While we are still months away from the first official kickoff of the 2026 season, the NFL never truly sleeps. For die-hard fans, the real action is currently happening in the front offices as the “legal tampering” window looms next week, followed by the high-stakes drama of the NFL Draft in late April. We saw exactly how a single offseason move can alter history last year, when Sam Darnold’s arrival in Seattle defied the odds and ended with a Super Bowl parade.
This year, the tectonic plates of the league shifted early with a blockbuster trade: the Baltimore Ravens surrendered two first-round picks to the Raiders for defensive end Max Crosby. While Baltimore gets a generational pass rusher, the Raiders are playing the long game.
By moving Crosby, Las Vegas has cleared massive cap space to surround future No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and new head coach Klint Kubiak with a completely fresh roster. It’s a trend we are seeing across the league-teams are choosing to cut bait on expensive veterans rather than doubling down on aging talent.
Why Stars Like Kyler Murray and Kirk Cousins Are Hitting the Market
The “salary cap casualty” is a brutal reality of the modern NFL, and this week has seen some of the biggest names in the sport suddenly looking for work. The most searched question among fans right now is undoubtedly, “Where will Kyler Murray play in 2026?” After a tumultuous tenure in Arizona, the Cardinals officially announced Murray’s release.
Despite the injury concerns that have plagued his recent seasons, Murray remains one of the most dynamic “reclamation projects” in the league. For a team needing a bridge starter or a high-upside dual-threat, his availability is the biggest storyline of the week.
In a similar move, the Atlanta Falcons officially pulled the plug on the Kirk Cousins experiment. The decision to sign Cousins to a massive deal only to draft Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 last year will go down as one of the more head-scratching front-office moves in recent memory.
Cousins actually played well in relief of an injured Penix late last season, but with a new regime taking over in Atlanta, the veteran is now a prime “bridge” candidate for a team looking to stabilize their locker room.
Instant Impact Cuts in the NFL
As teams look to get younger and cheaper, the veteran market is becoming incredibly crowded. Here is a breakdown of the most significant releases and what they bring to the table:
- Stefon Diggs (WR): Despite a productive stint in New England-tallying 85 catches for 1,013 yards and helping the Patriots back to the Super Bowl, his time in the Northeast is over. Diggs is coming off an ACL tear and, more significantly, is facing serious legal charges with a court date set for April 1. His market will likely remain frozen until his legal status is cleared.
- Joe Mixon (RB): The Texans moved on from Mixon after acquiring David Montgomery. Mixon’s 2025 season was a complete wash due to a mysterious foot injury, but teams shouldn’t forget his back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in ’23 and ’24. If his medicals check out, he’s a low-risk, high-reward veteran.
- Bobby Okereke (LB): The Giants surprised many by releasing their captain. Okereke was a tackling machine in 2025, recording 143 tackles and two interceptions. At a position where leadership is at a premium, he won’t be a free agent for long.
The common thread here is simple: NFL teams are no longer willing to pay for past performance. Whether it’s the Falcons moving on from a “bridge” that didn’t fit or the Raiders clearing the deck for the Mendoza era, the 2026 free-agency class is now officially loaded with veteran experience.
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