The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Tinker0608]

Reminder that pre-season power rankings are basically useless. See last year:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...ankings-offseason-poll-2025-hot-seat-pressure
https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-training-camp-2025-preseason
https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-power-rankings-2025-final-preseason
https://www.cbssports.com/betting/n...op-tier-chiefs-not-among-top-five-contenders/

• Chiefs
  • Preseason: top 3 almost everywhere
  • Finished 6–11, missed playoffs
• Ravens
  • Preseason: top 5
  • Finished 8–9, missed playoffs
• Lions
  • Preseason: top 5
  • Finished 9–8, missed playoff
• Jaguars
  • Ranked around mid 20s preseason
  • Finished 13–4, won their division
• Bears
  • Ranged 17-21
  • Finished 11–6 and won the NFC North
• Panthers
  • Bottom-tier/high 20s
  • Won their division at 8–9
• Seahawks
  • Preseason range: roughly mid-tier (~15–19 depending on outlet)
  • Outcome: 14–3, #1 seed, won the Super Bowl
• Patriots
  • Preseason range: bottom third (~21–25)
  • Outcome: 14–3, made the Super Bowl
• Commanders
  • We know how that one turned out (largely ranked as a top 10 team, bombed hard)

 

[skinsinparadise]

Reminder that pre-season power rankings are basically useless. See last year:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...ankings-offseason-poll-2025-hot-seat-pressure
https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-training-camp-2025-preseason
https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-power-rankings-2025-final-preseason
https://www.cbssports.com/betting/n...op-tier-chiefs-not-among-top-five-contenders/

• Chiefs
  • Preseason: top 3 almost everywhere
  • Finished 6–11, missed playoffs
• Ravens
  • Preseason: top 5
  • Finished 8–9, missed playoffs
• Lions
  • Preseason: top 5
  • Finished 9–8, missed playoff
• Jaguars
  • Ranked around mid 20s preseason
  • Finished 13–4, won their division
• Bears
  • Ranged 17-21
  • Finished 11–6 and won the NFC North
• Panthers
  • Bottom-tier/high 20s
  • Won their division at 8–9
• Seahawks
  • Preseason range: roughly mid-tier (~15–19 depending on outlet)
  • Outcome: 14–3, #1 seed, won the Super Bowl
• Patriots
  • Preseason range: bottom third (~21–25)
  • Outcome: 14–3, made the Super Bowl
• Commanders
  • We know how that one turned out (largely ranked as a top 10 team, bombed hard)

Agree, anything is possible. Am surprised how down the national media is on this team -- from euphoria post 2024, to this is one of the worst teams in the NFL after 2025. It's hard to be bad IMO when you got a franchise QB so I don't get all the negativity.

 

[SkinsFTW]

It's hard to be bad IMO when you got a franchise QB so I don't get all the negativity.

They saw how many times our franchise QB has been injured and probably believe that he's going to continue getting injured. The odds are that he probably will.

If the over/under on games JD will start this season was 10 would you bet a lot of money on the over?

 

[Tinker0608]

Agree, anything is possible. Am surprised how down the national media is on this team -- from euphoria post 2024, to this is one of the worst teams in the NFL after 2025. It's hard to be bad IMO when you got a franchise QB so I don't get all the negativity.

My theory is simple recency bias. It’s much easier to predict a good team one year will be good again the following (and vice versa for bad teams). We live in a what have you done for me lately world. Unfortunately, good analysis isn’t something I expect from the national media. Everything is too reactionary. I think we’ll be a solid team (9-11 wins is what I have us pinned for). But pre-season power rankings are something I haven’t taken seriously for years. It’s just free clicks with little analysis these days.

 

[Tinker0608]

They saw how many times our franchise QB has been injured and probably believe that he's going to continue getting injured. The odds are that he probably will.

If the over/under on games JD will start this season was 10 would you bet a lot of money on the over?

What are my odds? 🤣

 

[actorguy1]

I'm planning on staying away from National Media previews this off-season. This team is coming off of a very disappointing season. Except for the "surprise dark horse" team every preview tries to pick, they all just follow the past season's record when making predictions.

 

[NoCalSkins]

My theory is simple recency bias. It’s much easier to predict a good team one year will be good again the following (and vice versa for bad teams). We live in a what have you done for me lately world. Unfortunately, good analysis isn’t something I expect from the national media. Everything is too reactionary. I think we’ll be a solid team (9-11 wins is what I have us pinned for). But pre-season power rankings are something I haven’t taken seriously for years. It’s just free clicks with little analysis these days.

Yeah we can't forget how bought in the national media was on this team going into the 2025 season. It is understandable why a lot of the fanbase was on cloud nine coming off 2024 and ready to overlook a lot of the issues and/or downplay the issues they did acknowledge, but the so-called experts (for the most part) sounded just as high on the team's ability to repeat their success as far at least making another playoff run. The Terry situation & injuries plus a mediocre defense changed the narrative quickly and justifiably in the moment, but that doesn't change the fact of what was being expected of the team going into the season. So now with 2026, in a season that I don't see the NFC East overall being a juggernaut type division, it could really be up for grabs going into the second half of December. I think the media is taking the easy narrative approach "How much better can that awful defense be, JD5 coming off multiple injury season, operating a brand new offense from under center without much upgrades in weapons (including some young unknowns at this point." It is really the safe approach. Now should this team be .500 or better going into the bye week the narratives will change rapidly.

 

[Chris]

What was the national media’s temperature on the team prior to the 2024 season? Yeah, thought so.

 

[Boone]

Predicting what will happen in any NFL season is already a crapshoot. But there are so many variables including the biggest ones - brand new novice coordinators on both sides of the ball - for anyone to make even a decent educated guess at what kind of season Washington will have in 2026.

 

[DWinzit]

Compared to the national media

A. I think the defense will be a lot better than they do.

B. TE I think some locals overate the unit. I think its ok, not special. I don't see much media comments on it but I know Greg Cosell, wasn't high on that unit

C. O line, national media mostly sees it as bad, PFF is OK with it. I think its good, not special, but good enough

D. WR national media is down on it. It's the one thing that I agree with them on.

E. RB room, its not just Sharp who thinks it's bad to meh. I do think some locals overrate the unit. But to me its average, not terrible, it should be good enough.

A. Agree but still have some coverage concerns. I still feel we need another good coverage CB or FS.

B. If there is a weakness it's that none of the TEs are really good at in line blocking and a receiving weapon.

C. To me we need either Coleman or Paul to shine at LG and we are stuck with Allegretti at C. I don't love Good-Jones and it doesnt' sound like Gublin will be ready

D. WR....We've killed that topic

E. I am good with the RBs

I'm assuming AP will keep his ear to the ground on DB's and WR's.

 

[DWinzit]

He can't fit as "a Commander" right?

Please no

 

[Kalu44]

I’d imagine Hill has been taken entirely “off their draft board” in that sense. No matter how good the talent is, just not worth the PR risk.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

Wasn't Hill's leg point in the wrong direction as his knee was completely destroyed? I will be shocked if he's able to play for any team in 2026.

It doesn't help that Father Time was already catching up to Hill before the injury, he'll be 32 this season. Before the injury, yes absolutely he would still have enough juice to be a quality WR2 for most teams in the league, and he should be paid a good sum. But his age, his declining stats, and then after everything in his knee got torn AND dislocated? That's going to be tough for any team to bank on.

Age	Season	Receiving Yards per Game	YAC per Reception	Broken Tackles	Notes
29	2023	112.4	5.5	12
30	2024	56.4	3.6	1	New Career Lows in YAC per Reception and Broken Tackles
31	2025	66.3	2.7	0	New NEW Career Lows in YAC per Reception and Broken Tackles

 

[DWinzit]

Wasn't Hill's leg point in the wrong direction as his knee was completely destroyed? I will be shocked if he's able to play for any team in 2026.

It doesn't help that Father Time was already catching up to Hill before the injury, he'll be 32 this season. Before the injury, yes absolutely he would still have enough juice to be a quality WR2 for most teams in the league, and he should be paid a good sum. But his age, his declining stats, and then after everything in his knee got torn AND dislocated? That's going to be tough for any team to bank on.

Age	Season	Receiving Yards per Game	YAC per Reception	Broken Tackles	Notes
29	2023	112.4	5.5	12
30	2024	56.4	3.6	1	New Career Lows in YAC per Reception and Broken Tackles
31	2025	66.3	2.7	0	New NEW Career Lows in YAC per Reception and Broken Tackles

All of that and I'd have him off the board due to character concerns!

 

[NoCalSkins]

Predicting what will happen in any NFL season is already a crapshoot. But there are so many variables including the biggest ones - brand new novice coordinators on both sides of the ball - for anyone to make even a decent educated guess at what kind of season Washington will have in 2026.

Yeah when a team has multiple question marks the media is usually not going to argue on the side of all of those factors turning out on the positive side. It doesn't mean they won't change their tune once the product on the field justifies it just as they did in 2024.

 

[SkinsLife]

How is Diggs any better than Hill?

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

How is Diggs any better than Hill?

Is Diggs coming off a brutal injury?

 

[SkinsLife]

Is Diggs coming off a brutal injury?

I was referring to Digg's off field troubles.

 

[skinsinparadise]

A. Agree but still have some coverage concerns. I still feel we need another good coverage CB or FS.

B. If there is a weakness it's that none of the TEs are really good at in line blocking and a receiving weapon.

C. To me we need either Coleman or Paul to shine at LG and we are stuck with Allegretti at C. I don't love Good-Jones and it doesnt' sound like Gublin will be ready

D. WR....We've killed that topic

E. I am good with the RBs

I'm assuming AP will keep his ear to the ground on DB's and WR's.

1. Need another corner I agree

2. Agree there is no do it all TE. And I like Chig, I probably pushed him more than anyone pre FA. But I think some are getting carried away, especially among local media, as if he's a superstar and ditto acting like having a TE who is a weapon is some exotic luxury that precludes the need of a good Z WR. Also the idea that they are going to run two TE sets precludes the idea of the need of a good Z WR -- as if they have two proven good TEs who are weapons. I mean I am excited for what Sinnott can do in this new offense but acting like he's already arrived is wild to me -- again mostly local media sentiment stuff.

3. I think the O line works itself out, clearly though the national media-analytics type doesn't see this O line as anything great although our fan base seems to think it is. But I am closer to being a homer on this unit.

4. Yep as to WR.

5. RBs are good, worst in the league? Maybe on paper it is, because its one of the rare teams without a name brand RB. All feel like #2 types. But I am ok with that, it should work.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

1. Need another corner I agree

2. Agree there is no do it all TE. And I like Chig, I probably pushed him more than anyone pre FA. But I think some are getting carried away, especially among local media, as if he's a superstar and ditto acting like having a TE who is a weapon is some exotic luxury that precludes the need of a good Z WR. Also the idea that they are going to run two TE sets precludes the idea of the need of a good Z WR -- as if they have two proven good TEs who are weapons. I mean I am excited for what Sinnott can do in this new offense but acting like he's already arrived is wild to me -- again mostly local media sentiment stuff.

3. I think the O line works itself out, clearly though the national media-analytics type doesn't see this O line as anything great although our fan base seems to think it is. But I am closer to being a homer on this unit.

4. Yep as to WR.

5. RBs are good, worst in the league? Maybe on paper it is, because its one of the rare teams without a name brand RB. All feel like #2 types. But I am ok with that, it should work.

I suspect the national media consider Conerly closer to a bust than someone who could make a leap.

I think we disagree with that, but that about sums it up. Cause their stances on the other four spots generally mirror ours.