The 2026 NFL offseason wasted no time getting underway. During the legal tampering period beginning Monday, March 9 at 12 p.m. EST, teams hurried to secure new players to reshape their 2026 campaigns. With the salary cap rising to a record $310.2 million, franchises had more flexibility than ever before, allowing for one of the most hectic free agency periods in recent years. 

“I think a lot of teams added talent that makes them contenders,” freshman Jake Shuster said. 

Far and away, the most influential singing of the offseason was Kenneth Walker III agreeing to a three-year deal worth up to $45 million with the Kansas City Chiefs. This move has the potential to revive the Chiefs’ dynasty, which took a massive dip last season, as Kansas City went from three back-to-back Superbowl appearances to missing the playoffs entirely. 

On the defensive side of the ball, one of the biggest deals came when the Los Angelas Rams acquired star cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for four draft picks, including a 2026 first-rounder.  

This fills the Rams’ biggest hole from 2025 at cornerback, while also helping Kansas City immensely it looks toward the future. Los Angeles also followed this up by signing McDuffie to a four-year, $124 million extension, which makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. 

The Las Vegas Raiders made history on the offensive line, signing center Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year deal worth up to $81 million, the largest contract ever for an interior offensive lineman. This should also help with the production of star second-year running back, Ashton Jeanty. 

As usual, the quarterback carousel was interesting. Key moves included:  

• Tua Tagovailoa being released by the Miami Dolphins and signing with the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year, $1.3 million veteran minimum deal
• Malik Willis, the number one ranked free agent quarterback this year, signing with the Dolphins on a three-year, $67.5 million contract
• Geno Smith returning to the New York Jets via trade from Las Vegas, which almost entirely guarantees that the Raiders will take Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first pick in this year’s draft
• Kyler Murray signing a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings 

“I think the Jets made a poor move to bring back Geno Smith because he did not play well last year, so they are getting pushed back to square one,” sophomore Dolan Vogel said. 

The San Francisco 49ers also made quite a splash, signing likely future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans. Last year, San Francisco seemed to be knocking on the door of the Superbowl, but the team was plagued by injuries on both sides of the ball, so Evans gives the 49ers much-needed depth at the wide receiver position. 

The Baltimore Ravens were forced to pivot to signing over star defensive edge Trey Hendrickson for $112 million over four years. Baltimore originally traded for defensive edge Maxx Crosby from Las Vegas, but that fell through after concerns about a recent knee injury that came up during his physical with the team. 

“Trey Hendrickson was probably my favorite signing because it made up for the fact that the Ravens lost out on Maxx Crosby, and he should still improve their defensive line,” freshman Andy Bernardino said. 

However, the situation sparked controversy around the league. Some agents have openly said they will no longer work with the Ravens, as many believe the team backed out of the Crosby deal not solely due to medical concerns, but because they realized they could sign a comparable player in Hendrickson without sacrificing two first-round picks.

The final big move on the defensive side was lineman Rashan Gary being traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round pick, but Green Bay still seems to have come out victorious, as the team was in need of a defensive reset. 

Although these were all of the big moves, several impactful transactions occurred across the league: 

• DJ Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills
• Travis Etienne Jr. signed with the New Orleans Saints on a four-year deal worth up to $52 million
• Romeo Doubs joined the New England Patriots on a four-year deal worth around $70 million
• Isaiah Likely signed with the New York Giants on a three-year, $40 million contract
• Nakobe Dean signed a three-year, $36 million contract with Las Vegas