10 Predictions for the 2026 NFL Offseason

With the NFL season now officially complete and the Seattle Seahawks the last team standing after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, it’s time to look ahead to the 2026 season. And that starts with how these teams will build their rosters for the upcoming year.

In this post, I want to start looking toward the offseason and make some predictions about how the next few months will play out, and how teams will attempt to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at SoFi Stadium next Valentine’s Day in Super Bowl LXI.

Prediction 1: Will Campbell’s Position Switch Is Coming

While they say they won’t do it, the New England Patriots will start to get the ball rolling on moving Will Campbell to the inside of their offensive line.

Mike Vrabel said after the season that Campbell was drafted as the team’s left tackle last year and they plan to keep him there. I do think that’s their plan going into next season, but I also believe that at some point midseason, Will Campbell will be moved to the inside.

That will start with the Patriots putting resources into the left side of their offensive line, whether that’s another that's picking someone high in the draft or going out and trading for or spending money in free agency on someone at the position. I do think things will start to shift. I believe there will be plans made and moves executed with the intention of eventually moving Will Campbell inside.

Prediction 2: Mike Evans Signs with the Buffalo Bills... If He Leaves Tampa

If Evans reaches free agency, I expect the Bills to be one of the first teams knocking on his door.

Buffalo need to address the wide receiver position, and while I’ve seen lots of reports about them potentially being interested in the Eagles’ A.J. Brown, I just don’t think they’re going to go out and do that. The Bills have seen a diva wide receiver in their locker room before with Stefon Diggs, and it didn’t work out long-term.

I think the Bills will do their best to address the position this offseason and try to start upgrading the talent around Josh Allen. And I believe Mike Evans is the most cost-effective option, should he be available on the free agent market this offseason, as they look to make a Super Bowl run.

Prediction 3: The Dolphins Sign QB Malik Willis

Jeff Hafley was just hired to be Miami's new head coach, and he’s coming from Green Bay, where he served as the Packers’ defensive coordinator. He saw Willis’ development under Matt LaFleur every day in practice.

The Dolphins are all but certain to move on from Tua Tagovailoa this offseason. How they do that, we’re still unsure of. But I do expect Willis to fetch a decent amount of money after what we’ve seen from his play with the Packers over the last two seasons. And the fit with the Dolphins, to me, just makes the most sense.

Prediction 4: Aaron Rodgers Returns to the Steelers for Another Season

After the Steelers lost ugly to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card game, it seemed certain that Rodgers was destined to retire. He took a beating in that game, and it was already an accomplishment for him to get a team to win a division title and back into the playoffs at this stage of his career. It seemed even more likely once Mike Tomlin stepped down as Steelers head coach the next day.

However, the Steelers made an interesting move by going out and hiring Mike McCarthy, Rodgers’ former coach in Green Bay, who he won a Super Bowl with, to be their new head coach. That makes me believe the Steelers want to do everything they can to make sure Rodgers returns for another season.

And I think, at the end of the day, it would be a nice storybook ending for him to make sure the last coach he plays for is the first coach he played for. I think Rodgers returns to the Steelers for one final season.

Prediction 5: The Tennessee Titans Acquire a Superstar in Some Way

I expect the Titans, if they have the correct offseason, to be a sleeper pick to make the postseason going into 2026. While the record was not good at all, Cam Ward did show flashes in his rookie season, but the talent around him was just so bad. I can’t even have a real opinion on whether Ward was a good number one overall pick because of how bad the situation was.

So far this offseason, they’ve hired Robert Saleh as head coach, which should shore up the defense, and I really like the offensive coordinator hire of Brian Daboll. I expect the Titans to be one of the more aggressive teams this offseason as they try to put talent around Cam Ward and see if they really do have their guy after spending the number one overall pick on him last April.

Prediction 6: Trey Hendrickson Signs with the Indianapolis Colts

Trey Hendrickson’s time with the Cincinnati Bengals seems all but done. After ugly contract negotiations last summer, the Bengals gave him a bit more money to play this season, but the relationship feels finished.

I expect the Indianapolis Colts to go out and sign the All-Pro edge rusher, largely because of his relationship with their defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo from when he served in that same role with the Bengals.

Hendrickson is looking for one last payday, and I expect the Colts to be his landing spot in March.

Prediction 7: Tyreek Hill is released by the Miami Dolphins and either signs with the Los Angeles Chargers or returns to the Kansas City Chiefs

I don’t know what Hill’s relationship is like with his former head coach in Miami, Mike McDaniel, who’s now the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, but if it’s good enough, I expect him to want to end up back in that system in LA and team up with Justin Herbert, who desperately needs a true downfield weapon with speed.

Hill is coming off a severe injury, and his market could be limited this offseason. And if that’s the case, I do think a potential one-year prove-it deal back in Kansas City with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes could make a ton of sense, as the Chiefs look to retool and make another Super Bowl run after a very disappointing 6–11 season in 2025.

Prediction 8: The Vikings Bring in Geno Smith to Compete with J.J. McCarthy

I expect Smith, under this new regime, to be cut by the Raiders this offseason. Klint Kubiak will select a quarterback with the first overall pick, and it will be Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana University, who’s coming off a Heisman Trophy and a national championship.

After a disappointing year with the Raiders, I believe Geno Smith will need to look for a one-year prove-it deal, and he’s going to want a spot where he can compete for a starting quarterback job.

I think Smith in Minnesota makes a ton of sense. He likes to throw the ball downfield, which Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will love, and I do think Kevin O’Connell could help him limit his turnovers like he did with Sam Darnold in 2024.

Prediction 9: The Chicago Bears Trade DJ Moore

DJ Moore, at the end of this season, while he did make some clutch plays, doesn’t seem to have the greatest relationship with Caleb Williams. And while he’s still productive, I do think the Bears need all the draft capital they can get to select young defensive players who can make an impact for cheap.

Rome Odunze, while he struggled to stay healthy this season, has shown that he should be the number one option in Chicago. I could see the Bears going out and signing a quality number two or three receiver with the open cap space they have and using the draft capital they could get in return for Moore to improve that defense.

Prediction 10: The Seahawks Trade for Maxx Crosby

The defending champions get even better.

I think the Seattle Seahawks make a trade to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. Jay Glazer has reported that Crosby’s time with the Raiders is all but done, and I expect him, in general, to end up in one of the three NFC West destinations, whether that be the Seahawks, Rams, or 49ers.

But we’ve heard on multiple occasions over the past year that Seahawks GM John Schneider has been heavily interested in adding Maxx Crosby to this defensive line. Apparently, last year he offered Geno Smith and DK Metcalf in a package to acquire Crosby, and the Raiders said no. And then, while there hasn’t been concrete proof, there have been rumblings that he offered even more draft capital this past season to get Crosby in Seattle.

Coming off a Super Bowl championship, and with some of their young players still on rookie deals, I think the Seahawks finally strike a deal with the Raiders, a team they’ve had a trade relationship with in the past. I think Seattle finally gets it done and acquires Maxx Crosby, bringing in an elite edge rusher as they look to defend their Super Bowl championship.