Across the NFL Dynasty League, GMs are pacing floors, checking cap sheets, fielding trade offers, and whispering sweet nothings to their future franchise cornerstones. Meanwhile, agents (and managers) are shouting one thing and one thing only:
This is more than fantasy football. It’s contract season — a nerve-wracking, cap-shattering stretch that defines dynasties, breaks contenders, and flips the entire power balance on its head.
Some players stay. Others walk. A few get franchised, while others become the centerpieces in blockbuster trades. No GM is safe. No team is immune. Every dollar counts, and every decision echoes into the fall.
Without further ado, let’s start with the NFC teams for the 2025–2026 season. These teams were grouped because of their poor performance during the 2024–2025 campaign.
And yet, fantasy mirrored reality — in a twist of irony, the fantasy Super Bowl played out much like the NFL’s: with a team from the “weaker” NFC conference hoisting the Lombardi. Could we be heading toward another surprise surge from the NFC in 2025?
We might just be one step closer to finding out.
Ale’s Club (6–8, 11th Place)
Ale’s Club is operating a top-heavy, star-driven offense with Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey eating up a combined ~68% of the team’s salary cap. With so much money committed to their backfield, every remaining dollar counts — and that pressure showed in their contract decisions.
This offseason, Ale’s Club faced expiring deals on:
- Travis Kelce – $45
- Matthew Stafford – $13
- Khalil Shakir – $3
The only player they chose to retain? Khalil Shakir, locking him into an initial contract at $3 for 4 years.
Shakir made a clear leap in 2024, commanding 100 targets, hauling in 76 receptions for 821 yards and 4 touchdowns. As the No. 1 option in a Josh Allen-led offense, there’s reason to believe even more growth is coming. If Shakir can push into the 120–140 target range, break the 1,000-yard barrier, and double his touchdowns to 8, this contract becomes one of the best bargains in the league.
Is Ale’s Club betting wisely by going cheap on the WR room and letting Kelce and Stafford walk? Or will this strategy leave them too shallow behind their expensive RB duo?
BallSoHardUniversity (4–10, 15th Place)
Despite a forgettable season, BallSoHardUniversity isn’t short on talent. With DeVonta Smith, Brandon Aiyuk, Breece Hall, and Dalton Kincaid locked into contracts that account for 56% of the salary cap, the foundation is solid — but the depth? That’s still in question.
Here were the expiring contracts heading into the offseason:
- Diontae Johnson – $21
- Jaylen Warren – $21
- Devin Singletary – $16
- Jayden Reed – $10
- Geno Smith – $2
After a disappointing 2024, Diontae Johnson and Devin Singletary were shown the door early — reportedly told not to return to the facility. Meanwhile, Geno Smith quietly turned heads with his efficiency, Jayden Reed flashed in what’s shaping up to be a high-powered Green Bay offense, and Jaylen Warren continued to earn trust with every touch.
All three were brought back on short-term, “prove-it” deals, a clear sign that BallSoHard is using 2025 as a cap management year while evaluating which of these players could be long-term pieces.
Will the gamble on upside over proven production pay off? Or is this just a soft reset before a full rebuild kicks in?
Blackup (4–10, 16th Place)
Blackup enters the 2025 offseason with Travis Etienne, Jaylen Waddle, and Tee Higgins locked in — a trio that consumes 38% of the salary cap and perfectly embodies the boom-or-bust nature of this roster. It’s a dream for best ball formats, but in weekly lineups, it screams volatility. What’s missing is consistency — a steady hand to balance the fireworks.
Here were the expiring contract decisions:
- Brian Robinson Jr. – $23
- C.J. Stroud – $48
- Antonio Gibson – $3
- Taysom Hill – $1
Unlike fellow bottom-feeder BallSoHardUniversity, Blackup chose the minimalist route, letting go of all major contracts and only retaining the league’s most enigmatic chess piece: Taysom Hill.
Hill — somehow still labeled a tight end despite playing running back, quarterback, and maybe even security guard on the side — stays on a $1 contract, offering maximum chaos at minimum cost. If he gets a handful of those signature goal-line QB power touches, it’s an easy win.
Is Blackup wise to lean into the madness with upside plays like Hill — or will letting C.J. Stroud walk come back to haunt them in a quarterback-starved league?
Catch These Hands (6–8, 12th Place)
Catch These Hands (CTH) walks into 2025 with David Njoku, George Pickens, Justin Herbert, and Terry McLaurin under contract — a core absorbing 61% of the cap and loaded with both talent and volatility.
But of course, the real fireworks came from this year’s contract decisions:
- Calvin Ridley – $15
- Bo Nix – $1
- Justin Tucker – $11
- Nick Chubb – $36
- Aaron Jones – $40
- Courtland Sutton – $5 (Traded)
- Cleveland – $3
No team stirs more chaos and controversy than CTH — and this offseason was no different.
Their blockbuster deal sending Calvin Ridley and Nick Chubb to Unstoppable for Kyren Williams raised eyebrows league-wide. But while some questioned the move, CTH finds solace knowing they didn’t hand Unstoppable a championship. With Chubb effectively out of the league, and Ridley putting up a sneaky-good 2024 (120 targets, 1,017 yards, 4 TDs), there’s reason to believe the gamble still has upside.
CTH also flipped Courtland Sutton in a trade we’ll circle back to later — though holding Bo Nix’s top weapon might prove to be a power play. Speaking of Bo, CTH gave him a record-breaking 5-year deal after the rookie QB silenced his doubters and proved he belongs.
The only sour note? Aaron Jones. Whether keeping him or flipping him in a sign-and-trade, CTH missed the window — a move even they admit in hindsight was a Killa Mistake.
Will the bold bet on Ridley and Bo Nix prove to be a foundation for a comeback — or will the missed opportunities define another season of “what ifs”?
Clobberknockers (Missed Playoffs by <15 Points)
Coming off a heartbreaking end to the 2024 season, Clobberknockers missed the playoffs by fewer than 15 total points — a razor-thin margin that guarantees plenty of film study and second-guessing this offseason.
With Jonathan Taylor as the lone player under contract, eating up ~34% of the salary cap, the front office had major flexibility — and pressure — heading into free agency.
Here were the expiring deals:
- Justice Hill – $1
- Tyler Lockett – $7
- Amari Cooper – $43
- Dallas Goedert – $8
- J.K. Dobbins – $9
- Kansas City Defense – $2
When the dust settled, only J.K. Dobbins was brought back — rewarded with a “prove-it” deal after a quiet resurgence in 2024 where he posted over 1,000 total yards and 9 touchdowns. A straightforward decision for a back trending in the right direction.
The rest? Let go — including some big names.
Amari Cooper, once a WR1 staple, was shown the door. Despite playing 14 games, he mustered just 85 targets and 547 receiving yards — a season that was worse than expected when reviewed in full. The front office didn’t blink at the $43 price tag — they moved on.
Is Cooper simply washed… or was 2024 just a cold streak in an otherwise reliable career?
Killanomics: Killa Season (6–8, 10th Place)
The energy inside the Killanomics locker room? Volcanic. The embarrassment of missing the playoffs — again — was only rivaled by the Bills’ real-life collapse. But the franchise returns renewed and refocused, fresh off a mindfulness retreat and ready for vengeance. It’s not just football anymore…
It’s Killa Season.
With Garrett Wilson already locked in and the Sonic & Knuckles backfield (Montgomery and Gibbs) acquired via trade, Killanomics enters 2025 with 47% of the cap already spoken for.
Here were the players facing contract decisions:
- Trevor Lawrence – $14
- Rico Dowdle – $4
- Hollywood Brown – $21
- Lamar Jackson – $48
- Tyler Allgeier – $4
The Sonic & Knuckles combo made it easier to roll the dice again on Rico Dowdle, who quietly crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career — a sneaky value add.
Hollywood Brown, on the other hand, flamed out. The long-awaited connection with Mahomes never materialized, and he showed little chemistry or reliability. Tyler Allgeier was close to staying, but with three RB spots already spoken for, roster flexibility won out.
The big winner? Lamar Jackson. The real-life MVP was an easy call for a return — one of the top QBs in fantasyand the engine of this offense. With McConkey and Wilson forming a lethal WR duo, and Lamar-to-Bowers forming a potential cheat code stack, this squad is scary on paper.
But not all is settled.
Can Dowdle deliver flex value again? Will Polk get meaningful snaps? Or will Killanomics use the remaining $55 in cap space to unleash one last major move?
The Lucky Sheriffs (5–9, 14th Place)
The Lucky Sheriffs entered 2024 in full rebuild mode, but it wasn’t without intention. With a loaded six-pick haul in the 2025 draft, the front office laid groundwork for a future turnaround.
Heading into free agency, the Sheriffs already had a promising young core under contract:
- Anthony Richardson
- Drake London (acquired in what remains one of Killa’s most painful trades — for Isiah Pacheco)
- Chris Olave
- George Kittle (via offseason trade)
This group eats up 49% of the team’s salary cap, giving the roster a blend of youth, upside, and positional flexibility.
Here were the contract decisions facing the front office:
- Jaleel McLaughlin – $1
- Zamir White – $31
- Zack Moss – $16
- Josh Downs – $4 (Traded)
- Michael Wilson – $1
- Pat Freiermuth – $9
In the end, the Sheriff came down ruthless. Every one of these players was let go or traded, clearing house with no hesitation. The message was loud and clear: mediocrity isn’t tolerated. Whether due to underperformance, locker room vibes, or just a need for fresh blood, this GM drew a hard line and reset the board.
But now the clock starts ticking — is this team still a season away from contention, or are the Lucky Sheriffs about to ride into the fire and start swinging in 2025?
Conclusion: NFC’s Contracts Are In — But the Story Is Just Beginning
The first wave of contract decisions is in the books, and the NFC — or rather, the teams that missed the dance in 2024 — have officially made their moves.
Some front offices doubled down on youth. Others pressed reset. A few made quiet bets that could age into brilliance — or flame out in spectacular fashion. That’s the thing about this time of year: the cap doesn’t care about your feelings, and sentiment never wins championships.
Whether you’re cleaning house like The Lucky Sheriffs, betting on chaos like Blackup, or chasing redemption like Killanomics… every dollar spent this offseason echoes into the fall.
But this is just half the story.
Coming up next: we shift our focus to the AFC contenders and playoff hopefuls — where pressure meets expectation, and every contract call could tip the title race.
Stay tuned for the AFC breakdown — because if you thought the NFC decisions were dramatic, just wait. 🏈🔥
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