Monday, August 17, 2026

Big Names Remain Unsigned as NFL Training Camps Open

Several former Pro Bowl selections are still available, as Aaron Donald’s potential return still looms.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) during halftime against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The NFL free-agent market is still full of high-profile talent as teams begin reporting to training camp.

One of the biggest names available is Stefon Diggs, who is fresh off a Super Bowl appearance  with the Patriots. The four-time Pro Bowl selection caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns during the 2025 season. Earlier this offseason, New England released Diggs to save cap space, with his cap hit scheduled to increase from $10.5 million to $26.5 million.  

One reason the wide receiver is still available may be tied to recent legal proceedings. Diggs faced accusations of felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery from his live-in chef, but was found not guilty on all charges in May. The NFL also completed an investigation and concluded there was insufficient evidence of a personal conduct policy violation, meaning Diggs won’t face any future suspension. 

Other unsigned receivers include Deebo Samuel and Keenan Allen. Samuel had 727 receiving yards and six total touchdowns in 16 games with the Commanders in 2025, while Allen caught 81 passes for 777 yards with the Chargers. 

Perhaps no free agent offers more upside than Tyreek Hill, but his status remains unclear as he recovers from a season-ending knee injury. The five-time All Pro spoke about his recovery in a YouTube video posted on Wednesday, which included footage of him running for the first time.

“I have no power in my left leg at all, so I’m trying to regain all the power back in my left leg,” Hill said.

On the defensive side, veterans Bobby Wagner and Joey Bosa are still available. Wagner, 36, is only one season removed from a second-team All-Pro campaign and had 162 tackles for Washington last season. Bosa signed a one-year, $12.6 million deal with the Bills for the 2025 season and recorded five sacks, along with a league-leading five forced fumbles. 

The 49ers lead the NFL with $71.2 million in cap space, with the Titans ($53 million) and Commanders ($43.7 million) rounding out the top three. 

A Hall of Fame “Free Agent”

Despite the quality of talent remaining on the free-agent market, Aaron Donald unretiring and returning to the Rams looms as the biggest possible addition a team could make.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has been working out as he attempts to decide whether he wants to return and play on the same defensive line as Myles Garrett, who Los Angeles acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Browns last month. 

“He is going through his process and he is putting himself in a position to make that decision,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said of Donald, who retired after the 2023 season. “If that is something he wants to do, we are going to try to be able to make that happen.”

Donald retired with one-year and $25 million remaining on his contract. If he returns, his contract would be reinstated, but would likely need to be renegotiated, with the Rams currently having $15.2 million in cap space. The team could also look to restructure the contracts of its highest-paid players in Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams to create space for the defensive lineman. 

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