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NFL 2026 NFL Free Agency Kyler Murray has a fresh start with the Vikings. Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images The Commanders, Raiders, Vikings, Broncos and 49ers have all gotten better after the first couple weeks of free agency, while the Dolphins have begun their rebuild … well, sort of. Free agency is just the first phase of the off-season, though. There is still work to be done. Let’s take a look at the biggest questions left for these teams as they begin to transition to the draft. Advertisement The Commanders spent $252. 9 million in free agency, according to Over the Cap. Reportedly, they struck out with some big-name free agents like Tyler Linderbaum and Alec Pierce, but recovered and made several solid defensive signings for first-year coordinator Daronte Jones, who is coming from the Vikings, presumably to install a similar system. Odafe Oweh is a classic risky free agent signing, paying a premium for a pass rusher who peaked in a contract year, but he should be an upgrade on their defensive line. Edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and safety Nick Cross should provide good value and are high-floor players. My favorite defensive signing, particularly for Jones’ system, is linebacker Leo Chenal, who could line up everywhere. He’s an off-ball linebacker, but is stout enough to play the run from the edge. Versatility is pivotal in a Flores-like system and Chenal provides that. When Jones wants to bring some exotic pressures, Chenal’s ability to credibly line up in multiple spots will make them more unpredictable. Linebacker/pass rusher Frankie Luvu should be more productive in this scheme, and I love the idea of using both players in a blitz-heavy scheme. The defense’s floor has been raised, but the Commanders haven’t gotten much better on offense. It seemed like they let center Tyler Biadasz go in free agency to swing for the fences for Linderbaum, but were outbid by the Raiders. They’ve signed receiver Dyami Brown, who has some production and experience with Jayden Daniels, but didn’t re-sign Deebo Samuel. It was the right decision on Samuel, who will be 30 years old, but he did provide production that they’ll have to replace. The most notable offensive signing was tight end Chig Okonkwo, who is an upgrade over Zach Ertz, but he hasn’t surpassed 600 yards receiving in any of his four seasons. The Commanders can acquire Brandon Aiyuk at some point, but the condition of his knee remains a question. Jauan Jennings could help, but the Commanders will likely depend on the draft to get Daniels some help. They need to improve the interior offensive line and add a game-changing receiver. Advertisement The Commanders will transition to playing under center more with new coordinator David Blough calling plays, which means the offense will have to win in more traditional ways without the mathematical advantage of as many quarterback options as they’ve run before. Daniels’ rookie contract window is closing as he goes into his third year. Unless they nail the draft, this seems like another season in which they won’t be serious contenders. The defense is better, but this team will go as far as Daniels will take them, and he does not have the support he needs right now. The Raiders have the top pick of the draft this year after finishing last season as the worst team in the league. After spending $292. 7 million in free agency, how much better are they, really? Their biggest prize was Linderbaum, who is making $9 million more than the next-highest paid center, Creed Humphrey. In new head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense, you can make the argument that the center is more valuable than guards. Linderbaum is an outside zone savant and will make all the line calls for presumed first pick, Fernando Mendoza. But this offensive line was among the worst in football, ranking dead last in average yards before contact per rush. They need more than one addition to the line. They can still sign a veteran tackle to compete with D. J. Glaze but they can also draft one if a favorite prospect falls to the second round. Receiver Jalen Nailor is an interesting deep threat who was third in the Vikings’ pecking order behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. With an expanded role, he has a chance to develop into a solid No. 2 option next to Brock Bowers. Based on their comments this offseason, the Raiders believe that they can get much more out of this group with better coaching. The reality is there were too many holes in this offense to get fixed in one off-season, but they’ve raised the floor for Mendoza, who will likely sit to start the season. Defensively, they’ve bolstered the linebacker corps by signing Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. Dean is a high-end linebacker when he’s healthy, but staying on the field has been an issue. Walker is an athletic freak, but inconsistent. Dean and Walker played together in college and pairing them again makes a lot of sense. Dean will likely wear the green dot and make the calls and adjustments on the field, which would allow Walker to play free. The Raiders still have a big need at defensive tackle. Getting a two-gapping defensive tackle in front of Dean is vital and they just don’t have that player on the roster right now. The Raiders must address this in the draft and might have to do it as early as the second round. John Spytek’s second offseason as Raiders general manager has to be considered a success. He signed young free agents on their second contracts to build a solid foundation. Although the Maxx Crosby trade was rescinded, it’s not a bad thing to have one of the best edge rushers in the league on your team and one of the most relentless workers in sports to help establish your culture. This team isn’t ready to truly compete yet, but for the first time in a while, you don’t have to squint to see they’re headed in the right direction. Advertisement The Dolphins are in cap hell. They have the second-least cap space in the league and have more money devoted to dead cap on players no longer with the team than to current Dolphins. First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan inherited a mess and 2026 is about cleaning it up. So why sign quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year deal? The Dolphins don’t have the ecosystem to support a young quarterback and just traded away their one viable receiver, Jaylen Waddle, for a first-round pick, third-round pick and fourth-round swap. The trade was the right move, but it leaves Willis in a tough situation. After flaming with the Titans, Willis carefully rebuilt his career with the Packers and took full advantage of every opportunity he got to start. It’s not easy to get a second chance in this league, but Willis earned it and chose to go to a Miami team that is far from contention. They’ll have to hit several home runs in this draft and get him some weapons. Willis has to prove he can be a long-term starter, but it’s hard to evaluate a quarterback when they are just trying to survive snap after snap. Hopefully, this wasn’t a career-killing decision for Willis. Reportedly, the Dolphins aren’t interested in trading away Pro Bowl running back De’Von Achane, but he’s on the final year of his deal and will need a long-term extension. So, presumably, the first market-resetting deal Sullivan will give out will be to a running back. The Dolphins are projected to have the third-most cap space next season, so they have to get Willis a playmaker or two in the draft and hope that last year’s second-round pick, guard Jonah Savaiinaea, who had a rough rookie season, makes a massive leap this season. The Dolphins are asking Willis to lead them through an incredibly difficult situation this season. If he can do it, there is light at the end of the tunnel, but if things don’t go well, he may not get another chance to be a starter. Waddle is a great complement for Courtland Sutton. Sutton is your classic X receiver, specializing in winning sideline routes and winning on go-balls. Waddle is a strong route runner who threatens with speed and can make violent cuts as well as anyone in the league. He’s been one of the most productive intermediate route runners in the league and will give the Broncos more pop on the quick passes and screens the Broncos like to call. This combo is a lesser version of George Pickens and Cee Dee Lamb, who were the league’s most dangerous receiver duo last season. The Broncos, led by their elite defense, don’t have to be as explosive as the Cowboys offense, but adding Waddle will give them so many more answers offensively and give Bo Nix a shot at taking another major step in his development. The Broncos offense was up and down last season, but they should at least be much more consistent. The trade was costly but an absolutely necessary swing by a team in contention. Advertisement Even Kyler Murray’s biggest detractors can’t deny that getting the quarterback on the veteran minimum is excellent value. Murray gets a lot of hate, but he’s at least been an average quarterback for most of his career, with a couple of spike years in which he was a top-10 quarterback (2021 and 2024). Murray’s baseline play is levels better than the quarterback play the Vikings got last season. The Vikings say there’s a competition between Murray and J. J. Mc Carthy, but this is Murray’s job for the taking. This team has too much offensive talent to go through another developmental year with Mc Carthy, so unless Mc Carthy comes back as a significantly better quarterback, this won’t be much of a competition. Murray will be in the best situation of his career. Coach Kevin O’Connell will be the best play caller he’s ever had, and Justin Jefferson will be by far the best receiver that he’s ever thrown to. The Vikings don’t have a ton of cap space and there aren’t many impactful free agents left. Offensively, they’re pretty much set, but they do have a big need at center with Ryan Kelly retiring. With the run on centers starting before free agency even began, they’ll have to look to the draft. Florida’s Jake Slaughter or Iowa’s Logan Jones are the top-rated centers and are projected to get drafted in the third round. With the Vikings’ big need at the position, will they reach for one in the second round? They also have defensive needs at safety, defensive tackle and corner. However, coordinator Brian Flores has shown he can coach around weaknesses. The defense could take a step backward, but then it’ll be up to Murray and the offense to become an elite unit. As is, the Vikings should be a playoff contender, but if they hit on two or three starters in the draft, could they be more? The real Super Bowl was in the NFC Championship Game between the Seahawks and Rams, who looked like the two best teams in the league. The 49ers were 2-2 against them in the regular season, even with a slew of injuries. However, with first place on the line, the 49ers lost to the Seahawks in Week 17 and got mollywhopped by them in the divisional round (41-6). When the 49ers beat Seattle in Week 1, the Seahawks weren’t a fully formed unit yet. Safety Nick Emmanwori left the game with an injury, and the Seahawks didn’t become the force they were until he was fully integrated into their system. Also, the Rams improved significantly by addressing their biggest weakness by trading for corner Trent Mc Duffie and signing Jaylen Watson. The 49ers made a flurry of smart, cost-effective acquisitions, starting with receiver Mike Evans, who took a significant pay cut to play for the 49ers. Slot receiver Christian Kirk also took a pay cut and should be a perfect fit in coach Kyle Shanahan’s system. Trading a third-round pick for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa gives them the pass-rushing, disruptive three-technique they’ve been missing. The defense should be significantly better with the return of several key players like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. Offensively, Evans and Kirk should boost the passing game, but to get past the Seahawks and Rams, they must run the ball better. Both defenses want to live in sub personnel (five or more defensive backs) and play light boxes. We aren’t sure when tight end George Kittle, who tore an Achilles tendon in the divisional round, will be back, but his run blocking on the edge is vital to making the 49ers’ run game work. They signed guard Robert Jones, who was hurt last season, but even when he was healthy, he’s an average starter at best. Advertisement The situation with left tackle Trent Williams is still unresolved. If he doesn’t play for the 49ers, that’s another important part of the run game that would be missing. Right guard Dominick Puni had an encouraging rookie season but didn’t play well last year because of injuries. Without a doubt, Shanahan will make fixing the 49ers’ running game a major point of emphasis in training camp, but it still seems like they have to add a piece or two that can bolster the run. Do they look for an upgrade at guard or center in the draft? Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Ted Nguyen is a NFL senior writer for The Athletic. He breaks down film to uncover the story that the X's and O's tell. He also covers the latest trends around the league and covers the draft. Follow Ted on Twitter @FB_Film Analysis