Five under-the-radar storylines for the NFL offseason

The NFL never stops, and sometimes the offseason can bring just as much hype as the actual games during the season. We already know the biggest storylines to follow over the next few months. 

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Quarterbacks will dominate free agency and the trade market with big names like Malik Willis, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa looking at new teams, and Aaron Rodgers potentially returning for another season. 

Will Maxx Crosby be traded? What will the George Pickens contract look like? 

These are the stories that will dominate headlines. But what about the under-the-radar stories that could also make big impacts? Let's take a look at five that might not get as much attention. 

Will anybody make a play for Mac Jones?

More importantly, will the San Francisco 49ers be willing to trade him? We know quarterbacks are everything in the NFL, and Jones really rejuvenated his career this past season with the 49ers during his brief run in place of Brock Purdy. 

Given the success of Sam Darnold as a late-career bloomer, it would not be a surprise if teams that miss out on some of the big names start poking around Jones.

But the 49ers might not be eager to deal a reliable backup, especially given some of Purdy's injuries throughout his career. 

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers finally address their No. 2 wide receiver position?

Quarterback is yet again the biggest storyline with the Steelers, but no matter who is passing the football they still need more reliable options to catch it.

They have had a glaring hole at their No. 2 wide receiver position for the better part of the past three seasons and have consistently ignored it. General manager Omar Khan admitted this offseason he should have done more in previous years, and if the Steelers are going to become more than just a playoff team that loses in the first round every year they are going to desperately need more impact skill players on offense. 

Will somebody use a top-10 pick on Jeremiyah Love?

The Notre Dame running back was not only dominant in college, but he also ran an incredibly fast 40-time at the NFL Scouting Combine and could be one of the best offensive playmakers in this class. We know NFL teams have been hesitant to take running backs in the first round over the past 15-25 years, but there are always exceptions to that.

The exceptions are the standout talents who have major game-changing ability.

Love might be one of them. 

The top-five for him might be a stretch, but the top-10 seems very much on the table. 

Would the Tennessee Titans go bold and give Cam Ward some running-game help? 

The Washington Commanders? 

The Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9 overall would be very intriguing. 

Will Tyler Linderbaum stay with the Baltimore Ravens?

The offensive line, and especially the interior of the offensive line, never gets the respect it deserves for being the foundation of a winning team. 

Linderbaum is the top center available, and the Ravens seem determined to keep him (but not enough to franchise tag him). If he hits the open market, he would be a major prize, even if it does not generate big headlines. There might not be many players on the open market that impact their new team more. 

Will the Los Angeles Chargers go all-in?

The Chargers are a playoff team with a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. That is the good news, and the news that should fill their fan base with optimism. The bad news is that despite Herbert's freakish talents and strong production, they have still yet to win a playoff game in his career. That has to change.

The Chargers have more than $84 million in salary-cap space this offseason, the fourth-most in the NFL and more than any 2025 playoff team, and have a chance to really build a stronger supporting cast around him.

They can not be frugal with that money. They have a chance to really build a powerhouse team and need to take advantage of it. Will they? if so, what will they do with it?