2026 NFL free agency: Best team fits for remaining free agents

Many NFL players about to hit free agency dream of being the subject of a bidding war between teams.

“Many NFL players about to hit free agency dream of being the subject of a bidding war between teams”

ESPN

Those guys agree to deals in the first few hours of the negotiating period.

ESPN

By the time we get to Day 3 of the new league year (and Day 5 of the free agent window that opens with the start of the negotiation period), there aren't many of those bidding wars happening.

Players who might have expected to pick between three or four teams might just be hoping the right one sends them an offer.

The market flips from players to teams quickly.

Having said that, there are still plenty of useful players who can make a difference for NFL teams in 2026.

The Eagles signed star running back Saquon Barkley early in the 2024 free agent window, but they waited until late April to sign Mekhi Becton, who played a key role for them up front as they won the Super Bowl.

The 2025 Seahawks snapped up Sam Darnold and DeMarcus Lawrence quickly, but Cooper Kupp didn't sign with the future title winners until Day 5 of the window.

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Let's run through some of the players who are still available in free agency.

Why are they still available?

What do they have to offer?

And is there a team that makes sense as a likely landing spot after what we've seen over the first few days of the 2026 offseason?

I'll throw some names out there and answer those questions for each player.

Jump to a fit for: Cousins | Robinson | Jennings | Samuel Njoku | Taylor | Teller | Bosa

Kirk Cousins, QB Why is he still available?

Timing.

ESPN

While it was public knowledge that the Falcons intended to release Cousins, Atlanta couldn't officially cut the 37-year-old until the start of the new league year Wednesday afternoon.

Cousins became available at that point, and while he could have spoken with other teams in the days before then, the quarterback market was waiting to see what shook out with Kyler Murray before everyone else remaining found their own homes.

Cousins has made more than $321 million over the course of his career, so the first-ballot Bag Hall of Famer obviously doesn't need to keep playing for the money.

And while Cousins tore an Achilles with the Vikings in 2023 and was ignominiously benched in the middle of a streak of interceptions during his debut year with the Falcons in 2024, the veteran returned to the lineup to replace the injured Michael Penix Jr. in 2025 and played passable football, posting a 47.6 Total QBR across 269 pass attempts.

Cousins was unlucky to spend most of that time without top wideout Drake London on the field; Cousins' Total QBR rose to a more respectable 57.1 mark with London between the lines in 2025, which was right where Jaxson Dart and Jared Goff finished over the full campaign.

It's difficult to imagine Cousins being handed a starting role.

He averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt in 2025 and kept the offense afloat by avoiding mistakes.

He posted a 1.9% interception rate and a 4.6% sack rate, both of which were better than league average.

Cousins was at his best when he could operate with heavy doses of under-center play-action, and he had a 73.8 Total QBR when given the opportunity to do so in 2025, the fifth-best mark in the NFL.

For Cousins, the question might be more about what he hopes to accomplish than where he ends up.

Is Cousins' goal to have the best opportunity to play? If so, the Browns or Steelers seem like obvious landing spots.

Is he hoping to win a Super Bowl before retiring? If so, Cousins is probably looking at a strict backup role.

A reunion with Kyle Shanahan seemed to be in the cards for years before the 49ers went down a different path, and unless San Francisco trades Mac Jones, there won't be any need for Cousins there.

What about another perennial winner? Where he could fit: Green Bay Packers.

The Packers need a backup quarterback after losing Malik Willis to the Dolphins in free agency.

They run play-action at one of the highest rates in the league under Matt LaFleur.

Jordan Love has missed two games to injury in each of the past two years, so the Packers have to be conscious of their need to have a backup they trust if Love can't go.

While LaFleur might try to find value with another prospect in the same way the Packers once did when they traded for Willis, Cousins would be a solid option as the backup behind Love in 2026.

Brian Robinson Jr., RB Why is he still available?

“Many NFL players about to hit free agency dream of being the subject of a bidding war between teams”

ESPN

A limited skill set.

Robinson isn't the sort of well-rounded back modern teams typically want from their RB1.

He doesn't catch the ball very often.

He's not great in pass protection.

Robinson also fumbled eight times on 570 carries over his first three years in the league, a career that was set back at its start when the then-Commanders back was the victim of an armed robbery attempt, getting shot twice weeks before the start of his rookie campaign.

What Robinson does is very traditional: He's an efficient, effective runner between the tackles.

Robinson's yards per carry and success rate have increased across each of the past three years.

Among backs with 400-plus carries over the past three seasons, Robinson's 43.3% success rate as a runner ranks 11th out of 34 backs, right alongside 2025 teammate Christian McCaffrey.

Traded to the 49ers before the start of the 2025 season, Robinson spelled his star backfield mate and showed some newfound explosiveness, as 10.9% of his touches went for 10-plus rushing yards or 20-plus receiving yards.

While he touched the ball only 100 times, Robinson also went all season without fumbling, which would be a major step in the right direction.

He's not going to be the lead back in an offense, but he can be useful in the right situational role.

Where he could fit: Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks need a replacement for Kenneth Walker III who can shoulder a meaningful workload, given that Zach Charbonnet is expected to miss the start of the 2026 season after tearing an ACL in the playoffs.

The Seahawks signed Emanuel Wilson to a one-year deal this week, but Robinson would offer a more consistent rushing performance and ably serve as the lead back in the rotation while Charbonnet recuperates.

Dan Orlovsky, Peter Schrager and Pat McAfee react to the news that Kenneth Wallker III is signing with the Chiefs.