10 NFL Offseason Moves From 2026 That Won’t Have As Much Of An Impact As You’d Think
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Every offseason, including 2026, NFL teams look to the free agent market to solve their needs, but not every big name and high-priced contract will change a team’s fate. Flashy trades, big trades, and veteran extensions create loud headlines without solving underlying flaws. Oftentimes, the hype fails to live up to reality.
Pricey additions fail to live up to expectations, and media promotion masks a player’s potential weaknesses. With the 2026 season getting ready to begin, let’s look at 10 NFL offseason moves that won’t have the impact that you think they will.
Which offseason moves in the NFL don’t carry enough weight?
Malik Willis to the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have been looking for a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season. Since then, the Dolphins have trotted out close to 30 starting quarterbacks, including Jay Fiedler, Chad Pennington, Ryan Tannehill, and, most recently, Tua Tagovailoa, but have had little to no success.
After drafting Tagovailoa in 2020, Miami put all of its hopes on its new quarterback. That was a mistake. Despite one Pro Bowl season, Tagovailoa was a bust, and the Fins decided to cut him after the 2025 season, absorbing a $99.2 million hit to the salary cap. The “Tua Tagovailoa Error” has essentially handcuffed Miami’s ability to field a competent, competitive team for the 2026 NFL season, which brings us to the new quarterback in South Beach.
Malik Willis was signed as a free agent to take over the quarterback reins and become the new face of the franchise. Unfortunately, Willis is not being set up for success in Miami. The Dolphins’ offense is an absolute mess. For years, their offensive line has allowed their QB to be among the most sacked in the league, and with the trade of Jaylen Waddle, their receiving group has also been decimated.
With so many roster holes, the Dolphins are expected to compete for the worst record in the game, which means that the acquisition of Willis will not make much of a difference for Miami.
D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been one of the best teams in the NFL over the last decade. They have made the playoffs in 8 of the last 10 seasons, but have still not made the Super Bowl, let alone won one. However, as long as the Bills continue to trot out Josh Allen as their quarterback, they will remain a contender for the Lombardi Trophy.
In order to give Allen all of the tools he needs to finally win in Buffalo, the team went out this offseason and traded for wide receiver D.J. Moore from Chicago. Moore was brought in to provide a top target for Allen and add a playmaker at wide receiver, reuniting the WR with head coach Joe Brady, who coached Moore in Carolina. The reality is that Moore will not have as big an impact on the Bills as they hope.
First of all, Moore has never been, and is currently not, a true number one receiver in the NFL. Simply put, he is not elite, and his production has been slipping over the past couple of seasons. Last year, Moore had just 50 catches for 682 yards and 6 touchdowns. Finally, Buffalo’s offense scheme isn’t built around one top receiver.
The Bills have traditionally employed an offense that has a run-first philosophy and relies on Allen to spread the ball around, which means that D.J. Moore won’t make a dramatic difference for the Bills.
Jonathan Allen to the Cincinnati Bengals
Entering the 2025 season as a Super Bowl contender, the Bengals finished the season with a disappointing 6-11 record. An injury to quarterback Joe Burrow was only the beginning of Cincinnati’s problems. Their defense was among the worst in the NFL, giving up over 400 yards of offense per game, missing a league-leading 170 tackles, and consistently collapsing during the second half of games.
Off-field issues also hurt the Bengals, as they dealt with contract distractions, such as the one with Trey Hendrickson, and a lack of depth on both the offensive and defensive lines created issues when injuries arose. In an attempt to shore up the defensive line, Cincinnati signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen to a two-year, $26 million contract in 2026, hoping he could provide veteran leadership and create greater rotational depth on the defensive side of the ball for this NFL team.
Considering that Allen has a previous relationship with several members of the coaching staff, the hope is for a smooth transition. Sadly, for the Bengals, it will not be. There is no doubt that he is a competent defender, but unfortunately, he is not the same player he was a few years ago.
Allen has stated that he is no longer able to play heavy minutes and will need to rotate in and out of the lineup more often to stay healthy. His rotation in and out of games, decreased production (only 3.5 sacks in 2025), and 31 years of age mean that Allen’s ceiling is veteran depth rather than a defensive savior.
Kyler Murray to the Minnesota Vikings
Let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter what team Kyler Murray plays for in 2026, as he was always going to be on this list. The problem isn’t that Murray is a bad quarterback; it’s that after 7 years in the NFL, we still don’t know if he’s a good one. In his time with the Cardinals, Murray did have some success, such as winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and making back-to-back Pro Bowls.
Regrettably, Murray was not able to stay on the field, suffering several injuries that limited him to only 87 games over 7 years. It was his lack of health that prompted the Cardinals to release Murray in March 2026 and absorb a $47.5 million salary cap hit in 2026. Shortly after his release, the former Cardinal signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Minnesota to compete with incumbent J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback job. First of all, he’s a health risk.
Murray has played 12 or more games a season once in the last 4 years. His one-year contract prevents the Vikings from using the Franchise Tag on him, meaning he will be a free agent again next year. If he somehow manages to put up a good season, the chances are high that he will leave after the 2026 NFL season, once again putting the Vikings back into a search for a quarterback.
Vikings fans had better hope McCarthy wins the looming quarterback battle, because Kyler Murray doesn’t present the team with any long-lasting upside.
Wan’Dale Robinson to the Tennessee Titans
Since the start of the 2022 NFL season, the Titans have been in an absolute freefall, bottoming out with identical 3-14 records in 2025 and 2026. The team needs a rebuild, and with quarterback Cam Ward leading the way, Tennessee has some pieces in place.
Which is why the signing of wide receiver Wan’dale Robinson to a 4-year, $70 million contract is such a head-scratching move. Spending the first four years of his career with the Giants, Robinson had 268 receptions for 2,465 yards and 9 touchdowns, and was never the number one receiving option.
The Titans brought him in to provide depth to number one receiver Calvin Ridley, provide a slot specialist, and help develop quarterback Cam Ward. Reuniting him with former Giants coach and new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll provides a glimmer of hope for a successful pairing. Yet the Titans’ quarterback room is very crowded, and Robinson will be battling Ridley, 4th-overall draft pick Carnell Tate, and young receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike for opportunities. It also hurts that Robinson is not the type of receiver who stretches the field.
He is known more for catches in the slot and yards after the catch, and a good linebacker can easily remove him as a passing option. While he surpassed 1,000 yards receiving last year, is he capable of repeating that in this crowded lineup? Probably not. Robinson does not warrant an average salary of $17.5 million with the Titans, and he will never live up to his contract.
Isaiah Likely to the New York Giants
Unlike most tight ends, Isaiah Likely possesses a speed rarely seen for the position that allows him to pull away from linebackers and exploit seams in the defense. He has the ability to line up wide or in motion and excels in the red zone. On the flip side, he struggles in the blocking game, has dealt with injuries, and was never truly the top tight end in Baltimore, as he was mostly the backup to Mark Andrews.
So, when free agency hit, the Giants seemed like the perfect match. New York likes to utilize multiple tight ends in their offensive schemes, and Likely’s skill set should match up well with Jaxson Dart’s playing style. New York also hopes that he’ll provide a security blanket if Malik Nabors is slow to start the season recovering from his knee injury.
However, there’s a good chance that Likely’s signing will not transform the Giants’ offense. Until he shows otherwise, durability will always be a concern. He’s never played a full 17-game season, and even when he got on the field, his time was limited. Likely typically played on approximately 54% of offensive snaps while in Baltimore, and as the backup, he never amassed more than 500 receiving yards in a season.
Despite his new deal paying him as a top-tier tight end, Likely will still be splitting his playing time as a Giant, most likely limiting his production. New York is an unforgiving fanbase, so when Likely gets injured or doesn’t live up to expectations, and he will, they will eat him alive.
Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers
Mike Evans started his career with 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, on his way to earning 6 Pro Bowl selections, over 13,000 career receiving yards, and 108 touchdowns. He is Tampa’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and points scored. Despite a disappointing injury-plagued 2025, the 49ers brought in the soon-to-be 33-year-old Evans on a 3-year contract worth up to $60.4 million to fill their need for a true number one wide receiver. But is he still the number one?
The 49ers offense is based on a balanced run-and-pass attack that spreads the ball among multiple targets rather than just one receiver. In a very crowded offense, quarterback Brock Purdy has a lot of weapons to choose from, and Evans will be competing with Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian Kirk.
With a shared offense and with a lower pass volume, the chances of Evans putting up game-dominating numbers like he did while in Tampa are slim. He is coming off a year in which he was limited to eight games due to a hamstring injury and a broken collarbone.
Additionally, with Evans, the 49ers are now one of the older teams in the NFL in 2026, and other key players have their own injury histories. Questions about the team’s ability to stay healthy over a full season are fair. Evans enters a situation where he’s viewed as the team’s missing piece, and when that doesn’t happen, the blame will fall on his shoulder pads.
Geno Smith to the New York Jets
Geno Smith was drafted by the Jets in 2013 and immediately went on to disappoint. So, in New York Jets-land, since the first time went so well, why not do it again? Whether it was a lack of ability or the Jets being the Jets, Smith’s first go-round in New York did not go well.
He was removed as the starting quarterback after two seasons and was completely off the team two years later. He bounced around the league before finding moderate success in Seattle, but he spent 2025 with the Raiders, where he looked like his old self. Which brings us back to the Jets, who traded for Smith in March 2026 as an upgrade over Justin Fields. (How bad of a QB is Fields that Smith is an upgrade?)
It makes sense why the Jets brought in Smith. From a financial perspective, since the Raiders are paying the majority of his contract, it makes sense. On the field, he is expected to serve as a bridge to whomever the team brings in as a potential franchise QB, but he will not impact the course of this franchise one bit.
Last season, Smith led the NFL with 55 sacks and 17 interceptions, and at 35 years of age, he’s not going to get better. He was brought in to avoid negative plays and provide stability, not to be a game-changing quarterback. On the bright side, his expiring contract allows the Jets to move on after the 2026 NFL season, when, I mean if, Smith falters.
David Montgomery to the Houston Texans
Known for his tough running style and 59 career rushing touchdowns, David Montgomery spent the first seven years of his career with the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions before moving on to the Houston Texans for the 2026 NFL season. In an attempt to fix a struggling running game, Houston traded for Montgomery to provide a new spark to a backfield that had grown old and stale.
The Texans also hope his physical running style will translate into better scoring, as the team ranked 29th in red-zone touchdown efficiency last season. Additionally, after sharing backfield duties in Detroit, Montgomery preferred Houston as a destination because he envisioned a larger role in Texas.
He may soon come to regret his decision. While Montgomery might be the “preferred” running back in Houston, he will still be splitting backfield duties with Woody Marks. Since both backs have different skill sets, neither will be the true number one. Montgomery will be looked to for short-yardage situations, while Marks is younger and more explosive.
Speaking of age, Montgomery is 29, which is when running backs begin to show signs of declining ability. It also won’t help him that the Texans’ offensive line is not as good as Detroit’s. The Lions’ specially designed o-line and creative play-calling created running lanes that Montgomery exploited. The Texans’ line will not be built the same or have the same impact. It’s a recipe for disaster. Montgomery will be a productive back for Houston, just not a franchise-altering one.
Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs
Last season, the Chiefs’ running game ranked 25th in the NFL, so that was clearly an area of concern heading into the 2026 offseason. What better way to address that weakness than with the addition of Super Bowl LX MVP, Kenneth Walker III? His explosive play-making ability and ability to break tackles have the potential to bring a dynamic presence to the Kansas City backfield that has been missing for years.
The last time the Chiefs had a running back surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a season was Kareem Hunt, who rushed for 1,327 yards in 2017. Walker certainly has the ability to match that feat, but there are two obstacles standing in his way. First, head coach Andy Reid believes in a pass-first offense built around quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which makes the run game more complementary to the offense than essential to it.
Next, the Chiefs have traditionally employed a “by-committee” running game that features multiple backs rather than a true workhorse. The failure of KC to develop a running game isn’t the only issue preventing a successful situation for Walker; the team’s roster is.
Patrick Mahomes is coming back from a serious knee injury, so there’s no telling how effective he’ll be to start the season. The Chiefs also lack a number one receiver, and Travis Kelce is a shell of his former self, so opposing defenses can focus on stopping the running game. Which means Walker’s signing will not be successful.
