NFL news: Blockbuster contracts shake up free agency in 2026
As salary cap figures begin to climb, money has been flying around the NFL so far, since the free agency window opened.
Since the opening week of free agency teams have reportedly spent a record $5.83billion on player contracts, $2.59billion being guaranteed.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer and NFL fan Luca Salmasi reports on some of the latest blockbuster contracts that are shaking up the 2026 free agency landscape.
Trent McDuffie - (Four years, $124million)
The Los Angeles Rams newest cornerback Trent McDuffie knows all about how to get to the Super Bowl and more importantly how to win them having won two out of the three he has appeared in in his four year career so far
With this in mind and the fact that the Rams fell short to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game, might be the primary factor behind his large price tag.
The Ram didn’t waste any time getting this deal over the line at the cost of the 29th overall pick.
As well as a fifth and sixth round pick and a third round pick for the 2027 draft, LA were able to craft a deal with the Chiefs to acquire the top cornerback.
This move to sign McDuffie to a massive extension makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history where he looks to bring home around $31million annually.
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Jaelan Phillips - (Four years, $124million)
The market for edge rushers in this free-agency cycle was flooded with cash. No other player in that position secured a more lucrative deal than Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips, previously of the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, came into Carolina having made 205 tackles, 119 of which solo and 86 assisted.
As well as 28 sacks, making him a menace in the backfield.
Phillips is set to make $36.2million in the first year of his contract with the Panthers, a figure that places him as the second-highest-paid edge rushers ever, behind only Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons.
At an average value of $30million per year, Phillips now ranks eighth across edge rushers - behind Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and the San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa.
Whilst Phillips did miss significant portions of the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, his stats show that he has the ability to be a lethal pass rusher when he is healthy and will be well worth the money if he can do so.
Trey Hendrickson - (Four years, $112million)
The Baltimore Ravens have been all over the news this offseason after nullifying what looked to be a certain trade for Las Vegas Raiders star Crosby which would have sent two key draft picks in return for the veteran edge rusher.
Whilst the ins and outs of how the deal collapsed are still up for debate, the Ravens looked to have somewhat salvaged the situation by signing up Trey Hendrickson for a rumoured reduced price to the offer he was originally looking for.
Hendrickson will be all too familiar to Ravens fans having spent the last five seasons at divisional rivals Cincinnati Bengals after initially starting out his career as a New Orleans Saint.
Hendrickson has recorded 236 tackles, 162 of which are solo, with 81 sacks and 15 forced fumbles across his NFL career and the Ravens will be grateful that he will be on the right side of his football form this upcoming season.
At a total value of $112million, Hendrickson’s deal ranks ninth among edge rushers and with $60million in guarantees. He matches Jalen Phillips.
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Daniel Jones - (Two years, $88million)
The Indianapolis Colts were always going to retain star quarterback Daniel Jones after placing a $37.8million transition tag on him.
Not long afterwards they agreed to re-sign him to a two-year contract worth $88million, his highest deal in terms of average annual value.
This deal places him eighth among quarterbacks in cash value over the next two seasons, just behind the 49ers’ Brock Purdy.
While Jones’s first season with the Colts ended with a torn Achilles tendon that derailed the franchise’s push for a successful season, prior to his injury, he achieved great success.
He reached his highest career pass completion percentage of 68%, throwing the second-highest number of touchdowns in his career - 19.
A torn Achilles is always one of the most challenging injuries for a player to recover from, but with the glimpses he showed in his first season with the Colts, if Jones can stay healthy, there is no limit to how successful the franchise can be this upcoming season.
Tyler Linderbaum - (Three years, $81million)
Tyler Linderbaum is still quite new to the NFL, having just finished his third season with the Baltimore Ravens after being chosen 25th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Linderbaum played in nearly all of Baltimore’s games over his three years with the team, missing only two in the 2023 season, and has become a key part of their offensive line.
Linderbaum’s new contract with the Las Vegas Raiders has shaken up the offensive line market, with the deal earning him an average of $27million per year.
The way this contract is structured is perhaps what sets it apart.
Despite his relatively limited experience compared to other centers, his salary is fully guaranteed for the length of the deal.
This underlines the Raiders’ commitment to making him a long-term key player on their offensive line, especially with college superstar Fernando Mendoza likely to be the first pick in the draft and become the new face of the franchise.
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