The Jacksonville Jaguars finished 2025 13-4, good enough for an AFC South title, and a 3rd seed in the postseason.

The Jaguars enter 2026 with around $5M of initial cap space against an estimated $304M league threshold. This includes 43 contracts currently on the books, plus two (Greg Newsome and Dyami Brown), set to void in early March.

Jacksonville currently holds 9 draft picks, including three 3rd round picks (two from Detroit). The Jags sent their 1st round pick to Cleveland in exchange for the #2 overall pick used for Travis Hunter.

Early Offseason Questions

• Where does Travis Hunter fit into the equation?
• How much of this top-rated defense can remain in 2026?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac’s Valuation APY)

LB Devin Lloyd ($20M)
CB Montaric Brown ($14.6M)
CB Greg Newsome ($9M)
RB Travis Etienne ($7M)
S Andrew Wingard ($6M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

OT Anton Harrison

The 2023 1st-rounder out of Oklahoma has steadily improved each year, culminating with one of the best RT performances of 2025. He enters 2026 with a $19M valuation in our system, which comes in just under the $20.4M estimate for his 2027 5th year option. Jacksonville has until May 1st to decide on that salary.

Extension Candidate

WR Parker Washington

Washington has excelled in Lian Coen’s new offensive scheme, posting career numbers in every statistical category. The 23-year-old enters a contract year in 2026, currently projecting toward a 4 year, $56M extension in our system.

TE Brenton Strange

A 2nd-rounder out of Penn State, Strange enters a contract year in 2026, coming off of a career-high 60 catch, 540 yard season. He holds a 4 year, $48M valuation in our system.

Bubble Candidates

OT Walker Little

Trade Candidate

Jacksonville gave Little a 3 year, $40M extension last December, but he’s been usurped at left tackle by Cole Van Lanen, who just secured a $51M deal himself. Little’s deal holds 2 years, $25M remaining, including a fully guaranteed $12M for 2026. The Jags can free up over $7M of cap by finding a trade partner this spring.

WR Brian Thomas Jr.

Trade Candidate

The 2024 1st-rounder out of LSU saw his production cut in half (though his drops increased) in Liam Coen’s new offense, creating the possibility of a move out of town this offseason. His rookie deal has 2 years, $5M fully guaranteed remaining, plus a 5th-year option available in 2028.

TE Johnny Mundt

Release Candidate

Mundt was added on a 2 year, $5.5M free agent contract this past March, but none of his 2026 compensation is guaranteed. Jacksonville can free up $2.75M of cap by moving on here.

Potential Cap Conversions

33-year-old DL Arik Armstead holds a $19.4M cap figure in 2026. While a tack-on extension isn’t out of the question, a simple salary conversion (plus void years) can free up over $10.4M of space.

LB Foyesade Oluokun carries a $16.8M cap figure this season, with 2 years, $19M (unprotected) remaining on his deal through 2027. He’s another fringe extension candidate, but a salary conversion with void years can free up $6.6M.

Nearly all of G Patrick Mekari’s 2026 salary is fully guaranteed. Flipping most of it to a signing bonus (plus void years) can open up almost $8M of cap.

Also of note: Travon Walker holds a guaranteed $15.2M option salary in 2026. There’s potential for Jacksonville to extend him out of this, process a simple salary conversion, trade him, or do nothing.

RELATED LINKS
2026 Jaguars Salary Cap
Jaguars 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide

Happy New Year! 

As of today, players have begun reporting to their respective teams, marking the official start of 2026 MLS Preseason.

Here at Spotrac, we’re showcasing the official key dates of the 2026 MLS Season, along with every MLS team’s preseason game schedule:

2026 MLS Season Upcoming Key Dates:

MLS Winter Transfer Window: Jan. 23 - Mar. 26 (TBA - expected dates listed)

This registration window showcases the dates between which MLS may request the international transfer certificate of a player under contract in another country or trade players within MLS.

The official dates are TBA.

MLS Roster Compliance Date: TBA - (expected to be late February)

The 2026 Roster Compliance Date is expected to be in late February. For the 2025 season, it was Friday, February 21 by 8 p.m. ET.

The official date is TBA, however, this date will be the official time that MLS clubs must be roster and budget compliant heading into the start of the 2026 MLS season.

MLS is BACK weekend: Feb. 21-22

All 30 MLS clubs will play on MLS is Back opening weekend. 

Inter Miami CF open Miami Freedom Park: April 4

The league’s newest soccer-specific stadium opens on April 4th when Eastern Conference side Inter Miami CF hosts Western Conference side Austin FC in their inaugural match at the new 25,000-seat Miami Freedom Park.

Inter Miami CF’s stadium is the first of three MLS stadiums set to open in consecutive years, including New York City FC’s new home, Etihad Park, arriving in 2027, and Chicago Fire FC’s new downtown stadium set to open in 2028.

FIFA World Cup Pause: May 25 - July 16

MLS will officially pause MLS play during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

MLS Action Returns: July 16 - 17

Following the 2026 FIFA World Cup Semifinals, the MLS season will officially restart.

2026 MLS All-Star Game: July 29

The 2026 MLS All-Star Game, hosted at Charlotte FC’s Bank of America Stadium, will take place on Wednesday, July 29th. 

The opponent will be announced at a later date.

2026 Roster Freeze: TBA - (expected to be early October)

The 2026 Roster Freeze Date has not officially been announced. In 2025, it was Friday, September 12, 2025. 

This is the date which MLS clubs must submit their final 30-man roster. Rosters cannot be changed from that date through the day after MLS Cup, subject to Extreme Hardship.

2026 MLS Decision Day: Nov. 7

The MLS regular season concludes with decision day on Saturday, November 7th. 

Audi MLS Cup Playoffs implications and the Golden Boot presented by Audi, among other stakes, will be up for grabs.

Eastern Conference matches begin at 4 PM ET.

Western Conference matches begin at 7 PM ET.

Only one game will be an East v West decision day as Eastern Conference side CF Montréal will face off against Western Conference side Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 4 PM ET.

2026 MLS Cup Final: TBA

The official MLS postseason schedule will be announced at a later date. 

Eastern Conference Teams Preseason Schedules

Atlanta United

Jan. 30 v Lexington SC (USL2) - Marietta, GA (Closed to Public)

Feb. 7 v Houston Dynamo FC - Houston, TX (Closed to Public)

Feb. 11 v Red Bull New York - Frisco, TX (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 14 v FC Dallas - Frisco, TX (Open ONLY to Season Ticket Holders)

CF Montréal

Jan. 23 v Slovan Liberec FC - Marbella, Spain (Open to Public)

Jan. 29 v FC Metalist 1925 Kharki - Marbella, Spain (Open to Public)

Feb. 7 v New England Revolution - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 10 v Philadelphia Union - Clearwater, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 14 v Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) - St. Petersburg, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Charlotte FC

Jan. 21 v Portimonense SC - Portimão, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 26 v Brøndby IF - Algarve, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 30 v Real Salt Lake - Albufeira, Portugal (Open to Public)

Feb. 5 v North Carolina FC (USLC) - Cary, NC (Closed to Fans & Media)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v San Jose Earthquakes - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v Minnesota United - Indio, CA(Open to Public)

Chicago Fire FC 

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 8 v Los Angeles Galaxy - Indio, CA(Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v Austin FC - Indio, CA(Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v Portland Timbers - Indio, CA(Open to Public)

Columbus Crew

Feb. 11 v Nashville SC - Palm Beach, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

D.C. United

Feb. 7 v Portland Timbers - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v Minnesota United FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v St. Louis City SC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

FC Cincinnati

Jan. 23 v New England Revolution - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 28 v Houston Dynamo FC - Tampa, FL (Closed to Public)

Feb. 7 v Detroit City FC (USLC) - Clearwater, FL (Closed to Public)

Feb. 11 v Orlando City SC - Tampa, FL (Closed to Public)

Inter Miami CF

Jan. 24 v Club Alianza Lima - Lima, Peru (Open to Public)

Jan. 31 v Club Atlético Nacional - Medellin, Colombia (Open to Public)

Feb. 7 v Barcelona de Guayaquil - Guayaquil, Ecuador (Open to Public)

Nashville SC

Jan. 20 v Chicago Fire FC - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Jan. 23 v Colorado Rapids - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Jan. 31 v Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) - Birmingham, Alabama (Closed to Public)

Feb. 7 v Orlando City SC - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Feb. 11 v Columbus Crew - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Feb. 14 v Lexington SC (USLL2) - Nashville, Tennessee (Closed to Public)

New England Revolution

Jan. 17 v Sarasota Paradise (USLL1) - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 23 v FC Cincinnati - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 31 v Houston Dynamo FC - St. Petersburg, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 7 v CF Montréal - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 14 v Hartford Athletic (USLC) - Foxborough, MA (Closed to Fans & Media)

New York City FC

Jan. 24 v Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) - St. Petersburg, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 1 v Austin FC - Austin, TX (Open ONLY to ATX Season Ticket Holders)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 8 v Los Angeles FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v Sporting Kansas City - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v San Jose Earthquakes - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Red Bull New York

(Torneo de Tejas)

Feb. 7 v FC Dallas - Frisco, TX (Open ONLY to FCD Season Ticket Holders)

Feb. 11 v Atlanta United FC - Frisco, TX (Closed to Fans & Media)

Orlando City SC

Jan. 24 v Lexington SC (USLL1) - Kissimmee, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 7 v Nashville SC  - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Feb. 11 v FC Cincinnati  - Tampa, Florida (Closed to Public)

Feb. 14 v Colorado Rapids  - Orlando, Florida (Open ONLY to Season Ticket Members)

Philadelphia Union

Games TBA

Toronto FC

(In Spain) - Games TBA

Western Conference Teams Preseason Schedules

Austin FC

Jan. 24 v San Antonio FC (USLC)  - Austin, TX (Closed to Public)

Jan. 28 v Louisville City FC (USLC) - Austin, TX (Closed to Public)

Feb. 1 v New York City FC - Austin, TX (Open ONLY to Season Ticket Holders)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v St. Louis City SC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v Chicago Fire FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v Sporting Kansas City - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Colorado Rapids

Jan. 23 v Nashville SC - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Jan. 29 v TBD - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Feb. 7 v Columbus Crew - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

Feb. 14 v Orlando City SC - Palm Beach, Florida (Closed to Public)

FC Dallas

Jan. 21 v Portimonense S.C.- Portimão, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 26 v Brøndby IF - Loulé, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 30 v Real Salt Lake - Albufeira, Portugal (Open to Public)

(In Torneo de Tejas)

Feb. 7 v Red Bull New York - Frisco, TX (Open ONLY to Season Ticket Holders)

Feb. 11 v Houston Dynamo FC - Frisco, TX (Closed to Fans & Media)
Feb. 11 v Atlanta United FC - Frisco, TX (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 14 v Atlanta United FC - Frisco, TX (Open ONLY to Season Ticket Holders)

Houston Dynamo FC

Jan. 28 v FC Cincinnati - Tampa, FL (Closed to Public)

Jan. 31 v New England Revolution - St. Petersburg, FL (Closed to Public)

Feb. 4 v San Antonio FC (USLC) - Houston, TX (Closed to Public)

(Torneo De Tejas)

Feb. 7 v Atlanta United FC - Houston, TX (Closed to Public)

Feb. 11 v FC Dallas - Frisco, TX (Closed to FA)

Feb. 14 v Red Bull New York - Houston, TX (Closed to Public)

Los Angeles FC

Jan. 28 v Portland Timbers - Los Angeles, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 1 v Austin FC - Austin, TX (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 4 v Los Angeles FC - Los Angeles, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 8 v New York City FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb.11 v Sporting Kansas City - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v San Jose Earthquakes - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Los Angeles Galaxy

Jan. 23 v Portland Timbers  - Carson, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 8 v Chicago Fire FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v St. Louis City SC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 13 v Los Angeles Galaxy - Palm Springs, CA (Open to Public)

Minnesota United FC

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v Sporting Kansas City - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v D.C. United - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v Charlotte FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Portland Timbers

Jan. 23 v LA Galaxy - Carson, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 28 v LAFC - Los Angeles, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 4 v St. Louis City SC - Indio, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v D.C. United - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v San Jose Earthquakes - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v Chicago Fire FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Real Salt Lake

Jan. 22 v Randers FC - Lagos, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 26 v Brøndby IF - Algarve, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 30 v Charlotte FC - Albufeira, Portugal (Open to Public)

Jan. 30 v FC Dallas - Albufeira, Portugal (Open to Public)

Feb. 6 v Orange County SC (USLC) - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 13 v Los Angeles Galaxy - Palm Springs, CA (Open to Public)

St. Louis City SC

Jan. 24 v Red Bull New York - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 28 v Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) - Bradenton, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 4 v Portland Timbers - Indio, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v Austin FC  - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v Los Angeles Galaxy  - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v D.C. United  - Indio, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

San Diego FC

Jan. 24 v San Jose Earthquakes - San Diego, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

San Jose Earthquakes

Jan. 24 v San Diego FC - San Diego, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 31 v Monterey Bay FC (USL) - San Jose, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

Feb. 4 v Los Angeles FC - Los Angeles, CA (Closed to Fans & Media)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v Charlotte FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v Portland Timbers - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v New York City FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Seattle Sounders

Games TBA

Sporting Kansas City

Jan. 17 v Florida International University - Palm Beach, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 24 v Chicago Fire FC - Palm Beach, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

Jan. 31 v Charlotte FC - Palm Beach, FL (Closed to Fans & Media)

(Coachella Valley Invitational)

Feb. 7 v Minnesota United FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 11 v New York City FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Feb. 14 v Austin FC - Indio, CA (Open to Public)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Games TBA

Thursday, January 8th (8pm ET) was the deadline for arbitration-eligible players and teams to agree on a 2025 contract before exchanging salary figures.

Most of the 211 eligible players who were tendered a contract this offseason agreed to terms before the deadline but 18 did not and subsequently exchanged salaries ahead of planned arbitration hearings.

RELATED:  2026 Arbitration Salary Tracker

18 Arbitration Filings:

DET - Tarik Skubal (SP)
Player Filed:  $32M / Team Filed: $19M
Spread: $13M / Midpoint: $25.5M

HOU - Isaac Paredes (3B)
Player Filed:  $9.95M / Team Filed: $8.75M
Spread: $1.2M / Midpoint: $9.35M

MIL - William Contreras (C)
Player Filed:  $9.9M / Team Filed: $8.55M
Spread: $1.35M / Midpoint: $9.225M

CIN - Tyler Stephenson (C)
Player Filed:  $6.8M / Team Filed: $6.55M
Spread: $250k / Midpoint: $6.675M

MIN - Joe Ryan (SP)
Player Filed:  $6.35M / Team Filed: $5.85M
Spread: $500k / Midpoint: $6.1M

KC - Kris Bubic (SP)
Player Filed:  $6.15M / Team Filed: $5.15M
Spread: $1M / Midpoint: $5.65M

TOR - Eric Lauer (SP)
Player Filed:  $5.75M / Team Filed: $4.4M
Spread: $1.35M / Midpoint: $5.075M

KC - Vinnie Pasquantino (1B)
Player Filed:  $4.5M / Team Filed: $4M
Spread: $500k / Midpoint: $4.25M

HOU - Yainer Diaz (C)
Player Filed:  $4.5M / Team Filed: $3M
Spread: $1.5M / Midpoint: $3.75M

BAL - Kyle Bradish (SP)
Player Filed:  $3.55M / Team Filed: $2.875M
Spread: $675k / Midpoint: $3.2125M

BAL - Keegan Akin (RP)
Player Filed:  $3.375M / Team Filed: $2.975M
Spread: $400k / Midpoint: $3.175M

LAA - Reid Detmers (SP)
Player Filed:  $2.925M / Team Filed: $2.625M
Spread: $300k / Midpoint: $2.775M

SEA - Bryce Miller (SP)
Player Filed:  $2.625M / Team Filed: $2.25M
Spread: $375k / Midpoint: $2.4375M

ATL - Dylan Lee (RP)
Player Filed:  $2.2M / Team Filed: $2M
Spread: $200k / Midpoint: $2.1M

MIA - Calvin Faucher (RP)
Player Filed:  $2.05M / Team Filed: $1.8M
Spread: $250k / Midpoint: $1.925M

CIN - Graham Ashcraft (RP)
Player Filed:  $1.75M / Team Filed: $1.25M
Spread: $500k / Midpoint: $1.5M

TB - Edwin Uceta (RP)
Player Filed:  $1.525M / Team Filed: $1.2M
Spread: $325k / Midpoint: $1.3625M

WSH - Cade Cavalli (SP)
Player Filed:  $900k / Team Filed: $825k
Spread: $75k / Midpoint: $862.5k

With a week until players start reporting for preseason, it’s the perfect time to see how the Boston Legacy and Denver Summit are doing with their roster building — especially considering they are the first expansion clubs who will have to build out their roster without any type of Expansion Draft. 

In order to offset the lack of Expansion Draft, the NWSL allowed the clubs to receive a number of assets in both 2025 and 2026

• Each team has access to $1,065,000 in allocation money to begin spending on July 1, 2025, with 50 percent of funds provided by the league. Teams have until Dec 12, 2027 to utilize all funded allocation money (if the league salary cap increases, available allocation money will be increased pro rata)

• Each team will spend against a $605,000 transfer fee threshold in 2026 (same as other teams), but will have an additional $968,000 valid from January 1, 2025, through the conclusion of the 2026 secondary transfer window

As a reminder, when preseason starts, teams are able to have 40 players in camp, but midway through they need to drop down to 32, and then need to be in the 22-26 player range by the time that the final roster is due ahead of the regular season opener in March. 

Boston has been leading the charge of signings and actually as of January 8th, had 22 players signed, making them technically roster compliant. Denver is a bit behind with only 11 right now — which does align with the fact that their sporting decisions (GM, Head Coach) were also lagging behind Boston. *It would not be surprising if there were a good number of player announcements coming from Denver in the next week. 

Both clubs have been mostly utilizing signing free agents (whether within the NWSL or outside) and are not obviously utilizing the extra cash they have for the net transfer fee. As a reminder, transfer fees paid between teams only need to be disclosed between two NWSL clubs, and as a rule are not reported in external transfers. 

Additionally, both teams will start with seven international spots, and can trade for more, but are allowed to have more than their allocated number until the final roster compliance date. At the moment, Boston has five in use, while Denver only has one. 

The Buffalo Bills finished 12-5, good enough for 2nd place in the AFC East and a 7th seed in the postseason.

Buffalo enters 2026 about $9M over the estimated $303M league threshold. This includes a $56.4M figure for QB Josh Allen, and 6 contracts set to void in the coming weeks (which accounts for $32M).

The Bills currently hold 7 draft picks, including two seventh rounders. Buffalo sent their 6th round pick to the NY Jets in a trade for Brandon Codrington 2 years ago. FUTURE BILLS DRAFT PICKS

Early Offseason Questions

• With 2 key pieces of the OL set to hit free agency (C Connor McGovern, G David Edwards), will Buffalo pony up the high price tag to keep continuity, or will the Bills look elsewhere?
• Josh Allen’s weapon set has been in focus for years. Will the Bills seek a true WR1 in 2026 in some way, shape, or form?
• Has Dalton Kincaid shown enough to warrant a 5th-year option or extension?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac’s Valuation APY)

G David Edwards ($20M)
C Connor McGovern ($16M)
ED Joey Bosa ($13.7M)
ED A.J. Epenesa ($6.5M)
DL Larry Ogunjobi ($5M)
LB Matt Milano ($4.5M)
LB Shaq Thompson ($2.75M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

TE Dalton Kincaid

Kincaid caught 91 passes across 700 snaps in his 2023 rookie campaign, but he’s played nearly that amount across 2024-2025 combined since. When he’s active, he’s a key focus for Josh Allen’s offense, but his unreliability could factor into future Buffalo decisions. Kincaid’s 5th year option for 2027 currently projects to cost around $8.8M, a figure the Bills should have no problem locking in. But the 26-year-old may need another full year of health before a multi-year extension is considered.

Extension Candidate

OT Dion Dawkins

The 32-year-old has been a model of consistency for Buffalo since 2017, currently holding 2 years, $36.5M remaining on his deal. But with minimal guarantees remaining, and cap hits of around $25M each of 2026/2027, there’s a realistic path to tack on a multi-year extension to benefit both sides. Dawkins currently projects toward a 3 year, $63M deal. (See Also: Bubble Candidates)

TE Dawson Knox

Knox is entering a contract year in 2026, set to earn an unprotected $12.8M against an $18.7M cap hit. The 29-year-old currently carries a $7M valuation in our system, so a bit of a renegotiation that adds years, guarantees, and lowers the cap structure in Buffalo’s favor probably works well for both sides here. (See Also: Bubble Candidates)

DL Ed Oliver

Oliver missed a big chunk of 2025 due to bicep and knee injuries, breaking a 5-year run of incredible reliability. The 28-year-old was also having his best start to a season before injury, setting up Buffalo to strongly consider a tack-on extension this offseason. Oliver holds an unprotected $31.5M over the next 2 seasons, currently projected toward a 2 year, $45M extension in our system.

Bubble Candidates

WR Curtis Samuel

Release Candidate

Samuel was active for just 20 games across the past two seasons for Buffalo, earning $16M over that span. He holds an unprotected $8M salary for 2026, with $6.2M of cap to be freed up with an early March release.

K Tyler Bass

Release Candidate

A hip injury forced Bass to miss all of 2025, putting the 2 years, $8.25M remaining on his contract on notice. An early March release frees up almost $3M of cap space.

S Taylor Rapp

Release Candidate

A knee injury forced Rapp to miss half of 2025, setting up the possibility for Buffalo to move on this March. A release before March 15th (when a $250,000 roster bonus is due), can open up $3.3M of cap space.

TE Dawson Knox

Release Candidate

Knox has been one of the most popular members of both the Bills and the Buffalo community since they selected him back in 2019. The 29-year-old is entering a contract year in 2026, set to earn $12.8M against an $18.7M cap hit. With Jackson Hawes now poised for a bigger role going forward, it’s fair to question if Knox has become expendable, and there’s $10.4M of much needed cap to be freed up with an early March release.

WR Keon Coleman

Trade Candidate

Coleman has yet to find his footing in this Buffalo offense (for one reason or another) since being selected #33 overall back in 2024. The 22-year-old holds a fully guaranteed $3.8M over the next two seasons, so there’s plenty of room for value here. But a change of scenery may serve both sides well going forward.

OT Dion Dawkins

Trade Candidate

There’s a version of the Bills where the 2026 offseason becomes one for major culture change (potentially from the top down). With Dawkins carrying one of the larger, unprotected deals on the books, there’s room to consider Buffalo shopping their longtime left tackle in lieu of an extension in the coming months. An early offseason trade would only free up around $3M of cap space, but a move like this would be more about assets in return than immediate financial gain.

Potential Cap Conversions

QB Josh Allen’s 2026 salary is fully guaranteed. A simple conversion to signing bonus frees up over $12M.

RT Spencer Brown’s 2026 compensation is already fully guaranteed. Converting most of it to signing bonus can open up almost $11M of cap.

Converting S Taron Johnson’s 2026 salary into signing bonus can free up almost $6M of cap.

If an extension is passed over for DT Ed Oliver, Buffalo can open up over $10.7M of cap space by converting salary to signing bonus (plus void years).

If an extension/trade is passed over for OT Dion Dawkins, Buffalo can open up over $12M of cap space by converting salary/roster bonus to signing bonus (plus void years).

RELATED LINKS
2026 Bills Salary Cap Table
Bills 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide

The first trade of 2026 NBA trade season was a big one! The Atlanta Hawks are trading star guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert. Despite some reporting that draft picks may be involved, there are no picks involved in this trade.

Here are the particulars:

Atlanta Hawks acquire: Corey Kispert, C.J. McCollum

Washington Wizards acquire: Trae Young

Let’s dive in!

Atlanta Hawks

Incoming salary: $44.6 million in 2025-26

• Corey Kispert (SF/SG, four years, $54.1 million (final season team option), C.J. McCollum (PG/SG, one year, $30.6 million)

Outgoing salary: $45.9 million in 2025-26

• Trae Young (PG, two years, $94.9 million (final season player option)

The Hawks are resetting their franchise in a major way. After seven-and-a-half years together, Atlanta and Trae Young are headed their separate ways. This move was signaled as far back as last summer when the Hawks didn’t engage in extension talks with Young. That was the first sign that Atlanta was ready to move on from the four-time All-Star point guard.

After playing much of the season without Young - and being more successful without him than with him - the Hawks became comfortable with trading their floor leader. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has stepped into the rotation and done well as a starter. The playmaking duties have been handled well by Jalen Johnson, as well as Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels.

On the court, C.J. McCollum will give the Hawks quality guard play for the remainder of this season, at least. The veteran combo guard is averaging 18.8 points on 45/39/80 shooting splits. That production will be a boon to an Atlanta offense that has gotten sideways at points this season. It’s unclear at this early of a stage if McCollum will start or come off the bench, but he’ll team with Daniels and Alexander-Walker to form a potent three-guard rotation either way.

Kispert will also be a helpful player for the Hawks. Atlanta has relied on Vit Krejci for the bulk of their bench scoring this season. Kispert is a good shooter, and better than you think at putting the ball on the floor to create offense for himself or others. He’s more than a throw-in to make this deal work. Kispert will play a real role for the Hawks.

Off the court, the presence of McCollum and Kispert will free Atlanta up to do some more movement ahead of next month’s trade deadline. Luke Kennard and his expiring $11M salary will be available now. If the Hawks are serious about getting involved in the Anthony Davis trade derby, then expect Kennard to be in that deal, along with Kristaps Porzingis’ expiring $30.7 million salary. Whether Atlanta is willing to include Zaccharie Risacher may be what determines if they land Davis or not.

Looking beyond this season, the Hawks have tremendous financial flexibility with Young off the books. McCollum’s deal expires after the season and Kispert makes less than the Non-Taxpayer MLE. Conservatively, the Hawks should have somewhere in the range of $25 to $30 million in cap space this summer. That would mean renouncing McCollum, Porzingis and Kennard, but that figure does include a high lottery pick via the New Orleans Pelicans.

In the cap-space scenario above, Atlanta would have 11 players on the roster. That’s $25 to $30 million to spend, plus the projected $9.4 million Room Exception, to fill four roster spots. That’s a pretty good spot to be in for the Hawks this summer.

Of course, Atlanta could always choose to re-sign Porzingis or McCollum, if they play well enough. That would eat into whatever spending power the Hawks have. But the goal was to create flexibility and Onsi Saleh and his staff have done that.

Lastly, Atlanta did well to not have to include a pick to move off Young’s contract. Early reports were that the Wizards were looking for a pick to take on Young’s deal. The Hawks still have everything they had before agreeing to this deal, and that’ll be big for filling out the roster.

Washington Wizards

Incoming salary: $46.4 million in 2025-26

• Trae Young (PG, two years, $95.4 million (final season player option)

Outgoing salary: $44.6 million in 2025-26

• Corey Kispert (SF/SG, four years, $54.1 million (final season team option), C.J. McCollum (PG/SG, one year, $30.6 million)

The Wizards have hit the phase of their rebuild where they’re ready to take some big swings. Acquiring Trae Young is a big swing, but it’s one without a whole lot of risk attached.

Players of Young’s caliber aren’t available all the time. And when they are, they usually cost more than an expiring contract and a role player. That’s true even when Young’s contract is teetering somewhere between neutral and slightly-negative value.

Let’s start there. For this current season, this trade changes very little cap-wise for the Wizards. They’re still miles from the luxury tax even after taking in a bit more salary. (Note: Trae Young has a trade bonus in his deal, but it would only increase his contract by about $400K, up to his max for this season. We’ve included that bonus, as there no reason for Young to waive it to complete this deal.)

This summer, this doesn’t change a lot for Washington either. The Wizards roster is stuffed full of players who are on their rookie scale contracts. They were set to have over $80 million in cap space this summer. That was to fill three roster spots. With other teams poised to have cap space, it was going to be at least somewhat hard for Washington to use up that space simply by eating bad contracts from other teams.

For just over half of that available space, the Wizards landed a 27-year-old four-time All-Star. And they did it while filling a position of major need. Washington should still have over $45 million in cap space this summer, assuming Young opts in for next season. That’s more than enough to do anything else the Wizards want to do this coming offseason.

Long-term, the Wizards and Young will have to find middle ground on a new deal. That could come via Young extending, opting out this summer and re-signing, or playing out his deal to free agency in 2027. No matter how it goes, expect both sides to already have engaged in conversations around what it will take to keep Young in Washington for years to come.

On the court, McCollum was productive for Washington, but he’s not really a point guard. Young is one of the best playmakers in the NBA. His passing ability will make life easier on his new, young teammates. Look for the game to get easier for players like Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly. That should lead to increased efficiency for those players.

Young has struggled with his shot this season, but that’s come over just 10 games. That’s too small of a sample size to believe anything is permanently broken for the long-range shooter.

By moving Kispert, who Washington loved as a wing option and in their locker room, the Wizards also cleaned up somewhat of a logjam on the wing. The runway is clear for George, Johnson, Coulibaly, as well as rookies Will Riley and Jamir Watkins. Those players need all the developmental minutes that they can earn.

It may seem like a minor thing, but the Wizards also opened up a roster spot in this trade. They’ve played reserve big man Tristan Vukcevic a lot this season, and his NBA eligibility as a two-way player was dwindling. Washington can now use that roster spot to sign Vukcevic to a standard contract, possibly by using some of the Non-Taxpayer MLE to give him a long-term deal.

We should also expect Washington to remain active leading up to the trade deadline, Khris Middleton isn’t a long-term player for the Wizards. Don’t be surprised if they move Middleton in a deal where they take on a contract or two that stretch into next season. That move will probably bring the team some future draft capital. If they can’t find a trade for Middleton, the Wizards could buy him out to allow the veteran to catch on with a playoff team. At the very least, Middleton’s contract expires after the season.

Not getting a pick to take on Young’s contract is a minor downside to this deal for Washington. However, they landed an outstanding offensive engine at a position of need. Instead of a homerun, we’ll call this a standup triple. Really good work by the Wizards front office to opportunistically grab a player they probably couldn’t have landed otherwise.

Draft picks

The Connecticut Sun finished 11th in the WNBA standings in 2025 with an 11-33 record. Connecticut won’t be picking as high in the draft as it could be, given its poor results, but it does have two late-first-round picks in what could be a decently deep draft — No. 12 and 15 overall. The Sun also has its own second and third-round picks — No. 18 and 33.

Under contract

The Sun have good young talent on cheap contracts. Four of their under-contract players are entering just the second year of their unprotected rookie-scale contracts — Saniya Rivers, Aneesah Morrow, Leila Lacan and Rayah Marshall — having shown what their future in the WNBA could look like.

Rivers and Lacan, under contract for $77,156 and $73,905, respectively, make up the best young wing duo in the league. The NC State graduate brought continuous contagious joy throughout the hardest season of her life. Though Rivers missed out on All-Rookie honors, the 6’1 guard averaged 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 26.1 minutes per game while shooting 40.7% from the field and 34.1% from three. Lacan joined the Sun after competing in EuroBasket for France and gave the squad a significant boost. The 5’11 guard later missed the end of the WNBA season due to personal reasons, ending her run of 25 consecutive appearances, including 15 starts. Lacan averaged 10.4 points, 3.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 26.6 minutes per contest. The Frenchwoman shot very efficiently from the field at 47.7%, but not from three, where she only converted 22.4% of her 2.7 attempts per game. Both players have the potential to contribute to a title-winning team, but neither is a No. 1 option star.

Connecticut also picked two bigs in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Morrow and Marshall. Marshall played exclusively off the bench in her 15 appearances and averaged 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 6.0 minutes per game. She’ll have to fight for a roster spot, but she could be cheap depth to fill out a roster. Morrow, meanwhile, emerged as a potential unique role player. The 6’1 forward grew into an important defensive role for the Sun and was the team’s leading rebounder, averaging 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Aaliyah Edwards rounds out the young talent in Connecticut after she was traded from Washington in early August in exchange for Jacy Sheldon and 2026 first-round-pick swap rights. The third year of her unprotected rookie-scale contract would see her paid $82,399 in 2026. Though the former UConn Husky didn’t perform as well in her 15 games for Connecticut as she did over one and a half seasons in Washington, the 6’3 forward’s first two seasons showed her value as a versatile big.

Contracts

1. Saniya Rivers -  $77,156

2. Aneesah Morrow -  $77,156

3. Leila Lacan - $73,905

4. Rayah Marshall - $70,653

5. Aaliyah Edwards - $82,399

Value of all protected contracts: $0
Value of all contracts: $381,269

Extension candidate

During this offseason (pending CBA changes), Connecticut has to determine if it will exercise the fourth-year team option on Edward’s contract. If the team does not exercise its option, the Canadian would become an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of the 2026 season. The fourth-year option is fully protected. Despite the post-trade lull, Edwards has shown enough in her professional play to warrant a protected, low-cost contract, so Connecticut is likely to extend her commitment.

Unrestricted free agents

The Sun only has four unrestricted free agents, but two of them played the most minutes and led the team in scoring: Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles. Another, Bria Hartley, played heavy minutes. 

Charles was overall very productive in her age-36 season. The UConn alum averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 28.4 minutes per game over 43 appearances (42 starts). Following her final match of the season, one of the best bigs in league history indicated that she hopes to return to the WNBA for the 2026 season. She agreed to a contract well below the veteran maximum in 2025 and is ineligible to be cored under the rules of the expiring CBA. Perhaps she’ll want to stay in Connecticut if that’s where she can get playing time, but she has also played for five different clubs over her last four WNBA seasons.

Mabrey was the team’s next leading scorer as she averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 31.5 minutes per game over 35 appearances. The 5’11 guard was traded to the Sun in August 2024 when the team was actively competing for a WNBA Championship before they lost all five starters and head coach Stephanie White in the offseason. Ahead of the 2025 season, Mabrey requested a trade for the third time in three years but was denied by the Sun. The tension between player and franchise seemed to resolve throughout the season, but a return still seems unlikely.

In Hartley’s long-awaited return to the WNBA after suffering a torn ACL in July 2022, she averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 assists and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 36.2 percent from the field across 22.8 minutes per game in 38 regular-season games (32 starts). She missed the end of the season with a knee injury but was expected to make a full recovery.

Lindsay Allen, meanwhile, saw her role decrease significantly from the previous two years she played for other teams. She started in just nine of her 31 appearances. Allen was traded to Connecticut from Chicago ahead of the 2025 season. The 30-year-old averaged just 2.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game, so she could seek out opportunities elsewhere.

Free agent spotlight

Mabrey is still just 29 years old and a proven scorer who will be a free agent target for many teams. But she will not necessarily be a priority with a majority of the league’s players technically available in free agency. Connecticut could be the team willing to offer her the most money to continue shepherding their young players and play a big role on the court, providing needed perimeter shooting. However, a return is even more unlikely if Mabrey is still set on chasing a championship immediately, as she was when she initially requested the trade to Connecticut. However, the combination of her age and production makes the Notre Dame guard the unrestricted free agent most capable of significant contributions for the next few years.

Restricted and reserved free agents

Olivia Nelson-Ododa, having played the last year of her rookie-scale contract, is a restricted free agent. She played a significant role for the Sun in 2025, making 37 appearances, starting 21, and averaging 8.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals in 21.6 minutes per game. She was a strong defensive presence and remarkably efficient offensively. Yet another UConn alum, Nelson-Ododa shot a team-high 52.6% from the field. Even if her role is off the bench, she can consistently contribute and should receive a restricted qualifying offer.

Haley Peters is the other restricted free agent in Connecticut. Though the 6’3 forward hadn’t played in the WNBA since 2019, she made 33 appearances (2 starts) for Connecticut in 2025. Her role became more inconsistent as the season progressed, and she only averaged 2.1 points and 2.2 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.

The Sun also hold rights to two reserved free agents, Mamignan Touré and Nikolina Milić. Touré made 18 appearances for the Sun last year but didn’t make much of a statistical impact in her limited minutes. Milić was traded to the Sun ahead of the 2025 season but sat out of league play for a second consecutive year. The Serbian showed in the past that she can be a serviceable backup, but she’ll also be 32 by the time the 2026 season starts. She is not a piece that will change a franchise’s future.

Analysis

It always looked like it was going to be a difficult season in Connecticut after the Sun lost its entire starting lineup from 2024 to a combination of free agency and trade requests, and then had no particular appeal to attract new free agents. The rebuild had to start from nearly zero without lottery picks to move it along. Now they have some promising young talent, but no title-leading stars.

The biggest questions for this team are off the court. During the season, possible relocations to Boston or Hartford dominated the news. The most recent reporting has the NBA’s Houston Rockets ownership in “substantive talks” with the Sun regarding the “potential purchase and relocation” of the team. No official decisions have been made, and the two sides have not signed an “exclusivity agreement,” per ESPN’s December report. The team will continue playing at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., for the 2026 season.

The Sun franchise’s uncertain future will make it even harder to sell the rebuild project to free agents. A new CBA (eventually anyway, hopefully soon) means that players will be more open to committing to long-term plans — no more refusing to commit beyond 2025 because of the expiring deal. The odds of the franchise’s future being locked in for impending free agency are very low, but if things progress more quickly than CBA negotiations, perhaps there is hope yet. Until decisions and agreements are made, the team is in limbo.

Head coach Rachid Meziane is set to enter his second year after a rocky first season in the U.S., as there were lots of reasonable explanations for his team’s difficulties.

The Sun, like most other teams, has some young players on cheap, unprotected contracts and plenty of cap space to pay free agents. But as it is, they are the worst free agency destination in the league. So, the youth that Connecticut already has under contract, and its picks in the upcoming drafts, will be the building blocks of any success as long as the Sun remain in Uncasville and continue to struggle attracting players to market.

Note: This will be updated accordingly with salary cap details and any relevant definitional changes when a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed.

Draft picks

The Chicago Sky finished second-to-last in the 2025 WNBA season with a 10-34 record. That would be great news, at least in terms of the upcoming draft, if the Sky hadn’t handed that pick to the Minnesota Lynx to move up one spot in the 2024 draft for Angel Reese. So instead of picking No. 2 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Chicago drafts at No. 5, thanks to several other trades that gave them Connecticut’s first-round pick. Chicago still has its own second- and third-round picks, No. 17 and No. 32 overall, plus an extra second-rounder from New York, No. 26.

Under contract

Chicago’s biggest contracts belong to the “Skyscrapers,” their young, talented post duo of Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. Both are entering the third year of their unprotected rookie-scale contracts, for $82,399 and $85,873, respectively. Reese made big in-season improvements as she led the league in rebounding for the second year in a row. The 6’7 Cardoso showed strong flashes of her potential dominance, though sometimes inconsistent. Cardoso and Reese still haven’t found a rhythm as a duo, but the pair remains the primary building block for the future of the Sky.

Reese semi-publicly feuded with the team at the end of the 2025 WNBA season, resulting in a half-game suspension. The forward skipped exit interviews and put question marks around her return to the franchise. Reese recently said at USA Basketball camp, “I’m under contract, so yes, I plan on returning to the Sky. (I’m) continuing to talk to (coach) Tyler (Marsh) and building that relationship with (GM) Jeff (Pagliocca) and Tyler.” Reese has been blunt with her criticisms of the team, but there are currently no indications of her forcing a trade.

The Sky’s other two contracts belong to soon-to-be second-year players Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld, for $73,905 and $70,653, respectively. Over 29 games, Van Lith averaged 12.4 minutes per game, 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists, and did not shoot efficiently. Westbeld struggled for playing time early on but ended up averaging 13.6 minutes, 4.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists across 26 games. The Notre Dame forward shot 39.5% from three, better than her 33.9% from two. Both players’ contracts are unprotected and could be cut.

Contracts

1. Kamilla Cardoso - $85,873

2. Angel Reese - $82,399

3. Hailey Van Lith - $73,905

4. Maddy Westbeld - $70,653

Value of all protected contracts: $0

Value of all contracts: $312,830

Extension candidates

Before the 2026 WNBA season begins (pending CBA changes), Chicago has to determine if it will pick up the fourth-year team options on Cardoso and Reese’s contracts. If the team does not exercise its option, the players would become unrestricted free agents after the conclusion of their third season. The fourth-year option is fully protected. There is no good reason for the Sky not to activate both options and keep the star duo under team control on a low salary, even if just to trade them later.

Unrestricted free agents

Chicago has seven unrestricted free agents: Ariel Atkins, Courtney Vandersloot, Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, Michaela Onyenwere, Elizabeth Williams and Rachel Banham. Aside from Atkins, none of the other free agents showed much outside of brief flashes. Most should draw interest and find a role on a bench somewhere in 2026, but they won’t be on the top of anyone’s list. 

Vandersloot’s homecoming was cut short when she tore her ACL in June. Before the injury, the point guard was averaging 10.6 points per game and 5.3 assists, helping Chicago’s offense run with a modicum of efficiency. She will be 37 years old — and still rehabbing — by the time the 2026 season begins.

The loss of the veteran point guard also forced the Sky to rotate the role of primary ball-handler between Atkins, Allen, Nurse and Banham. None of them benefited from this role change, as all have primarily played as shooting guards.

Allen, who represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympics and won bronze at the 2022 FIBA World Cup, was acquired by the Sky in a four-team trade in February 2025. The 32-year-old played an inconsistent role throughout the season. Over 44 appearances, she started 17 games and averaged 5.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Banham was traded to Chicago in July 2024, sending Marina Mabrey to Connecticut. Although Banham dealt with some inconsistency and inefficiency during the 2025 campaign, she still had a career-best season. The 5’10 guard made 44 appearances (33 starts), as she averaged 9.0 points, 2.7 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game.

Nurse joined the Sky via free agency ahead of the 2025 season. The Canadian international started in just 18 of her 44 performances but averaged 7.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.9 minutes per game.

Onyenwere was traded to Chicago in 2024 but chose to re-sign for the 2025 season. Continuing the pattern, Onyenwere played an inconsistent role throughout 2025. The 26-year-old's production declined slightly during her second season in Chicago, as she averaged 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.9 minutes per game over 42 appearances (22 starts).

Williams, an experienced veteran, appeared in 43 games in 2025, making just 15 starts when Reese or Cardoso were injured. The 6’3 center’s production in most areas took a step back compared to her first two seasons with the Sky, as she averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 21.1 minutes per game. 

Free agent spotlight

Atkins did a good amount of everything for Chicago when healthy. Over 34 games played, she averaged 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals. She shot 44.4% from the floor and 36.1% from three. Atkins is an Olympic gold medalist and WNBA Champion (2019, Washington Mystics) who, under the rules of the soon-expiring CBA, is eligible to be cored by the Sky. 

The core qualifying offer is a one-year, guaranteed, supermax contract, but once cored, the team and player are free to negotiate different terms. The salary could be anything from the minimum up to that supermax number, and the length could be anything from one to four years. Again, this is if the rule remains unchanged in the new CBA. A supermax salary could be overpaying for Atkins, whom they acquired in a trade that involved giving up the draft pick that became Sonia Citron. However, she still contributed significantly in a year broken up by injury and can be a starter on a championship team. Executing a sign-and-trade could be a good way to acquire more high-potential young players for the future. Or she could complement a star free agency signing, if Chicago could manage to attract one where they have previously failed.

Reserved free agents and unsigned draftees

Chicago has one reserved free agent in Sevgi Uzun. Uzun was added in late July to be another option at point guard, but her season bests were just six assists and 10 points (not in the same game). Reserved free agents (under the expiring CBA) are players whose contract expired but have three years of service or fewer in the WNBA. If they are sent a reserved qualifying offer within the designated period (last year, Jan. 11 - 20), then the team reserves exclusive negotiating rights with that player. Otherwise, they will become full unrestricted free agents. These qualifying offers are non-guaranteed money that teams can cut at a later date.

The Sky also has the rights to two unsigned draftees. Ajša Sivka was drafted No. 10 overall by Chicago in 2025, and Aicha Coulibaly was picked 10th in the second round (No. 22 overall) of the same draft. Sivka is a 6’4 forward who has featured for Slovenia in FIBA competitions and European leagues across Slovenia, Italy, France, and Spain. She is currently competing for Joventut in Spain, averaging nine points, 3.9 rebounds and one assist in 26.9 minutes per game. Still just 20 years old, it's possible she can contribute soon, but she’s more of a long-term project with potential. Coulibaly, a Mali international, played her college career at Auburn University (2020-2023) and Texas A&M (2023-2025).

Analysis

The Chicago Sky struggled mightily in 2025. They led the league in turnovers with 16.9 per game and tied the Connecticut Sun for the fewest points scored per game with just 75.8. They were also hampered by injuries, boasting an entirely healthy team for only six games throughout the entire season. So their in-game options were limited, between both injured starters and bench players, and their identity was hard to build.

Unfortunately for Chicago Sky fans, there isn’t exactly a bright future ahead unless the franchise makes big changes. General manager Jeff Pagliocca hasn’t made good trades in the past, and nothing we’ve seen provides a reason to expect that to change. They have struggled to attract free agents in recent years, and their results over the past year will not aid them in changing that.

Another unknown in Chicago is the status of their $38 million practice facility. The Sky have practiced at a community athletic center for years. A private professional facility could be influential in attracting free agents. It was originally expected to open in December 2025, but the opening date was later pushed back to April 2026. The Sky front office maintains that it will be open in time for the 2026 season.

Tyler Marsh is set for his second year as head coach. He looked overwhelmed at times in 2025, but maintains a reputation as a teacher with a particular talent for developing players and caring for them as individuals, not just as athletes. Despite the team’s difficulties in 2025, Sky players praised Marsh.

If the Sky can attract free agents, they have plenty of cap space to pay them. They only have a few players on rookie contracts and no protected contracts in 2025. The priority should be signing perimeter players, with Reese and Cardoso already established in the post. If Chicago’s front office follows the patterns of their past, they will swing big and hope they strike gold. 

Note: This will be updated accordingly with salary cap details and any relevant definitional changes when a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed.

The Green Bay Packers finished 2025 9-7-1, good enough for the 7th seed in the NFC playoffs. The Packers enter 2026 about $3.8M over a projected $304M league salary cap threshold. This figure includes 43 contracts on the books, led by QB Jordan Love’s $36M figure.

Green Bay gave up their first round pick in the Micah Parsons’ deal, but still boast 8 selections, including 2 projected 7th round compensatory picks. Packers Future Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• Does the addition of Parsons make an edge defender or two tradable this offseason?
• Have the Packers seen enough of WR Watson and TE Kraft to consider extensions?

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac Valuation APY)

OT Rasheed Walker ($20.6M)
WR Romeo Doubs ($12M)
QB Malik Willis ($10.5M)
OLB Quay Walker ($9.8M)
C Sean Rhyan ($6.5M)
DE Kingsley Enagbare ($6M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

ED Lukas Van Ness

Van Ness has seen his role diminish mightily in 2025, but he’s done a nice job of making the most of his limited action. With that said, it’s hard to imagine Green Bay locking in a projected $14.5M guarantee for 2027 with this option decision.

Extension Candidate

WR Christian Watson

Watson signed a bridge extension last September that paid him a little over $7.2M in 2025. There’s $5.75M available in 2026 (plus $2.25M of incentive), but he shined through 10 regular season games. Injuries remain a major red flag here, but the floor for Watson financially now calculates near $16M per year, with potential for a much higher ceiling.

DL Devonte Wyatt

The 27-year-old suffered a season ending ankle injury in early December, but was putting together yet another stat-filled campaign on the Green Bay D-Line. Arguably their most productive IDL heading into 2026, Wyatt is entering a contract year, with a fully guaranteed $12.9M exercised option on the books. He currently projects toward a 3 year, $37M extension in our system.

Bubble Candidates

CB Trevon Diggs

Release Candidate

Added as a Week 18 waiver claim, Diggs has an unprotected $57M on the books through 2028. With Green Bay in cap trouble to begin the year, it seems logical that they’ll get out of this contract, freeing up the $15.5M cap hit (though a reunion could very well be in the mix).

OL Elgton Jenkins

Release Candidate

Jenkins has bounced around the O-Line with success, but he heads into a contract year rehabbing a fractured fibula. With an unprotected $20M to be earned, Jenkins is certainly an extension candidate if the two sides still see a future, but there’s also $20M of cap space to be freed up in moving on.

CB Nate Hobbs

Release Candidate

Signed a 4 year, $48 million free agent contract this past March, but struggled through much of a 2025 season that was eventually cut short with a hand injury. There’s a $6.25M roster bonus due March 13th, and Green Bay would only free up $1M with an outright release, so this remains a less than likely outcome for now.

ED Rashan Gary

Trade Candidate

Gary is set to enter Year 4 of a 5 year, $107.7M contract, set to earn $19.5M for the upcoming season. The deal contains an unprotected $42M over the next two seasons. Micah Parsons’ injury probably means he stays put through 2026, but there’s a world where Green Bay fields a call or two.

Potential Cap Conversions

QB Jordan Love’s 2026 salary is already guaranteed. A base salary conversion can free up almost $8M.

RB Josh Jacobs is owed a $10.2M (unprotected) salary in 2026. Converting most of that to signing bonus (plus void years) can free up nearly $8M of cap.

Green Bay can free up over $13M of cap by converting G Aaron Banks’s salary & roster bonus into signing bonus (plus 2 void years).

CB Nate Hobbs has a $6.25M roster bonus due early March. Converting that to a signing bonus with void years can free up $5M of it.

Converting S Xavier McKinney’s base salary & roster bonus into signing bonus (plus 3 void years) can open up $9.4M of space.

ED Rashan Gary holds an $18M base salary in 2026. Converting most of that to signing bonus plus void years can open up over $14M of cap.

RELATED LINKS
Packers 2026 Salary Cap
2026 Packers Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guide

Over 200 arbitration-eligible players were tendered contracts for 2026 and most will agree to terms with their teams before the deadline to exchange salary figures which is on Thursday, January 8th (8pm ET).

These are the top overall projected arbitration salaries according to model:

Overall

1. Tarik Skubal (SP):  $22.5M
2. Randy Arozarena (OF):  $16M
3. Brady Singer (SP):  $13M
4. Jesus Luzardo (SP):  $12M
5. Jazz Chisholm (2B):  $11.7M
6. Logan Gilbert (SP):  $11.5M
7. Daulton Varsho (OF):  $11.3M
8. Taylor Ward (OF):  $11.2M
9. William Contreras (C):  $11M
10. Alec Bohm (3B):  $10.25M
11. Isaac Paredes (3B):  $10M
12. David Peterson (SP):  $9.2M
13. David Bednar (RP):  $9M
14. Jeremy Pena (SS):  $9M
15. Steven Kwan (OF):  $8.5M

By Position

Starting Pitcher
Tarik Skubal (5.114) - DET:  $22.5M
Brady Singer (5.156) - CIN:  $13M
Jesus Luzardo (5.165) - PHI:  $12M
Logan Gilbert (4.144) - SEA:  $11.5M
David Peterson (5.089) - NYM:  $9.2M
Bailey Ober (4.093) - MIN:  $6.8M
Justin Steele (4.143) CHC:  $6.75M
MacKenzie Gore (4.000) - WSH:  $6.5M
George Kirby (3.151) - SEA:  $6.5M
Joe Ryan (4.033) - MIN:  $6M
Trevor Rogers (5.047) - BAL:  $6M
Hunter Brown (3.035) - HOU:  $5.5M
Casey Mize (5.111) - DET:  $5.5M

Relief Pitcher
David Bednar (5.073) - NYY:  $9M
Jhoan Duran (4.000) - PHI:  $8M
Bryan Abreu (5.022) - HOU:  $6.5M
Trevor Megill (4.002) - MIL:  $6.5M
JoJo Romero (5.045) - STL:  $5.8M

Catcher
William Contreras (4.112) - MIL:  $11M
Tyler Stephenson (5.056) - CIN:  $7M
Adley Rutschman (4.000) - BAL:  $6.75M
Ryan Jeffers (5.089) - MIN:  $6.5M
Yainer Diaz (3.035) - HOU:  $3.5M

1st Base
Andrew Vaughn (4.142) - MIL:  $7.5M
Ryan Mountcastle (5.105) - BAL:  $6.5M
Vinnie Pasquantino (3.101) - KCR:  $5.25M
Spencer Torkelson (3.076) - DET - $4.5M
Spencer Steer (3.035) - CIN:  $4M

2nd Base
Jazz Chisholm (5.075) - NYY:  $11.7M
Jonathan India (5.000) - KCR:  $8M; arbitration avoided
Luis Garcia (4.142) - WSH:  $7.8M
Mauricio Dubon (5.162) - ATL:  $6.1M; arbitration avoided
Brendan Donovan (4.000) - STL:  $5.75M

Shortstop
Jeremy Pena (4.000) - HOU:  $9M
Gunnar Henderson (3.036) - BAL:  $7.5M
CJ Abrams (3.130) - WSH:  $5.5M
Zach Neto (2.170) - LAA:  $5.2M
Anthony Volpe (3.000) - NYY:  $3.25M

3rd Base
Alec Bohm (5.106) - PHI:  $10.25M
Isaac Paredes (4.160) - HOU:  $10M
Edmundo Sosa (5.140) - PHI:  $7.5M
Zach McKinstry (4.099) - DET:  $4.0M
Ernie Clement (3.168) - TOR:  $3.5M

Outfield
Randy Arozarena (5.129) - SEA:  $16M
Daulton Varsho (5.128) - TOR:  $11.3M
Taylor Ward (5.164) - BAL:  $11.2M
Steven Kwan (4.000) - CLE:  $8.5M
Jarren Duran (3.155) - BOS:  $7.7M; arbitration avoided following declined Club option
Jesus Sanchez (4.118) - HOU:  $6.5M
Brandon Marsh (4.078) - PHI:  $5.5M
Lars Nootbaar (4.076) - STL:  $5.2M
Gavin Lux (5.114) - CIN:  $4.5M
Jake Meyers (4.044) - HOU:  $4.5M
Jo Adell (4.085) - LAA:  $4.5M
Riley Greene (3.110) - DET:  $4.3M