NFL free agency for the 2026 offseason officially begins on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET, but teams can start negotiating with players on Monday at noon ET.
We have you covered with everything you need to know ahead of the many upcoming moves. That includes a preview of what to expect, a look at the best available players, key teams to watch, quarterbacks who could be on the move, perfect player-team fits and bold predictions. We also picked out free agents who could break the bank and asked one big question to our Titans, Raiders, Chiefs and Saints reporters. Finally, we wrapped it all up with an evaluation of how deals could impact April’s NFL draft and next season’s fantasy football landscape.
Here’s what you need to know about free agency.
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Preview | Top names | Franchise tags
Quarterbacks to watch | Bank breakers
Active teams | Quiet teams | Best fits
Big questions | Deepest position | Sleepers
Bold predictions | Draft outlook | Fantasy spin
What can we expect in free agency, and when does it start?
The Super Bowl MVP, running back Kenneth Walker III, will be available when NFL free agency begins at the start of the new league year on March 11. So will Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Joe Flacco.
The NFL salary cap in 2026 is set at $301.2 million, amounting to a $22 million increase from last year and leaving multiple teams with plenty of space when the negotiating window opens at noon ET on Monday.
The quarterback market could be intriguing with several teams looking for a new starter or a dependable backup. The Falcons will release Kirk Cousins and the Cardinals will release Kyler Murray when the league year opens, and situations involving the Raiders’ Geno Smith and the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa will be closely monitored. Like Cousins and Murray, both Smith and Tagavailoa have new head coaches and play for organizations that could be looking to forge a new path.
Defensively, there’s always a market for proven pass rushers and several will be available, including veterans Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. — Lindsey Thiry, national NFL reporter
Who are the top free agents available?
Matt Bowen stacked the top 10 free agents available.
1. Trey Hendrickson, Edge
2. Tyler Linderbaum, C
3. Jaelan Phillips, Edge
4. Alec Pierce, WR
5. Rasheed Walker, OT
6. Odafe Oweh, Edge
7. Braden Smith, OT
8. John Franklin-Myers, DL
9. Alontae Taylor, CB
10. Quay Walker, LB
Read more: Ranking top 100 players available
Who was franchise- or transition-tagged?
Only four teams used the franchise or transition tag before the March 3 deadline.
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Stephen Jones explains why Cowboys franchise-tagged George Pickens
Co-owner Stephen Jones tells Rich Eisen why the Cowboys used the franchise tag on George Pickens.
Read more: What is an NFL franchise tag? … Tracking franchise tag updates … Winners, losers of the tag deadline
Who are the top quarterbacks available?
Malik Willis: A third-round pick of the Titans in 2022, Willis did little in Tennessee but thrived as a backup to Jordan Love in Green Bay over the past two seasons. He’s a dynamic runner and an improved passer who’s still only 26 years old and should do quite well as the top player in a thin quarterback market. In the era of “QB rehab,” where once-touted prospects land with good coaching staffs and retool for a strong second act the way Sam Darnold did this past season with the Seahawks, Willis is going to appeal to teams looking for short- and long-term answers.
Aaron Rodgers: We don’t even know yet if he’s going to play another NFL season. Rodgers is 42 and has been competent but not exceptional the past two years with the Jets and Steelers. There has been chatter about Pittsburgh wanting him back, so that’s possible. He also had talks with the Vikings last offseason and those could be revived. But again, this is assuming he doesn’t plan to retire, which he indicated somewhat strongly before this past season that he did.
Kyler Murray: One of the appealing things about Murray is that a team can sign him for a league-minimum $1.3 million. His contract says that any money he makes from another team this year will be offset against the guaranteed $36.8 million the Cardinals are obligated to pay him. So unless he’s getting more than $36.8 million from someone (unlikely!), Murray has no incentive to sign for anything more than the minimum. Anything higher would just be doing the Cardinals a favor and saving them more money. There isn’t another quarterback on the market that offers Murray’s combination of experience, talent, affordability and relative youth (he turns 29 in August). I expect the Vikings to give him a serious look, and I doubt they’ll be alone.
Best of the rest: We have to point out the strong possibility that Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa will end up as a free agent if his team is unsuccessful in trading him and his onerous contract. Mac Jones and Jacoby Brissett are under contract in San Francisco and Arizona, respectively, but could be available in trades. After that, you’re looking at the likes of Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson, Marcus Mariota and Jimmy Garoppolo. It looks like a rough offseason to need a quarterback, but then again, teams find solutions in all kinds of places these days. — Dan Graziano, national NFL reporter
Read more: How QB-needy NFL teams can approach the bad offseason market
Free agents who will break the bank
Devin Lloyd, LB
Lloyd hits the linebacker market one year after it was reset by extensions for the Eagles’ Zack Baun, Jets’ Jamien Sherwood, Chiefs’ Nick Bolton and 49ers’ Fred Warner — all of whom stayed with their teams. But Lloyd looks destined to get out of Jacksonville, where a competition for his services might propel him to the third- or maybe even second-biggest linebacker contract. At only 27, he’s coming off a career season — tied for second-most interceptions (five) and 1.5 sacks. Lloyd has long been considered an ascending player and has desirable physical traits.
Tyler Linderbaum, C
It isn’t a question of whether or not Linderbaum tops the center market. The question is how much he’ll exceed the $18 million per year currently made by Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey in the largest center contract in history. Linderbaum has shined in multiple iterations of the Ravens’ running game and has several teams lined up for his services, should he successfully get out of Baltimore.
Alec Pierce, WR
Pierce has been the league’s most explosive receiver over the past two seasons with 21.8 yards per reception, well above second place (Lions’ Jameson Williams at 17.2). He also has the size (6-foot-3, 211 pounds) and strength to be used more as a traditional WR1 at all three levels of the field. Cap-rich teams are desperate to give Pierce a deal in the high-$20 million range of average annual value.
Kenneth Walker III, RB
Walker is set to reach free agency as the top, highly explosive RB with emergent receiving ability given how he finished the season in Seattle. The reigning Super Bowl MVP wasn’t even a perfect scheme fit for Seattle’s zone-heavy approach. With a thin RB class in the 2026 draft, expect free agent running backs to see a boost in their contracts this cycle. — Ben Solak, NFL analyst
Read more: Barnwell’s offensive player tiers … Barnwell’s defensive player tiers
Which teams could be active in free agency?
Tennessee Titans: They have nearly $100 million in cap space and several positional needs on which to use it. Tennessee will monitor top markets if a big swing makes sense, but it will work the second- and mid-tier markets to fill needs. Edge rusher, guard and corner are among their holes.
Las Vegas Raiders: Similar situation to Tennessee — a bad roster with a ton of cap space to improve it. Expect the Raiders to be in on some of the top interior offensive linemen such as Tyler Linderbaum or Zion Johnson, as well as defensive reinforcements. Whether edge rusher Maxx Crosby is traded or not will inform their direction, too.
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Are the Cowboys the best fit for Maxx Crosby?
Peter Schrager and Jason McCourty discuss the impact Maxx Crosby could make if he were to join the Cowboys.
Washington Commanders: The third season of the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn regime needs roster help. The Commanders are looking at some of the top running backs and off-ball linebackers. They also have ample cap space to work with, coming in around $71 million.
Indianapolis Colts: This is about keeping their top players in-house. The Colts want to retain Alec Pierce before the new league year after tagging Daniel Jones. Indy (with $33.2 million in cap space) also needs edge rush help. — Jeremy Fowler, national NFL reporter
Read more: Players who need a change of scenery … Projecting one signing for every team
Which teams could be quiet in free agency?
Dallas Cowboys: Sitting out the major part of free agency is the Cowboys’ M.O. anyway, but it seems particularly likely considering the team’s cap situation. Dallas has the least cap space available in the league at $56 million over the cap in 2026. They have a lot of restructures available — Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith — so they can certainly be cap compliant, but that will push money into the future … and they already have the second-least amount of 2027 cap room.
Minnesota Vikings: One consequence of the Vikings’ spending spree a year ago — when they added Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, and brought back Byron Murphy Jr. — is that they don’t have a ton of room to work in the 2026 offseason. They currently sit at $45.6 million over the cap in 2026, though they have quite a few players who could be cut (T.J. Hockenson? Ryan Kelly?) to save money. But Minnesota is tight against the cap in 2027, so I can’t see it being a big spender again. The one exception is at quarterback. It’s possible the team will dish out for a signal-caller to compete with, or replace, J.J. McCarthy.
Baltimore Ravens: Let’s specify by saying that Baltimore will be quiet with signing other teams’ free agents, but it could bring back some of its own. Baltimore usually prioritizes maximizing its compensatory selections via lost free agents; players such as Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, Alohi Gilman and Dre’Mont Jones could generate those 2027 compensatory picks if they do indeed leave. Plus, the Ravens have the third-least amount of 2027 cap space currently.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Given the second-half success of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars overall, Jacksonville might think like a team ready to push its chips in further. But I’m not so sure it will. The Jaguars are currently almost $16 million over the cap, might be gearing up to extend defensive end Travon Walker (entering his fifth-year option) and might want to stay quiet in free agency to collect compensatory picks for Devin Lloyd, Travis Etienne Jr. and Montaric Brown if they lose them all. — Seth Walder, analytics writer
Read more: Offseason guide for all 32 teams
What are some of the best potential player-team fits?
Edge Trey Hendrickson to the Colts
Colts general manager Chris Ballard could make a splash move in landing the top free agent on our board. And Hendrickson would reunite with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, his former coach in Cincinnati, to boost the pass rush opposite Laiatu Latu. In seven games last season with the Bengals, Hendrickson had four sacks — but his 17.5 sacks in 2024 ranked No. 1 in the league. The Colts finished with 39 sacks last season, tied for 15th in the NFL. Adding to the defensive front should be a priority for win-now Indianapolis.
WR Alec Pierce to the Titans
With the Titans in position to be active in free agency, I like Pierce in Tennessee under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Pierce has the vertical stretch ability to produce down the field and can play a volume role as a multilevel target for quarterback Cam Ward. Pierce averaged a league-best 21.3 yards per catch with the Colts in 2025.
QB Malik Willis to the Dolphins
With new leadership in Miami, the club could move on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. New coach Jeff Hafley and new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan know Willis well from their shared time in Green Bay, and Willis could slot in as the new starter under coordinator Bobby Slowik. Let’s envision a scheme built around motion/movement, with play-action elements woven in; that would set up Willis well as a thrower, and the QB run game would generate conflict for opposing defenses. Willis’ development in Green Bay creates upside for the Dolphins. — Bowen
Read more: Best team fits for the top 50 players
Big questions
The Titans currently have the most cap space in the league. How could they use that to build around quarterback Cam Ward?
The main goal for the Titans should be getting more pass catchers for Ward, specifically a reliable slot receiver. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has featured slot receivers in the past, such as Cole Beasley with the Bills, and more recently, Wan’Dale Robinson with the Giants.
It would also benefit Ward if the Titans added to the offensive line at either guard or center. The team released veteran center Lloyd Cushenberry III with an injury settlement and veteran guard Kevin Zeitler is set to be a free agent. Bringing Zeitler back makes sense because it would offer continuity next to third-year right tackle JC Latham and help keep Ward upright. — Turron Davenport, Titans reporter
Should we expect more cap tightrope walking from the Saints’ front office, or will New Orleans finally commit to the rebuild?
The Saints’ cap situation will be in better shape this year following quarterback Derek Carr’s retirement last year, although they’ll still have to account for $65 million in dead money due to various contracts. New Orleans will be able to get under the salary cap fairly easily, but they’ll have some big decisions to make about pending free agents such as Demario Davis, Taysom Hill and Cameron Jordan. They should still have the ability to sign some key free agents after addressing those veterans. — Katherine Terrell, Saints reporter
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Saints evaluating roster priorities this offseason
Katherine Terrell breaks down the Saints’ plans for the offseason.
Do you expect new coach Klint Kubiak and the Raiders to spend heavily to support presumed No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza?
It’s going to be a challenge to fill all of the holes on Las Vegas’ roster in one offseason. But anticipate the Raiders creating a strong support system for Mendoza to have some form of success in Year 1. The Raiders are expected to upgrade the offensive line. They will be open-minded about the line outside of left tackle Kolton Miller, who signed a contract extension last offseason.
Kubiak wants to bring in another running back and a fullback. If he can replicate the two-running-back system he had in Seattle with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, that would make things easier for whoever is under center. It would also be wise for the Raiders to add a top wide receiver who can take the pressure off tight end Brock Bowers. — Ryan McFadden, Raiders reporter
Will the Chiefs add a quarterback in case Patrick Mahomes isn’t ready for Week 1?
The answer should be an emphatic yes. One of the biggest issues for the Chiefs’ roster is that they don’t have an experienced quarterback behind Mahomes. It’s possible the team could re-sign Gardner Minshew, but he is also recovering from a left knee injury. The other notable options are Kirk Cousins, Trey Lance and Tyler Huntley. A major reason why the Chiefs should sign a veteran quarterback is because they have just six draft picks to bolster plenty of other areas on the roster — such as the defensive line, receiver, running back, safety and tight end. — Nate Taylor, Chiefs reporter
What is the deepest position?
Edge rusher
Whether it’s an elite playmaker or quality depth, this is a terrific offseason to need help on the edge. Trey Hendrickson is the best overall free agent available, and if you miss out on him, Jaelan Phillips, Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Cameron Jordan, Odafe Oweh, Jadeveon Clowney, Boye Mafe and Dre’Mont Jones are among the many quality fallback options. Recently released Bradley Chubb and Mike Danna just add to the depth, and there will certainly be more notable cuts to come. — Mike Clay, fantasy football writer
Read more: Ranking the deepest, thinnest positions
Which free agents are going under the radar?
James Daniels, G/C
The past two seasons for Daniels haven’t been good, as he managed to play only four games for the Steelers in 2024 and then got injured in Week 1 of the 2025 season after signing with the Dolphins in the offseason. Miami cut him as part of its salary cap purge, but the 29-year-old was one of the top guards in the league at the start of the decade. His 92.5% pass block win rate in 2023 was tied for 24th among qualifying guards; the year before, he ranked ninth at 94.5% pass block win rate.
Jamel Dean, CB
Dean led the NFL in my cornerback coverage DVOA metric last season, ahead of superstars such as the Texans’ Derek Stingley Jr. and Colts’ Quinyon Mitchell. Cornerback statistics are notoriously inconsistent from season to season, so we don’t know if Dean will have another outstanding season in 2026. But he was above average in 2024 as well. There are two downsides for Dean, however. The first is that he will turn 30 in October, and the second is that he has had injury problems nearly every season.
Kenneth Gainwell, RB
Pittsburgh brought in Gainwell on a one-year deal, and by the end of the season, he had become quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ favorite receiver. His 486 receiving yards ranked fifth among running backs. He also had a 47% success rate on rushing attempts, which ranked sixth among qualifying backs. NFL Next Gen Stats lists him with 0.58 rushing yards over expected per carry, similar to star rushers such as the Jets’ Breece Hall and Colts’ Jonathan Taylor.
Kader Kohou, CB
Kohou was out all of the 2025 season due to a partially torn ACL, but he had been a strong nickelback for the Dolphins through his first three seasons. Kohou ranked 29th among qualifying cornerbacks in my coverage DVOA metric in 2024 and is considered a strong run defender.
Connor McGovern, C
You might be very surprised to see where McGovern landed in ESPN’s block win rate stats for 2025. His 97.2% pass block win rate was tied for second behind the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, and his 72.6% run block win rate was third among all centers. He’s also just 28 years old. — Aaron Schatz, NFL analyst
Bold predictions
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Despite flirting with other suitors dangling promises of going to the big dance, wide receiver Mike Evans will stay in Tampa Bay. He has already won a Super Bowl in this town and were it not for the Buccaneers’ injuries last season, the team might have dominated the division. Before anyone writes him off due to his age of 32 years, it’s worth noting Evans’ nine missed games due to a collarbone injury in 2025 were an outlier, and in the eight games he did play, he was targeted on one-third of his red zone routes (fourth best among WRs with 50-plus targets). — Stephania Bell, fantasy football writer
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Riddick: Mike Evans will be in high demand
Louis Riddick and Booger McFarland react to Mike Evans playing in 2026 and being set to be a free agent.
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The Jaguars will trade wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. during the free agency period. Wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter being leaned on more heavily offensively than defensively in 2026 will push coach Liam Coen to prioritize receivers who better fit his system. And quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s trust in Parker Washington in high-leverage moments last season could lead Jacksonville to reshape the room and recover draft capital lost in last year’s trade up for Hunter. — Eric Moody, fantasy football writer
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Quarterback Malik Willis will sign with the Cardinals and continue his trajectory toward stardom. Jordan Love’s backup with the Packers the past two seasons, Willis displayed impressive growth as a passer and is a dynamic runner. The Cardinals will move quickly to get him. — Jason Reid, senior Andscape writer
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The Cowboys will sign Trey Hendrickson. He would help to buttress their pass rush, which fell over the cliff after the Micah Parsons trade. Hendrickson was injured for much of last season, but when healthy, he is still one of the best pass rushers in the league. — Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst
What is the biggest draft implication for free agency?
The 2026 quarterback class features one player locked in as a first-rounder — Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza — and he’s expected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Raiders. The lack of other candidates as surefire starters in this draft class should make free agency very important to other teams needing to secure a signal-caller. The Jets, Cardinals, Browns and Dolphins are all slated to select in the top 11 picks of the draft, but each could look to free agency (or trades) to find their answers at quarterback. This is great news for Malik Willis and other quarterbacks reaching free agency. — Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst
Read more: Reid’s new post-combine mock draft
What could free agency mean for fantasy football?
Quarterback is the high-profile spot, but watch out for the running backs here. Productive stars from playoff teams (Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne Jr. and Rico Dowdle) and also-rans (Breece Hall) are out there, each coming off 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Several others are potentially relevant in fantasy (Kenneth Gainwell, Tyler Allgeier and J.K. Dobbins), depending on where they land. — Eric Karabell, fantasy football writer
Read more: Latest fantasy football buzz … Karabell’s flex and superflex rankings
