The 2026 NFL offseason rewired a third of the league: ten new head coaches, a record $301.2 million salary cap, a No. 1 overall pick handed a Week 1 job and a free-agency cycle that moved a Super Bowl MVP. This tracker collects every move that matters, updated through minicamp season.
The offseason at a glance
- February 8 — Seahawks beat the Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium; Kenneth Walker III named MVP.
- Late February — League sets the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million per club, a $22 million jump and the first cap above $300 million.
- March — Free agency opens: Hendrickson, Walker, Evans, Tagovailoa and Murray all change addresses in the first wave.
- April 23-25 — Draft in Pittsburgh: Fernando Mendoza goes No. 1 to Las Vegas.
- May 8 — Rookies report; OTAs run through May and early June.
- Early-to-mid June — Mandatory minicamps across the league, most clustered June 9-18.
- Mid-July — Training camps open; veterans can report from July 22.
- September 9 — Wednesday-night kickoff in Seattle: Seahawks vs. Patriots, a Super Bowl rematch.
Free agency: the moves that shifted the map
The headline deal belongs to Baltimore: edge rusher Trey Hendrickson left Cincinnati for a four-year, $112 million contract with $60 million fully guaranteed — a direct strike inside the division. Kansas City answered the loss of a cornerstone corner by signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III away from the champions.
Quarterbacks moved everywhere. Tua Tagovailoa took a one-year, veteran-minimum reset in Atlanta. Kyler Murray landed in Minnesota. Malik Willis parlayed his Green Bay tape into a three-year Miami deal worth $22.5 million a season. And in the trenches, Las Vegas made Tyler Linderbaum the highest-paid center in history at $27 million per year — fifty percent above the previous benchmark.
| Player | From → To | The deal |
|---|---|---|
| Trey Hendrickson, EDGE | Bengals → Ravens | 4 yr, $112M ($60M gtd) |
| Kenneth Walker III, RB | Seahawks → Chiefs | Free agency |
| Tyler Linderbaum, C | Ravens → Raiders | 3 yr, $81M (record) |
| Mike Evans, WR | Buccaneers → 49ers | Free agency |
| Tua Tagovailoa, QB | Dolphins → Falcons | 1 yr, vet minimum |
| Kyler Murray, QB | Cardinals → Vikings | Free agency |
| Malik Willis, QB | Packers → Dolphins | 3 yr, ~$22.5M/yr |
| Travis Etienne, RB | Jaguars → Saints | Free agency |
| Romeo Doubs, WR | Packers → Patriots | 4 yr |
| John Franklin-Myers, DL | Jets → Titans | Free agency |
The trades
The blockbuster: Kansas City sent cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams, who immediately extended him on a four-year, $120 million deal — the boldest move by any contender. Pittsburgh acquired receiver Michael Pittman Jr. from Indianapolis and extended him for three years and $59 million. Las Vegas traded Geno Smith as the deck cleared for the No. 1 pick. Each deal tracks on the league’s official feed at NFL.com.
Draft recap: Pittsburgh delivers a defensive first round
The April 23-25 draft at Point State Park produced a top ten with seven defenders and linemen. Las Vegas took Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) first overall; Arizona grabbed running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) at No. 3; Tennessee added receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4. Ohio State placed three players in the top seven — Tate, linebacker Arvell Reese (No. 5, Giants) and linebacker Sonny Styles (No. 7, Commanders) — plus safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 to Dallas.
Ten new head coaches
| Team | New head coach | Previous role |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Joe Brady | Bills OC (promoted) |
| Cardinals | Mike LaFleur | Rams OC |
| Falcons | Kevin Stefanski | Browns HC |
| Ravens | Jesse Minter | Chargers DC |
| Browns | Todd Monken | Ravens OC |
| Raiders | Klint Kubiak | Seahawks OC |
| Dolphins | Jeff Hafley | Packers DC |
| Giants | John Harbaugh | Ravens HC |
| Steelers | Mike McCarthy | Cowboys HC |
| Titans | Robert Saleh | 49ers DC |
The dominoes connect: Harbaugh’s exit opened Baltimore for Minter, whose Chargers defense had just made the playoffs; Monken left Baltimore’s offense for Cleveland; Kubiak left the champion Seahawks to build around Mendoza. Buffalo’s firing of Sean McDermott after a divisional-round overtime loss was the cycle’s genuine shock.
What is left on the calendar
Minicamps wrap by June 18. The dead period runs to mid-July, then camps open — the Hall of Fame Game teams can report rookies from July 15 and veterans from July 22, with everyone else a few days behind. Full team-by-team workout dates are posted in the league announcement. Cut-down to 53 lands in late August, and the champion raises its banner on a Wednesday — September 9 in Seattle, with Rams-49ers following from Melbourne, Australia on September 10.
