The NFL regular season is officially here. The Seattle Seahawks play the New England Patriots on Wednesday night. Starting with this game and continuing through the rest of Week 1, we will receive early returns on the biggest offseason moves.New veteran players on new teams can often have profound impacts. The Seahawks and Patriots were clear examples of this in 2025. The Seahawks signed quarterback Sam Darnold, edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and receiver Cooper Kupp. The Patriots signed defensive lineman Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis, receiver Stefon Diggs and offensive tackle Morgan Moses. All seven of those players filled key roles on Super Bowl runs.They were some of the veteran additions who moved the needle in 2025. Who will be those needle-movers in 2026?Here are 10 candidates, from free-agent splashes to trade acquisitions.Who are the top NFL free agency pickupsDaniel Popper and Lauren Morales-JonesMyles Garrett, edge, Los Angeles RamsGarrett is one of the best players in football, and he joins a Rams defense that already featured an elite pass rush in 2025. The Rams created pressure on more than 41 percent of opposing dropbacks last season, a rate that ranked fourth in the league, according to TruMedia. They return several ascending young players along their front, including edge rusher Byron Young and interior defensive linemen Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. Future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald is back on the roster after coming out of retirement, although he won’t play in the season opener in Australia. Game-planning for this pass rush will be nightmare fuel for opposing offenses. The Rams were one win away from the Super Bowl in 2025. Their offseason, led by the Garrett trade, has understandably made them the odds-on favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this season.Dexter Lawrence, DL, Cincinnati BengalsThe Bengals were poor on defense last season under first-year coordinator Al Golden. They finished 29th in expected points added per play on that side of the ball, according to TruMedia. The Bengals invested significantly on defense through the offseason. The headline move was trading the No. 10 pick in the draft for Lawrence, one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the league. Lawrence was not as impactful as a run defender in 2025. But entering his age-29 season, Lawrence remains a powerful, game-changing talent. He is a matchup advantage as a pass rusher in any one-on-one situation. He creates opportunities for other rushers because of the attention he garners. The Bengals took other big swings on defense, including signing safety Bryan Cook and edge rusher Boye Mafe in free agency. Lawrence is poised to be the centerpiece of Cincinnati’s defensive improvement.A.J. Brown, WR, New England PatriotsBrown reunites with coach Mike Vrabel after the Patriots dealt a first-round pick and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in June. Brown, of course, played for Vrabel in his first three NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans. Brown and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye are a fascinating pairing.In his breakout season in 2025, Maye showed that one of his quarterbacking superpowers is throwing over the middle of the field. He led all NFL quarterbacks in EPA per dropback on throws between the numbers, according to TruMedia. Brown’s production in this area of the field dissipated over his time in Philadelphia. That was at least partly related to quarterback play. Last season, Jalen Hurts only averaged 10.1 pass attempts per game between the numbers, a rate that ranked 32nd out of 33 qualified quarterbacks, according to TruMedia. Brown playing with Maye, a quarterback who thrives throwing in the middle of the field, could reignite this facet of his game. And, by extension, elevate a Patriots passing game that was already one of the best in the league in 2025.Could AJ Brown help New England Patriots return to Super Bowl?Robert Mays and Derrik KlassenTyler Linderbaum, C, Las Vegas RaidersThe Raiders shattered the top of the center market in March when they signed Linderbaum to a deal worth $27 million in annual value. Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey was previously at the top of the market at $18 million AAV. Resetting a market this aggressively is rare and risky. But Linderbaum can still have a dramatic impact on the Raiders’ offense even if he does not necessarily live up to his paradigm-shifting contract. Linderbaum’s athleticism should be an excellent fit in coach Klint Kubiak’s scheme. Having an experienced center will be monumental for rookie Fernando Mendoza when the No. 1 pick gets his chance to start this season.A recent comparable example: The Los Angeles Chargers signed center Corey Linsley in free agency in 2021. Justin Herbert went on to have his best season. He was pressured at the lowest rate of his career. Linsley had a compounding effect on the offense. Linderbaum could accomplish the same in Las Vegas.Even if he doesn’t live up to his huge contract, Tyler Linderbaum will significantly improve the Raiders offensive line. (Troy Taormina / Imagn Images)Kenneth Walker, RB, Kansas City ChiefsA more explosive, dangerous running game will be important for the Chiefs as quarterback Patrick Mahomes returns from a season-ending knee injury. The Chiefs have lacked that element in recent seasons. In 2024 and 2025, the Chiefs had just 27 runs of 12 or more yards on designed rushes, according to TruMedia. That was the lowest total in the league over that span. Last season for the Seahawks, including the playoffs, Walker had 28 such runs by himself. The Chiefs did not make any significant changes to their pass-catching group. Walker is the piece that could liven up a Chiefs offense that felt anemic at times in 2025, even before Mahomes got hurt.Trent McDuffie, CB, Los Angeles RamsMcDuffie was the first star piece the Rams added to their defense via the trade market this offseason. In March, the Rams sent four picks, including the No. 29 pick in the 2026 draft, to the Chiefs for McDuffie. They then signed him to a long-term extension. This was one step in the Rams’ overhaul of their cornerback room for this season. They also signed Jaylen Watson, another former Chief, to a sizable contract in free agency. McDuffie offers elite play at both nickel and outside cornerback. It will be interesting to see exactly how the Rams decide to deploy him.Kyler Murray, QB, Minnesota VikingsThe Vikings signed Murray to a veteran minimum contract in March after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals. Murray then won the starting quarterback job over 2024 top-10 pick J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings are coming off a disappointing 9-8 finish in 2025. Quarterback play was a glaring issue. Murray has immense arm talent. He is a gifted scrambler and off-script playmaker. His biggest problems in Arizona came when trying to play within the timing and rhythm of the offense. At times, Murray lacked the necessary anticipation. He sprayed throws at times. Can Kevin O’Connell’s offensive framework and structure alleviate some of these weaknesses? I am very intrigued by the Murray-O’Connell partnership.Why the Vikings made Kyler Murray their starting QBAlec LewisAlontae Taylor, CB, Tennessee TitansThe Titans were a disaster in 2025. They started 1-5 before firing coach Brian Callahan. They finished 3-14. The Titans then hired Robert Saleh as their new coach. The Titans spent big in free agency on both sides of the ball. The defense is considerably more talented, and Saleh is a proven commodity as far as building quality units both as a head coach and coordinator.The Titans signed Taylor to a deal worth $19.3 million in average annual value. I think he could be the driving force in a turnaround for a Titans defense that finished 27th in defensive EPA per dropback in 2025. Taylor has the skills to play tight press-man coverage on the outside. He is also a disruptive run defender, which allowed him to play nickel for the New Orleans Saints last season. Taylor is the type of cornerback you can build a defense around.Reed Blankenship, S, Houston TexansBlankenship entered free agency coming off a down year with the Eagles. The Texans signed him to a deal worth $8.25 million in average annual value. At least part of Blankenship’s performance in 2025 was related to a rotating cast at the second safety spot. He should not have that same issue in Houston as he joins a defense that includes safety Calen Bullock. The Texans also have one of the best cornerback groups in the league with outside corners Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter and nickel Jalen Pitre. The Texans already had one of the best defenses in the league last season. Blankenship fills a spot that was not entirely solidified in 2025. He could be the piece that pushes the Texans from elite to generational on that side of the ball.Trey Hendrickson, edge, Baltimore RavensThe Ravens pivoted to Hendrickson in free agency after the Maxx Crosby trade fell through. Hendrickson is coming off a core-muscle injury that ended his 2025 season. He turned 31 in December. When healthy, Hendrickson is one of the best pass rushers in the league. Jesse Minter took over as coach this season. His time as defensive coordinator with the Chargers proved that he needs three quality edge rushers to fully maximize his scheme. The Ravens are now building toward that with Hendrickson, Mike Green and rookie Zion Young. The Ravens have not had an edge rusher of Hendrickson’s caliber in years. I think he will thrive in Minter’s system. The Ravens were a middle-of-the-pack defense in 2025, finishing 15th in EPA per play.