Jeremy FowlerMay 12, 2026, 09:54 AM ETCloseJeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.Follow on XMultiple Authors
play2:13Louis Riddick: Not out of the question this is Lamar’s final season with RavensLouis Riddick and Mel Kiper Jr. weigh in on the possibility of this being Lamar Jackson’s final season with the Ravens.
What’s next for George Pickens after signing franchise tag? (1:04)Todd Archer explores the options for George Pickens and the Cowboys after the Pro Bowl WR finally signed his franchise tag. (1:04)
Louis Riddick: Not out of the question this is Lamar’s final season with RavensLouis Riddick and Mel Kiper Jr. weigh in on the possibility of this being Lamar Jackson’s final season with the Ravens.
Louis Riddick and Mel Kiper Jr. weigh in on the possibility of this being Lamar Jackson’s final season with the Ravens.
Bengals put questions of Joe Burrow’s future in Cincinnati to rest
Teams jockey for positioning in strong QB draft class
Offensive line, running back among possible contract barriers cleared
Nick Herbig becomes the “He got what?” guy in free agency
Deshaun Watson becomes quite the interesting free agent
Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud inch one step closer to free agency
A controversial Cowboys contract matter seems like a rite of passage each offseason, and Pickens’ 2027 outlook checks that box.
Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones casually mentioned days before the draft that the team did not plan to negotiate with Pickens’ camp and expected him to play on the franchise tag, worth $27.3 million. And even though Dallas prioritized defense in the draft, it had an affinity for Arizona State receiver and eventual No. 8 pick Jordyn Tyson. Perhaps Tyson would have been tempting to Dallas had he fallen out of the top 10.
Word leaked hours before Round 1 that Pickens would be signing the tender, a move that seemed strategic from the player’s side. That Thursday evening, the team received an email from Pickens’ agents declaring those intentions. Then, Pickens waited six days to sign it. That gave Pickens additional time to gauge his trade market. He wants to be in Dallas, but he also wants a new deal.
Essentially, the Cowboys want to see more from Pickens — who came to Dallas with character concerns — before committing long-term dollars. But a receiver coming off a banner season with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns rarely has to wait.
“Dallas is going to face a big decision because Pickens is set up to have another productive season and the receiver market has skyrocketed,” an executive with an NFL team said. “If they tag him again without the promise of a new deal, he could revolt.”
Using the franchise tag on Pickens in 2027 would cost Dallas $32.6 million, a relative bargain for a receiver of his talent. Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba agreed to a four-year, $168 million deal with Seattle this offseason, setting the new high mark at the position, and the Rams’ Puka Nacua is eligible for an extension as well.
“I’m kind of surprised it didn’t get ugly this offseason. I understand the character stuff, but he produced at a ridiculous level last year,” the executive said. “If he does it again, then he can hold their feet to the fire a little more. And they still have to be willing to hold that franchise tag number on their [2027] books, which isn’t always easy.”
“I just don’t see them ever moving him,” an AFC executive said. “I think all of the posturing on his end was to make sure they were doing what they could to make the team better around him. He’s still too young and too good for them to move on.”
Either way, the Bengals sensed the urgency to build a winner around Burrow this offseason, acquiring significant defensive improvements in free agency and via trade. The move for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was the centerpiece. The offense returns all 11 starters from last year.
“If the Bengals have a good season, that will quiet the noise around Burrow,” an AFC scout said. “But even if they don’t, I think the talk is just noise.”
It is worth mentioning, just in case this year goes poorly, that Joe Burrow’s contract is quite tradeable in 2027, saving $8.25 million on the cap.
The league has a supply-and-demand issue with elite quarterback play. Nearly a dozen NFL teams are either in quarterback purgatory or need to see more from the passer they drafted recently, with varying degrees of optimism.
Weak quarterback classes in back-to-back drafts suppressed the market, creating a gulf between the haves and have-nots — and reminding us how rare the 2024 quarterback class really is. Four of the six first-round picks from that class (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix) are solidified as full-time starters and possible Pro Bowl fixtures.
The 2027 class is promising. One NFL executive predicted at least three first-round QBs, cautioning that the games need to play out. Marquee names will be available, from Texas’ Arch Manning to Oregon’s Dante Moore and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, among many.
“After the trade deadline [in early November 2026] is when things will really start to pivot,” an NFC executive said. “By then, you’ll have a feel for which quarterbacks will emerge as primary options atop the draft, and teams will understand where they are in their trajectory.”
This is a crucial year for the Eagles’ offense under Hurts, as their passing attack has ranked in the bottom third of the league in back-to-back seasons.
“Hurts I could see,” said an AFC exec when asked whether Philly could look to move him this offseason if the offense struggles. “Polarizing player, and as his running ability starts to decline his value will decline, too. And [Eagles general manager Howie Roseman] will always be proactive with finding solutions.”
Louis Riddick: Not out of the question this is Lamar’s final season with Ravens
Hurts has $22 million in 2027 guarantees. The team would take a $2.9 million cap hit if he’s traded before June 1 but would save $21.4 million on that year’s cap if he’s dealt after June 1. “The guarantees make it like a Kyler Murray situation where Philly would have to pay to facilitate a trade,” a separate AFC executive said. The flip side: Hurts can force Philly’s hand on a new contract if he thrives. His current deal runs through the 2028 season.
“I think he’s going to play well,” an NFC personnel evaluator said. “He’s had so many different coordinators over the years that he’ll be able to adapt to the changes, and if the running game returns to form, [Hurts] throws it well over the top.”
What’s the next position to explode in contract value a year from now? The answer is complicated. Executives agree that offensive tackle should be primed for a jump, with Washington’s Laremy Tunsil the only tackle earning above $30 million per year. But those same execs are not convinced that the jump will happen, because many of the premier players at the position are older and already well paid. Chicago’s Darnell Wright and Los Angeles’ Joe Alt are upcoming names to watch there.
More running backs will eventually join Saquon Barkley in the $20 million per year club, now that Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson are eligible for extensions. Detroit has already expressed interest in extending Gibbs.
Offensive guard is one to watch, too. That position is still underpaid relative to others, with the market set at a high of $24 million per year (Dallas’ Tyler Smith).
“[Tennessee’s] Peter Skoronski is a player I think will put up a bigger number than the casual fan would think,” an AFC executive said. ‘He’s a player that’s really good but not as well known because he’s in a smaller market on a bad team.”
The player most aligned with Linderbaum’s case actually plays a non-premium position: Detroit linebacker Jack Campbell, an All-Pro who did not receive a fifth-year option because of the cost ($21.9 million). The Ravens faced a similar dilemma with Linderbaum, a Pro Bowler whose option was also too steep. They ended up losing him to a ballooned market. Perhaps the same happens with Campbell, though Detroit wants to extend him.
Pittsburgh’s No. 3 edge rusher produced 7.5 sacks in a part-time role last season, and plenty of teams would be glad to make him a full-time starter. Ascending pass rushers get paid. The Steelers want to keep Herbig but also have T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith on the books.
If Herbig makes it to free agency, he’ll be a player who’s not a household name but could be paid as one.
To the point above: If the Steelers end up signing Herbig long term, having three large contracts allocated to one position is a tough proposition.
Watt, for all his greatness, turns 32 in October and has guaranteed salaries of $32 million in both 2026 and 2027.
Watt is a legacy player, something Pittsburgh values more than most. But some teams could see Pittsburgh at least considering moving on from him.
Watson is a viable option to start for Cleveland this season if head coach Todd Monken opts for veteran experience. The Browns made several improvements to the offense around the quarterback.
If Watson can regain his confidence and stay in the lineup, there might be a spot for him to start somewhere in 2027. The QB is 30 years old.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta have been consistent in maintaining that they want Lamar Jackson as their long-term quarterback.
But if the past negotiation is any indication, Jackson is totally comfortable waiting things out. In 2023, Jackson pressed against the franchise tag and requested a trade before the sides eventually agreed on a five-year, $260-million deal.
Jackson is slated to be a free agent in March 2028 and has a clause in his contract that prevents the Ravens from placing the franchise tag on him. The quarterback market is slow at the moment, barring new developments with Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay or Stroud in Houston.