The 2026 NFL offseason is now officially underway following Super Bowl 60. NFL Free Agency is the first big milestone on the league calendar this offseason. But one NFL insider believes that it could actually be trades that are the most exciting part of the NFL this spring.
ESPN's Adam Schefter explained during a recent podcast episode why he expects more trades during the 2026 NFL offseason.
“I've had GMs, front office executives, scouts who have been looking at this free agent class and saying not a great class,” Schefter said on The Adam Schefter Podcast on Tuesday. “These teams have done a great job at tying up their own players long-term and making sure they don't get to free agency. When we talk about the draft, and we'll see how it shakes out over time, people aren't all that excited about the draft either. So we've got a free agency class that's not real deep. We've got a draft that is not considered real deep.”
Schefter suggested that NFL teams may instead turn to the trade market to add talent this offseason.
“It tells me we may get more wheeling and dealing in trades than we've had in other years,” Schefter added. “I don't know that it will happen, but it certainly seems to be a trend in recent years. Teams have been more apt and open to make big trades. We saw it at the trade deadline each of the last few years, especially this past year.”
The trade deadline featured some huge trades during the 2025 season. One example is the Seahawks acquiring WR Rashid Shaheed from the Saints. That move worked out well for Seattle, helping them ultimately win the Super Bowl.
Schefter clearly thinks this trend of acquiring talent via trade will continue during the offseason.
“Teams are unafraid about making a big deal,” Schefter concluded. “With this free agency class, in the eyes of some, considered to be a bit subpar, and with this draft class considered to be, in the eyes of some, a little subpar… it wouldn't surprise me if we saw an uptick in trade activity.”
Hopefully NFL teams grace their fans with plenty of exciting trades later this spring.
