The Patriots are among the teams that could jump-start their 2026 run with a big offseason addition. The Patriots should kick off their 2026 run by adding free agency’s premier edge defender: New England came up short of winning the Super Bowl, but their edge unit never got going. Trey Hendrickson would fix that and then some. Caleb Downs is a perfect fit for the Cowboys: The star Ohio State safety could drop in the 2026 NFL Draft due to positional value, in which case Dallas may acquire a player who earned an elite 93.6 PFF overall grade during his three college seasons. 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. Estimated Reading Time: 5minutes 🏈 Draft Season 2026 Prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft with PFF+ Your complete draft preparation toolkit Subscribe The offseason is such an important time in the NFL calendar because it gives every team a chance to retool for a postseason run. The two most recent Super Bowl participants, the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, jump-started their 2025 success by making several significant acquisitions last offseason. Here are five potential additions this offseason that could highly influence certain teams’ success in the 2026 season. Leading off are the New England Patriots, who rode an incredible first season under Mike Vrabel all the way to a Super Bowl berth. They aren’t without flaws, though. While much of the focus will be on how to improve the offense around Drake Maye, they could use further help on defense. The Patriots put together arguably the best interior pass rush in the NFL this season. However, their edge defender unit ranked 29th in PFF pass-rush grade and 32nd in pass-rush win rate. Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson has been one of the best pure pass rushers in the NFL for five seasons. He battled through injuries this past year but still earned an elite 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade. Armed with a decent amount of cap space, New England should take a swing at the best pass rusher on the market. Open Hendrickson’s Profile The Bengals’ front seven is in dire need of assistance, especially if Trey Hendrickson departs in free agency. Their linebacker unit was a massive problem this season in all facets. Led mostly by rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter, Cincinnati’s linebackers ranked last in the NFL in PFF overall grade. They need a true leader in the middle of their defense, and the free-agent market is flush with options. Cincinnati could be wise to aggressively pursue Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd, who is fresh off a career-best season at 27 years old. Lloyd’s 88.4 PFF overall grade ranked third among qualified linebackers this season. He was also one of just three linebackers to rank in the top 12 in PFF run-defense grade and PFF coverage grade. Assuming he can maintain something close to that level of production, Lloyd would be a great fit as the new leader of the Bengals’ defense. The Chargers’ porous interior offensive line was the main reason that the team fell short of its postseason expectations. Justin Herbert was under pressure more than 43% of the time. Only the Browns garnered a worse PFF pass-blocking grade than Los Angeles. The Chargers’ 37.3 team PFF run-blocking grade is the worst by any team in a season in the PFF era (since 2006). Their Super Bowl aspirations won’t be fulfilled without major improvement up front. Los Angeles is armed with the second-most effective cap space in the NFL. That should allow the front office to approach a top-of-market option like Baltimore center Tyler Linderbaum. Since being drafted in 2022, Linderbaum ranks fourth among qualified centers in PFF overall grade. He has also played 1,000 snaps in each of his first four seasons and would be a perfect fit in Mike McDaniel’s outside-zone run scheme. McDaniel acquired an impact center in Aaron Brewer last season in Miami. He should vouch for doing the same with Linderbaum in Los Angeles. The Super Bowl 60 MVP is likely to have a robust market this offseason. Not only was his performance in the season’s final game outstanding, but his 91.5 PFF rushing grade this season led all qualified running backs. Including the postseason, he racked up the second-most missed tackles forced and explosive runs in the NFL. Seattle will almost certainly make Walker’s retention a priority, but a team like the Denver Broncos could change the complexion of their offense with him in the fold. Denver’s rushing production cratered after J.K. Dobbins’ midseason injury. Their inability to run the ball was a big reason they couldn’t finish a championship run. Adding an explosive back like Walker to the mix would finally give Sean Payton’s offense some balance. More Coverage Dallas Cowboys: S Caleb Downs Draft season will be littered with debates about the value of safeties and the lengths that teams should go to acquire elite players at the position. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs will be at the center of that conversation. Downs earned an elite 93.6 PFF overall grade during his three college seasons, split between Alabama and Ohio State. He is arguably the best football player in the 2026 class, but we have seen elite safety prospects like Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James Jr. fall into the middle of the first round before. If Downs were to experience a similar fall, several teams would sprint the card in for his services. Perhaps nobody would improve more during the draft than the Dallas Cowboys if they selected Downs with the 12th overall pick. As a team, Dallas ranked last in the NFL in PFF coverage grade in 2025. The Cowboys’ safeties, specifically, ranked 31st in the NFL in PFF overall grade, so that unit could be overhauled under first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Downs could be the new foundation of Dallas’ secondary.
One offseason acquisition that could take these five NFL teams to the next level in 2026
Rob Havenstein announces retirement
Rams tackle Rob Havenstein announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday. The 11-year veteran goes out with 148 career starts in the regular season, two Super Bowls, and one championship. A great career for a former second round pick out of Wisconsin who has always been a solid presence on the right side of the […] Rams tackle Rob Havenstein announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday. The 11-year veteran goes out with 148 career starts in the regular season, two Super Bowls, and one championship. A great career for a former second round pick out of Wisconsin who has always been a solid presence on the right side of the offensive line. Havenstein missed 10 games in 2025 and ultimately was usurped by Warren McClendon, a breakout player for the offensive line this past season. But Havenstein gave the Rams everything they could have hoped for and more over the past 11 years, locking down a key position at right tackle and being a reliable presence until a series of injuries in the last few years. The Rams should be OK off at right tackle with McClendon, but the veteran leadership presence that Havenstein provided won’t be easily replaced in the locker room moving forward. See More: Los Angeles Rams News
PFF lists Colts’ AFC South rival as free agent WR Alec Pierce’s ‘top landing spot’
According to PFF, Indianapolis Colts pending free agent wideout Alec Pierce’s ‘top landing spot’ is actually with the Tennessee Titans of all potential suitors—teaming up with 2025 #1 overall pick Cam Ward in the process: That being said, it would be surprising if Indianapolis ultimately lets Pierce, their breakout leading wideout this past season, walk […] Pierce, the 10th-ranked free agent on PFF’s board, is projected to command contract offers in the range of $24 million annually. That figure alone could price out numerous teams currently strapped for cash heading into free-agent negotiations. In my previous evaluation for Pierce’s best landing spot, the New York Giants were the highlighted franchise, given their need for a lethal deep threat to pair with Jaxson Dart. Without ample cap space, the Giants may be unable to field a competitive offer. However, there is a team for which the need and the scheme make sense: the Tennessee Titans. With Brian Daboll serving as the Titans’ new offensive coordinator, the fit for Pierce is strong. Prior to being relieved of his duties as the Giants’ head coach following Week 10, Daboll helped New York lead the NFL in percentage of passes targeted 20-plus yards downfield. Pierce is a threat to take the top off any defense, having tied for the third-most deep receptions (24) over the past two seasons. That being said, it would be surprising if Indianapolis ultimately lets Pierce, their breakout leading wideout this past season, walk in free agency—let alone to a longtime divisional rival. During 15 games (14 starts) in 2025, Pierce caught 47 receptions for 1,003 total receiving yards (21.3 avg. yards per reception) and 6 touchdown receptions. He led the league in highest yards per reception for the second year in a row, as arguably the league’s premier deep threat yet again. Since being selected by the Colts in the 2nd round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pierce has only gotten better each year he’s been in the league. Known early on in his career for his ability to go purely vertical, he’s become a much more well-rounded route runner. That being said, his ability to separate, high-point the football, and make acrobatic, contested catches over the opposition is an elite football skill right now—and really second to none. Honestly, it’s about as well as anyone I’ve seen do it in recent memory, and reminiscent to NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 wideout Larry Fitzgerald in some respects—regarding the ability to leap, maintain body control, play through contact, and somehow secure the football in highlight reel fashion. Additionally, it’s a lot of the other things that Pierce does when he’s not the intended receiving target that should really resonate with his coaches, teammates, and the Colts front office. That includes his willingness to block on the perimeter and hustle downfield to be his teammate’s cavalry in order to escort him safely to the end zone. See More: Indianapolis Colts Free Agency
Highlights from Klint Kubiak’s press conference: ‘This is the Raiders’
The Las Vegas Raiders introduced new head coach Klint Kubiak in a press conference on Tuesday. Here are some highlights from the session: John Spytek said the team conducted 22 interviews for the job. Spytek said Kubiak stood out with his and leadership and they are proud that he helped win the Super Bowl as […] The Las Vegas Raiders introduced new head coach Klint Kubiak in a press conference on Tuesday. Here are some highlights from the session: John Spytek said the team conducted 22 interviews for the job. Spytek said Kubiak stood out with his and leadership and they are proud that he helped win the Super Bowl as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator. Spytek said Kubiak will attend the Seahawks’ Super Bowl parade on Wednesday and jumped in his new job on Thursday. Kubiak thanked Mark Davis, Tom Brady and other in the ownership group. Kubiak said Davis takes care of former players better than anyone in the league. He was extremely complimentary of the history of the Raiders’ history and he was reminded of it. There were some Raiders’ alumni were in attendance on the stage, including Jim Plunkett, Charles Woodson, Marcus Allen, Howie Long, Mike Haynes and Rich Gannon. “This is no ordinary job, this is the Silver and Black, this is the Raiders. It’s a historic franchise,” Kubiak said. “It was a no brainer.” Kubiak said the brass didn’t have to say much to sell him — “this is the Raiders.” Kubiak is excited to be on the same team as Brady. He joked that Brady made a mistake of giving him his cell-phone number because he’s going to use it a lot. Kubiak said Brady was a big draw in his taking the job. Kubiak praised Spytek and noted how important their communication will be in their roles. He said they will work closely on all aspects of the team, including building the coaching staff. Davis said Kubiak will report directly to both Spytek and Brady. Davis told reporters it’s clear that Spytek and Brady are running the football side of the team. Davis was asked if Brady will have a bigger presence around the building and he said they will have to wait and see. As expected, Kubiak will call the plays on offense. Why not? He’s excellent at it. Kubiak shouted out, Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who, but the way, is a free agent. Kubiak said the fact that the Raiders have the No. 1 pick and the salary-cap space and the team’s Henderson, Nevada facility all played a role for him taking the job. “The resources are here, we just have to put it all together,” he said. Kubiak was asked about taking expected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Predictably, he said he must watched tape before making any decisions with the top pick. Kubiak didn’t look at the recent turnover of coaching stats as a negative, but as “a challenge.” “We’re going to be about the work,” said Kubiak, a noted grinder. He wants to be a gritty team like the Raiders’ of the “old days.” He said he is identifying assistant coaching candidates now. He is looking for a physical, aggressive approach that focuses on effort. He looking for “a great staff of teachers.” Kubiak was asked about Ashton Jeanty, who was in attendance with several teammates, and he said he’s excited to start working with second-year running back. Kubiak said tight end Brock Bowers can be one of the best “receivers” not just tight ends in the NFL. Kubiak said he has to “earn” the trust of fans with their actions. Overall, I was really impressed by Kubiak. He is not a rah-rah type. He seems genuine and and honest. He wasn’t blowing smoke and that is refreshing after what we’ve seen from recent coaches. He is about the work and is focused on making it work in Las Vegas. Time will tell if it does. But Tuesday was a nice start to the Kubiak era. NOTE: Will be working on a Maxx Crosby update shortly with Kubiak making it known the team wants to keep him in Las Vegas. See More: Las Vegas Raiders News
Super Bowl 60: Comparing the quarterback performances
Jim Wyman compares Drake Maye and Sam Darnold’s performances during Super Bowl 60. Super Bowl 60: Comparing the quarterback performances Drake Maye‘s turnovers were critical: Both quarterbacks performed eerily similarly, but turnovers were the big differentiator. Sam Darnold performed better under pressure: Outside of turnovers, Darnold’s ability to perform adequately under pressure gave him an edge over Maye in Super Bowl 60. 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. Get 25% off your PFF+ annual subscription with code PFFFANTASYPODCAST25. Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes 🏈 Draft Season 2026 Prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft with PFF+ Your complete draft preparation toolkit Subscribe Super Bowl 60 is in the books, and the Seattle Seahawks are NFL champions for the second time in franchise history with a resounding 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots. This game featured a matchup between two quarterbacks who were not expected to be here at all this time last year. While Drake Maye was a prized prospect who broke out in Year 2, Sam Darnold held a similar pedigree but struggled early and became a journeyman before finding a home in Seattle. Given Seattle’s convincing win in a game it never trailed, one would think Darnold vastly outplayed Maye in this contest. However, is that really the case? Here we’ll compare the two performances through a variety of metrics. Standard passing stats Darnold: 19-38, 202 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs Maye: 27-43, 295 yards 2 TDs, 2 INTs A quick look at the standard passing stats would suggest that Maye had the more prolific game, completing 62.8% of his passes as opposed to Darnold’s 50% while throwing for 93 more yards and one more touchdown. Maye’s two interceptions shift the line much more into Darnold’s favor because he didn’t turn the ball over once. Adding to this caveat, Maye earned four turnover-worthy plays, the second time in his career he’s thrown that many, while Darnold finished with just one, suggesting that Darnold was much safer with the football than Maye was. Passing depth Darnold: 10.8 ADoT, 47.4 SS%, 42.1 PS%, 42.6 YAC% Maye: 10.9 ADot, 44.2 SS%, 51.2%, 46.1 YAC% We’re getting a little more advanced here with this next series of statistics as we’re looking at how far Darnold and Maye’s throws were typically traveling. Their average depth of target (ADoT) is nearly identical, as Maye earned the slightest of edges at 10.9 yards versus Darnold’s 10.8 yards. This is a trend that carried on through much of the season, though, as Maye’s 9.5-yard ADoT in the regular season tied for fourth-highest amongst quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks and tied Trevor Lawrence and Matthew Stafford for the highest among all quarterbacks who didn’t miss a game. The 10.8-yard figure is high for Darnold, whose 8.7-yard ADot tied with Tyler Shough for 15th, though it was still one of the higher numbers in the league. Additionally, 47.4% of Darnold’s passes were thrown short of the sticks (SS%) while 44.2% of Maye’s throws did not cross the first-down marker. In the regular season, both Darnold and Maye finished among the bottom of the league in SS%, as Maye’s 47.6 SS% was 10th-lowest among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, while Darnold’s 50.1% figure was 17th-lowest out of 45 qualifying quarterbacks. In targeting past the sticks (PS%), Maye finished with the fifth-highest frequency at 46.1%, which makes his 51.2 PS% not too surprising. Darnold, however, finished in the middle of the pack in terms of how frequently he threw past the first-down markers, as he was 22nd with a 39.6 PS% that tied Tyrod Taylor. That number was relatively consistent with his 42.1 PS% from the Super Bowl. The yards-after-catch rate (YAC%) were also reflective of how these two quarterbacks typically performed on the season. In the regular season, only five quarterbacks’ passing yardage totals were affected by yards after the catch less than Maye’s 40.5% figure. Darnold’s 43.5% regular season rate was the 11th lowest and was much closer to his Super Bowl performance, but they were close enough to each other in this regard that it’s hard to give an edge one way or another. Pressure passing Darnold: 7-16, 71 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT when pressured (18 dropbacks) Maye: 6-13, 75 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT when pressured (23 dropbacks) Pressure was a big story of this game, as the Seahawks got after Maye repeatedly and never allowed him to get into a rhythm. Maye’s stats under pressure might seem OK on the surface; however, a deeper dive shows a much more frustrating tale. Maye’s passing grade under pressure came in at 24.5, and he committed three of his four turnover-worthy plays when pressured, while Darnold stayed out of harm’s way by committing no such plays. In fact, if Darnold’s 65.2 passing grade under pressure in this game was converted into a full season, it would rank fourth in the NFL, trailing only Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford. One thing to note is that Maye’s extremely low passing grade in this game is not reflective of his overal season. Maye’s 61.8 passing grade under pressure in the regular season was fifth-best in the league, while Darnold’s regular season figure of 48.6 was 19th. Clean passing Darnold: 12-22, 131 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTS when kept clean (22 dropbacks) Maye: 21-30, 220 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT when kept clean (30 dropbacks) This may come as a surprise when looking at these stats, but Maye was only slightly better when kept, but it wasn’t by much, as Maye had a 52.2 passing grade from a clean pocket, while Darnold earned a 51.4. These passing grades are shockingly low considering how well they played in the regular season when kept clean. Both of them were elite passers when kept clean, as Maye’s 92.4 passing grade ranked third, while Darnold’s 91.3 clean passing grade ranked fifth. However, if
The NFC has dominated the AFC of late
One of the most underappreciated storylines to come out of Super Bowl LX is the NFC conference’s recent dominance over the AFC. The Patriots looked noncompetitive against the Seattle Seahawks and fell 13-29. Drake Maye had one of the worst quarterback performances in recent memory. Just a year ago the Chiefs were blown out by […] One of the most underappreciated storylines to come out of Super Bowl LX is the NFC conference’s recent dominance over the AFC. The Patriots looked noncompetitive against the Seattle Seahawks and fell 13-29. Drake Maye had one of the worst quarterback performances in recent memory. Just a year ago the Chiefs were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 22-40. The game was never close. But the Chiefs did win the last two Super Bowls prior to 2024. They did so with three-point margins against each of the 49ers and Eagles. The NFC won the two world championships leading up to that point with wins by the Rams and Buccaneers. In short, four of the last six Super Bowl victories have gone to the NFC. The two most recent games features the largest point differentials, and those outcomes tipped heavily in the National conference’s favor. Rams at Seahawks was the real Super Bowl Did the story reach its climax in the championship weekend? I asked this question leading up to the Seahawks hosting the Rams, and it seems particularly apt now. We saw the two best teams in the NFL go toe-to-toe for a trip to the Super Bowl. It seemed at the time whoever finished on top would also lay claim to the Lombardi Trophy. That held true. Were the Patriots frauds? Not necessarily. They were just a year too early in terms of their roster build. This was an AFC conference without the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals and Ravens who battled injuries at the quarterback position for most of the season. It’s positive for New England that they were able to accumulate playoff experience for a young roster. 2025 was never going to be their year. What the future holds for Rams The path will remain more difficult on the NFC side for the foreseeable future. The Seahawks probably aren’t going anywhere. The Bears, Packers, Panthers, and new entrants should be tougher a year from now. We know the Rams have serious needs heading into the offseason. They need to rework their secondary in addition to reloading at receiver. Even if they patch these holes it will be an uphill battle to return to the NFC championship. That’s just how the NFL works. As a fan you must appreciate these moments because they are fleeting between eras. But hey, if the Rams do make it out of the NFC they should have the upper hand over the AFC team. See More: Los Angeles Rams News
The NFC has dominated the AFC of late
One of the most underappreciated storylines to come out of Super Bowl LX is the NFC conference’s recent dominance over the AFC. The Patriots looked noncompetitive against the Seattle Seahawks and fell 13-29. Drake Maye had one of the worst quarterback performances in recent memory. Just a year ago the Chiefs were blown out by […] One of the most underappreciated storylines to come out of Super Bowl LX is the NFC conference’s recent dominance over the AFC. The Patriots looked noncompetitive against the Seattle Seahawks and fell 13-29. Drake Maye had one of the worst quarterback performances in recent memory. Just a year ago the Chiefs were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 22-40. The game was never close. But the Chiefs did win the last two Super Bowls prior to 2024. They did so with three-point margins against each of the 49ers and Eagles. The NFC won the two world championships leading up to that point with wins by the Rams and Buccaneers. In short, four of the last six Super Bowl victories have gone to the NFC. The two most recent games features the largest point differentials, and those outcomes tipped heavily in the National conference’s favor. Rams at Seahawks was the real Super Bowl Did the story reach its climax in the championship weekend? I asked this question leading up to the Seahawks hosting the Rams, and it seems particularly apt now. We saw the two best teams in the NFL go toe-to-toe for a trip to the Super Bowl. It seemed at the time whoever finished on top would also lay claim to the Lombardi Trophy. That held true. Were the Patriots frauds? Not necessarily. They were just a year too early in terms of their roster build. This was an AFC conference without the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals and Ravens who battled injuries at the quarterback position for most of the season. It’s positive for New England that they were able to accumulate playoff experience for a young roster. 2025 was never going to be their year. What the future holds for Rams The path will remain more difficult on the NFC side for the foreseeable future. The Seahawks probably aren’t going anywhere. The Bears, Packers, Panthers, and new entrants should be tougher a year from now. We know the Rams have serious needs heading into the offseason. They need to rework their secondary in addition to reloading at receiver. Even if they patch these holes it will be an uphill battle to return to the NFC championship. That’s just how the NFL works. As a fan you must appreciate these moments because they are fleeting between eras. But hey, if the Rams do make it out of the NFC they should have the upper hand over the AFC team. See More: Los Angeles Rams News
AP Mailbag: What is the Chiefs’ salary cap philosophy?
Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Throughout the offseason, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page. After Super Bowl LX, the NFL offseason is officially underway. Right now, the Chiefs appear about $58 million over the expected 2026 salary cap […] Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Throughout the offseason, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page. After Super Bowl LX, the NFL offseason is officially underway. Right now, the Chiefs appear about $58 million over the expected 2026 salary cap with 54 players signed. Let’s see what is on our readers’ minds about how Kansas City navigates the limit. OzarkEd asks: My question is very basic. To an outsider it appears to be a very complex calculation to determine a team’s total cap hit in a season. Yet, it also appears rather simple to restructure contracts to clear up needed cap space. What’s the point of having a salary cap if all a team that’s $50+ million over has to do is restructure a few contracts? The NFL introduced the salary cap in 1994, which then was an astounding $34.6 million per team. The league’s owners have done a remarkable job of spinning that it is good for competitive balance. The cynic in me suspects that, truly, the owners wanted to control spending and have a mechanism to police each other from letting contracts get out of hand. Initially, the salary cap closely resembled actual team budgets. Over the last 30 years, however, lucrative national broadcast contracts have put the league’s teams on equal footing. As such, teams have been freer over the last decade to push the boundaries of the salary cap. Significant signing bonuses used to be rare outside of football’s elite talent. Now, the first year of almost every free agent deal is built around a signing bonus — that can be spread over up to five years — to manage the cap. Void years that make a two-year deal look like a five-year pact on paper for cap purposes will be covered later. I am not one to say the cap is fake, but it has proven easily manipulated. One area that teams have had less success skirting is the league’s funding rule, which requires owners to immediately secure most future guaranteed salary on contracts via deposit in an escrow account. Every team has proven willing to test the limits of the salary cap. Not every ownership group is eager to repeatedly shell out needed cash for excessive spending. The funding rule, more than the salary cap, is the reason for the currently perceived haves and have-nots. nmt1 asks: I’d like to understand why the Chiefs seem to be constantly in cap trouble whereas other teams always seem to be able to pretty much do whatever they want. I just don’t understand why some teams, like the Chiefs, are always strapped and others never seem to be. To refer to the previous question, the Chiefs appear to have a firmer cash budget than some of the teams that are annually cited as free agency’s biggest winners. General manager Brett Veach’s approach to the salary cap has been somewhat clear since the big money on quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ extension started kicking in around 2023. The Chiefs value flat contracts. Examples are tackle Jawaan Taylor’s contract, paying exactly $20 million each year in Kansas City, or linebacker Nick Bolton’s deal that pays him $15 million annually. The earnings on the first year of each contract are mostly via a signing bonus that spreads the first-year earnings over the life of the contract. Thus, most of Kansas City’s big-money free agents see the salary cap impact of the contract’s second year increase dramatically. The Chiefs also tend to spend their salary cap space a year ahead of time. Later in the week, we will cover the moves I expect Kansas City to make to get under the cap and have some room to add free agents. Spotrac estimates that the team has about $80.8 million in hypothetical 2027 salary cap space. Much of that will be allocated this spring as free agents are added. This process has repeatedly led to the Chiefs rarely having significant salary cap space to roll into the next season and annually looking stretched thin financially. However, Veach and his crew have been good at stacking contracts (and having multiple restructure avenues) in a way that avoids any true salary cap crisis. EdPodolak asks: Why don’t the Chiefs like to use voidable years? Are the Chiefs being consistently low on “dead money” part of that? For definition, void years are fake seasons added onto a contract to spread out signing bonuses that nullify at the start of a given league year. A player can sign a two-year contract for $30 million. A team can then designate most of the earnings as a signing bonus. The team could then add three “void” years onto the contract to greatly reduce the initial cap hit. The downside is that the rest of the signing bonus will accelerate when the player reenters free agency and be charged as “dead money” on the salary cap, even though the team would owe no more actual money to the player. The Chiefs have not jumped on this trend that the Philadelphia Eagles seem to excel at. Time will tell if the yearly increases to the cap are enough to keep the Eagles’ bills from coming due in a way that puts them into a horrific cap situation. While Kansas City generally avoids pushing cap charges into the future via void years, the post-2027 portion of Mahomes’ 10-year contract mostly serves the same purpose. Unless you believe Mahomes will willingly play in 2028 for less than $28 million (he won’t), the remainder of his deal serves little current purpose other than
AP Mailbag: What is the Chiefs’ salary cap philosophy?
Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Throughout the offseason, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page. After Super Bowl LX, the NFL offseason is officially underway. Right now, the Chiefs appear about $58 million over the expected 2026 salary cap […] Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Throughout the offseason, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page. After Super Bowl LX, the NFL offseason is officially underway. Right now, the Chiefs appear about $58 million over the expected 2026 salary cap with 54 players signed. Let’s see what is on our readers’ minds about how Kansas City navigates the limit. OzarkEd asks: My question is very basic. To an outsider it appears to be a very complex calculation to determine a team’s total cap hit in a season. Yet, it also appears rather simple to restructure contracts to clear up needed cap space. What’s the point of having a salary cap if all a team that’s $50+ million over has to do is restructure a few contracts? The NFL introduced the salary cap in 1994, which then was an astounding $34.6 million per team. The league’s owners have done a remarkable job of spinning that it is good for competitive balance. The cynic in me suspects that, truly, the owners wanted to control spending and have a mechanism to police each other from letting contracts get out of hand. Initially, the salary cap closely resembled actual team budgets. Over the last 30 years, however, lucrative national broadcast contracts have put the league’s teams on equal footing. As such, teams have been freer over the last decade to push the boundaries of the salary cap. Significant signing bonuses used to be rare outside of football’s elite talent. Now, the first year of almost every free agent deal is built around a signing bonus — that can be spread over up to five years — to manage the cap. Void years that make a two-year deal look like a five-year pact on paper for cap purposes will be covered later. I am not one to say the cap is fake, but it has proven easily manipulated. One area that teams have had less success skirting is the league’s funding rule, which requires owners to immediately secure most future guaranteed salary on contracts via deposit in an escrow account. Every team has proven willing to test the limits of the salary cap. Not every ownership group is eager to repeatedly shell out needed cash for excessive spending. The funding rule, more than the salary cap, is the reason for the currently perceived haves and have-nots. nmt1 asks: I’d like to understand why the Chiefs seem to be constantly in cap trouble whereas other teams always seem to be able to pretty much do whatever they want. I just don’t understand why some teams, like the Chiefs, are always strapped and others never seem to be. To refer to the previous question, the Chiefs appear to have a firmer cash budget than some of the teams that are annually cited as free agency’s biggest winners. General manager Brett Veach’s approach to the salary cap has been somewhat clear since the big money on quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ extension started kicking in around 2023. The Chiefs value flat contracts. Examples are tackle Jawaan Taylor’s contract, paying exactly $20 million each year in Kansas City, or linebacker Nick Bolton’s deal that pays him $15 million annually. The earnings on the first year of each contract are mostly via a signing bonus that spreads the first-year earnings over the life of the contract. Thus, most of Kansas City’s big-money free agents see the salary cap impact of the contract’s second year increase dramatically. The Chiefs also tend to spend their salary cap space a year ahead of time. Later in the week, we will cover the moves I expect Kansas City to make to get under the cap and have some room to add free agents. Spotrac estimates that the team has about $80.8 million in hypothetical 2027 salary cap space. Much of that will be allocated this spring as free agents are added. This process has repeatedly led to the Chiefs rarely having significant salary cap space to roll into the next season and annually looking stretched thin financially. However, Veach and his crew have been good at stacking contracts (and having multiple restructure avenues) in a way that avoids any true salary cap crisis. EdPodolak asks: Why don’t the Chiefs like to use voidable years? Are the Chiefs being consistently low on “dead money” part of that? For definition, void years are fake seasons added onto a contract to spread out signing bonuses that nullify at the start of a given league year. A player can sign a two-year contract for $30 million. A team can then designate most of the earnings as a signing bonus. The team could then add three “void” years onto the contract to greatly reduce the initial cap hit. The downside is that the rest of the signing bonus will accelerate when the player reenters free agency and be charged as “dead money” on the salary cap, even though the team would owe no more actual money to the player. The Chiefs have not jumped on this trend that the Philadelphia Eagles seem to excel at. Time will tell if the yearly increases to the cap are enough to keep the Eagles’ bills from coming due in a way that puts them into a horrific cap situation. While Kansas City generally avoids pushing cap charges into the future via void years, the post-2027 portion of Mahomes’ 10-year contract mostly serves the same purpose. Unless you believe Mahomes will willingly play in 2028 for less than $28 million (he won’t), the remainder of his deal serves little current purpose other than
Highest-graded Seahawks, Patriots players from Super Bowl 60
PFF grades every player on every play in every game. For one last time this season, these were the week’s (Super Bowl’s) top players by PFF overall grade. Highest-graded Seahawks, Patriots players from Super Bowl 60 Abraham Lucas held down the right side of the Seahawks’ line: He earned an elite 90.2 PFF run-blocking grade in the game, paving the way for Kenneth Walker III to win Super Bowl MVP. Christian Gonzalez was a bright spot for the Patriots: A lot went wrong for New England, but it could have been far worse if not for Gonzalez, who broke up three passes and held Sam Darnold to a 40.4 NFL passer rating when targeted. 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. Estimated Reading Time: 9minutes 🏈 Draft Season 2026 Prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft with PFF+ Your complete draft preparation toolkit Subscribe For one last time this season, we’re looking at the highest-graded players for a week, this time for the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. These were the 10 highest-graded players from the game. To qualify, players needed to have logged at least 25 snaps. 1. T Abraham Lucas, Seattle Seahawks (89.9) Lucas kept the Seahawks’ running lanes clear all night. He finished second in impact-block rate (22.6%), behind teammate Grey Zabel (25.8%), while generating only a 6.5% defeated rate. Lucas earned an elite 90.2 PFF run-blocking grade for the game, performing equally well in zone (86.5) and gap schemes (79.0). Lucas also kept Sam Darnold clean, surrendering zero pressures and finishing with an 83.8 PFF pass-blocking grade. He is the only tackle from the Super Bowl with PFF grades above 80.0 in either blocking facet. The fourth-year man from Washington State graded out as the second-best offensive tackle throughout the postseason (91.0) and is one of two tackles to record a PFF overall grade above 90.0 (Jordan Mailata, 96.1). Lucas conceded just two pressures in pass protection, earning him a fourth-ranked 82.2 PFF pass-blocking grade. He was elite as a run blocker (92.4 PFF run-blocking grade), ranking in the top two among tackles in zone (90.4) and gap (93.2) schemes. He generated the eighth-best defeated rate (9.0%) while recording the fourth-best impact-block rate (21.3%). 2. CB Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots (80.6) Gonzalez was one of the Patriots’ few bright spots in Super Bowl 60. He was the game’s only defender to record a PFF coverage grade above 80.0 (86.8). He was targeted five times, allowing one catch for 16 yards while breaking up three passes. He held Sam Darnold to a 40.4 NFL passer rating when targeted. The 17th overall pick in 2023, Gonzalez earned an 86.8 PFF overall grade in the playoffs. He was the third-best cornerback in coverage, surrendering 11 catches on 30 targets for 141 yards. A chunk of that came from a 52-yard bomb to Marvin Mims Jr. in the AFC Championship game, yet he still allowed only 4.7 receiving yards per target. Gonzalez forced seven incompletions (first) at a rate of 23% and picked off a pass. He also made 14 tackles in coverage with four stops and generated the fourth-lowest NFL passer rating when targeted (38.3). Open Gonzalez’s Profile 3. TE AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks (79.1) Barner was one of the Seahawks’ standout players, catching all four of his targets for 54 yards and a score. He had two gains of 15-plus yards, including a 16-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter where he found himself alone in the end zone against busted coverage. That play gave the Seahawks an 18-0 lead. Barner finished the game with a 77.9 PFF receiving grade and led all tight ends in PFF run-blocking grade (68.2). The second-year man from Michigan topped his rookie receiving numbers (30 catches, 245 yards, four touchdowns) with 58 catches in 2025 for 586 yards and seven touchdowns. He gained 31 first downs, recorded 11 explosive gains of 15-plus yards and secured six of nine contested catches. While Barner’s postseason PFF receiving grade dropped to 51.7 from 76.9 during the regular season, he excelled as a blocker, ranking as the top run-blocking tight end of the postseason (78.5). He shined in Seattle’s zone-blocking scheme (77.8 PFF grade), and he didn’t allow a single pressure in passprotection (70.5 PFF pass-blocking grade). 4. S Coby Bryant, Seattle Seahawks (79.0) Bryant was everywhere in Super Bowl 60, recording two tackles in run defense (71.2 PFF run-defense grade) and forcing an incompletion in coverage. He nearly came away with an interception on the fourth-quarter play, racing across the field to break up the pass. Bryant finished the game with a 72.6 PFF coverage grade, best among all safeties. A fourth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2022, Bryant graded out as the fourth-best safety this postseason (77.7). He earned the fifth-best coverage grade at the position (71.4), allowing only one catch on three targets for nine yards. Although that play went for a touchdown (NFC Championship game), he forced incompletions across his other two targets, limiting quarterbacks to an 81.9 NFL passer rating. 5. T Charles Cross, While Abraham Lucas manned the right side of the offensive line, Cross held down the left side, allowing only one hurry on the night (72.4 PFF pass-blocking grade) and earning a 76.0 PFF run-blocking grade. Cross recorded 70.0-plus PFF blocking grades in both zone (70.2) and gap (77.4) schemes while generating a 19.4% impact-block rate. New England’s defensive line couldn’t get around him, as he matched Lucas with a 6.5% defeated rate. The ninth overall pick by the Seahawks in the 2022 NFL Draft, Cross graded out as the third-best tackle this postseason (84.7). He earned 80.0-plus blocking grades in run blocking (80.9, sixth best) and pass protection (81.8, fifth), standing out especially in zone-blocking schemes (80.3). Cross surrendered four hurries across 96 pass-blocking snaps and ranked in the top seven among tackles in impact-block
