Free Agency Frenzy is almost upon us! Which means we are entering the peak of the offseason as teams begin to look to fill the holes on their roster, whether that is a team beginning a rebuild, or a team looking to reload for a potential Super Bowl run, every team has needs and questions heading into next week. Throughout this week I will be doing an offseason preview for every division, the previews will look at the impending free agents of the team, the biggest questions heading into this offseason, some potential names to target next week, and what they need to accomplish before the season begins. All of the contract estimations are used from Pro Football Focus via Over The Cap.
Houston Texans
Impending Free Agents
HB – Nick Chubb (1 yrs, $1.75m total)
WR – Christian Kirk (1 yrs, $4.75m total)
G – Ed Ingram (1 yrs, $4.5m total)
G – Laken Tomlinson
TE – Harrison Bryant
DT – Sheldon Rankins (1 yrs, $7.5m total)
DT – Denico Autry (1 yrs, $5m total)
DT – Tim Settle (2 yrs, $11.5m total)
DT – Folorunso Fatukasi
ED – Derek Barnett (1 yrs, $3.5m total)
LB – E.J. Speed (1 yrs, $2.75m total)
LB – Christian Harris
Biggest Questions
The biggest question entering the offseason for the Texans is the offensive line, particularly the interior. The Texans recently traded Tytus Howard and re-signed Trent Brown to play right tackle, but both guard spots and potentially center still appear to be weaknesses. Improving the protection is important to try to regain some offensive efficiency. There is also some still uncertainty around the future at quarterback for the Texans, since C.J. Stroud struggled with turnovers and decision-making in the last two games for the season, and there could be some discussion surrounding his future.
Free Agents to Watch
The Texans do not have much cap space available, so they should be looking at affordable upgrades. Veteran guards such as Isaac Seumalo or Kevin Zeitler could provide some short-term stability to the interior offensive line. They could also elect to re-sign either Sheldon Rankins and Tim Settle, both defensive tackles who contributed to the Texans’ pass rush last season, could be brought back on relatively cheap deals.
Top Goals
Houston’s main offseason goal is to strengthen both lines of scrimmage, especially the interior positions. Upgrading the offensive line should be a priority to better protect Stroud and improve the consistency of the offense. Adding one or two reliable guards through free agency or the draft could drastically improve the unit. Adding another impact defensive tackle as well would make the defensive front even more disruptive. Overall, Houston already has a strong roster, so if they can improve the offensive line, reinforce the defensive interior, and work to get Stroud back to what he’s shown in the past.
Indianapolis Colts
Impending Free Agents
QB – Daniel Jones (3 yrs, $101m total)
WR – Alec Pierce (4 yrs, $96m total)
TE – Mo Alie-Cox (1 yrs, $1.3m total)
T – Braden Smith (2 yrs, $27.5m total)
DT – Neville Gallimore
ED – Kwity Paye (2 yrs, $20m total)
ED – Samson Ebukam (1 yrs, $3.5m total)
ED – Tyquan Lewis (1 yrs, $2.15m total)
CB – Mike Hilton (1 yrs, $1.3m total)
S – Nick Cross (3 yrs, $35m total)
Biggest Questions
The biggest question revolves around quarterback Daniel Jones and his recovery from a torn Achilles at the end of the season. Indianapolis placed the transition tag on Jones, which saves the team roughly $7-8 million compared to the franchise tag but carries some risk. Other teams can offer Jones a contract that the Colts have the opportunity to match, and if they decline, Jones will sign with the other team. Another major question is the future of wide receiver Alec Pierce. Pierce has developed into one of the league’s best deep threats. Since the Colts did not tag him, he could hit free agency, where he is expected to garner a big market, so if he leaves, Indianapolis will need to replace a key vertical element in its offense.
Free Agents to Watch
Obviously, the biggest free agent for the Colts is the hopeful re-signing of Alec Pierce, just because of the verticality he can bring to any offense in the NFL. If Pierce departs, the Colts could look for more affordable deep-threat options such as Kalif Raymond or Jalen Nailor, who could fill that gap at a lower cost. The Colts may also look to add a linebacker with the recent trading of Zaire Franklin to the Packers.
Top Goals
The Colts’ primary offseason goal is to maintain roster depth while addressing a few key positions. One focus will likely be adding defensive line depth, particularly another edge rusher to complement Laiatu Latu and improve the pass rush rotation. If Alec Pierce leaves in free agency, a goal will be to replace the deep-threat production to preserve the incredible balance they had in the passing game. Overall, the team has a solid foundation, and increasing the overall roster depth, especially along the defensive line, will be key for the Colts this offseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Impending Free Agents
HB – Travis Etienner Jr. (3 yrs, $34.5m total)
WR – Tim Patrick (1 yrs, $1.5m total)
WR – Dyami Brown (1 yrs, $1.75m total)
DT – Austin Johnson
ED – Emmanuel Ogbah
ED – Dawuane Smoot
LB – Devin Lloyd (3 yrs, $48m total)
LB – Dennis Gardeck (1 yrs, $2.25m total)
CB – Montaric Brown (1 yrs, $4.5m total)
S – Andrew Wingard (2 yrs, $8m total)
Biggest Questions
A rather new question that has emerged over the past weeks or so has been the future of wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. After an outstanding rookie season where he looked like a future star, his second year was far less productive. The offense improved later in the season when the Jaguars stopped forcing him the ball and instead spread targets around to players like Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington. So, because of that shift, there have been rumors of Thomas being a potential trade candidate. Another big question is whether the team should give edge rusher Travon Walker a long-term extension. Walker has been productive but hasn’t clearly established himself as a dominant pass rusher worth a massive contract quite yet.
Free Agents to Watch
Jacksonville is expected to let several players walk in free agency, including running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd. Lloyd will be harder to resign as he will likely be drawing a strong market because he is young and productive. To replace Lloyd, the Jaguars could look at free agents Quincy Williams or Nakobe Dean, both of whom could provide good value without the massive contract that Lloyd will receive. At running back, they could look to add a cheaper complementary option such as Tyler Allgeier, Sean Tucker, or Isiah Pacheco.
Top Goals
The Jaguars’ top offseason goal is to continue to build depth around an already solid roster, particularly along the defensive front. Adding an interior defensive lineman who can generate pass rush would help support the edge rushers and strengthen the defense. It will also be a goal to find a replacement for Devin Lloyd, either through free agency or the draft. Finally, Jacksonville might be adding a power running back to continue to have balance on offense, especially in the running game, as they are missing a power back currently.
Tennessee Titans
Impending Free Agents
WR – Van Jefferson
TE – Chigoziem Okonkwo (3 yrs, $27m total)
G – Kevin Zeitler (1 yrs, $9.5m total)
DT – Sebastian Joseph-Day (1 yrs, $6.5m total)
ED – Arden Key (2 yrs, $21.5m total)
ED – Jihad Ward
LB – Kyzir White
Biggest Questions
The biggest question for the Titans this offseason is the full rebuild around quarterback Cam Ward, who was selected No. 1 overall. Tennessee has a roster with major holes at several key positions, and the organization is expected to aggressively reshape the team through both free agency and the draft. One of the biggest priorities will be finding reliable weapons for Ward, particularly at wide receiver, where the Titans currently lack a true top target. Another big question is how the team will rebuild its pass rush. Even after trading for Jermaine Johnson, Tennessee still needs multiple edge rushers to create consistent pressure. The defensive line currently revolves around Jeffrey Simmons, but the rest of the unit needs significant improvement.
Free Agents to Watch
One potential target for the Titans is wide receiver Alec Pierce, who could become a top priority if he hits free agency. Pierce’s deep-threat ability would fit perfectly with Cam Ward’s strong downfield passing and could immediately improve the offense. On defense, Tennessee could pursue pass rushers such as Odafe Oweh or Jaelan Phillips. The Titans have significant cap space and may be one of the few teams able to compete for top free agents.
Top Goals
The Titans’ main goal this offseason is to surround Cam Ward with talent and stabilize the roster. That means upgrading the offensive line, adding at least one starting receiver, and improving the overall offensive structure so Ward can develop successfully. Defensively, Tennessee needs to rebuild its pass rush and defensive depth. Adding multiple defensive linemen and edge rushers would dramatically improve a unit that struggled to pressure quarterbacks last season. Finally, the Titans must take advantage of their large salary cap space, if they can execute that well, this offseason could dramatically reshape the Titans’ roster and set the foundation for the franchise’s next competitive window.
Cover Image Courtesy of NFL.com
