10 Biggest NFL Stars That Will Have New A New Home In 2026—And Where They Could End Up
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Every year, we see stars switch jerseys… Sure… Some chase rings. Some chase money. And some just need a fresh start after things went sideways with their current team. But this 2026 NFL offseason is about to get wild.
The list of potential movers is absolutely stacked. We’re talking former MVPs, Pro Bowl pass rushers, and receivers who were supposed to be franchise cornerstones… all who are more than likely going to end up buying homes in new cities next year.
So let’s get into it. Here are the 10 biggest NFL stars that will have a new home in 2026… and where they could end up.
Which NFL stars are on the move in 2026?
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
The Kyler Murray era in the desert appears to be over.
Adam Schefter reported on Super Bowl Sunday that Arizona wants to explore trading their franchise quarterback… though… let’s be honest, the writing has been on the wall for a while.
The main obstacle is that Murray’s contract is a nightmare to navigate, though. His 52.7-million-dollar cap hit for 2026 is massive. If Arizona trades him before June 1, they save about 35 million but still eat nearly 18 million in dead cap.
So they give up a lot of leverage with potential trade partners who know they can’t, in good conscience, cut him and eat that massive cap hit.
Multiple teams have shown interest: the Jets, Vikings, Browns, Colts, and even the Steelers have all been mentioned. Murray’s camp has reportedly expressed interest in Minnesota specifically.
But they clearly still have a lot invested in J.J. McCarthy, and it isn’t obvious that they are ready to move on entirely.
The Steelers keep coming up. They need a long-term answer at quarterback, and Murray—when healthy—can still make plays that very few quarterbacks in the league can make.
They have the cap space in 2026, they have most of the pieces you’d need on the defensive side of the ball, and they need a capable NFL quarterback who can extend plays and bring that offense back to the 21st century.
Nothing is a forgone conclusion at this point, though… It will be interesting to see where Murray lands ahead of that June 1 target date.
George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Remember when George Pickens was catching passes from a carousel of Pittsburgh quarterbacks and making everyone wonder what he could do with a real offense? Those days are OVER.
After getting traded to Dallas last May for a third and fifth-round pick, Pickens absolutely EXPLODED.
93 catches, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns. He averaged over 15 yards per catch for the fourth straight year of his career and has been near the top of the charts over the last few years, with his metric hovering around 16 per.
The man is a human highlight reel with hands that should be registered as weapons and a competitive fire that borders on psychotic.
But Dallas owes a few people… a lot of money—especially on that offense. With how much Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are getting, it would be a shock to see them cut a deal for $30 million a year like Pickens wants in the 2026 NFL offseason.
They might use the franchise tag on him, but if not, look for a team like Jacksonville to scoop him up.
Trevor Lawrence desperately needs a true alpha receiver, and the Jaguars have the cap space to make Pickens one of the highest-paid wideouts in the game today.
Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Philadelphia Eagles
Wait—didn’t the Eagles just trade FOR this guy at the deadline? Didn’t he help them make a playoff run?
Yes. And now he’s about to get PAID—by someone else.
Phillips was one of the most coveted names at the trade deadline when the Dolphins shipped him to Philly for a third-round pick.
With the Eagles, the former first-round pick recorded 17 quarterback pressures, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in just eight games. He adapted to Vic Fangio’s defense almost instantly and became a legitimate difference-maker down the stretch. At 26 years old, he’s entering his prime.
The problem? Philadelphia has MAJOR cap concerns, and with some of the other big names eating up precious cap space, it is looking like Phillips will have to find a new home if he wants to earn what he’s worth on the open market.
Don’t be shocked if he heads west and inks a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. Phillips grew up in Southern California—he was a five-star recruit out of Redlands before starring at UCLA and Miami.
This is a homecoming that makes a whole lot of sense from where we are sitting.
Kenneth Walker III, Running Back, Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl MVP. Free agent. 25 years old.
Kenneth Walker didn’t just win the biggest game of his life—he DOMINATED it. 135 rushing yards. 161 total scrimmage yards. The first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis in 1998. His value has literally NEVER been higher.
Walker’s timing couldn’t be more perfect. He’s coming off a career-best regular season (1,027 rushing yards) and an absolutely electric playoff run. He carried Seattle’s offense after Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the divisional round, and he delivered when it mattered most. The unassuming, soft-spoken back let his game do the talking—and it spoke LOUDLY.
The Seahawks want him back. GM John Schneider said as much at the championship parade, but keeping up with the bidding war is going to be a challenge.
Look for the Kansas City Chiefs to make an aggressive bid and snake him, as they have been desperately trying to reinforce their backfield off the scrapheap for a couple of NFL seasons now and may have finally been pushed to pay a premium to solve that thorny problem in 2026.
Mike Evans: Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Evans has been a Buccaneer since 2014. He’s the franchise’s all-time leading receiver. He won Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady. He set an NFL record with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start his career.
And now, for the first time ever, he’s about to hit free agency.
Evans’ 2025 season was derailed by injuries—a concussion early, then a broken collarbone in Week 7 against Detroit that ended his historic streak. He played just eight games and finished with 368 yards, marking the first non-1000-yard receiving season of his career.
Needless to say, Tampa Bay felt its absence. The Buccaneers went 8 and 9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019. It was a disaster from start to finish.
But here’s what people are forgetting: when healthy, Evans is STILL an elite red zone threat. He caught 11 touchdowns in 2024 on his way to another Pro Bowl. Baker Mayfield plays at a higher level with Evans on the field—that’s not opinion, that’s fact.
At 32, safe money says he still has a lot left in the tank. Baltimore would be a heck of a second act for Evans.
He could serve as the big-bodied target that Lamar’s been missing, as Mark Andrews has started to slow down, and would immediately make that roster way more dangerous.
This move makes sense for both sides… Evans gets a legitimate shot at another ring, and Baltimore finally gives Lamar the receiver he deserves. Only losers in the deal are Baker Mayfield and the rest of the folks down in South Florida who would hate to see a talent like Evans leave.
Trey Hendrickson: Edge, Cincinnati Bengals
This saga has been going on for TWO YEARS now, and it’s finally reaching its conclusion.
Hendrickson requested a trade last February. The Bengals called his bluff and refused to deal him. He came back on a restructured one-year deal worth $29 million. Now he’s a free agent, and Cincinnati is reportedly considering the franchise tag AGAIN—which would cost $30.2 million.
At this point, it feels personal. Hendrickson had back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons in 2023 and 2024—leading the entire NFL both years.
Injuries limited him to just four sacks in seven games this NFL season before he needed core muscle surgery, and it seemed like he was in no rush to get back to join this floundering organization in 2026…
But when healthy, he’s still one of the most technically sound pass rushers in the league. His hand usage and pass-rush moves are elite, and he’s a proven closer in big moments.
Bears GM Ryan Poles reportedly checked in on Hendrickson at the trade deadline, so the interest is real.
Chicago has massive cap space, and they desperately need a proven edge rusher opposite Montez Sweat, and Dennis Allen’s defense would be PERFECT for Hendrickson’s skill set.
Have to think that Hendrickson would be pumped to join an up-and-coming squad like Chicago’s.
A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
This might be the most explosive situation in the entire league right now.
A.J. Brown had a down year in 2025… and he wasn’t quiet about it. Career-low numbers by his Eagles standards. A sideline altercation with Nick Sirianni during the Wild Card game that went viral. Critical drops in the playoff loss to San Francisco.
The vibes in Philly have been terrible. Multiple insiders expect the Eagles to at least consider moving Brown this offseason.
Now look… technically, a trade isn’t the same as being cut. But the Eagles can save 7 million on the cap by dealing him after June 1. And given how contentious things have gotten between Brown and the coaching staff… it wouldn’t shock anyone to see these two sides part ways.
The Bills have been linked to Brown for months. Josh Allen needs a true number-one receiver, and Brown fits that mold perfectly.
The Patriots make sense, too. Mike Vrabel is building something special in Foxborough, and adding Brown to that NFL offense would be a statement move in 2026.
Either way, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him depart from the city of Brotherly Love despite how important he is to that offense.
Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders
Spoiler alert: Maxx Crosby wants to win. And winning hasn’t been happening in Las Vegas.
While he has been an excellent citizen since arriving in Sin City, the Raiders are a hot mess.
They went 3 and 14 in 2025. Pete Carroll was fired after one disastrous season. And Crosby—who has been one of the best defensive players in football—reportedly doesn’t want to go through yet another rebuild.
Now, Crosby hasn’t formally requested a trade. But the reports are clear: he wants to play for a winner. And the Raiders… well, they’re not that.
The price for Crosby would be steep. We’re talking a Micah Parsons-type haul—two first-round picks and a starting-caliber player. Maybe more. He’s that good.
The Eagles, Ravens, and Bills have all been linked to him, too. Any contender with picks to burn should be calling.
But the Cowboys need a pass rush badly after trading Parsons. Crosby would immediately become their best defensive player. This could be the redemption move that Jerry Jones has been looking for since he made the shocking move to deal Parsons.
Devin Lloyd, Linebacker, Jacksonville Jaguars
This is the name casual fans might not know yet—but NFL front offices absolutely do.
Devin Lloyd just had a MONSTER contract-year season in Jacksonville. We’re talking five interceptions, including a 99-yard pick-six against Patrick Mahomes. He added 81 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and seven passes defended.
The former first-round pick earned his first Pro Bowl selection AND was named Second-Team All-Pro. After three inconsistent seasons, Lloyd finally put it all together at the perfect time.
Here’s the problem for Jacksonville: they declined his fifth-year option last April, making him a free agent this March. Reports indicate the Jaguars and Lloyd are “not close” on a new NFL contract in 2026, and considering the icy feel between the two sides after they declined his option, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him take his talents west and slot into Sean Payton’s defense in Denver.
Despite having an excellent defense, the Broncos had issues at linebacker this season—and now Alex Singleton is a free agent, Justin Strnad is gone, and Dre Greenlaw is really showing signs of wear and tear.
This could be a great landing spot for a young stud, like Lloyd.
Breece Hall, Running Back, New York Jets
The Jets just finished 3 and 14 under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn. They traded away Sauce Gardner. They shipped out Quinnen Williams. And now their most explosive offensive weapon this side of Garrett Wilson is about to hit free agency.
Breece Hall rushed for 1,065 yards on a TERRIBLE team—imagine what he could do with an actual offense around him. He’s only 24 years old, and he has everything you want in a modern NFL back: elite vision, explosive burst, and receiving ability that makes him a true three-down weapon. The only real concern is the durability… but that is the case for just about every running back if we are being honest…
Since getting drafted in 2022, Hall has been one of the most productive backs in the league when healthy, and he’s barely scratched the surface of his potential.
The Jets have the cap space to keep him, but do they WANT to? Glenn is in full rebuild mode, stockpiling draft picks and clearing out veteran contracts.
I don’t think it would bode well for either side for the Jets to franchise tag him, given where their squad is at with the rebuild.
One interesting landing spot could be Dallas. Jerry Jones loves a flashy running back, and after a disappointing 2025 NFL season, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him try and make a splash by adding Hall to that already high-powered offense in 2026.
