rushed players out in states sure to lead to worse damage and possible permanent injury, but in these litigious days I can imagine players or their families owning the teams after successful lawsuits if they truly turn a blind eye to medical issues.

 

[Faithful Fan]

Ironically the guy who made that amazing catch with his eyes covered will be pushed down the depth chart if we sign Aiyuk. I know a consensus has formed around the idea our receivers are trash, but that’s actually a pretty crowded room. Somebody with a lot of potential is going to be cut or lose reps.

 

[DWinzit]

I don't think anyone thinks of the WR's as trash. There is a lot of potential in that room, it's just that none of them have lived up to a starter caliber to date.

 

[Conn]

Ironically the guy who made that amazing catch with his eyes covered will be pushed down the depth chart if we sign Aiyuk. I know a consensus has formed around the idea our receivers are trash, but that’s actually a pretty crowded room. Somebody with a lot of potential is going to be cut or lose reps.

Targets (and snaps) are earned and development happens in front of coaches. Nobody we’re currently rostering will go from secretly being a potential contributor to erroneously not being a contributor due to any addition we can make at this point in the offseason.

If people don’t think that the staff we have leading things is running a meritocracy, then that’s a separate issue entirely. But every young guy, lottery ticket flier, and reclamation project currently rostered will have plenty of chances to blossom regardless. The cream will rise to the top if there’s competition, but lack of competition won’t suddenly evolve one of our potential JAG’s into a starting level player just because someone has to take the snaps. No hidden potential will go unearthed, these coaches need to play the best players to win and keep their jobs, or they don’t deserve to have them. Even the most uncharitable read of the situation would allow for that understanding.

Nothing to worry about imo.

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[skinsinparadise]

Just one practice out of the three but apparently this wasn't a hot one for the Wrs.

 

[MartinC]

The Patriots' #3, #4, and arguably even #5 receivers would probably be the WR2 in Washington right now. And for those saying teams just had more picks-resources than Washington to do it. Yeah the Bears did. That's it. The Patriots were in the same boat as Washington in 2024 -- bad defense, meh O line, bad Wrs. And lol like magic fixed it all.

Kayshon Boutte is likely New England's fifth receiver, which is why he's expendable. Keim's point was whether Boutte is enough of a needle-mover or a slam-dunk WR2. Maybe he's not. On most rosters, he's probably a WR3, and I'd agree with that.

But that's the point: Washington isn't being compared to most rosters. This is arguably one of the weakest WR groups in the league outside of Miami. The standard here isn't whether Boutte is a great WR2. It's whether he's an upgrade over what's currently in the room. That's a much lower bar.

I also don't buy the argument that having a decent tight end somehow offsets the need for a legitimate WR2. Ertz was Jayden's second option in the passing game. That's not some unique Washington blueprint that the rest of the NFL is trying to copy. Most contenders have a quality WR1, a quality WR2, and a good tight end. Many of them also have a capable WR3 and TE2.

And while I'm excited about Chig, let's keep some perspective. I was one of the biggest supporters of signing him, but he's not Travis Kelce. I saw a national TE ranking last week that didn't even have him in the top 20. He has talent and upside, but projecting him into an elite-level answer before he's proven it is getting ahead of ourselves.

What I find odd is that virtually every national observer points to receiver as a concern, yet anyone locally who shares that concern gets labeled a hater or told they're missing the bigger picture. To me, it feels like we're being asked to believe McDonald's is a gourmet meal because we're told to trust the chef.

I argued pre draft that we had arguably the weakest WR room in the league. Certainly bottom 5.

Williams is interesting and we might strike gold - but right now lack of weapons outside is still the biggest concern I have about our roster. And I don’t think signing Aiyuk addresses that even if it happens.

 

[MartinC]

Ironically the guy who made that amazing catch with his eyes covered will be pushed down the depth chart if we sign Aiyuk. I know a consensus has formed around the idea our receivers are trash, but that’s actually a pretty crowded room. Somebody with a lot of potential is going to be cut or lose reps.

Crowded in terms of numbers but not quality. We have Terry as the proven Pro Bowl calibre talent, Williams as the intriguing rookie who clearly has upside but has yet to take an NFL snap and then a bunch of JAGs all jostling for WR3 and 4 snaps with not a lot to separate them but a huge gap to Terry. And (outside of Williams and maybe Lane) these are all guys with multiple NFL seasons under their belt so I don’t know we can keep talking about their ‘potential’ - by Y3 or 4 you almost always kind of are what you are.

 

[NickyJ]

Just one practice out of the three but apparently this wasn't a hot one for the Wrs.

You're just being a downer. Dyami caught a pass with his eyes closed 2 years ago. DBs feel a bolt of ice go through them every time he blinks his eyes.