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

Here is the breakdown for the 2026 Australian Open prize money breakdown (men's and women's):

Winner: AU$4,150,000 (~$2,788,304)

Runner-up: AU$2,150,000 (~$1,444,543)

Semifinalists: AU$1,250,000 (~$839,850)

Quarterfinalists: AU$750,000 (~$503,910)

Fourth round: AU$480,000 (~$322,503)

Third round: AU$327,750 (~$220,209)

Second round: AU$225,000(~$151,173)

First Round: AU$150,000 (~$100,782)

Qualifying per round:

Q3: AU$83,500 (~$56,102)

Q2: AU$57,000 (~$38,297)

Q1: AU$40,500 (~$27,211)

*US$ rates based on 1/6/26

A comprehensive look at the QB financials heading into 2026, including Contract Tiers, Pending Free Agents, Extension Candidates, and full breakdowns for players trending toward the roster bubble.

QB Contract/Confidence Tiers

Set in Stone (8)

Mostly obvious choices here with Allen/Purdy recently getting a re-up, Prescott & Herbert producing at a high level in the middle of their guarantee seasons, Lawrence taking a major step forward with the new regime, and Caleb Willams/Drake Maye both pushing into that “next up” tier.

Buffalo
Chicago
Dallas
Jacksonville
Kansas City
LA Chargers
New England
San Francisco

Extremely Confident (8)

Lamar’s contract is on its last leg from a guaranteed standpoint, and high cap hits signal an extension should be forthcoming as well. Are the Ravens in a spot to comply? Burrow’s guarantee structure runs through 2027, so for now all is well in Cincy (for now), as is the case for Goff in Detroit, and Love in Green Bay. C.J. Stroud took another step toward his first big extension in 2025, and Sam Darnold made a case for getting out of his “bridge” deal sooner rather than later in Seattle.

Baltimore
Cincinnati
Denver
Detroit
Green Bay
Houston
Philadelphia
Seattle

Fairly Confident (8)

Stafford’s age (and no viable succession plan) keep the Rams’ short-term future cloudy (despite outstanding play from the future HOF in 2025). Baker Mayfield is entering a contract year in Tampa, Jayden Daniels could use a healthy 3rd-season in Washington, and Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, & Tyler Shough all proved they belong in the 2026 conversation at the very least. Minnesota appears poised to stick with JJ McCarthy, but it’s a situation to monitor closely this winter.

Carolina
LA Rams
Minnesota
New Orleans
NY Giants
Tampa Bay
Tennessee
Washington

It’s Complicated (5)

The immediate futures of Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins, Deshaun Watson, Geno Smith, and Tua Tagovailoa are certainly in question.

Arizona
Atlanta
Cleveland
Las Vegas
Miami

The Unknowns (3)

The Daniel Jones injury makes life a little more complicated for Indy, but a reunion still seems likely. The Jets are almost certain to be back at square one with their QB room this spring, while the starting role in Pittsburgh is TBD.

Indianapolis
NY Jets
Pittsburgh

Top 2026 Cap Hits

1. Deshaun Watson (CLE): $80.7M
2. Patrick Mahomes (KC): $78.2M
3. Lamar Jackson (BAL): $74.5M
4. Dak Prescott(DAL): $74M
5. Jared Goff (DET): $69.6M

VIEW ALL QB CAP HITS

Pending Free Agent QBs

As you might expect, the list of available QBs offers little to desire, but following how Indy handles Daniel Jones, a decision on Aaron Rodgers’ future, and just how much Malik Willis’ stock rose gives us something to hang onto for a bit.

Daniel Jones (IND, 28, $45M valuation)
Aaron Rodgers (PIT, 42, $10.5M valuation)
Malik Willis (GB, 26, $10.5M valuation)
Marcus Mariota (WSH, 32, $8.5M valuation)
Mitchell Trubisky (BUF, 31, $4.4M valuation)
Tyrod Taylor (NYJ, 36, $4M valuation)

VIEW ALL

Potential Extension QBs

Lamar Jackson (BAL, 29): 2 yrs, $104M remaining
Jackson was rumored to be in extension discussions last offseason, but that never materialized. Now he enters 2026 with a lot more questions than answers surrounding him (including possibly his own future in Baltimore). Jackson projects toward a 4 year, $250M deal in our system.

Sam Darnold (SEA, 29): 2 yrs, $63M remaining
Darnold is on this list simply because he has already outkicked his financial coverage. The 29-year-old is due to make $27.5M next year, which better represents the low-end of the middle class for QB pay, despite the fact that he lived near the top of the list statistically this past season. Darnold currently projects toward a 4 year, $206M contract in our system.

Matthew Stafford (LAR, 38): 1 yr, $40M remaining
Stafford may be just fine with $40M at 39-years old. He may request another pot-sweetener (as he did this past offseason). Or he may just hang up the cleats and all it a day. Stafford projects toward a 2 year, $108M contract in our system.

Baker Mayfield (TB, 31): 1 yr, $40M remaining
Mayfield’s stock dropped a bit in 2025 thanks to an overall rollercoaster year for the Bucs, and more than a few bumps and bruises secured. It still seems highly likely that Baker remains the QB1 option in Tampa going forward, but it might not be a slam dunk that they extend him out this spring. Mayfield projects toward a 4 year, $215M contract in our system.

Bryce Young (CAR, 25): 1 yr, $5.9M + option remaining
Carolina needs to decide on Young’s 5th-year-option this spring (currently projected at $27.2M), and it seems highly likely that they’ll buy into that. Are they willing to lock in more just yet? Young projects toward a 3 year, $111M extension in our system.

C.J. Stroud (HOU, 25): 1 yr, $5.7M + option remaining
Stroud’s 5th-year-option salary stands to come in at or around $40M, but Houston should have no trouble locking that in this Spring. After a bit of a stepback season in 2024, Stroud refound a lot of his rookie year magic. Whether or not they’ve seen enough to put big-time guarantees in his pocket this spring remains to be seen. Stroud currently projects toward a 3 year, $155 million extension in our system.

Potential Bubble QBs

(for complete scenario breakdowns and financial ramifications, keep scrolling)

Tua Tagovailoa (MIA, 28): 3 yrs, $141M remaining
Kyler Murray (ARI, 29): 3 yrs, $125M remaining
Kirk Cousins (ATL, 38): 2 yrs, $90M remaining
Deshaun Watson (CLE, 30): 1 yr, $46M remaining
Anthony Richardson (IND, 24): 1 yr, $5.3M remaining
Geno Smith (LV, 36): 2 yrs, $66M remaining
Justin Fields (NYJ, 27): 1 yr, $20M remaining
Mac Jones (SF, 28): 1 yr, $4.6M remaining

Tua Tagovailoa

Tua enters 2026 with a $56.4M cap hit, and $54M of his salary is fully guaranteed. If he’s on the roster March 13th, $3M of his 2027 salary locks in as well, making this a minimum $57M commitment.

An Outright Release
Nearly impossible. The Dolphins would take on $99.2M of dead cap ($54M of it cash), losing almost $43M of cap space in 2026.

A Post 6/1 Designation
If the Dolphins attempt to go this route, we’ll assume that they’ve also exercised the $15M option bonus built in for 2026 (allowing the cap to prorate through 2030). This would in turn mean that Miami carries Tua’s $56.4M cap hit into June, after which they would take on dead hits of $55.4M in 2026 ($54M cash), and another $43.8M for 2027.

An Early Trade
It’s doable financially, but will there be a team out there willing to play ball? The contract currently holds $45.2M of bonus proration dead cap on it, which is the number that would stick with Miami per a Pre 6/1 trade (necessary to include 2026 draft picks).

The receiving team would acquire a contract of:
2026: $55M ($54M guaranteed)
2027: $37M ($3M guarantees 3/13)
2028: $49.4M (non-guaranteed)

It seems pretty unlikely (even if you talk yourself into Miami retaining some of this salary).

Wait A Year
Unfortunately this remains the best option. If the Dolphins simply ride this out (including his $56.4M cap hit), things get much easier this time next year, when the contract will carry $46.8M of dead cap ($3M of which is guaranteed cash). Miami will have no trouble taking that on with an outright release, and wiping their hands clean going forward.

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Kyler Murray

Kyler Murray’s tenure appears to be on its last legs, despite a contract that has $125M remaining over the next three seasons. Murray holds a $53.26M cap figure in 2026, and $36.8M of his upcoming salary is already fully guaranteed.

Salary Guarantees
2026: $36.8M fully guaranteed
2027: $19.5M becomes fully guaranteed March 15th, 2026

An Outright Release
If the Cardinals look to outright release Murray before March 15th, they'll be dealing with $54,718,177 of dead cap, which represents a $1,457,500 cap loss. $36.8M of that represents cash owed to Murray, though offset language is available.

A Post June 1st Designation
If the Cardinals opt to designate Murray a Post 6/1 release, they’ll need to carry his $53,260,677 cap hit into June, after which they would take on dead cap hits of $47,518,177 for 2026, and $7,200,000 in 2027. The move would save Arizona $5.7M starting in June.

It should be noted that the Cardinals could convert some of the $36.8M in guaranteed salary into a signing bonus which would shift these dead cap figures. For instance, if Arizona converts his $17M roster bonus into signing bonus prior to the Post 6/1 designation, they would carry a $38,810,677 cap hit into June, then take on dead cap hits of $36,953,177 in 2026, and $20,800,000 in 2027.

An Early 2026 Trade
If the Cardinals are able to secure a trade partner prior to a $17M roster bonus payment on March 15th, they would be left with just $17,918,177 of 2026 dead cap (all bonus proration), freeing up over $35.3M of cap space.

The new team would be acquiring:
2026: $42,542,500 ($36.8M guaranteed)
2027: $36,335,000 ($19.5M guarantees March 15th)
2028: $46,350,000 (non-guaranteed)

A more likely scenario could be that Arizona is asked to “eat” that $17M roster bonus as part of a trade deal, upping the dead cap hit to $34,918,177 (still saving $18.3M of cap overall). In this scenario, the new team would then be acquiring:
2026: $25,542,500 ($22.835M guaranteed)
2027: $36,335,000 ($19.5M guarantees March 15th)
2028: $46,350,000 (non-guaranteed)

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Kirk Cousins

*UPDATE*
The Falcons have agreed to a restructured contract with Cousins that lowers his 2026 salary from $35M to $2.1M. The remaining $32.9M has been added to 2027, and all $67.9M of 2027 salary is now set to become fully guaranteed on March 13, 2026. The move is a clear sign that Atlanta plans to designate Cousins a Post 6/1 release this March, and will carry his (new) $24.6M cap hit into June, then take on dead cap hits of $22.5M in 2026, and $12.5M in 2027. Atlanta will process the Post 6/1 Designation prior to the March 13th guarantee, allowing Cousins to hit the open market immediately.

The 38-year-old has 2 years, $90M remaining on his contract, including a fully guaranteed $10M roster bonus (due March 15th). There’s a $57.5M cap hit in 2026 against $35M of dead cap, so it’s a lock that something stands to give here.

An Outright Release
This remains the most likely option, with the Falcons taking on all $35M of dead cap in 2026, including the $10M roster bonus payment. The move frees up $22.5M of much needed cap space for Atlanta, giving them a chance to build more through free agency. The roster bonus does contain offset language, meaning Atlanta’s payment would be reduced by any earnings Cousins receives elsewhere in 2026.

A Renegotiation
It’s not often that we make this a possible scenario, but Cousins proved a worthy asset (mostly) in a Falcons’ offense loaded with young, talented weapons. It’s plausible that he and Atlanta agree that keeping him around another season as a viable backup, or to compete for the QB1 role, is worth a restructured contract discussion.

Cousins carries a valuation near $10.75M in our system right now (based on 2-year production, age, etc…). This essentially equates to a veteran minimum salary ($1.3M) plus that guaranteed $10M bonus (which would be treated as a signing bonus per this exercise). Cousins’ 2026 cap hit would drop down to $15.8M in this scenario, with $20.5M of voidable dead cap set for 2027.

An Early March Trade
It’s not completely impossible to think that Cousins’ showcased himself enough down the stretch in 2025 to peak a team or two’s interest. While it’s crazy to think there’s a team out there willing to pay Cousins $45M for the upcoming season, a renegotiation scenario much like the above could be in play for a team looking to bridge themselves with an experienced veteran QB for a year.

Assuming the trade happens prior to the $10M March 15th roster bonus being paid out, Atlanta would take on $25M of dead cap in 2026, freeing up $32.5M of space.

It should also be noted that Cousins holds a full no trade clause and would seemingly MUCH rather be released, allowing him an opportunity to negotiate with the team(s) of his choosing.

A Post 6/1 Designation
A less likely scenario would see Atlanta keep Cousins’ $57.5M contract on the books into June, then take on dead cap hits of $22.5M in 2026 ($10M cash), and $12.5M in 2027. Atlanta would save $35M of space come June, but they’d be hamstrung financially prior to that.

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Deshaun Watson

Will 2026 be the end of this long miserable journey for both Watson and the Browns? The contract holds a fully guaranteed $46M for next season. It also holds $131.1M of total dead cap due in large part to 3 significant cap conversions in recent years. Will these numbers be lowered by insurance cap reductions for time missed this season? Yes, but just how much remains to be seen. As it currently stands, a Post 6/1 release next March means dead cap hits of:

2025: $80.7M ($46M cash)
2026: $50.4M

It’s more plausible that Watson is the Week 1 starter for Cleveland than him being released prior to the season.

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Anthony Richardson

Richardson’s time in Indy appears all but over, so the question simply turns to can the Colts find a trade partner, or will they be buying out the remainder of his rookie deal. It’s a foregone conclusion that they’ll be declining the estimated $23.5M 5th-year-option for 2027, putting this at a 1 year, $5.3M (fully guaranteed) scenario.

An Outright Release
If Indy bites the bullet and releases Richardson, they’ll take on the full $10,816,282 as dead cap, a cap-neutral move (for now). All of this $5.3M cash is subject to offset language, so the Colts’ price at the end of the year will be reduced by whatever Richardson is able to earn elsewhere next season (assumedly a Vet. Minimum $1.1M).

A Trade
It’s conceivable based on age and his athleticism that a team or two would be willing to bring in Richardson for a fairly inexpensive look. The Colts can also retain some of this salary in order to buy a little better return package (turn a 7th into a 6th for instance). For now though, Indy would take on $5.4M of dead cap to trade Richardson, while the new team would acquire 1 year, $5.3M fully guaranteed cap/cash hit through 2026 (assuming the option is declined for 2027).

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Geno Smith

The 36-year-old struggled mightily through a mess of a 2025 season in Las Vegas, putting the 2 years, $66M remaining on his contract on notice. Fortunately (for him), $18.5M of that is fully guaranteed next season. That figure also represents the total dead cap attached to the deal (the Raiders did not build in a signing bonus to the contract).

An Outright Release
Despite the hefty payment, Las Vegas is largely expected to release Smith in the coming weeks, taking on that $18.5M dead cap hit, while freeing up $8M of space. The salary guarantee does contain offset language, so LV’s final price stands to be reduced by whatever Smith is able to earn elsewhere in 2026 (likely a $1.3M minimum).

A Trade
If the Raiders can find a partner, Smith’s deal is about as clean as it gets in terms of trade purposes. Las Vegas would incur zero dead cap, and the new team would acquire:

2026: $26.5M ($18.5M guaranteed, $8M more March 13th)
2027: $39.5M (non-guaranteed)

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Justin Fields

The Jets guaranteed $10M of Fields’ $20M salary for 2026, making an inevitable release a little more complicated than it needed to be. The salary guarantee does contain offset language, meaning NY’s price would be reduced by whatever Fields is able to earn elsewhere in 2026 (likely a $1.2M minimum).

An Outright Release
The deal contains $22M of dead cap against a $23M cap hit, so the Jets don’t stand to gain much at all from this transaction.

A Trade
If the Jets can find a partner, an early offseason trade would leave behind $12M of dead cap, freeing up $11M of space. The new team would acquire a 1 year, $20M contract, $10M guaranteed.

A Post 6/1 Designation
The Jets enter 2026 with over $90M of cap space, so they’re certainly capable of taking on all $22M of Fields’ dead cap, but if they want to slow play this, they can keep him on the books into June, then take on dead cap hits of $13M in 2026, and $9M in 2027 (offering $10M of 2026 savings starting in June).

They can also convert that $10M guarantee into a signing bonus, spread it over 4 years, and then designate him a Post 6/1 release. This would mean dead cap hits of $5.5M in 2026, and $16.5M in 2027.

None of this seems likely.

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

Mac Jones

Mac Jones was a more than worthy fill-in for San Francisco early on this season, which likely makes him one of the bigger trade candidates heading toward March.

The 27-year-old is under contract at 1 year, $4.66M through 2026, including a $1M salary guarantee. An early offseason trade would mean $1.8M of dead cap for San Francisco, freeing up over $2M of space. The new team would acquire a contract at:

2026: $3,532,000
2027: $1,128,000 (void cap)

VIEW THE FULL CONTRACT

It’s a busy transaction period in the NBA for the next month. On Monday, January 5, teams can begin signing players to 10 Day contracts. With nearly half of the league having an open roster spot, we put together a list of callup candidates to watch.

The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday, February 5. We’ll have plenty of deadline-related content coming for you over the next month.

Later this week, another important deadline lands on the NBA calendar. On Saturday, January 10, all NBA contract become fully guaranteed…kind of. In reality, these deals will fully guarantee on Wednesday, January 7. This is because players have to clear waivers before January 10. In order for players to have their 48 hours on waivers, they have to be waived by January 7.

Got all that? Good! Now, we’re going to go through each of the 30 players who have a guarantee-decision to be made and give a projection on what we think is going to happen.

A couple of notes:

• We aren’t covering two-way players here. They also become fully guaranteed if not waived on January 7. But since there are no cap/tax/apron impacts, teams aren’t shy about waiving guaranteed two-way players after the guarantee date.

• The salary listed is how much the player will become fully guaranteed for, if not waived on January 7. 

Atlanta Hawks

N’Faly Dante - $2.0 million

Dante is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL. The Hawks already have an open roster spot, so that won’t factor in here. Atlanta is also over $5 million clear of the tax line, which should be enough room to make deadline moves. They also have Dante on a fully non-guaranteed $2.4 million contract for next season. All of that adds up to likely guaranteeing his deal this year.

Mouhamed Gueye - $2.2 million

Gueye is a lock to have his deal guaranteed. He’d been a regular rotation player for Atlanta, until the last couple of weeks. The real decision will come in June with picking up his team option for 2026-27, or making him a restricted free agent.

Vit Krejci - $2.3 million

Another lock to become fully guaranteed. Krejci has filled the Hawks sixth-man role, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker being pushed into the starting lineup a lot.

Keaton Wallace - $2.3 million

Make it four-for-four with Hawks becoming guaranteed. Wallace is a solid depth option for Atlanta at point guard. With Trae Young having been banged up and in trade rumors, Wallace isn’t going anywhere.

Boston Celtics

Jordan Walsh - $2.2 million

Walsh has emerged as a key rotation player for Boston. He’s regularly guarding the opponent’s best offensive player, while shooting a red-hot 47.3% from behind the arc. Walsh is a lock to have his contract guaranteed.

Brooklyn Nets

Tyrese Martin - $2.2 million

The Nets will probably guarantee Martin’s contract, unless some reason comes up to need a roster spot. But with Brooklyn still sitting on $15.3 million in cap space, there is no financial reason to waive Martin.

Jalen Wilson - $2.2 million

See the above. The same applies to Wilson as it does for Tyrese Martin.

Charlotte Hornets

Moussa Diabate - $2.3 million

Diabate has emerged over the last season-plus to become a very solid backup, and he can hold his own as a starting center in a pinch. Diabate will have his deal fully guaranteed.

Chicago Bulls

No guarantee decisions

Cleveland Cavaliers

Thomas Bryant - $2.3 million

Bryant doesn’t always play, but he’s generally solid when he sees time. Given the Cavs have dealt with injuries to both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley this season, Bryant will stick around.

Craig Porter Jr. - $2.2 million

This is fairly similar to Thomas Bryant’s situation, but at the guard spot for Cleveland. Porter will have his deal guaranteed.

Dean Wade - $6.6 million

Wade’s contract is already guaranteed for $4.6 million. That alone makes it likely that he’d be fully guaranteed. But the real reason Wade will become fully guaranteed is because he’s a key rotation player for the Cavaliers.

Dallas Mavericks

Brandon Williams - $2.3 million

The Mavs will eventually need to create a roster spot to convert Ryan Nembhard from his two-way deal. However, that spot probably won’t come at the expense of Williams. He’s likely to have his deal guaranteed for the rest of the season.

Denver Nuggets

No guarantee decisions

Detroit Pistons

Javonte Green - $2.3 million

Green is a rotation player for the Pistons. He’s not going anywhere.

Isaac Jones - $1.9 million

Detroit could waive Jones for some minor savings, while also opening up a roster spot ahead of the trade deadline. The Pistons also will convert Daniss Jenkins from his two-way deal eventually. That all adds up to Jones likely being waived at some point.

Golden State Warriors

Trayce Jackson-Davis - $2.2 million

Jackson-Davis is no longer an every-night guy in the Warriors frontcourt rotation, but he’s still someone the team likes. Jackson-Davis will have his deal fully guaranteed.

Gui Santos - $2.2 million

Santos is regularly called upon by Steve Kerr to change the energy in games. He’s not going anywhere.

Houston Rockets

No guarantee decisions

Indiana Pacers

Tony Bradley - $2.9 million

Unless the Pacers need to create a roster spot, they’ll likely keep Bradley. He doesn’t play every night, but he’s given Rick Carlisle a veteran depth option in a frontcourt that’s been hit by injuries.

Micah Potter - $1.5 million

This felt like a pseudo-10 Day contract when it was signed. But Potter is now starting for Indiana. He’s probably going to stick around and see his deal fully guaranteed.

LA Clippers

No guarantee decisions

Los Angeles Lakers

No guarantee decisions

Memphis Grizzlies

No guarantee decisions

Miami Heat

Terry Rozier III - $26.6 million

Despite Rozier being on leave while his involvement in a gaming scandal is investigated, he’s not being waived. His contract was nearly fully guaranteed already, and could be a valuable salary-matching chip in a trade…assuming the Heat are allowed to trade him. For now, Rozier will have the last little bit of his deal guaranteed and he’ll continue to be out of sight, out of mind while the investigation continues.

Milwaukee Bucks

Amir Coffey - $2.3 million

If the Bucks think they need a roster spot, Coffey could be waived. Milwaukee is well clear of the luxury tax line, so no real savings are needed. They don’t have a clear two-way conversion coming either. This could be about future roster spot planning, but it’s more likely that Coffey will have his contract guaranteed.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Bones Hyland - $2.3 million

Hyland is a regular rotation guy for the Wolves and a favorite of the front office. He’s not going anywhere.

New Orleans Pelicans

No guarantee decisions

New York Knicks

Mohamed Diawara - $1.3 million

Diawara has been seeing some rotation run for the Knicks recently. More importantly, with things extremely tight for New York under their second-apron hard cap, the team needs Diawara on his $1.3 million rookie minimum salary. He sticks.

Ariel Hukporti - $1.9 million

Hukporti is a semi-regular rotation guy for New York, when Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson is out. He’ll stick around for the season for that reason, and for similar apron-related reasons to Mohamed Diawara.

Landry Shamet - $2.3 million

Shamet is injured at the moment, but he’s been one of the first guards off the bench for Mike Brown. He’ll have his deal fully guaranteed.

Oklahoma City Thunder

No guarantee decisions

Orlando Magic

No guarantee decisions

Philadelphia 76ers

No guarantee decisions

Phoenix Suns

Jordan Goodwin - $2.3 million

No doubt here that Goodwin will have his deal guaranteed. He’s an important rotation player for the Suns.

Portland Trail Blazers

No guarantee decisions

Sacramento Kings

Precious Achiuwa - $2.1 million

Achiuwa has been elevated to the starting lineup for the Kings and has played well. With Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray dealing with injuries, Achiuwa will have his deal fully guaranteed for the rest of the season.

San Antonio Spurs

Bismack Biyombo - $2.3 million

The Spurs could possibly use a roster spot, but they’re also $5.6 million clear of the luxury tax. That means there is no clear reason to waive Biyombo. The veteran center, who is prized for his leadership in a stay-ready role, will stick around.

Lindy Waters III - $2.3 million

Waters is in a similar spot to Biyombo. San Antonio likes his shooting as a deeper bench option. Unless the Spurs feel they need a roster spot, Waters will see his deal guaranteed.

Toronto Raptors

Mo Bamba - $1.4 million

This was one of those pseudo-10 Day contracts. Bamba was signed because Toronto needed immediate frontcourt depth with Jakob Poeltl out with a back injury. The Raptors will probably waive Bamba, but then will re-sign him, now that actual 10 Day deals can be inked. That will avoid adding to the amount Toronto will need to shed by the trade deadline to avoid the luxury tax this season.

Utah Jazz

No guarantee decisions

Washington Wizards

Justin Champagnie - $2.3 million

Champagnie is a regular rotation player for the Wizards. The team is well clear of the luxury tax, so guaranteeing Champagnie won’t impact Washington’s ability to shuffle the roster around the trade deadline by taking on bad money for future assets. Champagnie will stick around and continue to play every game for the Wizards.

The Baltimore Ravens suffered a heartbreaking Week 18 loss to Pittsburgh that eliminated them from both the AFC North title, and a playoff spot this season.

Baltimore carries around $40M of projected 2026 cap space, against an estimated $304M league threshold. This figure includes 36 contracts currently on the books, plus void caps for DeAndre Hopkins & Tylan Wallace. With a $74.5M cap hit, QB Lamar Jackson accounts for 24.5% of the Raven’s current cap allocation.

The Ravens project to own 11 picks in next year’s draft, including four 5th-rounders (their own, the Chargers, and two compensatory picks). Future Baltimore Draft Picks

Early Offseason Questions

• Can the John Harbaugh/Lamar Jackson relationship continue on? Harbaugh is under contract through 2028, while Lamar has 2 years, $104M remaining on his.
• What does the future hold for DL Nnamdi Madubuike, who missed most of 2025 with a serious neck injury that may be very difficult to fully return from? His $22M salary for 2026 is fully guaranteed.
• With ample draft capital heading into 2026, is this a team to watch as trades become available in March.

Notable Free Agents

(Spotrac Valuation APY)

C Tyler Linderbaum ($17.8M)
TE Isaiah Likely ($9M)
ED Dre'Mont Jones ($7.5M)
S Alohi Gilman ($4.7M)
ED Kyle Van Noy ($3.6M)
DL John Jenkins ($2.7M)

VIEW ALL FREE AGENTS

Option Decision

WR Zay Flowers

With two Pro Bowl nods under his belt, Flowers’ 5th-year option salary for 2027 now projects to come in at $28M. Baltimore has until May 1st to make a call on this, but it should be noted that the 25-year-old currently holds a $30M projection in our system.

Extension Candidate

Lamar Jackson’s $74.5M cap hit certainly needs to be addressed this March, and the Ravens have previously shown interest in negotiating a multi-year extension with the nearly 29-year-old. But an underwhelming, injury-filled finish to 2025 has a bit of a cloud hanging over the situation. As long as the two sides are on the same page and willing to move forward, Jackson should be eyeing a deal at or around $60M per year in terms of new money.

In lieu of riding out an extension two years with Zay Flowers, Baltimore may opt for working out a multi-year extension with the wideout (something they’ve been known to do with pending 5th-year option players). Early extensions offer cap flexibility in a player’s prime years.

LB Roquan Smith’s contract holds an unprotected 2 years, $40M remaining, including cap hits of $32.7M in each of the next two seasons. Baltimore may just opt to process a salary conversion to free up space, but a tack-on extension (currently projected at 2 years, $42M) could kill two birds with one stone.

Bubble Candidates

CB Marlon Humphrey

Release Candidate

Humphrey’s cap hit escalates to $26.2M in the final year of his contract, foreshadowing some form of movement on the deal in the coming months. There’s a $4M roster bonus due March 15th, and an outright release leaves behind $18.9M of dead cap, freeing up $7.3M.

DL Broderick Washington

Release Candidate

An ankle injury limited Washington’s 2025 season to just 4 games, and the 29-year-old is heading into a contract year in 2026. An outright release would leave behind $1.85M of dead cap, opening up $4M of space.

QB Lamar Jackson

Trade Candidate?

It’s at least worth mentioning that the possibility of Baltimore fielding trade calls in lieu of an extension for Jackson remains possible this offseason. The deal holds $57.5M of dead cap, and the move would ideally come before June 1st to incorporate 2026 draft picks, so Baltimore would be taking on quite a number to process this trade. It should also be noted that Jackson holds a full no-trade clause.

New Team Acquires
2026: $52M ($29M guaranteed)
2027: $52M

Potential Cap Conversions

Lamar Jackson’s $74.5M cap hit has to be modified in some way shape or form. If the move ends up being a simple salary conversion (which seems like a last resort), the Ravens can free up $39M of space.

Roquan Smith’s $32.7M cap hit can be reduced down to $17.7M by way of a salary conversion with three added void years, which represents $15M in savings.

DL Nnamdi Madubuike’s 2026 salary is already fully guaranteed. A simple conversion on it frees up $16.6M.

RELATED LINKS
2026 Ravens Salary Cap
Ravens 2026 Free Agents
Spotrac’s Offseason Guides