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. 

[kungfoodude]

2 hours ago, L-TownCat said:

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.

He is a below average starter but we have had far worse and not that long ago at the position.

As I said, I am fine keeping him but he should be a reserve and we should be drafting his replacement.

[LinvilleGorge]

20 hours ago, Mistuh Jones said:

I wouldn't want Mayes out either BUT if the rumblings about Tyler Linderbaum are true..............

If we sign Linderbaum we'll probably have more cap tied up in the IOL than any team in history. We already have the #2 and #13 highest paid OGs and Linderbaum is probably getting top 5 center money. We had the highest paid OL in the NFL this year by a pretty wide margin (I think about $14M over #2). Add one of the highest paid centers in the league and we're really gonna be limited cap wise on the rest of the roster.

[kungfoodude]

2 hours ago, strato said:

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. 

I think Moton is likely gone in 2027, pending whatever happens at LT.

We need to be planning for the future and draft a good LT/swing OT/RT. Give yourself flexibility or it will be another panic move and spending wildly to plug a critical hole.

[strato]

Just now, kungfoodude said:

I think Moton is likely gone in 2027, pending whatever happens at LT.

We need to be planning for the future and draft a good LT/swing OT/RT. Give yourself flexibility or it will be another panic move and spending wildly to plug a critical hole.

I am thinking at the moment be ready to draft OT two consecutive years. We could do one this year, see how he does and see how Icky responds. If we get lucky and Icky my responds well and can come back maybe we don’t have to have to replace him and Moton both. Adjust as needed.  
 

[kungfoodude]

6 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

If we sign Linderbaum we'll probably have more cap tied up in the IOL than any team in history. We already have the #2 and #13 highest paid OGs and Linderbaum is probably getting top 5 center money. We had the highest paid OL in the NFL this year by a pretty wide margin (I think about $14M over #2). Add one of the highest paid centers in the league and we're really gonna be limited cap wise on the rest of the roster.

Yes but you are probably looking at Moton off the cap in 2027 and SHOULD be looking at Hunt off the cap, as well.

The big monkey wrench will be QB and possibly LT, because even if we jettison Ikey, something has to be done at the position.

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, strato said:

I am thinking at the moment be ready to draft OT two consecutive years. We could do one this year, see how he does and see how Icky responds. If we get lucky and Icky my responds well and can come back maybe we don’t have to have to replace him and Moton both. Adjust as needed.  
 

100%. It's about planning for the future, having flexibility and contingent players. Worst case scenario(provided the pick is sound) is that you have too many good OT's.

[PantherChris]

20 hours ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

The offensive line is already expensive, with Ikey, Lewis, Hunt, and Moton all on sizable contracts next season. Re-signing  to a one-year deal and drafting a center could be a more cost-effective approach

Mayes isn't going to be crazy expensive, Id much rather keep him 

[kungfoodude]

1 minute ago, PantherChris said:

Mayes isn't going to be crazy expensive, Id much rather keep him 

If we can keep him at a reasonable deal as an IOL backup, that would be outstanding. We do have to upgrade there though. He is a below average NFL starting center.

[PantherChris]

5 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

If we can keep him at a reasonable deal as an IOL backup, that would be outstanding. We do have to upgrade there though. He is a below average NFL starting center.

13th best pass blocker at C according to pff (take it for salt) 32nd run blocker, (not such a big issue with the guards healthy) I would agree but with the holes we have other places this is one that can wait.

Edited 1 hour ago by PantherChris

[kungfoodude]

4 minutes ago, PantherChris said:

13th best pass blocker at C according to pff (take it for salt) 32nd run blocker, (not such a big issue with the guards healthy) I would agree but with the holes we have other places this is one that can wait.

Depends on price.

Also, upgrading via the draft is very cheap. Cheaper than extending him on a starting deal. This is something that is long overdue.