Lead: The NFL offseason is already stirring as teams converge at the 2026 Scouting Combine ahead of free agency, which opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. This piece pairs four impending free agents with clubs that make strategic sense and outlines two trades that could reshape contenders’ windows. The selections favor fits that address clear team needs while acknowledging cap realities and roster context. Where certainty is lacking, that uncertainty is flagged for readers.
Key takeaways
- Free agency opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 11, 2026; teams will use the combine to finalize plans.
- Pittsburgh could pursue Willis as a cost-controlled internal competition at quarterback after GM Omar Khan signaled a need for a longer-term plan.
- Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker may draw richer offers outside Seattle; Houston is a logical suitor if the Texans cut Joe Mixon post-June 1 (clearing roughly $8 million).
- Baltimore’s pass rush faded in 2025; signing Hendrickson on a short, expensive deal would align with the Ravens’ recent veteran ring-chaser strategy and shore up the edge.
- Cleveland’s offensive line needs are extensive after roster turnover; veteran guard Isaac Seumalo (32) would be an affordable bridge while the Browns invest draft capital in youth.
- Trade candidates: Philadelphia’s contested relationship with A.J. Brown could bring a big return, with Buffalo as a top potential partner; Arizona and Miami exchanging Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa (straight-up or with picks) is presented as a low-risk swap for both clubs.
- Cap data referenced comes from Over The Cap; contract design (post-June 1 cuts, backloaded deals) will shape feasibility for many proposals.
Background
The 2026 offseason arrives off the heels of Super Bowl LX and with the annual Scouting Combine serving as the first major forum for front offices to refine approaches. With the new league year beginning in March, teams will balance re-signing priority players, addressing depth holes, and pursuing short-term veteran solutions to remain competitive. Salary-cap management and the prevalence of short-term contracts continue to shape decision-making, creating an environment where veterans chasing rings and teams bridging to youth coexist.
Recent precedent shows contenders often add proven veterans on modest-term, high-impact deals rather than betting solely on draft prospects; Baltimore’s use of veteran role players in 2023–24 is a recent example. Simultaneously, positional markets vary: running backs remain cheaper relative to other premium spots despite a 2025 season that saw some backs reasserting value. That mixed market informs whether teams should pay to retain breakout contributors or let them test open-market demand.
Main event
Pittsburgh and Willis: The Steelers have cycled through short-term quarterback solutions the past two seasons. With the Aaron Rodgers question lingering but no clear long-term answer in place, Pittsburgh could pursue Willis, who Green Bay acquired from Tennessee in 2024 and developed into a high-upside backup with starter flashes. His limited sample size includes a standout performance against Baltimore that raised his profile; Pittsburgh can offer competition without overspending, and coach Mike McCarthy’s experience with varied signal-callers could help unlock Willis’ ceiling.
Kenneth Walker and Houston: Walker, the Super Bowl LX MVP, may out-earn what Seattle wants to pay given Seattle’s roster retention needs after the title run. The Texans, hampered in 2025 by Joe Mixon’s season-ending foot issue and a 22nd-ranked rushing attack, present a persuasive landing spot. By designating Mixon post-June 1, Houston could free roughly $8 million and structure a backloaded deal to fit Walker under the cap immediately, addressing their imbalance in run blocking and play-action support for C.J. Stroud.
Hendrickson to Baltimore: Baltimore’s defense leaned heavily on safety Kyle Hamilton in 2025 while the defensive front diminished. Adding Hendrickson on a short-term, premium contract would supply a proven edge presence capable of pressuring quarterbacks and restoring part of the front’s earlier identity. The move fits the Ravens’ recurring pattern of signing veteran contributors who can impact playoff runs without committing to lengthy deals.
Seumalo and Cleveland’s rebuild: After a 5–12 season, coaching turnover and multiple veteran departures left Cleveland’s offensive line thin; only left tackle Dawand Jones remains under contract among the five starters. The Browns will likely draft and develop young linemen, but a veteran guard like Isaac Seumalo (32) offers a lower-cost, immediate-quality option to stabilize interior play while the front office evaluates long-term options and cap space.
Analysis & implications
On value and risk: Teams must judge whether short-term veteran additions are bridge fixes or band-aids. Willis represents a lower-cost upside play for Pittsburgh, but his limited live work risks market overvaluation elsewhere. Seattle’s calculus with Walker is the converse: pay a rising back to remain intact or let him test the market and pursue a potentially cheaper internal or draft alternative.
Cap construction will determine how many of these fits happen. The Texans’ potential Mixon post-June 1 move illustrates how teams manipulate timing to create room; backloaded deals remain a common tool for teams to afford immediate help while deferring cap charge. Conversely, clubs constrained by dead money may prefer one-year veteran rentals rather than multi-year commitments.
Playoff windows matter: Baltimore’s Sherman-esque pattern of short-term veteran signings aims to maximize a championship window while minimizing long-term risk. For Cleveland, adding a veteran guard is less about winning immediately than preventing further regression while long-term assets develop. Trade moves (A.J. Brown to Buffalo or Murray–Tua swaps) could be seismic — they often require balancing present contention vs. roster continuity.
Comparison & data
| Player | 2025 Team | Role | Proposed Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willis | Green Bay | Backup with starter upside | Pittsburgh |
| Kenneth Walker | Seattle | Lead running back, Super Bowl LX MVP | Houston |
| Hendrickson | Free agent (2025 team varied) | Edge rusher | Baltimore |
| Isaac Seumalo | 2025 starter (guard) | Veteran interior lineman (32) | Cleveland |
Context: The table summarizes roster fit, not contract specifics. Teams will weigh age, scheme fit and injury history; the Texans’ 2025 run rank (22nd) and Mixon’s season-ending foot problem are concrete inputs for Houston’s urgency to upgrade the backfield.
Reactions & quotes
Front-office remarks and public reactions in recent weeks reflected competing instincts about retention versus retooling. Eagles’ leadership in particular has signaled reluctance to sever ties with star talent even amid friction.
“You don’t get rid of guys like that.”
Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles (quoted via team remarks)
The Steelers’ decision-making has also been positioned publicly as a move toward a multi-year plan at quarterback.
“It’s time for Pittsburgh to commit to a plan with a longer runway.”
Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers (general manager comments)
Unconfirmed
- Market size for Willis: reports differ on how many teams will treat his limited sample as starter-caliber; his long-term market projection is not yet settled.
- Kenneth Walker’s exact free-agent offers are unknown; it is unconfirmed whether Seattle will prioritize re-signing him over other defensive retentions.
- Talks about a Murray–Tua swap are speculative; no formal trade agreement had been reported publicly at the time of publication.
Bottom line
Teams entering the 2026 free-agent window must balance short-term competitiveness with prudent cap management. Several logical fits exist that would cost less than headline-grabbing extensions while providing meaningful roster upgrades — from a developmental quarterback competition in Pittsburgh to a veteran guard bridging Cleveland’s offensive-line transition.
Trades remain the highest-leverage moves: A.J. Brown leaving Philadelphia would reshape multiple contenders’ ceilings, and a Murray–Tua exchange would be a bold attempt to reset both franchises’ quarterback situations. Watch contract timing (post-June 1 designations, backloading) at the combine and in March; those levers will determine which of these proposals are achievable versus aspirational.