Five hottest NFL free-agency storylines: Aaron Rodgers' plans, Kenneth Walker III's destination and Mike Evans' future

The NFL is now entering free-agency frenzy. 

The legal tampering window for free agency begins on Monday at noon ET. During this period, teams can contact free agents and enter contract negotiations with them. Deals can be agreed upon but not officially signed until the beginning of the new league year on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. 

With that in mind, here are the five hottest storylines heading into free agency.

QB Aaron Rodgers' plans

Rodgers, 42, hasn't said whether he plans to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026 or retire. Steelers general manager Omar Khan expects the veteran QB to make a decision soon, unlike last offseason, when he signed a one-year deal before the beginning of mandatory minicamp. 

If four-time league MVP Rodgers doesn't return, the Steelers would then need to reevaluate their plans at QB. Pittsburgh's active roster features QBs Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. 2018 third-round pick Rudolph has a 9-9-1 starting record in the regular season. Howard, meanwhile, didn't play during his rookie season in 2025.

Per NBC Sports' Matthew Berry, the Steelers love former Ohio State Buckeyes star Howard and would prefer to start him for one season rather than pay a veteran. That still may not stop the AFC North club from adding another passer in the 2026 NFL Draft (scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh). In his post-combine mock draft, The Athletic's Mike DeFabo has the team selecting Miami Hurricanes QB Carson Beck (6-foot-5, 233 pounds) with pick No. 121 in the fourth round.    

Landing spots for other high-profile QBs

With Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) looking like the only QB worthy of a first-round pick, figure on teams splurging on the most important position in free agency. 

QB Malik Willis has started six games in four seasons with the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans, but could land an exorbitant deal. Spotrac estimates his market value is a two-year contract worth $35.5M annually. He completed 70-of-89 passes (78.7 percent, above average) for 972 yards and six TD passes in two seasons with the Packers, which could convince a needy team (Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins) that he has viable starting QB potential.

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray may not be a free agent for long when his release becomes official on Wednesday. The 2019 No. 1 pick is expected to attract multiple suitors, including the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. 

If either of those teams doesn't agree to a deal with Murray, they could pivot to Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa. The fifth pick of the 2020 draft is expected to be cut soon. 

RB Kenneth Walker III's market 

Despite winning Super Bowl LX MVP in a 29-13 win over the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks re-signing Walker in free agency isn't a guarantee. He could command a deal worth more than the three-year, $24M contract RB Javonte Williams agreed to with the Dallas Cowboys. 

Walker, who turns 26 on Oct. 20, is coming off one of the best years of his career, which has increased his value. The 2022 second-round pick ranked 16th in the NFL in rushing yards (1,027) during the regular season and ran for the most (313) during the playoffs. 

The Jets franchise tagged RB Breece Hall (1,065 rushing yards in 2025, No. 15 in the NFL) before the deadline on March 3. That should lead to more teams (Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders) bidding on Walker, who's clearly the top free-agent RB with the Jets star unavailable.

Futures of veteran WRs Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans 

Over the Cap estimates the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have $19.96M in cap space. The team's financial situation increases the chance it will let Evans, who has spent his entire 12-year career in Tampa, walk. 

A broken collarbone and hamstring issue limited Evans to eight games last season, but teams in need of another quality WR (Baltimore Ravens) should be interested in the six-time Pro Bowler. 

The Dolphins released eight-time Pro Bowler Hill in February. He's recovering from a dislocated left knee/ACL tear suffered in September 2025, but should garner plenty of interest. Perhaps the Chiefs will reunite with the wideout.  

Will Cowboys owner Jerry Jones keep his free-agency promise? 

Jones has said the Cowboys should spend more money in free agency than they have in previous years, which has QB Dak Prescott fired up for the offseason. However, will the owner keep his promise? 

Remember when he said the Cowboys would be "all-in" on winning a Super Bowl before the 2024 season and then did little to improve the team in free agency? Dallas' only notable move during the first wave of free agency that offseason was signing linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year deal. 

More importantly, the Cowboys aren't in a position to spend big even after restructuring the contracts of Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and guard Tyler Smith. Per Over the Cap, Dallas has $222.8K in cap space, meaning it has more work to do before it can do anything significant in free agency.