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We don't know where more than 500 NFL free agents will wind up this offseason. We do have a good idea of who'll be the most wanted -- and which teams can afford them.
Thus, it's time to make some educated guesses and execute some wishful thinking ahead of March 9, when teams will be permitted to legally reach out to free agents and start knocking down the dominoes they've been setting up since the season's end. Let's take a look at all 32 NFL teams and find one new arrival to help them on the road to Super Bowl 61.
The rules were simple. Each team got a new arrival free agent, even if retaining their own players may be the offseason priority. The teams with more salary cap space got first dibs in the pecking order due to their ability to overpay. Some players who are unlikely to go anywhere wound up on the move, but restricted and exclusive rights free agents weren't considered for this exercise.
All cap space estimates are courtesy of Over the Cap and accurate as of February 24. All stats come from NFL Pro unless otherwise stated. Let's run down the list in alphabetical order.
There's a case to be made for Green Bay Packers tackle Rasheed Walker here, but Arizona needs playmakers in a gap year in which Kyler Murray could be on his way out the door. Hall would immediately boost the league's fifth-worst rushing attack, relieving an aging James Conner of some of his workload while allowing Trey Benson to stick around in a supporting role after two injury-marred seasons in the league.
Only one of the four off-ball linebackers on Atlanta's two-deep is under contract for 2026. Bringing in Lloyd after a career year won't be cheap, but it will stabilize the middle of an improving defense and give the Falcons a solid coverage option who can replace some of Kaden Elliss' talent as a blitzer. Lloyd didn't just have five interceptions in 2025 but also had a career-best 24 pressures for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Baltimore needs a youth infusion at the edge after Kyle Van Noy floated back to earth and Odafe Oweh realized his potential 3,000 miles west in Los Angeles. Mafe only had two sacks last season, but it came on a career-best 13.2 percent pressure rate for the Super Bowl champions. Only one player with at least 100 pass rushing snaps was above 11.4 percent for the Ravens last fall… and that was Oweh.
The Bills lack of cap space could mean missing out on wideout options like Jauan Jennings or Romeo Doubs who could create space on clutch downs. But Shaheed may be a slightly cheaper option after playing an under-the-radar role in Seattle's Super Bowl offense. His ability to stretch the field could help another in-house receiver thrive, clearing space for Khalil Shakir after a season in which his target share and yards per route run both dipped.
Carolina has two different 2025 Day 2 draft picks ready to take over at edge rusher between Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Veteran leadership and guidance makes sense for a group that's more potential than production. Mack can bring both, adding run-stopping bonafides to a pass rush that's never seen him record a pressure rate under 13 percent in his lengthy NFL career.
The Bears could make a move to land Maxx Crosby via trade. Or they could opt for the older Hendrickson without having to cough up significant draft considerations to recharge their pass rush. Hendrickson missed the bulk of 2025 with injury and had a career-low 14 percent pressure rate after averaging better than 19 percent in his four years as a Bengal that preceded it. But even a 14 percent pressure rate would be signfiicantly better than what Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo put up last fall.
Cincinnati has the cap space to go after a higher profile pass rusher, but Franklin-Myers may be the best fit for the Bengals' four-man front. He's probably going to get a hefty, but not top-of-market contract that could save enough money to patch up the myriad other holes in the league's 29th-ranked defense. The veteran lineman can generate pressure as a three- or four-technique and generated a stop on 20 percent of his run defensive snaps, making him the kind of rising tide Cincy badly needs.
There will be plenty of opportunities to add modest blocking or secondary help. But Ossai would be a high-value pickup at a potentially low price. He thrived in 2025 even with Trey Hendrickson banged up, notching a career-high 45 pressures last fall. Now he gets to team up with Myles Garrett to collapse pockets and make life easier for everyone else on the defense.
Dallas has one of the worst cap situations in 2026, which may disqualify Jerry Jones from many of the spring's top free agents. Fortunately, there's a lot of space that can be freed up by restructuring and extending star players the Cowboys want to keep around. That could liberate them to bolster the secondary with Brisker, who can handle several roles in the defensive backfield and may come at a reasonable price after four good, rarely great seasons in Chicago.
The Falcons franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts, which prevents a possible glow-up as Bo Nix's safety valve/seam buster. Instead, we get a less flashy move that makes Denver a bit more athletic in the middle of the field. Dean brings injury concerns, but he's a complete sideline-to-sideline presence who can stand up in coverage and, importantly, free the All-Pro safeties behind him up for destructive freelance work.
Walker played his best football as a Packer while alongside a dynamic young off-ball linebacker stud in Edgerrin Cooper. Now he gets to pair with Jack Campbell to replenish the middle of Dan Campbell's defense. Walker is only 25 years old and still may have more room to grow, making him a slightly more intriguing pickup than a veteran like Devin Bush (who could also thrive here).
The Packers had a bottom-10 yards before contact average on handoffs, leading Josh Jacobs to go from 217 rushing yards over expected in 2024 to… -7 in 2025. Green Bay doesn't have a lot of spending room and could turn to recent high-value draft picks Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton to make a leap into the starting lineup. But a glut of useful guards in free agency could make Edwards an inexpensive upgrade and veteran leader capable of raising the floor in Wisconsin.
Did Vera-Tucker's injury knock down his asking price enough for a Houston team with modest cap room (after what's certain to be a handful of restructures for guys like CJ Stroud, Nico Collins and Derek Stingley Jr.) to afford him? Vera-Tucker is a high level blocker who can look at what a stop in Houston did for Ed Ingram and sign a short-term deal in hopes of boosting his value. He's only played 43 games in five NFL seasons but was impressive when healthy in 2024. The Texans may offer the best combination of coaching and win-now potential for a tarnished-but-talented player like the Jets' o-lineman.
After retaining Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard, the Colts may be content to run it back in 2026 with a healthy Daniel Jones (and re-signed free agents like Alec Pierce and Braden Smith) rather than getting bold with new additions. But Bosa could be a priority either way after a 13.7 percent pressure rate in 2025 -- higher than any Inidianapolis pass rusher other than Laiatu Latu.
The Jaguars don't have much capital to spend this offseason in either free agency or the draft after last year's whirlwind of moves. That's fine, because Jacksonville showcased the potential to be a contender last fall, leaving 2026 to be a maintenance phase for the defending AFC South champs. Enter Dowdle, who continues to thrive in tailback time-shares, this time teaming with the bruising, slashing runs of Bhayshul Tuten.
Kansas City isn't in great space to spend on a non-premium position, but its run game cannot be ignored. Isiah Pacheco is a free agent and was a cog in a tailback rotation where no one averaged better than four yards per carry. Etienne averaged a career-high 2.1 yards per carry after contact en route to his third 1,000-yard season in four years, adding moderate value as a receiver out of the backfield as well.
The Raiders need an established adult in its receiving corps -- a player with sticky hands who can create separation in big moments. The man known in the Bay Area as "third-and-Jauan" fits the bill. His on-schedule route running and, more importantly, skill on the out-breaking routes Fernando Mendoza throws so well would make him a rising tide for a stagnant offense.
I don't think Lindenbaum will leave the Ravens, who want to give him the contract a 25-year-old perennial Pro Bowler deserves but don't want to franchise tag him because that would pay him like a tackle, not a center. That leaves a chance for the space-clearing center to go from one Harbaugh to another, setting the tone up front for Jim and giving Los Angeles a reliable foundation in the middle of its line. Linderbaum has played 66 of a possible 68 regular season games in his career.
Darious Williams has done solid work as the elder statesman in the Los Angeles secondary, but he's about to turn 33 years old and was reduced to a rotational role in 2025. Dean is cagey and inconsistent, but at his best he's an underappreciated gem; he allowed just a 40.7 passer rating when split wide in coverage, allowing only 19 catches in 43 targets last fall.
New head coach Jeff Hafley spent the last two seasons butting up against Willis as defensive coordinator of the Packers. The question is whether he'll have the resources to land the rising backup quarterback in free agency and if the infrastructure will be in place to help the former third round pick thrive in a new environment. 2026 looks like a tear-down year in Miami; if Willis can come in and show signs of life, he could stand as a potential franchise quarterback even in a four-win campaign.
Minnesota has one of the league's worst cap situations and will have to shed talent even with J.J. McCarthy's rookie contract on the books. Brian Flores' aggressive defense needs reliable playmakers in the middle of the field. Anzalone fits that bill and would likely be less expensive than younger, higher-profile options at off-ball linebacker.
Phillips feels likely to stay in Philadelphia after thriving there following an in-season trade -- he had 34 pressures over his final eight games of the regular season. With K'Lavon Chaisson on the market and a decent chunk of cap space to spend, New England can take a risk on a high-upside player whose impact goes beyond his counting stats but who remains an injury risk.
The Saints add the reigning Super Bowl MVP, utilizing a less-disastrous-than-usual salary cap position to shunt Alvin Kamara to a platoon role or create the leverage to trade or release him entirely and save up to $11.5 million in the process. Walker's jump-cuts are a solid remedy for an offensive line with a bottom three yards-before-contact average in 2025. He'd be another layer of support as New Orleans tries to figure out if Tyler Shough is actually good or just riding a small sample size.
Is this the best way to spend New Orleans' modest cap room? Nope! Has that ever stopped general manager Mickey Loomis before? Also, no.
This won't be cheap, and New York has plenty of holes to fill with minimal cap space. But protecting Jaxson Dart is vital and Jermaine Eleumunor is a free agent on the wrong side of 30. New head coach John Harbaugh can cash in some of the value on Dart and Malik Nabers' rookie contracts to land 2026's top veteran tackle by throwing a boatload of money at Walker. While Green Bay allowed Jordan Love to face a career-high 35.7 percent pressure rate last fall, Walker's stability on the blind side wasn't the problem.
New York has money to throw at this year's slightly underwhelming crop of wideouts. Would Alec Pierce or Romeo Doubs want to play for a franchise with a truly grim history of quarterback play and few viable opportunities to improve? Tough call. Instead, let's lean into Aaron Glenn's strength and give him a player who could be 2026's top free agent defensive back. Cook isn't perfect, but his vision and tackling make him a chilling presence for a defense that gave up a boatload of explosive plays in Glenn's debut season.
Adoree Jackson played well enough last season, but he's a free agent and nearing his 31st birthday. He may be an easy fix for a team set to lose multiple defensive starters with modest salary cap space to spend, but let's aim a bit higher. Philly needs a boundary cornerback and there's one with elite length and speed available in Woolen -- who'll probably be a bit more expensive than Alontae Taylor or Nahshon Wright but fits well within the Eagles' young, uber-athletic cornerback group. Woolen did not allow a passer rating above 80.0 over a full season in four years with the Seahawks.
Since 2021, the Steelers have only given out a single contract worth more than $10 million in total value to a non-lineman or defensive player. That was for Mitchell Trubisky. But a new era is dawning and Mike McCarthy needs tools to build a competent offense. Doubs isn't a cure-all, but his versatile route-running and steady hands would help draw focus away from DK Metcalf and make life easier for whomever is winging passes at not-Heinz Field this fall.
There's an opportunity to pull from NFC West rivals to fill defensive gaps. But after Christian McCaffrey turned in the least efficient rushing performance of his career, there's an argument to be made for buttressing the interior of the line. Seumalo may be 2026's top guard on the market and can clear the space to unclog the Niners offense… though just who Brock Purdy will be throwing to remains a minor mystery.
Seattle stands to lose multiple members of a Super Bowl secondary if Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe and Coby Bryant all leave as free agents. Odds are some of those guys will stick around, but if they don't the Seahawks have the cap space and appeal to lure 2026's top cornerback west. Watson allowed a 79.0 passer rating in coverage and had a single missed tackle in 15 games last fall.
Tampa can take a swing on a reclamation edge rushing candidate by penciling in Paye as a starter. The former Rhode Island High School legend underwhelmed in 2025 but had back-to-back eight-plus sack seasons with 131 total pressures since 2023. Could a change of scenery unlock his next level -- and, importantly, boost a pass rush that finished in the top three when it came to pressure rate and only the top 23 when it came to sack rate?
The Titans have a ton of cap space in a year without many great free agents -- and most of this year's best players are expected to stick with the teams for whom they played in 2025. The Chargers have plenty of cap space to retain Oweh if they want, but may balk if Tennessee makes him a Godfather offer. The Titans' timeline makes Trey Hendrickson a difficult fit, but the young Oweh -- who fits nicely in the second level of the team's 3-4 front -- makes sense as a dynamic edge rusher who can be effective as Cam Ward reshapes the offense to build a contender.
Washington saw what Pierce's downfield presence could do for one mobile quarterback in Daniel Jones. Now he gets to pair with Jayden Daniels and make life so, so much easier for Terry McLaurin. A viable deep threat could unlock key pages in the Commanders playbook and, more importantly, help Daniels get back on track after a lost 2025.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Predicting where 32 of the NFL's top free agents will sign in 2026
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Thus, it's time to make some educated guesses and execute some wishful thinking ahead of March 9, when teams will be permitted to legally reach out to free agents and start knocking down the dominoes they've been setting up since the season's end. Let's take a look at all 32 NFL teams and find one new arrival to help them on the road to Super Bowl 61.
The rules were simple. Each team got a new arrival free agent, even if retaining their own players may be the offseason priority. The teams with more salary cap space got first dibs in the pecking order due to their ability to overpay. Some players who are unlikely to go anywhere wound up on the move, but restricted and exclusive rights free agents weren't considered for this exercise.
All cap space estimates are courtesy of Over the Cap and accurate as of February 24. All stats come from NFL Pro unless otherwise stated. Let's run down the list in alphabetical order.
Arizona Cardinals: RB Breece Hall
- Needs: OT, WR, LB, RB
- Cap space: $39,182,426
There's a case to be made for Green Bay Packers tackle Rasheed Walker here, but Arizona needs playmakers in a gap year in which Kyler Murray could be on his way out the door. Hall would immediately boost the league's fifth-worst rushing attack, relieving an aging James Conner of some of his workload while allowing Trey Benson to stick around in a supporting role after two injury-marred seasons in the league.
Atlanta Falcons: LB Devin Lloyd
- Needs: CB, WR, LB, DL
- Cap space: $26,462,519
Only one of the four off-ball linebackers on Atlanta's two-deep is under contract for 2026. Bringing in Lloyd after a career year won't be cheap, but it will stabilize the middle of an improving defense and give the Falcons a solid coverage option who can replace some of Kaden Elliss' talent as a blitzer. Lloyd didn't just have five interceptions in 2025 but also had a career-best 24 pressures for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Boye Mafe
- Needs: IOL, EDGE, DL, WR, CB
- Cap space: $22,043,387
Baltimore needs a youth infusion at the edge after Kyle Van Noy floated back to earth and Odafe Oweh realized his potential 3,000 miles west in Los Angeles. Mafe only had two sacks last season, but it came on a career-best 13.2 percent pressure rate for the Super Bowl champions. Only one player with at least 100 pass rushing snaps was above 11.4 percent for the Ravens last fall… and that was Oweh.
Buffalo Bills: WR Rashid Shaheed
- Needs: WR, EDGE, IOL, CB, LB
- Cap space: -$12,345,834
The Bills lack of cap space could mean missing out on wideout options like Jauan Jennings or Romeo Doubs who could create space on clutch downs. But Shaheed may be a slightly cheaper option after playing an under-the-radar role in Seattle's Super Bowl offense. His ability to stretch the field could help another in-house receiver thrive, clearing space for Khalil Shakir after a season in which his target share and yards per route run both dipped.
Carolina Panthers: EDGE Khalil Mack
- Needs: EDGE, LB, CB, S, IOL
- Cap space: $12,574,504
Carolina has two different 2025 Day 2 draft picks ready to take over at edge rusher between Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Veteran leadership and guidance makes sense for a group that's more potential than production. Mack can bring both, adding run-stopping bonafides to a pass rush that's never seen him record a pressure rate under 13 percent in his lengthy NFL career.
Chicago Bears: EDGE Trey Hendrickson
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- Needs: S, EDGE, OT, CB
- Cap space: -$4,115,355
The Bears could make a move to land Maxx Crosby via trade. Or they could opt for the older Hendrickson without having to cough up significant draft considerations to recharge their pass rush. Hendrickson missed the bulk of 2025 with injury and had a career-low 14 percent pressure rate after averaging better than 19 percent in his four years as a Bengal that preceded it. But even a 14 percent pressure rate would be signfiicantly better than what Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo put up last fall.
Cincinnati Bengals DL John Franklin-Myers
- Needs: EDGE, CB, S, OL
- Cap space: $53,429,671
Cincinnati has the cap space to go after a higher profile pass rusher, but Franklin-Myers may be the best fit for the Bengals' four-man front. He's probably going to get a hefty, but not top-of-market contract that could save enough money to patch up the myriad other holes in the league's 29th-ranked defense. The veteran lineman can generate pressure as a three- or four-technique and generated a stop on 20 percent of his run defensive snaps, making him the kind of rising tide Cincy badly needs.
Cleveland Browns: EDGE Joseph Ossai
- Needs: QB, IOL, WR, CB, S
- Cap space: $3,210,721
There will be plenty of opportunities to add modest blocking or secondary help. But Ossai would be a high-value pickup at a potentially low price. He thrived in 2025 even with Trey Hendrickson banged up, notching a career-high 45 pressures last fall. Now he gets to team up with Myles Garrett to collapse pockets and make life easier for everyone else on the defense.
Dallas Cowboys: S Jaquan Brisker
- Needs: EDGE, LB, S, CB, RB
- Cap space: -$24,562,611
Dallas has one of the worst cap situations in 2026, which may disqualify Jerry Jones from many of the spring's top free agents. Fortunately, there's a lot of space that can be freed up by restructuring and extending star players the Cowboys want to keep around. That could liberate them to bolster the secondary with Brisker, who can handle several roles in the defensive backfield and may come at a reasonable price after four good, rarely great seasons in Chicago.
Denver Broncos: LB Nakobe Dean
- Needs: WR, TE, LB, EDGE
- Cap space: $28,685,734
The Falcons franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts, which prevents a possible glow-up as Bo Nix's safety valve/seam buster. Instead, we get a less flashy move that makes Denver a bit more athletic in the middle of the field. Dean brings injury concerns, but he's a complete sideline-to-sideline presence who can stand up in coverage and, importantly, free the All-Pro safeties behind him up for destructive freelance work.
Detroit Lions: LB Quay Walker
- Needs: EDGE, IOL, CB, LB, DT
- Cap space: -$9,641,148
Walker played his best football as a Packer while alongside a dynamic young off-ball linebacker stud in Edgerrin Cooper. Now he gets to pair with Jack Campbell to replenish the middle of Dan Campbell's defense. Walker is only 25 years old and still may have more room to grow, making him a slightly more intriguing pickup than a veteran like Devin Bush (who could also thrive here).
Green Bay Packers: G David Edwards
- Needs: OL, CB, DT, LB
- Cap space: -$1,586,657
The Packers had a bottom-10 yards before contact average on handoffs, leading Josh Jacobs to go from 217 rushing yards over expected in 2024 to… -7 in 2025. Green Bay doesn't have a lot of spending room and could turn to recent high-value draft picks Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton to make a leap into the starting lineup. But a glut of useful guards in free agency could make Edwards an inexpensive upgrade and veteran leader capable of raising the floor in Wisconsin.
Houston Texans: G Alijah Vera-Tucker
- Needs: OL, DT, RB, TE
- Cap space: -$4,908,295
Did Vera-Tucker's injury knock down his asking price enough for a Houston team with modest cap room (after what's certain to be a handful of restructures for guys like CJ Stroud, Nico Collins and Derek Stingley Jr.) to afford him? Vera-Tucker is a high level blocker who can look at what a stop in Houston did for Ed Ingram and sign a short-term deal in hopes of boosting his value. He's only played 43 games in five NFL seasons but was impressive when healthy in 2024. The Texans may offer the best combination of coaching and win-now potential for a tarnished-but-talented player like the Jets' o-lineman.
Indianapolis Colts: EDGE Joey Bosa
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- Needs: EDGE, LB, DT, OT
- Cap space: $35,718,489
After retaining Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard, the Colts may be content to run it back in 2026 with a healthy Daniel Jones (and re-signed free agents like Alec Pierce and Braden Smith) rather than getting bold with new additions. But Bosa could be a priority either way after a 13.7 percent pressure rate in 2025 -- higher than any Inidianapolis pass rusher other than Laiatu Latu.
Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Rico Dowdle
- Needs: DL, LB, OL, CB, RB
- Cap space: -$13,249,805
The Jaguars don't have much capital to spend this offseason in either free agency or the draft after last year's whirlwind of moves. That's fine, because Jacksonville showcased the potential to be a contender last fall, leaving 2026 to be a maintenance phase for the defending AFC South champs. Enter Dowdle, who continues to thrive in tailback time-shares, this time teaming with the bruising, slashing runs of Bhayshul Tuten.
Kansas City Chiefs: RB Travis Etienne
- Needs: CB, EDGE, DT, RB, S
- Cap space: -$11,350,166
Kansas City isn't in great space to spend on a non-premium position, but its run game cannot be ignored. Isiah Pacheco is a free agent and was a cog in a tailback rotation where no one averaged better than four yards per carry. Etienne averaged a career-high 2.1 yards per carry after contact en route to his third 1,000-yard season in four years, adding moderate value as a receiver out of the backfield as well.
Las Vegas Raiders: WR Jauan Jennings
- Needs: WR, OL, LB, CB, EDGE
- Cap space: $91,522,807
The Raiders need an established adult in its receiving corps -- a player with sticky hands who can create separation in big moments. The man known in the Bay Area as "third-and-Jauan" fits the bill. His on-schedule route running and, more importantly, skill on the out-breaking routes Fernando Mendoza throws so well would make him a rising tide for a stagnant offense.
Los Angeles Chargers: C Tyler Linderbaum
- Needs: OL, LB, DL, EDGE, CB
- Cap space: $82,942,941
I don't think Lindenbaum will leave the Ravens, who want to give him the contract a 25-year-old perennial Pro Bowler deserves but don't want to franchise tag him because that would pay him like a tackle, not a center. That leaves a chance for the space-clearing center to go from one Harbaugh to another, setting the tone up front for Jim and giving Los Angeles a reliable foundation in the middle of its line. Linderbaum has played 66 of a possible 68 regular season games in his career.
Los Angeles Rams: CB Jamel Dean
- Needs: CB, DT, S… QB?
- Cap space: $44,341,855
Darious Williams has done solid work as the elder statesman in the Los Angeles secondary, but he's about to turn 33 years old and was reduced to a rotational role in 2025. Dean is cagey and inconsistent, but at his best he's an underappreciated gem; he allowed just a 40.7 passer rating when split wide in coverage, allowing only 19 catches in 43 targets last fall.
Miami Dolphins: QB Malik Willis
- Needs: CB, S, WR, TE… QB?
- Cap space: $3,181,563
New head coach Jeff Hafley spent the last two seasons butting up against Willis as defensive coordinator of the Packers. The question is whether he'll have the resources to land the rising backup quarterback in free agency and if the infrastructure will be in place to help the former third round pick thrive in a new environment. 2026 looks like a tear-down year in Miami; if Willis can come in and show signs of life, he could stand as a potential franchise quarterback even in a four-win campaign.
Minnesota Vikings: LB Alex Anzalone
- Needs: LB, S, DE, RB, QB
- Cap space: -$43,206,353
Minnesota has one of the league's worst cap situations and will have to shed talent even with J.J. McCarthy's rookie contract on the books. Brian Flores' aggressive defense needs reliable playmakers in the middle of the field. Anzalone fits that bill and would likely be less expensive than younger, higher-profile options at off-ball linebacker.
New England Patriots: EDGE Jaelan Phillips
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- Needs: OT, S, LB, EDGE, WR
- Cap space: $40,563,596
Phillips feels likely to stay in Philadelphia after thriving there following an in-season trade -- he had 34 pressures over his final eight games of the regular season. With K'Lavon Chaisson on the market and a decent chunk of cap space to spend, New England can take a risk on a high-upside player whose impact goes beyond his counting stats but who remains an injury risk.
New Orleans Saints: RB Kenneth Walker III
- Needs: CB, IOL, EDGE, LB, RB
- Cap space: -$8,287,060
The Saints add the reigning Super Bowl MVP, utilizing a less-disastrous-than-usual salary cap position to shunt Alvin Kamara to a platoon role or create the leverage to trade or release him entirely and save up to $11.5 million in the process. Walker's jump-cuts are a solid remedy for an offensive line with a bottom three yards-before-contact average in 2025. He'd be another layer of support as New Orleans tries to figure out if Tyler Shough is actually good or just riding a small sample size.
Is this the best way to spend New Orleans' modest cap room? Nope! Has that ever stopped general manager Mickey Loomis before? Also, no.
New York Giants: OT Rasheed Walker
- Needs: DT, LB, OT, IOL, WR
- Cap space: $5,147,721
This won't be cheap, and New York has plenty of holes to fill with minimal cap space. But protecting Jaxson Dart is vital and Jermaine Eleumunor is a free agent on the wrong side of 30. New head coach John Harbaugh can cash in some of the value on Dart and Malik Nabers' rookie contracts to land 2026's top veteran tackle by throwing a boatload of money at Walker. While Green Bay allowed Jordan Love to face a career-high 35.7 percent pressure rate last fall, Walker's stability on the blind side wasn't the problem.
New York Jets: S Bryan Cook
- Needs: QB, WR, IOL, S, LB
- Cap space: $79,344,717
New York has money to throw at this year's slightly underwhelming crop of wideouts. Would Alec Pierce or Romeo Doubs want to play for a franchise with a truly grim history of quarterback play and few viable opportunities to improve? Tough call. Instead, let's lean into Aaron Glenn's strength and give him a player who could be 2026's top free agent defensive back. Cook isn't perfect, but his vision and tackling make him a chilling presence for a defense that gave up a boatload of explosive plays in Glenn's debut season.
Philadelphia Eagles: CB Riq Woolen
- Needs: CB, OT, EDGE, DL, TE
- Cap space: $18,152,388
Adoree Jackson played well enough last season, but he's a free agent and nearing his 31st birthday. He may be an easy fix for a team set to lose multiple defensive starters with modest salary cap space to spend, but let's aim a bit higher. Philly needs a boundary cornerback and there's one with elite length and speed available in Woolen -- who'll probably be a bit more expensive than Alontae Taylor or Nahshon Wright but fits well within the Eagles' young, uber-athletic cornerback group. Woolen did not allow a passer rating above 80.0 over a full season in four years with the Seahawks.
Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Romeo Doubs
- Needs: QB, WR, CB, S, IOL
- Cap space: $44,943,582
Since 2021, the Steelers have only given out a single contract worth more than $10 million in total value to a non-lineman or defensive player. That was for Mitchell Trubisky. But a new era is dawning and Mike McCarthy needs tools to build a competent offense. Doubs isn't a cure-all, but his versatile route-running and steady hands would help draw focus away from DK Metcalf and make life easier for whomever is winging passes at not-Heinz Field this fall.
San Francisco 49ers: G Isaac Seumalo
- Needs: OL, EDGE, S, WR
- Cap space: $41,205,176
There's an opportunity to pull from NFC West rivals to fill defensive gaps. But after Christian McCaffrey turned in the least efficient rushing performance of his career, there's an argument to be made for buttressing the interior of the line. Seumalo may be 2026's top guard on the market and can clear the space to unclog the Niners offense… though just who Brock Purdy will be throwing to remains a minor mystery.
Seattle Seahawks: CB Jaylen Watson
- Needs: CB, EDGE, WR, OL
- Cap space: $61,879,461
Seattle stands to lose multiple members of a Super Bowl secondary if Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe and Coby Bryant all leave as free agents. Odds are some of those guys will stick around, but if they don't the Seahawks have the cap space and appeal to lure 2026's top cornerback west. Watson allowed a 79.0 passer rating in coverage and had a single missed tackle in 15 games last fall.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Kwity Paye
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- Needs: EDGE, LB, TE, CB
- Cap space: $23,448,710
Tampa can take a swing on a reclamation edge rushing candidate by penciling in Paye as a starter. The former Rhode Island High School legend underwhelmed in 2025 but had back-to-back eight-plus sack seasons with 131 total pressures since 2023. Could a change of scenery unlock his next level -- and, importantly, boost a pass rush that finished in the top three when it came to pressure rate and only the top 23 when it came to sack rate?
Tennessee Titans: EDGE Odafe Oweh
- Needs: EDGE, WR, CB, LB, IOL
- Cap space: $103,504,062
The Titans have a ton of cap space in a year without many great free agents -- and most of this year's best players are expected to stick with the teams for whom they played in 2025. The Chargers have plenty of cap space to retain Oweh if they want, but may balk if Tennessee makes him a Godfather offer. The Titans' timeline makes Trey Hendrickson a difficult fit, but the young Oweh -- who fits nicely in the second level of the team's 3-4 front -- makes sense as a dynamic edge rusher who can be effective as Cam Ward reshapes the offense to build a contender.
Washington Commanders: WR Alec Pierce
- Needs: WR, LB, TE, IOL, EDGE
- Cap space: $73,653,969
Washington saw what Pierce's downfield presence could do for one mobile quarterback in Daniel Jones. Now he gets to pair with Jayden Daniels and make life so, so much easier for Terry McLaurin. A viable deep threat could unlock key pages in the Commanders playbook and, more importantly, help Daniels get back on track after a lost 2025.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Predicting where 32 of the NFL's top free agents will sign in 2026
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