Making the Call on Daniel Jones, George Pickens and Top NFL Extension Candidates

With the 2025 trade deadline done, fans might assume NFL executives have little to do before the upcoming offseason. However, general managers and other decision-makers have plenty of work ahead of them in the coming weeks.

While keeping one eye on the incoming draft class and impending free-agent market, executives often look to address critical contract situations late in the regular season. Last December, for example, the Denver Broncos locked up offensive tackle Garett Bolles with a four-year extension.

Extending a player at this point in the season can help provide clarity on a franchise's financial situation and its team needs long before the start of the new league year. That doesn't mean every player in-line for an early extension should get one, though.

Here, we'll dive into some of the top extension candidates and determine how their employers should approach their contract situations. Factors like positional value, age, health, past production and potential financial fallout were all considered.

We focused specifically on impending 2026 free agents, so extension-eligible players on rookie contracts such as Drake London and Chris Olave were not considered.

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

The New York Jets dealt two key players in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline. However, they chose to hang onto running back Breece Hall, who has been one of the few dependable pieces on offense.

"I think I've said this a million times over and over that Breece was not a guy I wanted to get rid of," head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters after the trade deadline.

Should New York now look to lock up the 24-year-old ahead of the offseason? On one hand, it could make sense. The Jets recently benched Justin Fields for Tyrod Taylor and will be in the QB market in the offseason. Letting Hall go would create another void in an offensive supporting cast that already has several.

However, extending Hall, who has a projected market value of $10.7 million annually, won't be cheap. Investing heavily in a running back who has more than 800 touches and one ACL tear on his resume could be hard to justify when New York has many needs at other positions.

Allowing him to test the market and trying to sign him to a more team-friendly deal could be the smarter play.

Verdict: Allow Hall to test free agency.

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/AJ Mast

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was the top-ranked player on Bleacher Report's post-deadline 2026 free agent big board. That was because A.) he plays the game's most important position and B.) he has played it at a high level this season.

It hasn't been perfect for the 28-year-old every week, but he's gone 8-2 as the starter with 2,659 passing yards, 143 rushing yards, 20 combined touchdowns and a 101.6 passer rating.

As was the case with Sam Darnold a year ago, Jones is trending to be the top quarterback in free agency—if he continues playing at his current level. Indianapolis probably won't let the 2019 No. 6 overall pick hit the market, though.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported in October that the Colts were already hoping to sign Jones to a long-term extension. Should they go ahead and make an offer now? Probably not.

Investing in a quarterback can make or break a franchise. The Colts should know exactly what they have in Jones before giving him $40-50 million annually, the going rate for second-tier QBs. That means evaluating him for the rest of the season and seeing how he responds to the high-pressure environment of the postseason.

If the Colts still aren't sure what Jones can be, they can always use the franchise tag in 2026. What they can't afford to do is pay a quarterback prematurely based on one promising stretch—a mistake teams such as the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins have made in recent years.

Verdict: Address Jones' contract in the offseason.

Tyler Linderbaum, C, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Nick Wass

The Baltimore Ravens haven't been as formidable as many expected this season, though they're probably not approaching a full-on rebuild. With $58.5 million in projected 2026 cap space, they can look to make some significant additions in the offseason.

Before then, the Ravens should decide which young building blocks they want to keep long-term. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported in August that they wanted to extend Tyler Linderbaum, Kyle Hamilton and Isaiah Likely before the end of the season. Hamilton has already received his new deal.

This leaves Linderbaum and Likely as logical extension candidates, and the former should be the top priority. He's a 25-year-old Pro Bowler who could reset the center market in 2026.

Likely is a terrific player, but Mark Andrews is also an impending free agent, and the 2026 free-agent class is shaping up to be deep at the position. Waiting to make a decision with Likely probably won't cost the Ravens.

Waiting on a deal with Linderbaum might, though. The 2026 free-agent market won't be deep with offensive linemen. A jump in the overall lineman market could raise the floor of his next team, and the franchise tag isn't much of an option.

The tag value is based on all offensive-line positions, meaning using it would require paying Linderbaum significantly more than any other center—which is precisely why Baltimore didn't exercise the fifth-year option on his contract.

Verdict: Extend Linderbaum now.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired Jakobi Meyers from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft. That's a fairly high price for a short-term rental, so they may consider extending him.

However, there are a couple of potential issues with the idea of extending Meyers early. The first is Jacksonville can't possibly know how he'll fit into the offense with a healthy Travis Hunter or with Brian Thomas Jr., should the second-year receiver return to his rookie Pro Bowl form.

The second potential issue is Meyers will turn 30 during the 2026 season and may not fit into Jacksonville's long-term roster-building plans. The going rate for receivers isn't about to decline, and the Jags are projected to have a relatively modest $22.7 million in cap space next season.

Meyers, who is finishing up an $11 million-per-year contract, would probably have to accept a substantial pay cut to make sense for Jacksonville financially.

It would behoove the Jaguars to reassess Meyers' future after seeing if Thomas can return to form and after evaluating Hunter's recovery from a season-ending LCL injury.

Verdict: Address Meyers' contract in the offseason.

Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Dolphins at the deadline in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick.

That's a bit more than the Jaguars surrendered for Meyers, but the investment isn't the only reason why Philly may consider extending Phillips early.

The 26-year-old has already proved to be a strong fit for Vic Fangio's defense. In two games since joining the Eagles, he has amassed 11 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and five quarterback pressures.

In short, Phillips has returned to the impressive form he showed early in his career before injuries wiped out the better part of two seasons.

Good pass-rushers aren't easy to find, something the Eagles learned early this year after losing Josh Sweat and Milton Williams in free agency. Now that Phillips is in the fold, Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman should keep him far away from the open market.

The Eagles have just $9.7 million in cap space, but Roseman has a knack for backloading bonus money to keep early cap hits low.

Verdict: Extend Phillips now.

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter

During the offseason, the Dallas Cowboys acquired George Pickens, sending a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 24-year-old and a 2027 sixth-rounder.

Pickens has since become a legitimate star in Dallas' offense and a dynamic complement to wideout CeeDee Lamb. With seven games left to play, he has already amassed 58 catches for 908 yards and seven touchdowns.

With Pickens playing at an All-Pro level and just entering the prime of his career, the only real question for the Cowboys is whether they're willing to pay Pickens and Lamb top-of-the-market deals.

"Yes," franchise owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Athletic's Jon Machota).

If Jones is willing to give Pickens an extension, he should do it now. Delaying deals has cost the Dallas owner millions in the past and eventually led to the trade of star pass-rusher Micah Parsons.

Pickens has a projected market value of $29.4 million annually, but he could command significantly more if he gets close to reaching the open market.

Ten receivers currently make $30 million or more per season, and the market floor will only continue to rise as players like Olave and London sign their lucrative second contracts.

Verdict: Extend Pickens now.

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Matt Freed

The Colts aren't the only team with a new quarterback playing well in 2025. The Steelers signed Aaron Rodgers during the offseason and have ridden the 41-year-old to a 6-4 record and a spot atop the AFC North.

Rodgers isn't exactly playing at an MVP level, but with 19 touchdown passes and a 97.7 QB rating, he's having the best season of his post-MVP career. There's a good chance the Steelers try to extend their relationship with him beyond this season.

"My understanding is the Steelers have really, really enjoyed the Aaron Rodgers experience," Rapoport said on NFL Gameday Morning in October. "...I would not be surprised, based on how he is and how he's playing, if they want him back for another year despite just signing him to a one-year deal."

Unfortunately, convincing the future Hall of Famer to commit beyond this season may not be possible. He hinted during the offseason that 2025 would probably be his last season.

"I'm pretty sure this is it," Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show in June (h/t ESPN's Brook Pryor).

Rodgers isn't exactly known for making snap decisions. If he does decide to play in 2026, it may be months into the offseason before he reaches that conclusion.

The other issue is that he will turn 42 next month and is dealing with a fractured non-throwing wrist. The Steelers should probably make sure he can hold up for more than half a season before mapping out a follow-up campaign.

You can bet Pittsburgh would prefer to have some quarterback clarity heading into the offseason, but committing to Rodgers now would be illogical, if not impossible.

Verdict: Take a wait-and-see approach with Rodgers.

Braden Smith, OT, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

If the Colts do believe Jones can be their long-term answer at quarterback, they should work to keep his current supporting cast in place. That should include re-signing right tackle Braden Smith.

Smith is again healthy and playing at a high level after missing stretches in both 2023 and 2024 due to injury. He'll turn 30 in March, but there's a good chance he'll be the most coveted offensive tackle in free agency if he gets there.

The Colts should ensure the 29-year-old doesn't reach the open market. If they do, they're likely to lose him to a team with more financial flexibility. Indianapolis is projected to have $57.7 million in 2026 cap space, but a large chunk of that will be earmarked for Jones.

The only real issue with extending Smith now is the fact that general manager Chris Ballard would have to create some wiggle room. The Colts have just $2.4 million in current cap space.

Reworking Smith's current contract—which has a 2025 cap hit of $10.4 million and no dead money beyond this season—as part of an extension might allow Ballard to get a deal done.

Verdict: Extend Smith now.

*Cap, contract and market-value information from Spotrac.