NFL draft season is in full swing, with the final day of the NFL Scouting Combine set for March 1. Free agency opens ten days later on March 11, and that period has become just as important as the draft itself. Last year, it allowed the Chicago Bears to completely rebuild their offensive line, which had been putrid the prior season. Through several key acquisitions, the unit immediately became a top-five group in the league and served as a driving force behind the team’s overall turnaround and success, alongside new head coach Ben Johnson.
Photo Cred: The Sporting News
The NFL has also announced that the salary cap will increase by $22 million for the upcoming season, an 8% jump from 2025. Most teams near the top of the cap-space rankings are struggling franchises in the midst of rebuilds, but there are a few notable exceptions. One is the Los Angeles Chargers, who rank in the top five in cap space for the second straight offseason with roughly $100 million to spend. LA is coming off two consecutive 11–6 seasons and back-to-back Wild Card round losses, and they have several important free agents to address. Retaining edge rushers Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh will be critical if the defense is to remain a top-ten unit next season.
Their starting left guard, Zion Johnson, is expected to command around $20 million per year, placing the Chargers in a difficult position. Johnson has been mediocre through his first four seasons as a former first-round pick. It’s forcing the team to choose between overpaying an average player or letting him walk and hoping to upgrade through free agency or the draft.
Complicating matters further, LA also desperately needs a center and right guard. The interior of their offensive line has ranked among the league’s worst for two consecutive seasons. The most likely path is letting Johnson go, signing one high-end guard or center in free agency, and attempting to fill the remaining holes through the draft.
The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams also rank in the top ten in cap space, which should concern the rest of the league given that they were arguably the two best teams last season. The Rams are especially well positioned, holding two first-round picks while bringing back virtually every key player and coach from last year. They can build on a ready made team to make one more Super Bowl run their QB.
That continuity comes after offseason concerns that league MVP Matthew Stafford might retire and that offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and defensive coordinator Chris Shula could depart after drawing multiple head-coaching interviews. Their situation is reminiscent of the 1996 Broncos, who exited the playoffs early before rebounding with dominant back-to-back seasons in 1997 and 1998, winning the Super Bowl both years and sending MVP quarterback John Elway out on top.
Seattle faces a different outlook after losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who accepted the head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders. He will be replaced by Brian Fleury, who has never called plays before. The Seahawks finished last season as the 11th-ranked offense, so expecting them to replicate a 14–3 season and another Super Bowl run appears unrealistic. A modest step back seems likely, while the Rams appear poised to take another step forward.
