Joel CorrySep 23, 2026
Corry runs through 2026 contract-year players and forecasts how their situations resolve: Puka Nacua as a prime franchise tag candidate in Los Angeles, a second straight tag for George Pickens in Dallas, a possible pre-deadline trade of Joey Porter Jr., and Moro Ojomo getting their best contract away from Philadelphia.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Joel Corry said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromNacua is a prime franchise tag candidate.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- Agent's Take: 2026 contract-year players to watch -- will Puka Nacua become NFL's highest-paid wide receiver?
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 23
- GradedOct 8
- 1Joey Porter Jr. to move — “dealt before the Nov. 10 trade deadline”“Porter being dealt before the Nov. 10 trade deadline isn't out of the question.”
- 2Availability Calls“Murray is returning to action in Week 3 after getting sidelined early in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers.”
- 3Moro Ojomo to move — “best deal will likely come elsewhere, away from the Eagles”“Ojomo's best deal will likely come elsewhere because it's hard to imagine the Eagles making another substantial financial commitment to the interior of the defensive line.”
- 4George Pickens to be franchise-tagged“Dallas putting a franchise tag on Pickens for a second straight year with the NFL collective bargaining agreement-mandated 20% raise at $32,757,600 wouldn't be a surprise even if it's done just to trade him.”
- 5Parker Washington to sign for $29M+ a year“If Washington continues to be Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's favorite target, the $29 million per year maximum value of Alec Pierce's four-year deal to return to the Colts could be his salary floor.”
- 6Quenton Nelson to become the highest-paid at his position“It wouldn't be surprising for Nelson to insist on becoming the league's highest-paid interior offensive lineman like he was when he signed his current four-year, $80 million extension in 2022”
- 7Riley Moss to move — “contract claim: three years, $60 million ($20 million per year) should be his salary floor in free agency next March”“If Moss can cut down on penalties, the three-year, $60 million deal, averaging $20 million per year with $42 million fully guaranteed, Alontae Taylor received from the Tennessee Titans in free agency should be his salary floor on the open market next March.”
- 8Puka Nacua to be franchise-tagged by Los Angeles Rams“Nacua is a prime franchise tag candidate. Next year's wide receiver tag should be in the neighborhood of $29 million depending where the 2027 salary cap is set.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Porter Jr. to move — “dealt before the Nov. 10 trade deadline”1 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | 100 | 0 | +189 | |
| “Murray is returning to action in Week 3 after getting sidelined…”2 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Moro Ojomo to move — “best deal will likely come elsewhere, away from the Eagles”3 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| George Pickens to be franchise-tagged4 | Contract Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Parker Washington to sign for $29M+ a year5 | Contract Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Quenton Nelson to become the highest-paid at his position6 | Contract Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Riley Moss to move — “contract claim: three years, $60 million ($20 million per year) should be his salary floor in free agency next March”7 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Puka Nacua to be franchise-tagged by Los Angeles Rams8 | Contract Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 calls · 1 hit · 7 waiting | 100 | 0 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive8 checkable claims — 4 contract calls, 3 trade and signing calls and 1 availability call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 8 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Trade and Signing CallsJoey Porter Jr.
Joey Porter Jr. to move — “dealt before the Nov. 10 trade deadline”
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×1.89difficulty=+189skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 189
- player:
- Joey Porter Jr.
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he leaves
- was with:
- PIT
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- reported:
- traded → DAL (from PIT)
- how he left:
- traded
- mechanism:
- traded
- settled by:
- a confirmed report from the crawl (reported outcomes)
- difficulty:
- 1.89
- the naive guess:
- he stays where he is
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 16
2Availability CallsKyler MurrayMinnesota Vikings
“Murray is returning to action in Week 3 after getting sidelined early in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Trade and Signing CallsMoro Ojomo
Moro Ojomo to move — “best deal will likely come elsewhere, away from the Eagles”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
George Pickens to be franchise-tagged
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Contract CallsParker Washington
Parker Washington to sign for $29M+ a year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Contract CallsQuenton NelsonIndianapolis Colts
Quenton Nelson to become the highest-paid at his position
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
7Trade and Signing CallsRiley Moss
Riley Moss to move — “contract claim: three years, $60 million ($20 million per year) should be his salary floor in free agency next March”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
8Contract CallsPuka NacuaLos Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua to be franchise-tagged by Los Angeles Rams
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.Bryan DeArdo · Trade and Signing Calls · Joey Porter Jr. · Miss 0
The piece predicts Joey Porter Jr. most likely stays with the Steelers through 2026, while listing possible trade destinations if they were moved.
More contract calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Spencer German · Contract Calls · Jared Verse · Waiting
Picked Houston to beat Cleveland in Week 10 by a final score of 24-20, expecting a one-score game decided by the Texans' pass rush overwhelming a struggling Browns offensive line. Also suggested that a strong second half from Jared Verse would lead the Browns to pick up the fifth-year option.John Middlekauff · Contract Calls · C.J. Stroud · Waiting
Middlekauff previewed Week 11, projecting the Commanders to finish with six or seven wins and the Giants with eight or nine, naming four AFC teams as playoff locks, and picking the Chiefs, Texans, Steelers and 49ers to win their games. Also predicted a top-15 draft slot for Charlie Becker and an eventual big contract for C.J. Stroud if the Texans finish strong.Tom Pelissero · Contract Calls · C.J. Stroud · Waiting
Pelissero picked the Jaguars as the AFC team to like most, said Lamar Jackson will not be cut or traded by Baltimore, and argued C.J. Stroud is heading for a contract that would make him the league's highest-paid quarterback at around $65 million per year.Nate Gosney · Contract Calls · Daiyan Henley · Waiting
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Zack Kelberman · Contract Calls · Ja'Quan McMillian · Waiting
Kelberman expects Talanoa Hufanga to return from their ankle injury for Denver's post-bye home game against the Raiders, and predicts the Broncos will use their newly created cap space to sign slot cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian to an extension in the coming days.