Ten NFL free agents who could land surprisingly big contracts during 2026 offseason

The tight end market is full of big names like Travis Kelce, David Njoku and Dallas Goedert, while 25-year-old Isaiah Likely offers enticing potential. But with Kyle Pitts off the market via franchise tag, Okonkwo or Otton could end up being the top-paid TE in this free-agent cycle. Over the past two seasons, Otton led the Bucs with 118 receptions and ranked second behind Mike Evans with 1,172 receiving yards; his three games of 80-plus receiving yards in 2025 tied for second-most among tight ends, behind only Trey McBride (four). Okonkwo led the Titans with career highs of 56 catches and 560 yards last season. Either, if not both, could end up signing contracts worth around $12 million per year. Meanwhile, Kolar played in all 17 games last season and posted a 77.5 PFF grade (eighth among tight ends who played double-digit games) despite catching just 10 passes. When he does get the ball, he’s efficient — his 13.6 yards per catch ranks second among NFL tight ends since 2022 (minimum 25 receptions). He might end up becoming the league’s highest-paid blocking tight end, and it’s not out of the question he could get $10 million a year.