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ESPN 2026 Rankings: Warner leads, Al-Shaair, Simmons ink deals

7/14/2026

25 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

ESPN issued its 2026 NFL rankings on July 14, 2026, with top-10 lists for 11 spots.
Warner (29) led off-ball linebackers with ~70% first-place votes despite a six-game ankle injury.
Al-Shaair (28) signed a three-year, $54 million deal, posting nine passes defended, two interceptions and 100 tackles.
Simmons (25) earned a three-year, $105.8 million extension after 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.

History

Historical Context

After a July 25, 2011 lockout, the NFL and NFLPA signed a new collective bargaining agreement on August 5, 2011 that lifted the salary cap to $120.375 million and raised players’ revenue share to roughly 48 percent. The increase let teams like the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys spend more on defensive talent, shaping current CBA talks on revenue sharing and salary ceilings.

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Story summary

ESPN issued its 2026 NFL rankings on July 14, 2026, with top-10 lists for 11 spots.
Warner (29) led off-ball linebackers with ~70% first-place votes despite a six-game ankle injury.
Al-Shaair (28) signed a three-year, $54 million deal, posting nine passes defended, two interceptions and 100 tackles.
Simmons (25) earned a three-year, $105.8 million extension after 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.

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