Biggest Questions Surrounding the 2026 Season After NFL Draft

We're entering slow season, as most NFL cores are set for 2026 and we now have a feel for how this campaign will look in Week 1. 

That doesn't mean there aren't still questions, though.

Here are six that are lingering as we leave free agency and the draft in the dust. 

What's the Deal With A.J. Brown?

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

A.J. Brown

Right now, reporting from multiple NFL insiders suggests a post–June 1 trade sending Brown from the Eagles to the Patriots is likely and widely expected, even though both teams insist no binding agreement is in place yet.

The writing was likely on the wall when the Eagles traded up for Makai Lemon in the first round of the draft, if not prior to that. 

That said, nothing's done until it's done in this wacky league. And because we're looking at a post-June 1 timeline that the entire football world is aware of, others could still swoop in and make this interesting. 

Regardless, if a deal is completed, the big questions then surround how the Super Bowl-contending Eagles replace a six-time 1,000-yard receiver who has been their top receiving option throughout his four-year tenure in Philly. 

Brown may sometimes cause distractions, and he may be declining to an extent entering his age-29 season, but this move would represent a heck of a gamble for a team that won the Super Bowl 15 months ago thanks in part to the 139 yards and two touchdowns he gave them in the final two playoff games that year.

Who Will Quarterback the Steelers?

AP Photo/Terrance Williams, archive

Aaron Rodgers

Again, at times this offseason it has appeared to be an inevitability that free agent Aaron Rodgers will return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for one more run at a championship.

Many expected that to be confirmed before the draft, but the enigmatic 42-year-old remains unemployed. 

Now, just this week, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette speculated that the team's "patience could be starting to wear thin" with regard to Rodgers' lack of decision on his future. 

It's important to note that while we're used to oddities from the veteran QB, this is not remotely normal, and it does leave the team in an uncomfortable spot.

The Steelers have essentially bought some insurance with the rarely-used unrestricted free-agent tender on Rodgers, but that doesn't replace him if he retires or signs elsewhere at a rate the team can't or won't match.   

Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar are the only other in-house options for a team that won the AFC North last season and has the pieces to make another run in 2026. 

The Steelers could soon find themselves scrambling to contact Jimmy Garoppolo.

Who Will Win Quarterback Jobs in Cleveland, Atlanta and Minnesota?

AP Photo/David Richard

Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson

The Browns have themselves a potential three-way battle between Deshaun Watson as well as sophomore Day 2 draft picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. 

The Falcons are pitting former Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa, coming off a brutal exit from Miami, against underwhelming 2024 first‑rounder Michael Penix Jr. The Vikings are pitting former Cardinals franchise QB Kyler Murray, looking to resurrect his career, against 2024 first‑round pick J.J. McCarthy, who has yet to live up to expectations.

Cleveland would surely like to finally get something out of its massive investment in Watson, who has delivered practically nothing in four years with the team, but Sanders and Gabriel both had some nice moments as rookies. 

Tagovailoa likely has a leg up on Penix, simply because the latter is recovering from a major knee injury. And you'd have to think Murray has the edge on McCarthy simply because the latter has been so unreliable the last two years. 

That said, all three are competitions with thus-far-undeclared winners or leaders, so stay tuned. 

What's Up With Puka Nacua and How Might That Impact the Rams' Season?

Vera Nieuwenhuis/AP Content Services for the NFL

Puka Nacua

Under normal circumstances, the chatter around Puka Nacua right now would be about the size of his potential contract extension. After all, the 24-year-old is one of the most productive receivers in the league and is entering a contract year. 

Earlier this offseason, Nacua was named in a civil lawsuit that alleges he bit a woman on New Year's Eve and made an 'unprovoked antisemitic statement'; his attorney has strongly denied those claims. More recently, he checked into a rehab facility, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

But earlier this offseason, Nacua was named in a civil lawsuit that accuses him of biting a woman on New Year's Eve and making an 'unprovoked antisemitic statement.' More recently, he checked into a rehab facility, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The organization has backed Nacua strongly, and there's a chance that new deal comes later this summer. But this is beginning to feel like an unstable situation, which isn't ideal considering the Rams are contenders that used their first-round pick on a backup quarterback despite the fact that there is practically nothing beyond Nacua and a 33-year-old Davante Adams on the team's wide receiver depth chart. 

What Does Future Hold for Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings?

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings

Brandon Aiyuk was a 1,000-yard receiver for the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 and 2023. Jauan Jennings fell just short of the 1,000-yard mark in 2024 and then scored nine touchdowns in 2025.

Now, Mike Evans, Christian Kirk and De'Zhaun Stribling have joined the San Francisco receiving corps, and it's looking as though there's no room for either Jennings or Aiyuk. 

The former is arguably the best player still on the market, while the latter appears likely to be traded or released sooner than later. 

Both guys are 28 years old and could be major contributors if they can remain healthy in the right environment. But it's complicated. The Athletic's Matt Barrows and Vic Tatur reported in April that Jennings is "asking for too much money," while Aiyuk appeared to become a distraction who wore out his welcome this year in San Francisco. 

Both will inevitably land elsewhere. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact they can make. 

When Will it Become 'Mendoza Time?'

AP Photo/John Locher

Fernando Mendoza

When you're as thirsty as the Las Vegas Raiders are and you use the top pick on a potential franchise-changing quarterback, being patient isn't easy.

That's what the Raiders face while also taking into account that veteran Kirk Cousins was brought on board on what's officially a five‑year, $172 million contract that in reality functions as a one‑year, fully guaranteed $20 million deal with team options beyond 2026.

So, when does the 37-year-old pass the torch to Fernando Mendoza? Is it possible the Heisman winner out of Indiana earns the job before Week 1? What are the chances he redshirts his entire rookie season? 

The answers will depend on how Mendoza looks this offseason and in training camp and the preseason, as well as what Cousins brings to the table for an offense that has quite a lot of talent at key support positions. 

Mendoza's quest to become an early starter really picks up when the Raiders start OTAs on May 18.