All articles tagged with #offseason
After the Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle to Denver for a package that included a first-round pick, center Aaron Brewer said his first reaction was disbelief and that he was shook, but he quickly framed it as a chance to push the team forward, see who steps up in the WR room, and embrace the rebuild while remaining hopeful for a near-term extension.
At the NFL Annual Meeting, Seahawks GM John Schneider laid out five takeaways for 2026: applying lessons from past Super Bowl runs and the 2014-15 teams to offseason planning (including adjusting workouts); refining draft evaluation to foster healthy competition; prioritizing offensive line continuity with all five starters back; leveraging speed with Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton to boost the offense; and confirming Jake Bobo’s return after Seattle matched an offer sheet, signaling a culture-first approach.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn declared Geno Smith the 2026 starter, calling him a bona fide leader and 'our guy' as New York builds around veteran talent and readies for the draft, despite Smith turning 36 next season.
The Patriots reshuffled their roster in free agency by adding 12 external players, re-signing two, and releasing 13, creating a mixed bag of outcomes: stronger interior offensive line and safety depth with Alijah Vera-Tucker, Julian Hill and Kevin Byard, but a thinner quarterback room after releasing Joshua Dobbs, a weaker edge and linebacker corps, and a WR upside addition in Romeo Doubs without yet an established WR1; more moves are likely in the draft.
As the draft nears, the Steelers weigh which of their 16 unsigned free agents to re-sign besides Aaron Rodgers. The strongest case is for OL Andrus Peat to bolster the line, with Brock Hoffman already added. Other potential re-signs include QB Skylar Thompson; safeties such as Kyle Dugger, Jaquan Brisker, Chuck Clark, and Jabrill Peppers; and DL options Daniel Ekuale, Dean Lowry, and Isaiahh Loudermilk (all coming off injuries) in the mix after Sebastian Joseph-Day’s addition. At WR, Scotty Miller and Marquez Valdes-Scantling remain options (Adam Thielen appears retired); Michael Pittman Jr. is on board, and Calvin Austin III has departed, leaving depth at receiver thin. The Steelers’ ongoing coaching overhaul and playoff drought frame a cautious, opportunistic approach to a few returns rather than wholesale churn.
A post-free agency NFL power rankings piece places Seattle atop the board, highlighting smart veteran signings and scheme-fit moves over splashy deals as the key to sustaining success, and evaluates how early offseason moves across the league—such as those by the Rams, Broncos, 49ers, Chiefs, Bills, and Commanders—could reshape the contenders landscape for 2026.
After firing GM Chris Grier, the Dolphins orchestrated a blockbuster offseason trade that sent star WR Jaylen Waddle and the 111th pick to Denver in exchange for the 30th, 94th, and 134th picks, signaling a fresh rebuild under new leadership and a shift in Miami’s championship timeline.
Patriots release backup quarterback Josh Dobbs after failing to trade him; he appeared in four games for New England in 2025, completing seven of 10 passes for 65 yards. With Dobbs gone, Tommy DeVito is slated to back Drake Maye in 2026. The roundup also notes other league-wide offseason moves and signings.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope emphasizes retention as the foundation of the offseason, aiming to bring back as many rotation players as possible while assessing departures (Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, and likely Jayden Quaintance) and supplementing with transfer portal additions to build for 2026-27 after a 7-seed NCAA Tournament exit.
A wild offseason fuels a 2026 NFL Mock Draft predicting blockbuster trades: Fernando Mendoza is pegged as the No. 1 pick for the Las Vegas Raiders; the Jets take Arvell Reese at No. 2; Cincinnati lands Caleb Downs at No. 3 via a trade from Arizona; Rueben Bain Jr. goes to the Titans at No. 4; Sonny Styles is picked by the Giants at No. 5, with teams eyeing bold moves and top prospects as draft-night drama looms.
After a busy first week of free agency, Baltimore is targeting veteran help at seven spots—center Ethan Pocic, guard Kevin Zeitler, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, defensive end Calais Campbell, tight end Jonnu Smith, edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, and punter Jamie Gillan—on likely one-year deals as the team avoids overspending and eyes a draft path to replace Isaiah Likely.
ESPN reports the Dolphins have told inquiring teams that De’Von Achane isn’t available, signaling they plan to keep the 2025 star back despite offseason roster shuffles highlighted by the Jaylen Waddle trade. Achane led the league in yards per carry in 2025 (5.7) with 1,350 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs, plus 67 receptions for 488 yards and 4 receiving TDs, and owns career totals of 3,057 rushing yards, 22 rushing TDs, and 172 receptions for 1,227 yards and 13 receiving TDs.
A post-free-agent snapshot assigns every NFL team a single word to describe its 2026 offseason trajectory, spanning all divisions and highlighting whether teams opted for prudent retention, bold spending, or rebuilds as they head into the draft.
Washington Commanders expanded to a 72-man offseason roster after a flurry of signings and depth-chart tweaks. Highlights include Marcus Mariota and Laremy Tunsil extensions, plus new players like Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal, Amik Robertson, Tim Settle, K’Lavon Chaisson, Chig Okonkwo, Nick Cross, Charles Omenihu, Rachaad White, Dyami Brown, Van Jefferson and Jerome Ford. The updated depth chart uses a 5-5-5 defensive layout to accommodate multiple fronts as the defense adapts to a new scheme, and the team still plans to add about 19 more players before the draft with six picks currently. The 72-man roster comprises 36 defensive, 33 offensive, and 3 special-teams players.
The Patriots have bolstered their offensive line this offseason—signing Alijah Vera-Tucker and moving Jared Wilson to center—with additional blocking help from fullback Reggie Gilliam and tight end Julian Hill. This upgrade should boost TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson and ease Drake Maye’s pass protection, making the running backs the standout winners of the offseason even without adding a new RB.