Most Important Contract Decision for Every NFL Team Ahead of 2026 Season

In some respects, the NFL offseason is about a shifting of job responsibilities.

In the early-going, the front offices are the tip of the spear, guiding the league's franchises through free agency and then the NFL draft. But as we move farther into the summer, it's coaching staffs who take over, preparing the rosters those front offices have assembled for the season to come.

However, just because the coaches have taken point doesn't mean that general managers can take a nap. They must forever be looking forward. Preparing for the future. Gazing ahead to 2027—and to the players who will hit the open market next spring.

Some of those players are already engaged in negotiations with their teams. Many others will play out the season in the hopes of earning a lucrative new deal. Some are still under contract but will be eligible for a massive extension in 2027.

Whatever the circumstances, there isn't a general manager in the league that doesn't have work to do. Decisions to make.

And many of those decisions won't be easy.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

WR Michael Wilson

Not that long ago, no one expected Michael Wilson's pending free agency in 2027 to be that big of a deal. But that was before Wilson's breakout 2025 season, where he caught 78 passes for 1,006 yards and seven scores.

While speaking to reporters, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said that Wilson is absolutely in Arizona's long-term plans.

"Here is what I would say about Michael," Ossenfort said. "Michael had an outstanding year for us. He's a great person. He works, he leads, and he produced on the field. Michael is about everything we want in our program to be about, and hopefully he is here for a long time."

The question for the Redbirds is whether to extend Wilson now after just one big year or wait to see if Wilson can back last year's eruption up—and potentially have to pay significantly more on a new deal as a result.

Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

RB Bijan Robinson

This one has become a short-term problem for the Falcons now—per Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, Bijan Robinson is "holding in" in training camp in the hopes of landing a deal that will reset the market in the backfield,

It's not like the 24-year-old isn't worth it—he averaged over five yards on the carry last year and led the NFL with 2,298 total yards. As Wilson wrote, production that elite is all but impossible to replace.

"We wanted to know how difficult it would be to replicate his entire profile," Wilson said. "So, we looked at 508 NFL running back seasons from 2015-25 with at least 100 carries and compared rushing yards, receiving yards, yards after contact per attempt and yards per route run. Only eight of those 508 seasons reached even 70% of Robinson's production in all four categories. At an 80% threshold, there were two: Saquon Barkley in 2018 and Robinson himself in 2025. At 90%, there was only Robinson."

Give that man his bag.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

QB Lamar Jackson

The Ravens will have some sizable decisions to make next offseason regarding a couple of aging free agents to-be in cornerback Marlon Humphrey and center Ethan Pocic. But one contract situation looms over all others as we head toward Week 1.

Just as it usually does.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson still has two years remaining on his current deal, which averages $52.5 million. Jackson and the Ravens have reportedly already talked about another extension, but while addressing the media Jackson said that's between him and the team.

"I'm gonna keep it the same way I've been keeping it. You know, not here," Jackson said. "You know, it's private between me and the G.M. Yeah, you know, focus on football, like it's always been."

It appears at this point that Jackson will play out the 2026 season on his current deal. If the 29-year-old rebounds from an injury-marred 2025 and plays anything like the Jackson we saw two years ago, the two-time MVP will get a new pact that sails past the $63.5 million a season Patrick Mahomes just received from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

OG O'Cyrus Torrence

Buffalo Bills guard O'Cyrus Torrence might not be a household name, but he has become an important part of the Bills offensive line. He has started 50 of a possible 51 games over his three seasons in Western New York and all seven of Buffalo's postseason games over that span.

While appearing on the Cover 1 podcast, Torrence said that he and the team have mutual interest in an extension.

"(Negotiations are) going pretty smooth. We both got similar interest. Like, we both want to make this work (the) best way we can," Torrence said. "So, I feel like—I don't feel like—I know that's what we're both doing. Like, we both want to make it work. We both want to stay (together). And that's kind of the process we're in right now."

It's not an extension that will be cheap—Spotrac estimates that an extension for Torrence would be three years at an average of $13.1 million a season.

Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

QB Bryce Young

The Carolina Panthers have numerous contract decisions on the horizon. Offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu may miss the entire 2026 season after rupturing his patellar tendon in the playoffs last year before hitting free agency next year. Veteran cornerback Mike Jackson has been a defensive stalwart for the team, but he'll be 30 in January.

But let's be real—it's all about what the Panthers are going to do about Bryce Young now that he's eligible for an extension.

While talking to Adam Schein of Sirius XM, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said that Young is in the team's long-term plans—but they aren't racing to re-up him after three up-and-down seasons.

"In terms of long-term contract, that's something that we're talking about here internally, and we'll do it at the right time," Morgan said. "As you see him mature, you see him become a better leader every single year. And the operation's getting faster every year. So, we really feel like the arrow is up with Bryce."

There may not be a player in the NFL with more money on the line in 2026 than Young.

Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Erin Hooley

QB Caleb Williams

It has been something of a bumpy road for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams over his first two seasons. Williams struggled as a rookie before taking a major step forward in leading his team to an NFC North title in 2025.

Now, Williams is entering the all-important third season after which he will be eligible for a mega-extension. While addressing the media, Bears general manager Ryan Poles acknowledged that how Williams fares in Year 3 will go a long way toward determining Chicago's gameplan come next offseason.

''It's good to almost feel like you've got it,'' Poles said. ''If you go with a traffic light, it went red as a rookie to yellow. You can creep forward a little bit and start having some of these conversations to anticipate it. But we need him to give us a green light. I think we'll find out this year about his progress.''

If Williams leads the Bears back to the postseason, he'll be looking at $60 million a season next year—at least. If he regresses, then it sets up a make-or-break 2027 campaign that could define the franchise for years to come.

Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

EDGE Myles Murphy

The Bengals have already declined the fifth-year option on edge-rusher Myles Murphy, which means that the young edge-rusher will be playing for a new deal in 2026.

Murphy is admittedly coming off the best season of his career, and while talking to reporters Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said that Murphy's career is trending in the right direction.

"He's a 24-year-old guy that's just starting to scratch the surface," Tobin said. "I was pleased with his progression last year and how he took ownership of the starting role and how he grew throughout the season. By the end of the year, he was a problem for teams. He's a guy that we believe in. He's going to be a big part of what Al and his staff does."

Murphy led the team in sacks (5.5) and hurries (31) last year, and with fellow first-rounder Shemar Stewart on the shelf with a hyperextended knee Murphy has a chance to entrench himself as a starter opposite Boye Mafe on the edge.

The question is how much more improvement the Bengals need to see in 2026 to break out the checkbook.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

QB Deshaun Watson

Yep. That's where we're at with the Browns. The team just extended star cornerback Denzel Ward and re-upped veteran safety Grant Delpit. Cleveland doesn't have any players of note set to hit free agency next year.

Well, except for the single worst contract decision in the team's history—after five long years, Deshaun Watson's five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed pact will expire next spring.

Parties have been scheduled.

Here's the thing though—what if Watson not only wins the starting job in Cleveland but also goes out and plays relatively well? What if the Browns could get a quarterback on a below-market deal next year? What if the team wins enough games that a high-end rookie at the position is off the table?

Would Cleveland dare re-sign a player who is loathed by most of the fanbase?

Before you roar in laughter and shake your head so hard you strain a muscle, consider one very important factor.

This is Cleveland.

Dallas Cowboys

Foto de archivo de AP/Jerome Miron

WR George Pickens

Welcome to no-brainer theater. Take a seat.

Now, there's admittedly nothing the Cowboys can do about this until after the season. The July 15 deadline to work out a long-term deal with wide receiver George Pickens has come and gone, so the fifth-year veteran will play this season under the franchise tag.

Essentially, Dallas is hedging their bet a bit—rather than extending Pickens after he amassed a career-high 1,429 receiving yards last year, the Cowboys want to see Pickens back those numbers up—even if it costs them more in the future.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters he hopes that this gamble winds up costing the team in the long run—because that means the team has a second superstar at wideout.

"I hope that he comes out here and is the most prolific, successful receiver in the NFL this year. How would you like to be a free agent and with his credentials and step out there and have a year like that? So, I wish all of that because if that happens, that was good for us, and we did it the way that we thought was best for everybody concerned."

We'll see if he feels the same way in March.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

CB Ja'Quan McMillan

The Broncos could be staring down the barrel of a mega-deal for quarterback Bo Nix next offseason, but Denver also has an underrated defensive contributor set to hit free agency in 2027.

Over the past three seasons, Ja'Quan McMillan has emerged as Denver's primary slot corner, posting a career-best passer rating against of 74.2 in 2025. While addressing the media, McMillan's agent Deryk Gilmore said that McMillan very much wants to remain in the Mile High City.

"Ja'Quan has enjoyed his time in Denver," he said, "believes in what the organization is building, and would certainly welcome the opportunity to remain a Bronco well into the future. Out of respect for the process, we'll keep those discussions (with the Broncos) private, but we look forward to continuing the dialogue when the timing is appropriate."

This may come down to what McMillan is willing to take to stay in Denver—with fellow cornerback Riley Moss also set to hit free agency, there's only so much cash to go around.

Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

RB Jahmyr Gibbs

Bijan Robinson isn't the only star running back who is angling for a new contract before the season starts—after racking up over 1,800 total yards and 18 total scores for the second straight season, Jahmyr Gibbs wants to get paid—and he's "holding in" until he is.

While speaking to reporters, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he's confident the impasse would be resolved in short order.

"I'll just leave it at this: You guys know how I feel, how we feel about Gibbs — and what the team feels about him. And I'll leave it at that," Campbell said. "Listen, all the other stuff — my job is to coach who's out there right now. And I love the kid. But I've got a team to coach right now. And, listen, whatever all this [is], at some point here, it'll get done. It's going to get done. I'm not even sweating it."

He's probably right. The Lions are a Super Bowl contender. Gibbs is a key part of the Lions offense.

It's just a matter of when and for how much.

Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

TE Tucker Kraft

Before an ACL tear ended his 2025 season, Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was in the midst of a career year—15.3 yards per catch and six touchdowns in eight games. Per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk, Packers general manager Brain Gutekunst expressed optimism that the 25-year-old will be a full-go for Week 1—potentially with a new contract.

"Certainly, I think for both us and him, it's in the best interest to try to get something done," Gutekunst said. "But these things take time. We've gone through a bunch of extensions this summer, kind of knowing this was going to be the one right about now. We have a little bit of time because he's just not there yet. But I would expect, hopefully, that would get done. But you never know how they're going to go."

The Packers may be dragging their feet here a bit to make sure that Kraft is back to 100 percent (or at least close). Once the franchise is confident he's healthy, Kraft should get his payday quickly enough.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

QB C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans could have a number of contract decisions to make on defense next offseason. But let's get real—there's just one contract in Houston that matters right now.

C.J. Stroud has led the Texans to the postseason in all three of his NFL seasons. Won a playoff game in all three of his NFL seasons. But after a disastrous turnover-fest in the playoffs a year ago, Stroud's future in Houston is suddenly cloudy.

For his part, Stroud told reporters that he's focused far more on football than on his next deal.

"I think everything has been great," Stroud said. "I'm focused on ball. I'm trying to hold my end of the bargain down on just the football side and do what I can and what I should be doing as the quarterback of this team. I'm letting them handle it, and seems like everything is going great."

Stroud is under through team control through at least 2027. But the longer Stroud goes without being extended, the more awkward things are going to get in H-Town.

Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

OG Quenton Nelson

The Colts have a trio of long-time contributors set to hit free agency next year in defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, running back Jonathan Taylor and offensive guard Quenton Nelson.

Nelson should be general manager Chris Ballard's top priority.

Over eight years with the Colts, Nelson has been named to eight Pro Bowls and has already earned one fat payday. While talking to reporters, Nelson said he's far more concerned with preparing for the season than his next whopper of a contract.

"It's really out of my control," Nelson said. "That's with the people in this building and my agent. Worrying about it or thinking about it isn't going to help me accomplish any of my goals. I leave that to them. I'm just here, I'm all ball."

Even at 30 years old, Nelson remains on the short list of the best interior linemen in the NFL. He will likely expect to once again become the league's highest-paid player at his position.

Given his resume of dominance, he certainly appears to be worth it.

Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/John Raoux

WR Parker Washington

Per Spotrac, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington is set to make just over $1 million in the final year of his rookie deal.

He's headed toward a raise.

After modest numbers his first two seasons, Washington was a big part of the Jacksonville offense a year ago—58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns. While talking to the media, head coach Liam Coen said that he's confident that everything will be worked out with the 24-year-old.

"I texted Parker last week. You know, just a little,' Here we go, man. Let's get ready to go.' And he's like, 'I'm ready to kill, I'm ready to go.' And that's all I need to hear from him," Coen said. "I mean, that is. I mean, that stuff really does truly work itself out."

Washington's deal isn't going to be a bank-breaker—say $15 million a season. But it makes sense for the Jags to lock Washington up sooner rather than later. Because if he hits the open market, his asking price is only going to increase.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Gareth Patterson

WR Rashee Rice

There may not be a trickier contract extension on this entire list than the potential deal between the Kansas City Chiefs and mercurial wide receiver Rashee Rice.

When he's healthy and at his best, Rice has shown the ability to be an elite wideout—he's fantastic after the catch and is one of Patrick Mahomes' favorite red-zone targets. But health has been an in issue—Rice has played in just 12 games the past two years combined. He's also no stranger to off-field issues, including a personal conduct suspension in 2025 and jail time this year.

It leaves the team facing an interesting dilemma. Do they attempt to re-up Rice now on a relatively short-term deal at a substantial discount? Or wait and see if Rice can finally put a full and productive campaign together even if it means paying more when the time comes.

If the lack of apparent movement on a new deal would seem to indicate that the Chiefs are leaning in the latter direction.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/David Becker

WR Tre Tucker

To date, Tre Tucker's NFL career has been mostly quiet. But that's not entirely Tucker's fault--since he was drafted in the third round of the 2023 draft, Tucker has had four head coaches, seven offensive coordinators, three wide receiver coaches and caught passes from seven different starting quarterbacks.

That's a ton of turnover, but while speaking to reporters Tucker said he's trying to turn all that tumult into a positive.

"Obviously, you don't want to have multiple different offensive coordinators [because] you can't play in the same system, but you can't look at the negatives," Tucker said. "The positives, I was able to learn different schemes, different terminology [and] just seeing different things. And I think that's helped me now because a lot of things we're doing, I mean, the NFL is the NFL, everybody runs the same plays, they just call it different, so you know the coaching points, and you get to learn more."

Tucker is being counted on to be a leader in a young Raiders wideout room this year, and there's a real chance he could emerge as the team's top receiver. If he can finally put it all together in 2026, Tucker will be looking at a hefty raise come next spring.

Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu

Tuli Tuipulotu had his coming out party last year with the Chargers. In his third season, Tuipulotu tallied 49 total tackles and 13 sacks on his way to the Pro Bowl. Now the 23-year-old wants a paycheck to match that production—and he's staging a training camp "hold in" in the hopes of getting it.

While speaking with reporters, teammate Derwin James Jr. said that this is all just an unfortunate part of the business.

"It's just the process of it, man," James said. "The team loves him. We love Tuli. I knew the team loved me, too, when I had the same (or a) similar situation. Sometimes that stuff takes longer to iron out. But everyone knows we love Tuli here. I'm pretty sure they love him up there, too. He loves the team. So it'll get worked out. It'll work itself out. Mine got worked out. I was confident in it. I can't wait to have him out there. It's just part of the business, man."

This is an impasse that will likely be worked out sooner rather than later—a Chargers team with Super Bowl aspirations needs their best edge-rusher on the field. It's just a matter of agreeing to an admittedly large number—and then putting pen to paper.

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

EDGE Byron Young

At first glance, this would appear an easy call. Young was solid in his first two professional seasons before exploding last year to the tune of 82 total tackles and 12 sacks. He certainly appears to have earned a monster payday.

But the arrival of Myles Garrett in Cleveland complicates things—committing $75 million (or more) in annual salary to the edge-rusher position would potentially put the Rams in a bind at other positions—especially with other young stars like defensive tackle Kobie Turner and wide receiver Puka Nacua heading toward massive extensions of their own.

Rams general manager Les Snead is among the best in the league at what he does—if there's an executive who can pull the proverbial rabbit out of his hat and somehow get Young extended it's Snead.

But the more likely scenario is that Young plays out the final year of his rookie deal and then hits the open market in 2027 as one of the most coveted players in free agency.

Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

TE Greg Dulcich

As the Miami Dolphins begin a ground-up rebuild, the team is sitting on a mountain of dead cap hits after a veteran roster purge and faces few looming contract decisions, Players have either already been extended or were sent packing.

However, tight end Greg Dulcich is already making a case for more than the one-year deal he got from the Dolphins this offseason. It's admittedly early in camp, but Dulcich is consistently standing out on the practice field among a woefully thin group of pass-catchers in Miami.

While talking to reporters, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan tabbed Dulcich as a player he believes could break out in 2026.

"I thought he had a really good back end of the season, and I want to see if he can build on that," Sullivan said. "It's why we brought him back."

The longer the Dolphins wait to extend the player who could be the team's leading receiver this year, the more it's going to eventually cost.

Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Stacy Bengs

EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel

On one hand, it would appear to be a no-brainer for the Minnesota Vikings to lock up veteran edge-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel. As Kyler Wolff wrote for Athlon Sports, in two short seasons Van Ginkel has become a foundational piece of the Vikings defense.

"Since becoming a Viking before the 2024 season, Van Ginkel has had 18.5 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, 16 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions, two of which he took back for touchdowns," he said. "The edge rusher's versatility and playmaking ability have been a perfect fit in Brian Flores' defense, where he's become the epitome of what Vikings defenders under Flores should aspire to. Van Ginkel has been a fan favorite and has become a cornerstone for the Vikings franchise in just two short years in Minnesota."

The problem is that Van Ginkel also just turned 31, he's coming off an injury-marred 2025 campaign, and the team just drafted a potential replacement in Jake Golday.

It's quite the quandary for the new front office in the Twin Cities.

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

TE Hunter Henry

After the 2026 season, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will be eligible for an extension. But barring a catastrophe, Maye is going to be one of the league's highest-paid players at this point next year.

The fate of veteran tight end Hunter Henry is less certain.

While addressing the media, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talked up Henry as a player—while giving the typical response from teams regarding extensions.

"I mean, talked about his consistency, his production, and you know, again, we're not gonna go down the road of talking about contracts," Vrabel said. "So, we're not gonna start there. But the more that I can be around Hunter Henry, the better because (he's) been a great football player. He's a great leader for us. A very consistent player."

Henry will be 32 in December, but he has been a mainstay in New England for the past five years. However, as things stand now New England's cap situation in 2027 is a bit tricky—and that's before Maye gets paid.

New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

EDGE Chase Young

Last year, it finally came together for Saints edge-rusher Chase Young.

It didn't look like it was going to—the former No. 2 overall pick missed the season's first five games with a calf injury. But once Young was back on the field, he caught fire—a career-high 10 sacks in 12 games. And while talking to reporters, Young said he expects even bigger and better things in Brandon Staley's defense in 2026.

"His defense is built around his edge rushers," Young said. "His defense needs good edge rushers and he needs us to be great to make our defense thrive. It's something when your coach has faith in you, and you don't want to let him down. I feel like me and Coach Staley, we have a great relationship. If I'm going to be one of his horses, I'm gonna hustle. We have our talks and I know if I stick to it, we're gonna make something shake."

Young is under contract through 2027 at a bargain price relative to what other high-end edge-rushers make. If he can back up last year's numbers with a hot start in 2026, extending the 27-year-old now could save the Saints a boatload of scratch down the road.

New York Giants

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux

Given the glut of high-priced edge-rushers in New York, it might appear that Kayvon Thibodeaux's days with the Giants are numbered—especially after a career-low 2.5 sacks last year.

But fans and pundits have been predicting that Thibodeaux would be moved ever since the arrival of Abdul Carter last year, and yet here he still sits, with Giants general manager Joe Schoen telling reporters that the team still expects big things from the fifth-year veteran in 2026.

"Right now, Kayvon's going to be with us," Schoen said. "He played well. He is going into his fifth year, and he's motivated and you can't have enough pass rushers. You really can't. So, I'm proud of the development and the maturation of Kayvon and he's come a long way. And I expect big things out of him this year with that rotation."

An in-season trade may be as likely as an extension. But if Thibodeaux can recover his 2023 form or the Giants suffer an injury at the position, Thibodeaux's certain departure from the Big Apple may not be so certain after all.

New York Jets

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

OT Olu Fashanu

The New York Jets are in the opening stages of a ground-up rebuild. One of the decisions the team faces is whether to lock up the young talent the team has spent high picks on in recent years. Next up on that list is left tackle Olu Fashanu, who the Jets drafted in the first round in 2024.

Per Jacob Infante of PFSN, Fashanu showed improvement in his second season. But it's still not a lock that Fashanu will be extended next spring.

"The New York Jets got incredible results out of 2025 first-round pick Armand Membou at right tackle immediately," he said, "but it's been a slower process for their 2024 first-round pick, left tackle Olu Fashanu. He improved his PFN OL Impact Score from 58.9 to 73.8 in the jump to Year 2, but he's still behind other 2024 draft picks like Joe Alt, Amarius Mims, and Roger Rosengarten. Fashanu will need to continue to improve this year to secure a big extension."

For his part, Fashanu is turning heads at Jets camp. But the youngster needs another jump forward in 2026 to inspire the Jets to lock him up for the long run.

Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

CB Cooper DeJean

The Philadelphia Eagles face as many looming contract decisions as any team in the league. All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell will be eligible for a massive extension next spring. Fellow cornerback Cooper DeJean and edge-rusher Nolan Smith are entering the final year of their rookie contracts.

While speaking to the media, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said that he's aware tough decisions will need to be made—but he's not about to let young, home-grown difference-makers just walk out the door.

"You're going to have to make sacrifices," he said. "You saw it in the offseason. We let players go that we care about, that we think are good players, that we think are really good people, that fit. But we had to move on because we have some game-changing players and people that are part of this organization and we don't intend to lose."

DeJean is just since a difference-maker—a versatile chess piece on the back end of the defense who was named a first-team All-Pro last year after logging 93 total tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

EDGE Alex Highsmith

In T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best trios of edge-rushers in the game. However, after handing Herbig a fat extension in the offseason, the Steelers also have a boatload of resources tied up in the position—and that puts Pittsburgh in something of a pickle with Highsmith entering a contract year.

While talking to reporters, Highsmith made it clear he doesn't want to go anywhere after 9.5 sacks in 2025.

"I do want to be a Steeler for life," he said. "For me, I just wanna go out there and do whatever I can to bring another Super Bowl to this team, another Super Bowl to this city. I do want to be a Steeler for life, so for me I'm just excited for this year and just to go out there and like I said, our group, we're the best group in the league EDGE-wise. The three of us, and Jack [Sawyer], so I'm just really excited for the group that we have."

Essentially, it may come down to a simple but once inconceivable choice. Let Highsmith walk next spring—or entertain offers for Watt.

San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

QB Mac Jones

After a promising start to his career in New England. Mac Jones had fallen off the radar until 2025. Taking over for the injured Brock Purdy, Jones made eight starts for the 49ers, setting career-highs in completion percentage (69.6) and passer rating (97.4).

Now, Jones told reporters that he wants to demonstrate that he can back last year's success up.

"I feel like it's time to stack some good years here," he said. "I'm looking at it as a positive, building on it, I guess, is the right word. You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself like, 'Oh, I've got to do what I did last year.' You also don't want to be satisfied with what you did."

The problem for Jones is the opportunity to show just that backing up Purdy. The problem for the Niners is that given Purdy's injury history, having arguably the NFL's best backup quarterback is a big deal.

But convincing Jones to stay in San Fran when there could be opportunities to start elsewhere is an awfully hard sale. And it's going to cost a lot more than the $4.5 million Jones is making this year.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

DT Leonard Williams

The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX because the team dominated the New England Patriots at the line of scrimmage. And make no mistake—veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams played a big part in that dominance.

Now, as Williams enters his 12th professional season, he's also entering a contract year. But he told reporters his focus is on Week 1—and not his salary in 2027.

"I try not to think about it, honestly," Williams said. "I've always been that type of guy. I've had a lot of contracts at this point in my career, and I've always noticed players that really focus on their contract end up not playing well. They end up having their head in the wrong place. I've noticed that when I just focus on being where I'm at, focusing on my team and how I can get better individually, things always tend to work themselves out."

At 32, Williams is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. But he has 18 sacks and two Pro Bowl trips over the past two seasons, and an ESPN poll of coaches and executives recently named him the best defensive tackle in the game.

He's not going anywhere.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

QB Baker Mayfield

This is the biggest no-brainer in this piece—and a situation that is seemingly growing uglier by the day.

It all started when Mayfield, who is entering a contract year, went public with his dissatisfaction with Tampa's latest offer.

"That's really the disappointing part -- to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it," said Mayfield. "If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad because it's only going to get worse from here. I'm going to have a really big year."

That reportedly didn't sit well with the Buccaneers, who offered Mayfield a two-year deal worth over $100 million. And as ESPN's Adam Schefter explained on The Pat McAfee Show, Mayfield could be locked in at that amount whether he wants to be or not.

"The Buccaneers have made an offer over fifty million dollars per year, and Baker says it's shut down," he said. "It's shut down, and he's not going to talk. Now, they can still franchise (tag) him at $47 million, which would be less than 50, and then $57 million the next year. So, essentially, they have him for the next two years for $105 million with the franchise tag."

Someone overplayed their hand.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

EDGE Jermaine Johnson

The Titans traded for veteran edge-rusher Jermaine Johnson in the offseason, and the 27-year-old is doubly motivated in 2026—not only is he trying to impress a new team, but he's also entering a contract year.

While addressing the media, Johnson said he wants to show that he's one of the best in the league at what he does.

"No hype, just give me my helmet," Johnson said. "I just want to go play football and I want to be myself and be the player I know I am. I don't really care about potential talk any more. I've got to go do something this year and I believe I am top five, top 10 at my position in the NFL, but that's not the case statistically and I have to go change that this year."

Johnson's numbers weren't impressive last year, but now he's one year farther removed from the Achilles tear that ended his 2024 campaign. The year before that, he logged 7.5 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl.

A return to those levels will make Johnson more than one-and-done in Nashville.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Nick Wass

DT Daron Payne

For the past eight years, Daron Payne has been a fixture on the interior of the Washington defensive line, logging 37 sacks and making a Pro Bowl back in 2022. But while speaking to the media, Commanders general manager Adam Peters said there's no huge hurry to extend the 29-year-old after a down 2025.

"I don't think we're gonna explore that at this time," he said. "Really excited to have Daron with us next year, and can probably address that later, maybe after the year. But, and I've talked with his agent about that, what I can say is I got a ton of respect for Daron. His toughness, his physicality, his leadership, his ability to play and be available all the time. And there's nobody tougher than him, and I think he's going to really have a chance to flourish in this new defense, which will be a little bit multiple and allow him to move around a little bit."

It's a decision that could come back to haunt the Commanders. The last time Payne was in a contract year, he exploded for a career-high 11 sacks. If that happens again, Peters is going to have a difficult choice to make, especially with multiple edge-rushers also set to hit the open market next spring.