We're a fortnight or two into the 2026 version of free agency in the National Football League, and as it is every year, it has been wild. A frenzied fistful of frenetic spending that makes Burning Man look like a quiet gathering of friends.

There are some teams that have gone completely bananas with the bankroll—per Kevin Patra of NFL.com, the NFL's teams spent $2.3 billion on the very first day of the legal tampering period alone. Just two teams (the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans) accounted for over $550 million of that spending.

NFL teams are making it rain more than frat bros at a strip club.

Listen to that song. I dare you. It's going to be stuck in my head until May.

As was mentioned in the IDP Free Agency Review for Defensive Linemen, a number of edge rushers hit the jackpot, led by Jaelan Phillips of the Carolina Panthers at $30 million a season. But that money hasn't really spread to the linebacker position—no off-ball linebackers received a deal worth $15 million a season, and only seven players at the position got pacts worth $10 million a year.

However, while off-ball linebackers may be financially devalued in the 21st-century NFL, it remains the most important position in IDP leagues. And there are multiple players at the position who found new teams in 2026 who will absolutely be fantasy-relevant this year.

Here's a look at some of those linebackers—and how their IDP value was affected by their new digs.

Zaire Franklin, Green Bay

Franklin wasn't technically a free agent—the 29-year-old was traded to the Packers for defensive tackle Colby Wooden by a Colts team that said it wanted to get "faster and younger" on defense. While appearing on the Jim Rome Show, Franklin was quick to point out that in his mind, he hasn't slowed down a bit.

"I consider myself one of the fastest guys on the defense, so I didn't think he was talking about me," Franklin said. "I can't get younger. I can't do that. But when you heard it, you take it for what it is. Obviously, with a disappointing year, changes were going to be made. Unfortunately, they look at us as the changes that had to be made."

Franklin's numbers were down in 2025, but from 2022 to 2024, he was the most productive tackler in the game—three straight years with over 165 stops, including a league-leading 173 two years ago. The Packers thought enough of Franklin to make him Quay Walker's replacement as the team's "green dot" linebacker—there's some IDP risk here, but not enough to knock Franklin from the top-12 conversation.

Devin Lloyd, Carolina

The Panthers were who handed out that whopper of a deal to Phillips, and they also gave out the largest contract to a linebacker, signing Lloyd to a three-year, $42 million pact to leave one 1995 expansion team for the other. While talking to reporters, Lloyd said he wants to help take the Panthers' defense to the next level this season.

"You got a number of players, Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn, obviously two most notable, but Tre'von Moehrig, I mean, there's guys all over the defense that make plays," said Lloyd. "And I just want to come in and be a part of that playmaking unit and help elevate it the most I can."

Lloyd got that fat payday largely because of his five interceptions and excellent coverage numbers with the Jaguars in 2025, but he also amassed a career-low 81 total tackles and just 35 solos. Lloyd had over 100 total stops in his first three years in the league, but at his best, he has been just a mid-range LB3 for fantasy managers. It's unlikely that magically changes in Charlotte.

Quay Walker, Las Vegas

For lack of a better term, the Raiders went batcrap crazy in the early stages of free agency, including a three-year, $40.5 million contract for Walker, who spent the first four seasons of his career in Green Bay. While addressing the media, Walker said he thinks Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard can unlock a new level of his game.

"I just think he's really going to bring out my skill set," he said, "because I think he quite understands me, although he hasn't really seen me on the field yet, but I know he's watched me and did a lot of things like that, so I think I'm going to be used the right way. I think he's going to do it the right way."

Walker topped 100 total stops in all four seasons with the Packers, including a career-high 128 tackles in 14 games in 2025. Those numbers slotted Walker 14th among linebackers in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring a year ago, and given the gaudy numbers Devin White put up in the middle of a bad Raiders defense in 2025, bettering that top-15 finish in 2026 is well within the realm of reason.

Nakobe Dean, Las Vegas

What? You thought the Raiders were done at linebacker? Silly goose.

In addition to bringing in Walker, the Raiders also gave a bag to his former Georgia teammate—Dean got a three-year deal from Vegas that averages a hair over $12 million a season. Dean told reporters that the opportunity to play with Walker again was a major draw to Sin City.

"The conversations that we'll have, those are some of my favorite memories of Quay," Dean said. "I don't know if I ever even told him, but he was the one who kind of helped me implement my routine of preparing for a team on a weekly basis. We used to watch film together post-practice in college. We'd watch a game or an hour or two of film after practice almost every other day."

Dean's four seasons in Philly were marred by a pair of major injuries, but in the 25-year-old's lone healthy season as a starter, he logged 128 total tackles and finished eighth among all linebackers in fantasy points per game. That's Dean in a nutshell—his fantasy ceiling is as high as his floor is low.

Tremaine Edmunds, NY Giants

There are changes galore in the Big Apple this year, including at inside linebacker—the G-Men released Bobby Okereke and wasted no time in replacing him, giving Tremaine Edmunds (who was also recently released by Chicago) a three-year, $36 million contract. Bears radio analyst Tom Thayer said that he was sad to see the 27-year-old leave the Windy City.

"He's a football asset. He can play every linebacker position. He can play first, second, and third down. He's great in the locker room. He's even better on the practice field, and he's great in the meeting room," Thayer said. "And it's all the essential elements that you need to go out and have a game day performer. He's been an outdoor player his whole NFL career. So, whether you have inclement weather, the hottest of the hottest, the coldest of the coldest, he knows how to be prepared for those moments."

On one level, Edmunds has been consistently productive—in eight professional seasons, Edmunds has never had fewer than 100 tackles, and his blend of size and speed is tantalizing. He was also third in fantasy points per game among linebackers in 2025. Maybe the third team is the charm, and Edmunds will finally realize the potential that has been talked about for so long.

Kaden Elliss, New Orleans

Elliss spent the first four seasons of his career before moving across the NFC South to Atlanta, and now he has come "home" again—getting $11 million a season to replace Demario Davis as the Saints' No. 1 linebacker. PFF's Zoltan Buday called it the best move by the Saints this offseason.

"He became a full-time starter in Atlanta and managed to log more than 1,000 snaps in each of those seasons, something the Saints will need after the departure of Demario Davis," he said. "Elliss has been among the 32 highest-graded linebackers in each of the past three seasons, including placing in the top 25 in 2023 and 2024."

Elliss saw a decline in production last year, and at 30 years old, that's cause for legitimate concern. But as recently as two years ago, Elliss also racked up 151 tackles and five sacks on the way to a third-place finish among fantasy linebackers. The snaps will be there for Elliss in New Orleans. If he's healthy, LB2 numbers could be closer to his IDP floor than his ceiling.

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