Mike Kaye’s take: 2026 NFL free agency predictions

[Soul Rebel]

This is why Tillis is here and we need him to get over this transitional hump. We still have many weaknesses that need to be resolved in FA and the draft. Icky being out in ‘26 makes it harder to navigate….especially with Moton’s tenure coming to a close in the next couple years and Icky’s payday on the horizon.

I would much prefer Linderbaum over Mayes or Corbett, just curious if we can afford it.

Same goes for DL. We had Milton almost locked up but settled for Wharton.

I wonder if we look to this again this offseason as it’s clear DB needs better talent beside him in the trenches. I don’t want to waste his prime. 

[L-TownCat]

39 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Supposedly he is a high caliber locker room guy and he does get more hate than is warranted. I am fine keeping him but I think the issue is moreso that we aren't attempting to UPGRADE that position. 

No he doesn’t.  Making the occasional play while being a complete liability on every other snap is a bananas way to remain a starter.

Keeping him only allows Evero to continue to ignore the position for the upgrade you mention.  Hes a stop gap at best and should be someone else’s problem.

[strato]

3 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

Nijman would be one of the worst RT or LT's we have had in a long time. He is incapable of being a long term replacement. He is occasionally okay in spot duty. We had a significantly better backup suited to taking over the duties at RT/LT for longer stretches and not becoming a turnstile(like Nijman) in pass protection, it was BC. He is gone, however.

I think any thoughts of jettisoning Moton are immediately null and void with Ikey out for 2026. Had you returned Ikey, Lewis, and Hunt it's easy to spend some money or draft capital at C and then perhaps look at cheaper options for RT. Now we are inna scenario where we cannot be looking at two replacement OT's in the same offseason. That will be somewhere between an utter disaster to prohibitively expensive. 

The best course of action is try to get a solid, older veteran on a one year deal to replace Ikey, sign/draft a long term C and hopefully find a future RT prospect(with some LT ability?) in the draft. This gives you a LOT of flexibility and leeway in 2027 if you opt to jettison Ikey or Moton.

Moton is down for 28.4x million for 2027.  Dead cap 14 million or so. 28 is the void year. Before Icky went down I had my eyes on him doing one more season. 
We gotta do something, paying an aging ROT 28 million is not good. 

[MHS831]

19 hours ago, Htarnation4.0 said:

I'd really like to keep Mayes. We drafted and developed him. 

I think he is wrong.  I think they bring Mays back.   Too valuable--unless he gets overpaid elsewhere, but we need a C and he seems to be on the same page with the Guards and QB--no, not spectacular, but solid in the run game.  He will be 27 and to your point, has improved every year.  Even back in college, he was in different systems anmake sure d played different positions-- Too early to move on from him.  He could peak around age 30, so don't bail now.   Some competition would create depth.