Steelers QB plan, NFC West extension race highlight NFL’s underrated storylines

Pundits around the NFL believed free agency could underwhelm, considering the class, but they were wrong. The Indianapolis Colts found a way to keep both quarterback Daniel Jones and wideout Alec Pierce, who signed the largest contract for a wide receiver in free-agency history. Mike Evans left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the San Francisco 49ers. Then the Maxx Crosby trade fell through in dramatic fashion. It’s been a fun offseason thus far, but it’s far from over.

Some contenders lost a lot more talent than they added. Where exactly do they stand entering the 2026 NFL Draft? Some NFL bottom-feeders made big moves. Who set themselves up to surprise this season? Then, we can’t forget that some superstars are eligible for massive contract extensions that could reset their respective markets. Are those coming soon?

Below, we will break down five NFL storylines that we aren’t talking about enough. 

1. The Denver Broncos’ free agency

If we learned anything about the Denver Broncos last year, it’s that their Super Bowl window is wide open. They tied a franchise record with 14 wins, won the AFC West for the first time since 2015, and made it to the AFC Championship. They would have made the Super Bowl if Bo Nix did not injure his ankle in the divisional round. So, Denver has a quarterback on a rookie deal and one of the best defenses in the NFL. They were going to be aggressive in free agency, right? Wrong.

The Broncos were the ONLY TEAM to not sign a free agent outside of their building last week. They re-signed several players, such as running back JK Dobbins and linebacker Alex Singleton, but did not actually add anything. Something Denver has to do this offseason is upgrade Nix’s weaponry. Courtland Sutton can’t shoulder a passing attack all by himself, and then Evan Engram underwhelmed with 28.8 yards receiving per game and just one touchdown. As a unit, Denver’s pass-catchers dropped 43 passes in 2025. That ranked second-most in the league. 

This is a big storyline in Denver, but not a major talking point on a national level. Broncos fans are not happy with how the offseason has gone thus far. With that said, there is still time. Denver could bring in Deebo Samuel, trade for A.J. Brown, or, I don’t know, trade for George Pickens on the franchise tag when the Dallas Cowboys can’t agree to terms and he asks out. Plus, real contenders are built through the draft, not free agency. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that the Broncos standing pat this offseason was surprising.

2. The revamped Jets, and why their big offseason isn’t over

How about the New York Jets? To say Aaron Glenn’s defense received a facelift almost feels like an understatement. Darren Mougey traded for the massive defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat and five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Then in free agency, New York signed Joseph Ossai, Demario Davis, Kingsley Enagbare, Dane Belton and Nahshon Wright. Those are some pretty good additions for the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception.

Specifically on Wright, I think the cornerback’s one-year, $5.5 million contract was one of the biggest surprises of free agency. He ranked as CBS Sports’ No. 62 free agent after recording 80 tackles, 11 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions for the Chicago Bears in 2025. Those eight takeaways led the league. Wright was actually one of just two players last year to record five interceptions and three tackles for loss. I understand he doesn’t have incredible starting experience and that some executives could view him as a one-year wonder, but I still thought he would make some decent money. He certainly will if he puts together another strong season. 

At quarterback, the Jets traded for Geno Smith, whom they selected with the No. 39 overall pick back in 2013. His time in New York wasn’t spectacular, as Smith went 12-18 as the Jets’ starter over four seasons, throwing 28 touchdowns compared to 36 interceptions. Smith was also bad in Vegas last year, becoming just the sixth quarterback since 1970 to lead the league in both sacks taken and interceptions in the same season, but I think you can make the argument he’s upgrading with the Jets. The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst offensive line in the NFL last year, and didn’t have a Breece Hall or Garrett Wilson. Smith probably isn’t going to be named a First Team All-Pro in 2026, but we all know he’s a better quarterback than what he showed in 2025. 

What’s important to note about the Jets’ rebuild is that it’s not over. More help is on the way. New York holds four picks in the top 44 of the NFL draft, including No. 2 overall and No. 16 overall. That’s some great ammunition. If Mougey can hit on those picks, the Jets may finally be on the right track. 

3. Rams-Seahawks extension race

There are some very notable players eligible for extensions, such as Houston Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta Falcons do-it-all weapon Bijan Robinson. But you need to know about what’s brewing in the NFC West.

Two of the best wide receivers in the NFL are now eligible for extensions: Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Both of these players can reset the market. The title of highest-paid wide receiver currently belongs to Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, who makes $40.25 million per year. So, will Puka or JSN cash first? And how tough will life be for the front office that doesn’t get its star player to the negotiating table first? 

The Cowboys could have paid Micah Parsons if they got their market-resetting extension done early, but they sat on their hands and watched other pass rushers get paid. The price tag kept going up and up, and Dallas eventually let someone else pay him. Something similar happened in 2024 with CeeDee Lamb, where the Cowboys had to pay him a bit more because they waited. The Rams and Seahawks front offices should have some urgency. 

Smith-Njigba is technically under contract for two more years thanks to the fifth-year option in 2027. However, Nacua wasn’t a first-round pick, so he doesn’t have a fifth-year option. This upcoming season is the final year of his rookie deal. 

Both of these players deserve the money coming to them. Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions and 107.2 receiving yards per game in 2025, and his 95.3 career receiving yards per game rank as the best in NFL history. Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year after leading the NFL with 1,793 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns on 119 receptions. He became the fourth player to lead the NFL in receiving yards and win the Super Bowl in the same season. Seattle couldn’t have hoisted the Lombardi trophy without him.

4. How Maxx Crosby’s beef with the Raiders was quickly squashed

It will go down as the story of the NFL offseason. The Baltimore Ravens agreed to trade two first-round picks to the Raiders for star defensive end Maxx Crosby, then backed out of the deal after reportedly discovering something worrisome during the physical examination. This, of course, sparked conspiracy theories that Baltimore got cold feet and experienced some level of buyer’s remorse as they quickly pivoted to Trey Hendrickson, but come on. We have to at least allow for the possibility that Baltimore found some degenerative issue in Crosby’s knee that caused the medical staff to have second thoughts.

Another fascinating facet of this story is that Crosby apparently now plans on playing for the Raiders in 2026. What happened?

While Crosby never came out and said it, plenty of reports indicated he was done playing for the Raiders. Vegas shut down Crosby with two games remaining in the regular season this year, which reportedly left the five-time Pro Bowler feeling “betrayed.”

We may never find out, but I do have a theory. The night Baltimore backed out, I wrote that it’s possible Crosby viewed this turn of events as divine intervention signaling that he was meant to be a Raider for life. I think that’s what happened.  

5. What if Aaron Rodgers retires?

Some expect Aaron Rodgers to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for one more season now that Mike McCarthy is in the fold, but what if the 42-year-old does retire? The Steelers didn’t sign a quarterback in free agency, leaving them with limited options.

Kirk Cousins needs a team. He believes he’s still a starter, especially after helping the Falcons end the season on a four-game winning streak. Could Joe Flacco complete the AFC North circle? He has some gas left in the tank. Against Pittsburgh in Week 7 last year, Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a wild 33-31 victory for Cincinnati. He also threw for 470 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions against the Bears two weeks later.

If you want to peruse some more interesting (and younger) options, the Colts are open to trading Anthony Richardson. The former No. 4 overall pick is now healthy and could benefit from a change of scenery. He ranked last in completion percentage (47.7%) in 2024 and registered the worst passer rating (61.6) in a season since DeShone Kizer back in 2017, but he’s still learning at 23-years-old, and is an athletic freak. 

It’s fair to wonder if the Steelers are waiting for the draft to find their quarterback. The only problem is this quarterback class is not exactly robust with talent. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is considered to be QB2 behind eventual No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. He led the Crimson Tide to an 11-4 record and a College Football Playoff appearance while throwing for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. However, Simpson has limited starting experience and floundered down the stretch. He averaged 184.3 passing yards per contest with seven touchdowns and four interceptions over his final six games.

Garrett Nussmeier out of LSU, Drew Allar from Penn State and Carson Beck of Miami are worth consideration, but these are likely mid-round players that will not be handed the reins to an NFL offense right off the bat. Overall, it’s just not considered a great class.

The Steelers also have Will Howard on the roster. Pittsburgh used a sixth-round pick on him last year after winning the College Football Playoff with the Ohio State Buckeyes. McCarthy has said he’s “really excited” about this player, so could Howard have the chance to compete for the starting job?

Maybe the Steelers went through free agency knowing Rodgers is returning. But things will get very interesting if he decides to hang up the cleats.