2026 Free Agent Signing Grades
On this page, I’m going to be providing the free agent signing grades for the notable signings and extensions that occur in 2026 (most recent first) based on how good a deal the signing team obtained and the type of impact I expect the player to have. Please note that an offseason signing cannot be made official until the new league year starts on March 11 unless the player is remaining with his current team or his previous team already released him. The page will be updated as more signings are reported. Use control-F (Windows), command-F (Mac), or Find in Page (mobile) to search for a specific player.
January 4, 2026
Seahawks Extend LT Charles Cross:
Even though he didn’t play yesterday, Cross is getting paid. I guess Seattle had some time on their hands with no Sunday game and a first-round bye, so they handed Cross a 4-year, $104.4M extension with $75M guaranteed. His new salary is 3rd among LTs and 6th among all OTs. Including his week 18 injury, he has missed only 6 games since becoming a week-1 rookie start in 2022. Originally know as a much better pass protector than a run blocker, Cross has become much better at the latter this season. While Seattle’s line has been in flux for years, he has been the one constant producer. He plays one of the most crucial positions in sports, and he’s among the better players at it. This deal didn’t even reset the market, so that sounds good to me!
Grade: A
January 3, 2026
Ravens Extend LS Nick Moore:
I don’t normally grade long snapper signings, but this one is fairly large. It’s $6.415M over 4 years with a $1.2M signing bonus. These are pennies in terms of the salary cap, but the years and the presence of a guarantee make the deal notable. To be completely honest, I don’t keep track of much long snapper play unless something goes wrong. In these cases, based on how cheap their contracts are, I say if you like your long snapper than you should keep your long snapper. For Baltimore, Moore has done a good job navigating a transition to a rookie kicker, so this signing is totally fine.
Grade: A
Jaguars Extend OL Cole Van Lanen:
Well, this certainly came out of nowhere, just like Van Lanen’s play! Formerly a 6th-round pick of the Packers who Jacksonville acquired via trade, Van Lanen was a pure backup for 4 years. In 2025, injuries have led him to make 9 starts thus far at 4 different OL positions (thus the designation in the title). He’s been rock solid, but this is a 3-year, $51M contract with $32.5M guaranteed and a maximum value of $55.5M. That’s a hefty chunk of change for someone with less than one full season’s worth of starts under his belt. Clearly, the Jags are viewing Van Lanen as their LT of the future based on this salary. That makes me curious about Walker Little, the young tackle who the team still owes guaranteed money. The presence of too many tackles is a good problem to have, but I’m not comfortable with this sort of guarantee and AAV. Once bitten, not twice shy?
Grade: C+
January 2, 2026
Ravens Extend DT John Jenkins:
This is a special moment for Jenkins, who’s in his 13th pro season. Believe it or not, this is the first extension of his entire career, as he has played on a multitude of 1-year pacts. This extension is technically a 1-year agreement as well, but it’s coming before he hits free agency. Therefore, it’s meaningful to him! Jenkins is signing a 1-year, $2.1M deal to return, which is a pittance for a player like him. A large nose tackle who actually puts up stats, Jenkins has earned 36 tackles to go along with 2 forced fumbles in 2025. The big man’s primary job is still to create plays for others though, and he does that well. Congrats to the 360-pounder!
Grade: A
Rams Extend S Quentin Lake:
We got our first signing of 2026 really early! Instead of licking their wounds following back-to-back losses, the Rams have signed Lake to a 3-year extension worth up to $42M with $25. 7M guaranteed. The timing is odd as he has been out with an elbow injury since week 11. I guess they really didn’t want their former 6th-round pick hitting the market. As a tackler, 2024 was Lake’s best year (111). However, his pass coverage took a step forward this season, and he has a career-high 10 PBUs in just 10 games played. He’s now being rewarded with a deal that’s just outside the top 10 for safeties in terms of annual salary. Personally, I think this is fair. It would cost more to retain him in free agency, and he’s the best player in LA’s secondary. The price is a bit high for my taste, but I can get behind this deal.
Grade: B+