5 questions that will drive the 2026 NFL offseason

• Looming decisions will sway what happens in the NFL Draft: The Jets dictate the first round's direction with the second overall pick, while Trinidad Chambliss' eligibility will have other ramifications.

• 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

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Although Super Bowl LX is still two days away, the NFL calendar waits for nobody. Teams around the league have already begun formulating their offseason plans for 2026 and beyond, while players are also likely keeping tabs on their statuses — or even new homes.

From free agency to the draft, below are five topics that will help shape the dominos that fall around the league in the next six months.

What do teams decide to do with uncertain quarterbacks?

The NFL is perennially a quarterback-driven league, with the position holding both the most quantifiable value (measured succinctly by PFF Wins Above Replacement) and being home to the sport’s biggest stars. It’s only apropos that the 2026 offseason will also revolve around what happens at the position, where several major names could be on the market.

Arguably the biggest fish on the quarterback trade rumor mill is the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray, who recorded a 72.2 overall PFF grade across a career-low 318 snaps in 2025 while dealing with a foot injury. Of note, Murray was also apparently benched for backup Jacoby Brissett despite being cleared to play later in the year. With new head coach Mike LaFleur in the fold, will Arizona try to restore its relationship with the former No. 1 overall pick or start afresh?

Likewise, the Dolphins also face a key decision with Tua Tagovailoa. The 2020 first-round selection underwhelmed last season with a 65.8 PFF passing grade, including a league-high 5.4% turnover-worthy play rate that led to his Week 16 benching. With a new head coach and general manager, it seems unlikely that Tagovailoa will return to starting duties in Miami. The bigger question is whether or not the Dolphins will keep or trade Tagovailoa based on his over $45 million in dead cap if dealt before June 1.

Other quarterbacks who could plausibly be available include the Falcons’ Kirk Cousins, 49ers backup Mac Jones and former Raiders starter Geno Smith. On the more unrealistic scale, buzz continues to permeate about Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and even J.J. McCarthy’s future in Minnesota. In an offseason where the combined free-agent and draft quarterback crop is generally uninspiring, what happens with these past or current QB1s will shape teams’ decision-making.

Will Matthew Stafford play in 2026?

Unlike the teams floated in the prior section, the Rams won’t have to make a choice about Stafford, reiterating that they’ll wholeheartedly welcome him back. Instead, the star’s inkling about continuing to play or not will have major ripple effects.

After an offseason chock full of questions — including whether or not he would stay in Los Angeles, then regarding what appeared to be a prohibitive back injury — Stafford played arguably the best season of his career in 2025. The Rams standout led qualified quarterbacks in overall (91.9) and PFF passing (91.7) grades, and his 7.7% big-time throw rate also paced the league.

The soon-to-be 38-year-old is expected to win his first MVP award on Thursday evening, and there are essentially zero doubts about his existing physical or mental capabilities in 2026. The more overarching element is if Stafford elects to strap the pads and lace the cleats at least one more time.

If Stafford comes back next season, then it gives the Rams’ plan at quarterback a considerable buffer for at least the short term — and places them squarely back in the Super Bowl mix. But if the first-team All-Pro retires, then Los Angeles could have to get creative to replace the veteran with no in-house succession candidate. That could include utilizing the team’s two first-round picks, whether to move up the draft board or trade for a big name.

What position do the Jets lean at No. 2 overall?

Like last year, the direction of the team with the No. 1 overall pick seems fairly solidified: The Raiders look destined to pick Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza while shooing away trade offers. However, little is concrete about the draft after that — especially about what the Jets will do.

For most of the 2025 campaign, it seemed logical for New York to select a quarterback high in the first round after the team owned the third-worst PFF passing grade. But with Oregon’s Dante Moore returning to school, the Jets may not perceive any other signal-caller worthy of being taken that high.

If New York’s brain trust doesn’t take a quarterback, the question becomes what position combines for a) the most draft-slot value and b) has the best fit on the team’s long-term roster. Edge rusher seems to be an initial answer, with prospects like Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Ohio State’s Arvell Reese strong candidates to bolster the Jets’ 26th-ranked pass rush.

At the same time, the Jets have needs at nearly every position besides tackle. Might New York aim for a weapon like Jordyn Tyson, Carnell Tate or even Jeremiyah Love? Or could Aaron Glenn target a now Sauce Gardner-less secondary with Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane or Jermod McCoy?

The pre-draft process for this cycle has only just gotten underway, with more information and collective molding of rankings certain to occur over the next two months. As the Jets evaluate what direction to take with the second overall pick — in what appears to be the de facto start of the draft — waves will be felt in the first round and beyond.

What will the market look like for several headliner free agents?

The NFL’s annual free-agent frenzy is already starting to percolate, as the league’s opening of the legal tampering period is roughly one month away. Players like George Pickens, Tyler Linderbaum and Devin Lloyd project as some of the top on the board, and their combination of youth and talent should net record-breaking deals. But other notable players looking for new teams face less outward certainty.

The conversation starts with Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. The former All-Pro has proven his all-world acumen with a 90.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade in three straight seasons, including in an abbreviated 2025 campaign. But at age 31, coming off a hip injury and with prior contract disputes under his belt, will Hendrickson get paid like a top-five or top-20 edge defender?

Likewise, what happens with Daniel Jones will be compelling. The former first-round pick parlayed a one-year contract with the Colts into a season-long starting opportunity, capitalizing with a 68.7 PFF passing grade while leading the league’s best offense by EPA per play through Week 13. But after a Week 14 Achilles tear and committing more turnover-worthy plays (18) than big-time throws (13) — and with his career 79.3 overall PFF grade — will Jones be paid a gigantic and/or long-term contract? The Colts must weigh how badly they want to keep the 28-year-old compared to other squads’ interest.

Other free agents who could garner massive deals based on limited and inconsistent production include quarterback Malik Willis, tight end Kyle Pitts, linebacker Nakobe Dean and running back Travis Etienne. How steep will their price tags get despite potential worries down the line?

What happens with Trinidad Chambliss’ eligibility waiver?

If it wasn’t already evident, the 2026 NFL offseason still has plenty that needs to be sorted out under center. Another major fold in the picture is what happens with Chambliss.

The Ole Miss quarterback was a revelation in 2025, taking over as the starter in Week 3 and playing to an 87.8 overall PFF grade while leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Chambliss especially dazzled on the biggest stage, tossing five big-time throws with a 91.8 PFF passing grade to down rival Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals. The former Ferris State standout also boasts impressive mobility with a 74.9 PFF rushing grade.

In spite of Chambliss’ efforts to return to Oxford for a sixth season, the NCAA reportedly denied his appeal for a waiver — which now leaves an in-state injunction as seemingly his last hope of coming back to college. If Chambliss can’t play another year in the collegiate ranks, how will him turning pro impact the draft?

Chambliss owns big-time playmaking ability through the air and ground, but consistency, size, age (turning 24 in August) and Division-I starting experience loom large. Currently, Chambliss is slated as the third-ranked quarterback and the No. 67 overall prospect on PFF’s Big Board. But if other potential quarterbacks on the trade block are retained — and other prospects fade in the pre-draft process — it could position Chambliss as a riser, possibly all the way into the first round.