NFL Offseason 2026
it's the most wonderful time of the year for pretend GMs - the NFL Offseason!
Sure the games are fun, but the 7 months of the season without games are the time to plan, to dream, to laugh, to cry.
2025 has been a moving season....the good teams have fallen back to the pack, some struggling teams have risen fast, many middling teams have gotten bored of being middling and have made a coaching change and are planning a reset.
New coaches, newly average, nouveau riche should mean....
- big deals
- head scratching moves
- trades!
Here are a few things I'm looking for
A huge free agency period!
Remember when Running Backs didn’t matter?
- prediction....Bijan becomes the highest paid of all time.
- maybe Gibbs too?
- Jonathan Taylor with be asking for a new deal.
- what will Breece Hall get? KW3 has earned himself an extension too.
WRs always get paid
- JSN, Puka have produced all season and deep into the playoffs - back up the truck!
- do the Cowboys pay Pickens?
- what will the Saints do with Chris Olave?
- Juan Jennings will get more than we think.
- which team ends up regretting signing Aiyuk?
- what happens to my boy Mike Evans?
Lots of D Linemen will want their money.
- will Will Anderson become highest paid of all time?
- will Trey Hendriksen's gamble pay off?
- one step down, but expect deals for Tuli Tuipolotu, Jaelen Phillips, Franklin-Myers, Khalil Mack…Odafe Oweh
QBs!
- there's gonna be some big QB extensions – Mahomes and Lamar will be extended to get their cap hits down...guessing Pat becomes the highest paid of all time again?
- what do the Colts do with Danny Dimes?
- what will the Bucs give Baker Mayfield?
- what do Rams do with Stafford – if he comes back he'll want the bag.
- what will the Browns do with Deshaun Watson's $80m cap hit? They already have $50m dead money for next season on his deal, so maybe they just eat the 80ball? Or could they cut him and eat the entire $131m then tank for 27?
some teams have some big decisions
- the Lions incredible 2023 draft class will all have their hands out. Can they afford to pay Gibbs, Campbell, LaPorta and Branch? Do they trade some, do they pay them all, do they let them become free agents in 27?
- what about the Texans - they'll pay Anderson, what do they do with Stroud?
- what do the Falcons do with Cousins and Penix?
The New Coaches
- which new guy spends big and goes for the quick turnaround?
- who are all these new coaches?
- FW prediction...Klint Kubiak gets to choose between the Ravens and Bills
2023 draft class – contract decisions incoming on Stroud, Anderson, Carter, Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Jack Campbell, Flowers
2022 draft class – Travon Walker, Thibodeaux, London, Trent McDuffie, Jordan Davis, Ikem Ekonwu, Paris Johnson, Tyler Lindebaun, Quay Walker, Devin Lloyd
Trades!
- WRs on the move AJ Brown, DJ Moore, Ty Hill. Will the Boys sign and trade Pickens?
- QBs on the scrap heap - Geno, Tua, Murray
- Who overpays for a back up QB?
- Who makes the big draft moves?
the Draft!
Mendoza goes 1. The Captain of the God Squad going to Las Vegas? Oh wait...they tried that already with Derek, David, Dudley Carr. Hmm - what could possibly go wrong?
the draft seems snoozy right now, but there will be intrigue
- which team overdrafts an average QB?
- which teams trade back for ammunition for the 27 QB class?
- How do the Jets mess things up?
- Which D Lineman will the Eagles take?
I'm predicting....
- 'highest paid ever' at QB, D line, RB and WR
- the Chiefs to draft a wife beater
- irrational fandom from NewGuy, Randall, Dom and SRM
- COPE from TJ and McLovin
- Ligastar to scold multiple teams for 'bad process'
- the Bills to not win again in glorious fashion
- How do the Jets mess things up?
I don't know what they'll do but whatever they do will be a massive **** up.
- COPE from TJ and McLovin
I don't root for the Jets! I'm a Giants and Lions fan now.
Spotrac has Pickens as the #1 non-QB market AAV at $30.6M. Do we think anyone is paying THAT much for him? Seems kind of steep for one outlier season, but then again he transformed that Dallas offense.
Jets most likely take Arvell Reese at (2) unless they pull an LOL Jest. I wonder how many fans would have rather had Dante Moore there. I guess they could trade out for next year. Seems like one of the worst drafts ever to have the #2 pick, especially if you need QB.
Spotrac has Pickens as the #1 non-QB market AAV at $30.6M. Do we think anyone is paying THAT much for him? Seems kind of steep for one outlier season, but then again he transformed that Dallas offense.
I wouldn't if I were Jerruh....but let's see. I wonder what tag they can use that gets another team interested?
I can't be irrational yet with Miami having such a tough schedule, but let them get Malik Willis and win their first two games...
I would think it would take them 3 1st rounders. their two from this year and then at least 1 from next year
or maybe a swap of this year and then two from next year
I was wondering how many teams would NOT swap their QB with the #1 pick right now when you factor in his potential (quite high but not crazy ceiling apparently) but the 4 years of cost control
definites....
Bills,
Chiefs,
Chargers,
Bears,
Patriots
probables
Bengals (cheap plus Joe doesn't seem happy),
Ravens (new coach plus he needs a new deal and that will be difficult),
Commanders (injuries might worry them)
50:50
Giants?
most likely swap
Broncos
Seahawks
Jags
Niners
Lions
Packers
Texans
everyone else...definites
what did I get wrong?
I forgot Cam Ward and Shough
I’d have both at 50:50 the teams swap or keep
Will the Boys sign and trade Pickens?
It's that even a thing in the NFL? Most contracts have a huge signing bonus that gets spread out over the life of the contract. When traded that bonus accelerates and counts against the cap of the team that signed him in the next 2 years. No?
You can't trade signing bonus as far as I know.
It's that even a thing in the NFL? Most contracts have a huge signing bonus that gets spread out over the life of the contract. When traded that bonus accelerates and counts against the cap of the team that signed him in the next 2 years. No?
You can't trade signing bonus as far as I know.
I wrote that wrong - I meant to write ‘tag and trade’
Thanks for clarifying
I was wondering how many teams would NOT swap their QB with the #1 pick right now when you factor in his potential (quite high but not crazy ceiling apparently) but the 4 years of cost control
most likely swap
Seahawks
what did I get wrong?
Darnold is relatively cheap, so I can't see them swapping.
My first ever mock draft. I'll take a B+
Spoiler
yes I think you're right.
although if he wins his next game they'll give him a big raise and extension, so he won't be cheap any more.
but then if he does win his next game....why would you trade a 28yr old Super Bowl winning QB for an untested rookie?
Branch won't be around at pick #87
- - - - - - - - - -
early days, but w the #10 pick i'd like to see CIN (in order of preference, obv the top two might be off the board):
David Bailey, TT - DE
Caleb Downs, tOSU - S
Francis Mauigoa, Miami - OT
Mansoor Delane - LSU, CB
COPE confirmed 👍
this appears to be Baseball HOF levels of petty. And standard Bill Polian behaviour
this appears to be Baseball HOF levels of petty. And standard Bill Polian behaviour
If you want to kick Kosar out of Cleveland, then deal with consequences.
