The race is on for all 32 NFL teams to find ways to improve in 2026. Bar the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, every team has standards to be better next season than they were in 2025.
There are multiple ways for teams to improve. NFL front offices use trades, the NFL Draft and free agency to bolster their rosters.
Free agency may be expensive but it can be an effective way to turn a franchise around. The New England Patriots reached Super Bowl 60 against the Seahawks with a roster featuring multiple starters acquired through free agency.
There’s no single formula for building through free agency. High-impact signings can come at different positions. Philadelphia signed running back Saquon Barkley during the 2024 offseason and he powered a Super Bowl title. New England’s biggest addition last year was defensive tackle Milton Williams, who signed one of the biggest contracts of the offseason.
What is clear is who the top free-agent talent is in this upcoming offseason. There are All-Pro and Pro Bowl talents on the open market for teams to give out large contracts to.
Where they end up is a mystery at this point but we’ll break out our crystal ball and see what sounds best. Here are predictions for the top 10 free agents this offseason:
NFL free agent predictions
WR George Pickens
As much fun as it would be to see a bidding war for Pickens’ services on the outside, we doubt it’ll get that far. Dallas looks poised to use the franchise tag for the second-team All-Pro wideout. He was an outstanding fit with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott to power one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2025. It may end up a long process as usual in Dallas but Pickens likely isn’t going anywhere in 2026.
DE Trey Hendrickson
Free agency worked well for the Patriots in 2025 and could work well again in 2026. Because of years of bad drafting, there aren’t many young players on extensions on New England’s roster. They once again have ample cap space entering the offseason.
Hendrickson is far from a long-term starter entering his age-32 season. But the Patriots need some pass-rush juice off the edge. Hendrickson could hold things over for a year or two as the team continues to churn out more talent from the draft.
C Tyler Linderbaum
It’s no secret that the Chargers had one of the worst interior offensive line groups in the league last season. They realistically could use upgrades at both guard spots and center.
Linderbaum is a three-time Pro Bowler and is entering his age-26 season. Centers like him rarely make the open market and the Chargers have the third-most money to spend in free agency, per OverTheCap. It’s an easy comparison to make with the Chargers signing Mekhi Becton last offseason but a lazy one. Linderbaum’s track record is more promising for protecting franchise quarterback Justin Herbert.
OLB Jaelan Phillips
Phillips is the rare edge rusher hitting free agency close to his prime. He’s entering his age-27 season and had a solid 2025 campaign with both the Dolphins and Eagles. He’ll command a big price tag and the Titans should pay it.
Tennessee has more cap space than any other team in the NFL in 2026. They have stars on the interior defensive line and a defensive-minded head coach, Robert Saleh, who worked with long, fast edge rushers at his previous stops. This makes sense as a serious investment to upgrade the defense in 2026.
QB Daniel Jones
Prediction: Indianapolis Colts
The Achilles injury hangs over all of this. Since it was suffered late in the season, that’ll cause even more uncertainty for Jones’ market in 2026. He may not be ready for Week 1 of 2026.
Still, he was playing the best football of his career for the Colts, as part of the league’s most efficient offense for most of the regular season. Indianapolis has no clear path to a competent starter outside of Jones at this point, so it seems in the best interest of both parties that he stays put.
OLB Odafe Oweh
The Buccaneers’ defense struggled to get after opposing passers in 2025. Tampa Bay finished in the bottom 10 in pressure rate and just one player had five sacks (YaYa Diaby).
Tampa Bay has some money to work with this offseason. They’ve invested in the secondary and all over the offense in recent drafts. Oweh has played very well in rotational roles for both the Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens. Giving him more runway as a starter entering his age-28 season is a worthwhile investment for the Buccaneers.
QB Malik Willis
Willis has played well in spot start duty for the Green Bay Packers over the last two years and will command good money in a year without many good options in the NFL draft at quarterback.
Arizona ushers in a new era under Mike LaFleur in 2026. Kyler Murray may not be part of his future plans. With that in mind, Arizona signs Willis as at least a bridge to the future. LaFleur can call up his brother Mike to better understand how to use the quarterback.
WR/KR Rashid Shaheed
Shaheed made some key plays for the Seahawks in their run to a Super Bowl victory. He enters free agency as a champion and dynamic threat as a wide receiver and kick returner.
New York has the third-most cap space and Shaheed is entering his age-28 season. There’s still plenty of time for him to contribute to an NFL team. Signing him would make receiver a less pressing need in the upcoming NFL draft and add a vertical presence to the Jets’ offense.
TE Kyle Pitts
Pitts is exactly the kind of underperforming talent the Eagles like to take a chance on. He’s just 25 years old and can be an explosive threat from the tight end position.
Philadelphia is middle-of-the-pack in cap space this offseason and tight end Dallas Goedert is hitting free agency. Getting younger and more dynamic at the position would be beneficial for an offense that needs to improve in 2025.
RB Breece Hall
Kansas City struggled to consistently run the ball in 2025. Isiah Pacheco and the rest of the veterans at the position didn’t provide the pop out of the backfield to complement a passing game equally lacking consistent explosiveness.
Hall has the athleticism to upgrade the running back room in Kansas City. Yes, the Chiefs have a top-10 pick for the first time in nearly a decade but they could use that premium asset on other needs. Instead, they use free agency to add to the position with Hall.
