Official 2026 Free Agency/Offseason/Non-Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

Tom Pelissero
@tompelissero.bsky.social

The NFL informed clubs today it will begin training replacement officials next month with the goal of preparing them for team visits starting June 1 if no deal can be reached with the referees union, per a memo obtained by NFL Network.

Fail Mary Time!

[sharpe1027]

Sharp, we don't always agree, but I think you summed up my position to perfection here.

This is good. One of me is too many.

Viqueens need a QB. Imagine the hype for those games if they traded for Love...

[bobblehead]

He's proven enough to suggest he likely would have succeeded in GB. Like any QB, the team is a critical component of hhis success. He'll likely struggle in Miami. Doesn't mean he'd have failed in GB.

I think the offense looked better when he played. It wasn't a huge sample size, but it was enough to make me believe that his floor isn't much below Love and his ceiling is higher.

Sharp, we don't always agree, but I think you summed up my position to perfection here.

[bobblehead]

I think Willis has a lot yet to prove. Can he do well beyond the limited game plans used for him in Green Bay? I don't know, but just as with most still unproven QBs, the odds are that he will not. He has proven to be an effective backup already, however; so, I expect a decent career for him in that way, at least.

That game in Baltimore reminded me of Ryan Tannehill in the playoffs when people said he leaned on Henry and he came out and dropped long dime TD passes. Willis is a better runner with a stronger arm than Tannehill ever was.

[pbmax]

Kirk Cousins to the Raiders. There were reports Packers wanted him as backup.

The pricing doesn't makes sense. I'm not sure the Packers wanted to commit more than $5 mil this season for a backup. He got more money from the Raiders as he will get some starts for them as they bring the rookie along. But I'm not sure Kirk wants to make the Marcus Mariota backup average.

[texaspackerbacker]

Good grief, I'm glad that didn't happen. Let the Raiders have him.

[Joemailman]

Kirk Cousins to the Raiders. There were reports Packers wanted him as backup.

[sharpe1027]

I think Willis has a lot yet to prove. Can he do well beyond the limited game plans used for him in Green Bay? I don't know, but just as with most still unproven QBs, the odds are that he will not. He has proven to be an effective backup already, however; so, I expect a decent career for him in that way, at least.

He's proven enough to suggest he likely would have succeeded in GB. Like any QB, the team is a critical component of hhis success. He'll likely struggle in Miami. Doesn't mean he'd have failed in GB.

I think the offense looked better when he played. It wasn't a huge sample size, but it was enough to make me believe that his floor isn't much below Love and his ceiling is higher.

[Patler]

You really think Willis is a journeyman ?

Do you think Love ever becomes a top 5 in the NFL QB, and if not are you happy paying him on that contract ?

I think Bobble raises a very good debate.

If we could get three 1st for Jordan Love, keep Willis at half the salary, and use the extra money to sign some real pieces....I think it's a credible thing to consider...and i'm not sure which side I'm on

I think Willis has a lot yet to prove. Can he do well beyond the limited game plans used for him in Green Bay? I don't know, but just as with most still unproven QBs, the odds are that he will not. He has proven to be an effective backup already, however; so, I expect a decent career for him in that way, at least.

[pbmax]

You really think Willis is a journeyman ?

Do you think Love ever becomes a top 5 in the NFL QB, and if not are you happy paying him on that contract ?

I think Bobble raises a very good debate.

If we could get three 1st for Jordan Love, keep Willis at half the salary, and use the extra money to sign some real pieces....I think it's a credible thing to consider...and i'm not sure which side I'm on

Depending on Willis cap structure, he might not even be half the cost of Love now. Willis is getting $45 mil guaranteed over 2 years minimum. Loves cap number is $36 mil in 2026. Given the dead money hitting the cap when moving Love, the Willis savings would be eaten up by the dead money.

You wouldn't get any new players this year. Next year you would start to see the effect. But that just means you really are rebuilding this year.

[Bretsky]

In five years, I expect Jordan Love to be the starting QB in Green Bay, and Malik Willis to be a journeyman starter/coveted backup on his 4th or 5th team. I can even see him back in Green Bay at some point in his career as a highly paid backup QB.

You really think Willis is a journeyman ?

Do you think Love ever becomes a top 5 in the NFL QB, and if not are you happy paying him on that contract ?

I think Bobble raises a very good debate.

If we could get three 1st for Jordan Love, keep Willis at half the salary, and use the extra money to sign some real pieces....I think it's a credible thing to consider...and i'm not sure which side I'm on

[Patler]

In five years, I expect Jordan Love to be the starting QB in Green Bay, and Malik Willis to be a journeyman starter/coveted backup on his 4th or 5th team. I can even see him back in Green Bay at some point in his career as a highly paid backup QB.

[texaspackerbacker]

Are you guys seriously speculating about trading Love? Sheeeeesh. That would be downright funny if it wasn't so all out STUPID.

[bobblehead]

2 firsts, 2 seconds and a fifth. Its a haul I agree. But its not 3 firsts. Love is younger but also one big postseason game versus two time Super Bowl QB.

However, the market for new QBs was pretty depressed this offseason. Could change with injuries but no one got a haul this year. You do just need one team to be Denver Broncos stupid though.

Russell was a 2 time super bowl QB thanks to Lynch. And would you trade a 1st for 2 2nds and a 5th? I would. As I said, it was comparable. And its tough to find a comp because no one trades a legit starting QB in his prime. The fact they got that for Russ when he had already worn out his welcome speaks volumes. I am 99.9% confident we could have gotten 3 firsts for Love if we shopped it. We just gave 2 firsts and a solid player for an EDGE. In what world is Parsons worth more than a franchise QB (or do you think that was an awful trade?)

[pbmax]

I'd argue the Russell Wilson trade was comparable, and he was 6 years older at the time.

Willis game against the Ravens was elite. Full stop. The throws were better than most of Loves throws. And don't get me started on mobility.

2 firsts, 2 seconds and a fifth. Its a haul I agree. But its not 3 firsts. Love is younger but also one big postseason game versus two time Super Bowl QB.

However, the market for new QBs was pretty depressed this offseason. Could change with injuries but no one got a haul this year. You do just need one team to be Denver Broncos stupid though. I think expecting that haul is a gamble in and of itself and you'd be under pressure to decide quickly if you want to keep the cap straight.