It’s officially that time of year! NFL free agency is less than a week away, and the franchise tag deadline has passed. Players like Breece Hall, Daniel Jones (transition tagged), George Pickens, and Kyle Pitts have all been tagged. There were several players who were not and will be finding a new home when the new league year starts. Where will they land?
Trey Hendrickson requested a trade during the 2025 offseason. The Cincinnati Bengals gave him a restructured, one-year deal worth $30 million, with a $14 million raise. He is now set to hit the open market and will have plenty of suitors.
One of the Indianapolis Colts’ biggest needs in 2026 is at defensive end. Their 39 sacks ranked 15th in the NFL in 2025. They’ll be looking to add a high-profile pass-rusher.
The Colts are currently over their designated cap space, so affording Hendrickson would require some reworking. The 31-year-old would also reunite with his former defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo, who serves the same role in Indianapolis.
The Seattle Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions largely thanks to Kenneth Walker’s MVP-winning performance. They opted not to franchise tag him, as they have several other key players to re-sign.
The clearest landing spot for Walker is the Kansas City Chiefs. They’re looking to upgrade a backfield that averaged 106.6 rush yards per game, ranking 25th in the league. They currently have Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt splitting carries.
Patrick Mahomes is expected to miss the early portion of the season following a torn ACL in Week 15. He’s irreplaceable, but having a strong run game can relieve some of that pain. While it’s possible that the Chiefs can land Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in the Draft, that’s no guarantee. Walker could be just what the doctor ordered in Arrowhead.
The Colts opted to use the transition tag on Daniel Jones, leaving Alec Pierce to explore free agency. He’s enthusiastic about the prospect of finding a new home, and the perfect fit is waiting for him in Foxborough.
The Patriots released Stefon Diggs on March 4th. They’ve needed a true number one receiver for years, and Pierce is exactly what they’re looking for. 2025 was a breakout year for him, recording career highs in receiving yards (1,003), targets (84), and receptions (47).
The Pats need a big-time target for Drake Maye, and Pierce wants to be a premier receiver. It’s a match made in heaven, and he would be tremendous for the 23-year-old NFL MVP runner-up.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are seemingly handing the backfield to Bhayshul Tuten and letting Travis Etienne navigate free agency. He’ll receive plenty of calls from teams, but his best fit might be just a mile higher than the rest.
The Denver Broncos would greatly elevate their offense with someone like Etienne. They drafted R.J. Harvey last year, 60th overall, but it may be too early to give him the starting nod.
Etienne has rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his four seasons with the Jaguars. He could be a huge help to Bo Nix and would be a great fit for Sean Payton’s system.
The Los Angeles Chargers acquired Odafe Oweh mid-season in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. They also received a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick. They opted not to franchise tag the linebacker following the season.
Oweh didn’t record a single sack through five weeks with the Ravens. He went to Los Angeles and racked up 10.5 sacks through 13 games in Los Angeles, three of which came in the wild card round of the Playoffs.
The Washington Commanders need to inject some youth into their roster. Over $70 million in cap space can certainly help them do that. Oweh is 27 years old and can immediately boost a defense that ranked 28th in pass yards allowed per game (242.5).
With so many free agents set to hit the market next week, untagged players will have plenty of options and could land anywhere. Other notable names like Tyler Linderbaum, Mike Evans, and Devin Lloyd will also be available and command attention.
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