2026 NFL offseason: Free agents, draft notes, predictions - ESPN

The 2026 NFL offseason has begun for the 18 teams that did not make the postseason. How can each improve over the next seven months to have better results next season? What big decisions are on deck for each front office? We have next steps for all 18 franchises.

To start, our NFL Nation reporters picked out two key offseason priorities for the teams they cover and weighed in on the most interesting coaching situations that bear watching. National reporters Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano laid out early rumblings on one looming free agent decision for each franchise, and draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid called out one thing to know about each team's 2026 draft outlook. And finally, NFL analysts Aaron Schatz and Ben Solak made a big offseason prediction for every eliminated team.

It's all here as we get ready for the offseason. ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) and projected salary cap space (via Roster Management System) are as of Jan. 4. We'll add more teams as they're eliminated during the postseason.

Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | CIN | CLE
DAL | DET | IND | KC | LV
MIA | MIN | NO | NYG
NYJ | TB | TEN | WSH

2025 record: 3-14
Final FPI ranking: No. 26
Estimated 2026 cap space: $14.5 million
2026 first-round draft pick: No. 3

What is their top offseason priority? Decide what they're going to do with quarterback Kyler Murray. Is it time to part ways, or will the Cardinals try to run it back for another season? The former is more than likely, but that leads to another question: Do the Cardinals just cut him or can they trade him to get at least some compensation?

What is one secondary priority to watch? Figure out why there were so many injuries this season. Coach Jonathan Gannon has said more than once that