Top 10 2026 NFL Free Agents By Position - Offense
The Underdog NFL news team will have you covered by the second with the latest NFL free agency news, and then we will cover the biggest signings on YouTube here. Of course, there will be a couple of franchise tags to remove some of these names (I made some predictions), and then some others will join the list after being released for cap purposes (I also made some predictions).
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2026 NFL Free Agent QB Rankings
Kyler Murray, 29 years old, 1st round
Note: He's a projected cut or trade candidate, not a free agent... But he's extremely unlikely to remain a Cardinal, and they'll officially make that decision by March 15th when his 2027 base salary guarantees. The question is if they can find a trade partner by then, or be forced into releasing him.
If traded without any restructuring of his current contract, the acquiring team will have $56M fully guaranteed on a two-year, $78.8M practically guaranteed contract (unless the first year was a total train wreck). The acquiring team would also have a 2028 non-guaranteed option to keep him for $46M. For reference, that's not too dissimilar to the Geno Smith contract with the Raiders (2-year, $75M with $58M guaranteed) and more than the Sam Darnold contract (3-year, $100M with $55M guaranteed). Geno cost a 3rd-round pick for what it's worth.
Perhaps the most likely scenario is a trade but with the Cardinals eating all or some of the $17M roster bonus. Every dollar they eat is a dollar the acquiring team doesn't eat, meaning the Cardinals could fetch more in return in terms of trade compensation. This $17M roster bonus is currently prohibitive because the acquiring team has this on their 2026 salary cap, ballooning Kyler's current charge to $53M. Most teams would immediately try to convert some of that into prorated bonuses to reduce the current-year cap hit, so it's probably easier for the negotiation to happen with this $17M roster bonus.
If teams don't want Kyler Murray on those numbers, then the Cardinals would be forced into releasing him. They'd eat $58M in dead money, and Murray would be free to sign with anyone else during free agency. His contract likely has offset language, so he'd be inclined to sign near the veteran minimum on a prove it contract like we've seen with Russell Wilson before.
Daniel Jones, 28, 1st round
Before an achilles tear, this was extremely straight forward. The Colts were going to re-sign him or franchise tag him as a backup plan. Now, the 1-year, $44M franchise tag feels untenable given he's uncertain to start Week 1 and his tear is on the "throwing push-off side." Jones has also ended seasons with ACL and neck injuries, so was his 2025 production enough to warrant a guaranteed multi-year commitment?
The most recent precedent would be the failed $90M guaranteed Kirk Cousins contract that kept him in Atlanta for two years and counting. Cousins' achilles tear happened at 35 years old, not 28, but he had multiple seasons as a quality starter versus this semi one-year-wonder journey Jones went on with Shane Steichen. Cousins' contract is also viewed as a stone-cold disaster. Other comparable two(ish)-year contracts without injury are: Geno Smith ($58M fully guaranteed), Sam Darnold ($38M fully guaranteed), and Justin Fields ($30M fully guaranteed). The Fields one seems insulting to Jones, so somewhere between $38M-$60M guaranteed over two seasons feels about right. Without the injury, Jones would've likely been in the Kyler Murray ($103M fully guaranteed) and Tua Tagovailoa ($93M fully guaranteed) range. Huge bummer for him.
The Colts are still favorites to keep him, however. They don't have a 1st-round pick with the Sauce Gardner trade, and as you'll see with this list, the available QBs are bleak.
Malik Willis, 27, 3rd round
It's an extremely small sample of 159 plays, but Willis is the QB1 in EPA per play out of 75 qualifiers over the past 3 seasons. He's also 1st in completion percentage over expected and 11th in success rate. Okay okay okay. Willis has real physical tools to work with beyond being a small-sample legend, and the well-run Packers seemed to really like him. No team can view him as a for sure starter given his inexperience, but Willis is an intriguing bridge in the mold of Justin Fields (2-year, $30M guaranteed) or Daniel Jones (1-year, $14.6M guaranteed) from last year, especially in offenses that have QB designed runs built in. I like Willis' tape far more than Fields' when he kept getting shots.
Geno Smith, 36, 2nd round
Note: He's a projected cut or trade candidate, not a free agent... The Raiders will take a QB 1st overall and that prospect will start Week 1, barring disaster. The assumption is Geno Smith will either be their backup, or they'll save the remaining $8M in non-guaranteed money and release him, while eating $18.5M in dead money. The $8M saved is about the cost of a bridge QB, not a distant backup, so I think it's a legit debate whether to keep him, cut him, or eat some money and try to trade him for a late pick.
The excuses for 2025 was a disaster OL with a nepo-baby OL coach, a fired college OC calling plays, and having sub-par receivers due to injuries and trades. There's no arguing all that. Geno Smith also played like a replacement-level starter individually because he seemed to get loose with his decision making. That's both under pressure and when kept clean. It did not look like it did in the years prior. Perhaps Smith's age is catching up to him or the situation sent him on full tilt, but it's hard to exactly say from the outside. I do know if he keeps throwing it to hook/curl defenders, then he's a backup only. In terms of arm talent, Geno still ripped some throws and was able to dance around in the pocket at times. He just can't be trusted anymore, but I would understand one more crack of being a bridge on a 1-year deal only. There was a league average starter just 20 months ago if a team believes in their OL and OC enough to roll the dice.
Kirk Cousins, 38, 4th round
Note: He's a projected cut or trade candidate, not a free agent... The Falcons should have new leadership this offseason, and Cousins' release would save $22.5M against the cap. No brainer. As a Falcon, Cousins is the QB30 in EPA per play and now he heads into his age-38 season. It's possible he just wants to retire because his arm strength and movement are simply not good enough after the achilles tear. Cousins has made about $400M throughout his career but wants to keep playing per Field Yates. Cousins is good enough to start games in 2026 as a bridge QB (if he doesn't want to pivot to television).
Aaron Rodgers, 42, 1st round
The 42-year-old is likeliest to retire, but if he wants to play another year, he is a top-32 NFL QB I guess. He'll at least be cheap. In 2025, Rodgers signed a 1-year, $14.1M contract and that wasn't too far off from backups Russell Wilson ($11M) and Marcus Mariota ($8M). The Steelers, particularly coach Mike Tomlin, seem to like Rodgers and vice versa, so if there's a team that he's willing to suit up for, it's probably them again. It's just not that interesting of a storyline to me after watching him dirt throws and check the ball down for the entire year.
Marcus Mariota, 33, 1st round
The 32-year-old quietly played decent ball with the Commanders in relief of Jayden Daniels, and since leaving the Falcons in 2022 as the starter, Mariota ranks a lot higher in the advanced metrics than you'd think; QB17 in EPA per play, QB5 in success rate, and QB2 in completion percentage over expected out of 51 qualifiers. That's on the 3rd-highest average depth of target, so this isn't exactly a Mickey Mouse offense he's running, even if it's been with OC Kliff Kingsbury.
Now, Mariota signed a $6M deal in 2023 before re-upping on a separate $8M deal last year. If teams held onto the belief he's a starter, neither would've happened. The challenging part is counting to 32 QBs in 2026. Could he push for more bridge QB money now? That was $14M for Daniel Jones, $14M for Aaron Rodgers, and $11M for Russell Wilson last offseason. That feels about right for Mariota after he's learned to push the ball more often after frustratingly conservative years as a starter.
Tua Tagovailoa, 28, 1st round
Note: He's a projected cut or trade candidate, not a free agent... The details of his contract are below, but the Dolphins are largely debating if they should keep Tagovailoa as an extremely expensive backup or if they should chop up their $99M dead dollars in a few ways by releasing him. It's fair to wonder if the Dolphins appreciated all of the microphone moments Tua had this year and if he's the type they want to keep around when they've already mentally moved on.
If you watch Tua in college or early in his NFL career, then you compare that to what he looks like today, you'll easily notice how much his body has suffered. That's hip and chronic ankles before the concussion history and putting on weight to combat it. The end result is a physical skillset that's no longer suitable for starter treatment in the modern era. Beyond that, coach Mike McDaniel built an RPO and half-field-read offense to hide his post-snap decision making. I wouldn't trust many other offenses to cater to him that way, not to mention how the Miami weather caters to his lackluster arm. He's ironically back in the Mac Jones world as a clear backup who can have a couple of moments in a very specific offense, and even then, Jones' arm is still better than Tua's at the moment.
Russell Wilson, 37, 3rd round
The 37-year-old has ranked as the QB19, QB25, and then last year QB31 in EPA per play in 3 different offenses. Next year will now be a 4th offense because the Giants will stick with Jameis Winston as their backup QB to Jaxson Dart. Wilson's limitations are beyond obvious at this point, so the only calling cards are his experience and deep-ball accuracy. His $11M contract from last year put him in the bridge QB range, but he'll likely fall back a tier after only lasting a few games in 2025. Both Tyrod Taylor and Jacoby Brissett signed 2-year, $12M contracts as comps. Marcus Mariota signed an $8M deal as a clear backup in 2025, too.
Justin Fields, 27, 1st round
Note: He's a projected cut candidate, not a free agent... The Jets' contract was a total (predictable) disaster, and it'll come with another $10M in dead money this upcoming season. At the time, Fields' $30M guaranteed contract was in no man's land, and no team will treat him as a legitimately bridge quarterback after a third team has decided to move on from him in as many years. He's the QB35 in EPA per play and QB40 in success rate over that span, leaving him as an upside backup in a very specific offense. Fields simply won't be for everyone either, so his market should land in the Tyrod Taylor ($6M) and Marcus Mariota ($8M range) as strict backups.
Trey Lance
Jimmy Garoppolo
Trade candidates: Anthony Richardson, Mac Jones, Spencer Rattler.
2026 NFL Free Agent RB Rankings
Kenneth Walker, 25, 2nd round
Like Etienne and Hall, the franchise tag is unlikely. Walker is an extremely fun back but is only averaging 4.3 yards per carry on a 44% success rate, thanks to some terrible Seahawks OLs. He's improved as a receiver but has been subbed out on obvious pass downs for pass protection and injury concerns. He'd do well to get the Kyren Williams contract (3-year, $33M with $23M guaranteed), while the Rhamondre Stevenson ($17M guaranteed) contract should be his absolute floor. The odds of him re-signing with the Seahawks are higher with Zach Charbonnet tearing his ACL in January. Walker played very well as a bellcow without him. I'd push to sign him.
Breece Hall, 25, 2nd round
The franchise tag is $14M, and only Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, and Jonathan Taylor make that much per year, so that's an unlikely path with Hall's play too inconsistent to match those bellcows. He is only 25 years old and a former 2nd-round pick, but Hall has averaged just 4.3 yards per carry on a 45% success rate since his ACL tear, racking up another 60 receptions per year as a well-rounded RB1. Comparable recent contracts include Kyren Williams (3-year, $33M with $23M guaranteed) up to James Cook (4-year, $46M with $30M guaranteed) if he's extremely lucky. The Jets opted to not trade him for a 3rd-round pick at the deadline, so they'll push to re-sign him before free agency kicks off, likely using Kyren as a baseline.
Travis Etienne, 27 years old, 1st round
The Jaguars held a competition in the offseason and regular season, but Etienne won it repeatedly with his improved consistency in a fun Liam Coen offense. His explosiveness stood out, and he's stayed healthy for most of his NFL career after foot injuries early on. Etienne's 4.6 yards per carry in 2025 is near the top of the class, he's averaged 40+ receptions per year, and he's a former 1st-round pick. His market should be strong heading into his age-27 season. Older backs to get paid include David Montgomery (2-year, $18M with $10M guaranteed), Alvin Kamara (2-year, $24M with $12M guaranteed), and Josh Jacobs (4-year, $48M with $12.5M guaranteed). Those seem to be the absolute floor for his guarantees with Kyren Williams ($23M guaranteed) and James Cook ($30M guaranteed) in the tier above. Etienne should be in the $15-25M guaranteed range.
Rico Dowdle, 28, UDFA
2025 was viewed as a "prove it" year after playing well with Cowboys' backups the year prior. Dowdle proved he's worth a real contract after settling for $2.7M with the Panthers. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and has a 50% success rate throughout his career. His size makes him a quality short-yardage option at the very least, but he can play all three downs. Former undrafted free agents make less money than their peers with the same production, so Dowdle could still still be in the David Montgomery ($10M guaranteed) to Rhamondre Stevenson ($17M guaranteed) range despite having more juice. His age, 28 years old, will work against him.
Javonte Williams, 26, 2nd round
A couple of brutal seasons after a massive knee tear kept Williams' market soft last offseason ($3M), but he easily won the job and operated as an effective bellcow for the Cowboys. He's good in protection, can catch the ball, and ran with some pop early in the season before things regressed later on. It ultimately settled on 4.8 yards per carry on a career-best 55% success rate. Equally important for his future, Williams stayed healthy. D'Andre Swift, who was a similar prospect with similar inconsistent play in the pros, signed a 3-year, $24M deal with $15M guaranteed as a baseline. The Cowboys have no depth at RB and should have interest in a long-term deal.
Tyler Allgeier, 26, 5th round
His rookie season included his lone 1,000-yard rushing season, but Allgeier has remained a very effective 1b to Bijan Robinson for the past 3 seasons. His 52% career rushing success rate stands out, even if he's more of a short-yardage hammer than a well-rounded back. Jordan Mason signed a 2-year, $10M contract with $7M guaranteed last offseason as a similar, low-volume power back.
Rachaad White, 27, 4th round
It's been a very odd career. White was strictly effective as a receiver for his first 3 seasons (54% success rate on 185 targets), then that went away without OC Liam Coen in 2025. But White's rushing success rate went from 45% in his first 3 seasons up to 57% in 2025, despite playing behind an injured OL. His decisiveness and contact balance improved once his workload scaled back. White should be a well-rounded RB2 who can be trusted in the pass game. With Bucky Irving on a rookie deal and Sean Tucker as a restricted free agent, it's likely time for White to find a new home. He'd do well to receive the Jaylen Warren contract at 3 years, $17M with $7M guaranteed.
Kenneth Gainwell, 27, 5th round
In his lone season with the Steelers, Gainwell carved out an interesting pass-first role and earned the trust of Aaron Rodgers, who would audible at the line of scrimmage to get him quick receptions all the time. His 4.6 yards per carry were a career-high, and he had a huge fill-in start when Jaylen Warren missed, too, so a raise from his $1.8M contract is absolutely warranted. Austin Ekeler (2-year, $8.3M contract with $4.2M guaranteed) and Justice Hill (2-year, $6M contract with $4.4M guaranteed) are pass-game backs in this tier.
Brian Robinson, 27, 3rd round
This will be his first big contract, but BRob was an old prospect who has dealt with some nagging injuries due to his bruising style. He enjoyed a career-high 4.6 yards per carry as Christian McCaffrey's low-volume backup, and he stayed healthy throughout. His 225-pound frame stands out as a low-volume hammer. His contract should hover around Rico Dowdle's $2.75M, as he was only traded for a 6th-round pick last offseason.
J.K. Dobbins, 28, 2nd round
Unfortunately, Dobbins will be forced into 1-year deals for the rest of his career due to his fluky injury history. A lisfranc foot injury ended an efficient 2025 season (5.0 yards per carry), a new one after knee, ankle, and achilles injuries the seasons prior. Dobbins will now be 28 years old, and he settled for a $2M prove it contract with the Broncos last time around.
Isiah Pacheco, 27, 7th round
His career has been split in two. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry in his first two seasons on a 53% success rate, but that's dropped to 4.0 in the last two years since fracturing his leg. The Chiefs used Kareem Hunt over him at the goal line, and Pacheco's explosiveness has taken a hit despite having a quality run-blocking OL. His lack of vision and carelessness in the pass game limit his usefulness. Elijah Mitchell signed a $1.75M contract in a similar situation last offseason.
Najee Harris
Cut candidates: Joe Mixon ($8.5M saved), James Conner ($8.0M saved), Aaron Jones ($7.2M saved), Devin Singletary ($5.2M saved), Antonio Gibson ($3.5M saved).
2026 NFL Free Agent WR Rankings
George Pickens, 25, 2nd round
The franchise tag is $28M, which is around Tee Higgins, Terry McLaurin, Brandon Aiyuk, and Garrett Wilson per-year money. If the Cowboys can't re-sign him to a monster deal long term, which they absolutely should and are incentivized to do with Dak Prescott's huge cap hit, then Pickens isn't going anywhere with the tag available. He was way too good. A deal exactly similar to CeeDee Lamb's would keep everyone pretty happy; 4 years, $136M with $100M guaranteed.
Alec Pierce, 26, 2nd round
It's been 4 years of growth from Pierce, who averaged a career-high 70 yards per game before Daniel Jones' achilles injury. His primary strength is as a single-high downfield threat with his speed and ball skills, but Pierce has flashed breaking route ability in smaller samples, too. His growth probably hasn't reached the $28M franchise tag. Instead, Courtland Sutton's 4-year, $92M contract with $41M guarantees would be a stylistic comp, while his teammate Michael Pittman signed a 3-year, $68M deal with $46M guaranteed after his rookie contract ended as a 2nd-rounder. He should absolutely push for at least $25M per year in my opinion. What's not to like here?
Brandon Aiyuk, 28, 1st round
The 49ers voided Aiyuk's guarantees after he missed practices, and Aiyuk didn't even file a grievance with the NFLPA to fight it. They want a divorce at all costs. Crazy, but that's that. The question becomes if he'll be released with a Post June 1st designation or if they'll find a trade partner.
The 49ers would rather find a trade partner, but it'd be a very risky trade at this juncture. An acquiring team would only be on the books for $2M in 2026 and then non-guaranteed $27M and $31M cash in 2027 and 2028, though Aiyuk would be pushing for a restructure and more guarantees most likely. A trade really is for the exclusive right to negotiate a new long-term contract with him. The fact Aiyuk didn't fight the loss of the guarantees could mean a behind-the-scenes deal to just let him leave via a release...
If Aiyuk is in fact released, it'll be a Post June 1st designation to split his cap charges on the 49ers' books. He'd be able to sign anywhere and likely still sign for plenty. Stefon Diggs has had some maturity issues and was signed off a torn ACL this offseason, yet earned a 3-year, $69M contract with $26M guaranteed. His former teammate Deebo Samuel signed a 1-year, $17M deal coming off an injured-plagued deal with contractual headaches. Calvin Ridley signed a 4-year, $92M contract with $50M guaranteed after missing an entire season due to suspension then catching 76 balls with the Jaguars. Those deals would put him in the $20-25M per year range, and below or around DeVonta Smith, Nico Collins, and Jaylen Waddle types.
Mike Evans, 33, 1st round
He could retire, but Evans still has enough juice to win at the catch point when he's healthy. Evans signed a 2-year, $41M contract a few years back and could push for multiple years if he really wanted to, as veterans Davante Adams ($25M guaranteed), Stefon Diggs ($23M guaranteed), and Cooper Kupp ($18M guaranteed) essentially signed 2-year deals at 32/33 years old last offseason.
Romeo Doubs, 26, 4th round
There's been real progress for Doubs as his snaps have increased alongside a deep Packers receiver room. He's played a lot of X receiver with some man coverage wins in the red zone in particular. His 40 yards per game is average, but Doubs' 58% success rate when targeted over the past two years is a nice mark. Rashod Bateman was a 1st-rounder, but their careers are similar and he re-signed at 3 years, $37M with $20M guaranteed as a WR2/3 in an offense. On the lower end is Josh Palmer's 3-year, $29M contract with $18M guaranteed.
Rashid Shaheed, 28, UDFA
Despite playing 90% of his career with the Saints, Shaheed has been one of the most explosive receivers on a per-target basis (9.3 yards per target). His speed and special teams value are obvious on tape, and he's flashed intermediate route running, too. The Seahawks didn't get much out of him after the trade deadline, though his value was appraised by a 4th- and 5th-round picks as payment. Darius Slayton wasn't a high draft pick but flashed on his rookie deal, ultimately signing a 3-year, $36M contract with $22M guaranteed. Jerry Jeudy's deal at 3 years, $53M with $28M guaranteed would be closer to how I'd value him, noting I'm a bigger fan of his than money. (Maybe I just know ball, though.)
Wan'Dale Robinson, 25, 2nd round
The Giants used him on Mickey Mouse routes for 3 years, then without Malik Nabers and with better QB play, Robinson set career highs in yards per game (63) and yards per reception (11.0) in a contract year. He was running more downfield routes, even if his long-term role is as a slot receiver. The Giants have terrible depth at receiver, so a re-signing makes sense. Khalil Shakir was drafted later than Robinson, but they are both slots heading into the primes of their careers. Shakir signed a 4-year, $53M deal with $32M guaranteed. That should be Robinson's floor.
Deebo Samuel, 30, 2nd round
The 49ers were able to get a 5th-round pick for Samuel, who played on a 1-year, $17M guaranteed contract with the Commanders. He played well early before slowing down once Terry McLaurin returned to the lineup. Deebo's playing style has accumulated a lot of hits, and 2025 was a career-low in yards per touch at 8.1. He's slid into the slot and not every play-caller will have a spot for his tailored skillset. There are so few comps for this profile, but anything beyond 2026 would be risky to me.
Jauan Jennings, 29, 7th round
The 49ers developed his skills up to 65 yards per game in 2024 before injuries somewhat derailed last year (43 yards per game) on a much-lower yards per target (7.1). Jennings' physicality and versatile are useful to any offense, and this is his best opportunity for a big payday after lots of smaller prove it deals with the Niners. The range should be around the Josh Palmer contract at 3 years, $29M with $18M guaranteed. That guarantee would double his current career earnings.
Chrisitan Kirk, 29, 2nd round
It was a lost season due to injuries and a new scheme, up until Kirk went nuts in the playoffs with an 8-144-1 receiving line against the Steelers. The Texans have two early picks to play next year, especially after 3rd-round Jaylin Noel only played 12 snaps in two playoff games as his direct replacement. Back-to-back seasons with under 500 yards will cast doubt on Kirk's long-term value.
Keenan Allen, 34, 3rd round
Unc still (kinda) had it. Allen started out hot while playing near full-time snaps (60 YPG), then had his role reduced for more personnel versatility late. He consistently fought near the 1st-down marker and was quietly really efficient when targeted throughout the year, finishing as the WR15 on total EPA added on a WR27 success rate out of 82 qualifiers. Playing with Justin Herbert helps, but would he be interested in maintaining a 25-50% snap rate to continue breaking Chargers' all-time records? I could see it.
Tyquan Thornton
Jalen Nailor
Olamide Zaccheus
Cut candidates: Tyreek Hill ($23M saved), Cooper Kupp ($9.5M saved), Darnell Mooney ($7.5M saved).
Trade candidates: D.J. Moore ($16.5M saved).
2026 NFL Free Agent TE Rankings
Kyle Pitts, 26, 1st round
The franchise tag is at $15.8M, which is less than T.J. Hockenson ($16.5M per year) but more than David Njoku ($13.7M). Pitts' rookie season was one of the best ever, then the next two seasons were derailed by a multi-ligament knee tear. His 2025 season was a return to full health, big games, and downfield plays. It'd be risky to let a late-year rebound turn into a massive long-term deal, so the Falcons could use the tag to buy another year of evaluating where he's at.
If they don't opt into that, then Hockenson's prospect profile and rookie contract stats are similar enough to use as an upside comp for a long-term deal. That was 4-year, $66M with $30M fully guaranteed. David Njoku was also a 1st-round pick who broke out late, so his 4-year, $55M contract with $17M fully guaranteed is another comp. Pitts' upside is so much higher than either one of them, and I'd be very interesting in paying Pitts if the Falcons somehow let him leave the building. That feels unlikely.
Dallas Goedert, 31, 2nd round
He was talked into a $4M pay cut last year, resulting in a 1-year, $10M contract. Goedert still has the well-rounded skill to be a secondary target and asset in the ground game, though the latter regressed in 2025. He will be 31 years old with an injury history, but a 31-year-old lesser talent in Evan Engram signed a 2-year, $23M contract with $17M guaranteed this offseason to be in a part-time role. Mark Andrews, also 31, is a better comp, and the Ravens re-signed him to a surprising 3-year, $39M extension with $24M guaranteed.
Cade Otton, 27, 4th round
Most of his value is being a quality blocker who can handle volume when top pass catchers are out of the lineup. That means Otton fits every offense, even if his career 6.6 yards per target is lackluster. Two comps are Pat Freiermuth (4-year, $48M extension with $11M guaranteed) and Dawson Knox (4-year, $52M extension with $31M guaranteed).
Travis Kelce, 37, 3rd round
He's likeliest to retire, but if Kelce does return, he'd have to take a discount off his $17M deal from 2025. Dallas Goedert accepted a haircut to play at $10M last year for reference, acknowledging he's no longer a focal point of his offense. Kelce was still the TE5 in total EPA added on the 4th-most targets, so if he wanted to go one more year after a quick offseason honeymoon, then he absolutely could. I'd just lower his snaps and targets.
Isaiah Likely, 26, 4th round
Not every offense will appreciate Likely's skillset. He is an underwhelming blocker who hasn't been a full-time player before, but Likely is one of the best yards after the catch threats at the position (when he's not fumbling the ball). Jonnu Smith is at the upper bound of the player profile, and he played on a 1-year, $12M contract with the Steelers last year. Likely will sign a multi-year deal given his age, and that became increasing unlikely with the Ravens when they extended Mark Andrews in-season. Jake Ferguson is a more well-rounded TE1 but in Likely's age cohort at least, and he signed a 4-year extension worth $50M with $21M guaranteed.
Daniel Bellinger, 26, 4th round
The Giants stopped using him as a receiving option after his rookie contract, rather having him bulk up to be the in-line blocker next to Theo Johnson. Bellinger is quite good at it, and that role has become increasingly more important as teams run the ball against two-high shells. The inline TE being able to block is a difference between good and bad offenses. Josh Oliver is just that with the Vikings, and he signed a 3-year, $23M extension with $16M fully guaranteed. Tommy Tremble is that at a lesser level, and he re-signed with the Panthers at 2 years, $10M.
David Njoku, 30, 1st round
The Browns likely fielded calls for Njoku at the deadline but didn't move him, despite knowing Harold Fannin Jr. was a baller as a 21-year-old rookie. Njoku was playing on a $13.7M per year deal before it expired, but Mark Andrews signed a $13M extension during the 2025 season and is likely viewed in the same ballpark. Neither are great blockers but can be traditional TE while also running downfield routes at an above-average rate. It hurts Njoku's case that targets going to him resulted in -3.6 EPA this year (fully acknowledging the QB play).
Chigoziem Okonkwo, 27, 4th round
Similar to Isaiah Likely, Okonkwo is simply not a fit for everyone as a part-time receiving threat who is a legitimate weakness whenever tasked with run blocking. He's destined for a small role in 2-TE sets, though his yards after catch juice can be a fun change up for a sicko coordinator. Noah Fant gets there differently than Okonkwo but are similar enough part-time options, and Fant signed a $2.75M prove it deal with the Bengals as a former 1st rounder.
Adam Trautman, 29, 3rd round
Sean Payton's blocking TE signed a 2-year, $7.5M contract with $5M guaranteed a few seasons ago and still has blocking juice remaining.
Darren Waller, 34, 6th round
He played on a $2M contract out of retirement, but Waller flashed when healthy. He was able to run away from defenders and made multiple big plays at the catch point in a part-time role as a pure receiver.
Charlie Kolar
Cut candidates: T.J. Hockenson ($8.9M saved), Dawson Knox ($9.6M saved), Cole Kmet ($8.4M saved), Jonnu Smith ($7M saved), Will Dissly ($4M saved).
2026 NFL Free Agent OT Rankings
RT Jermaine Eluemunor: 32yo fiery starter. NYG should re-sign.
RT Braden Smith: Good and 30yo, but OCD/concussion history.
LT Rasheed Walker: 3-year GB LT, only 26yo. Better in pass pro.
RT Jonah Williams: 29yo mid ex-1st-rounder. Some LT history.
LT Braxton Jones: Ankle/knee injury, but 27yo, 3-year starter.
RT Rob Havenstein: Ankle injury and 34yo, but 11-year starter.
LT Cam Robinson: Would be 5th team in 3 years. 31yo bridge LT.
RT Jack Conklin: 2 knee tears then 2 concussions in '25. 32yo.
RT Elijah Wilkinson: ATL fill-in at 30yo with OG experience.
RT Trent Brown: 33yo who played well in half year with HOU.
2026 NFL Free Agent C/OG Rankings
C Tyler Linderbaum: No chance he leaves BAL. Top-5 C.
RG Alijah Vera-Tucker: Missed '25 (triceps). But very good. 27yo.
LG David Edwards: 29yo multi-year starter for BUF. 1,000 snaps.
C Connor McGovern: 28yo multi-year starter for BUF. 1,000 snaps.
LG Isaac Seumalo: 33yo with power. Some soft-tissue injuries.
RG Kevin Zeitler: 36yo retirement candidate, but still has it.
RG Wyatt Teller: Former Pro Bowler, but 32yo with lingering calf.
LG Zion Johnson: 1st-rounder w/ 4-straight 1,000-snaps. Mid tho.
C Cade Mays: 2-year starter with some OG experience. 27yo.
RG Teven Jenkins: Played well in Dec. after signing as CLE backup.
RG Ed Ingram: 2nd-rounder off "breakout" year in HOU. Was bad.
RG Greg Van Roten: 36yo retirement candidate. 1,000 snaps again.
C Ethan Pocic: 31yo off a torn Achilles. Tons of experience.
C/G Brady Christensen: Flashed in small sample before Achilles.