Grading the offseason for all 32 NFL teams

Arizona made multiple big additions on defense, led by Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Calais Campbell. The additions up front, along with first-round pick Walter Nolen, should pay immediate dividends in an NFC West division that appears more wide open than usual this season. The Cardinals were also able to lock up star tight end Trey McBride, and they’re clearly counting on Marvin Harrison Jr. to make a leap forward.

Taking advantage of a rookie contract at quarterback is key, but the Falcons don’t exactly have their luxury after paying now backup Kirk Cousins last offseason. Most of the young offensive core around Michael Penix Jr. returns, but it remains to be seen if the additions of veterans Leonard Floyd and Morgan Fox, along with rookie first-rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., are enough to fix a weak pass rush.

Baltimore wasn’t able to make the big offseason splash they did last year when they signed Derrick Henry, but cornerback Jaire Alexander has the upside to be impactful on defense if he can stay healthy. The team further shored up their secondary with first-round safety Malaki Starks, and gave their young wideouts a veteran to lean on with DeAndre Hopkins. Re-signing key pieces Ronnie Stanley, Rashod Bateman, and Henry should also help keep Baltimore in contention.

Buffalo continues to come up short in the playoffs, but their difference-making offseason additions could finally get them over the hump. Former Chargers star Joey Bosa has gone east, effectively replacing Von Miller, and the team also brought back cornerback Tre’Davious White after one year away. interior lineman Larry Ogunjobi was also an astute add. The additions of wideouts Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore shore up depth while Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir continue to develop, and keeping stars Josh Allen, James Cook, Greg Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, and Christian Benford happy in their new contracts shouldn’t be overlooked.

The Panthers haven’t had the draft capital to surround Bryce Young with as much talent as they’d like until this offseason, when they spent a first-round pick on Tetairoa McMillan. They spent most of their free agent money on defense, including Tershawn Wharton, Tre’Von Moehrig, Patrick Jones, and Bobby Brown. Those additions could help him mesh with Jaycee Horn, Derrick Brown, and company, but should go a long way in getting the unit on track.

The Bears’ offseason started with the home run hire of Ben Johnson, but the wins didn’t stop there. The team successfully revamped their offensive line with former All-Pro Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman. The offense was further strengthened in the draft with Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and Ozzy Tapilo, while the defense also added notable veterans Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo, along with second-round pick Shemar Turner. Quarterback Caleb Williams is far better set up for success than he was last year.

Cincy’s defense took a big fall over the last two years and had almost no choice but to move on from coordinator Lou Anarumo. However, adding Notre Dame DC Al Golden to run the defense was an unorthodox move with his lack of NFL experience in the position. The team lost more than they added on that side of the ball, including Sam Hubbard, Sheldon Rankins, Germaine Pratt, and Mike Hilton, and has been fighting with star Trey Hendrickson over his contract for most of the offseason. The hope is that draftees Shemar Stewart and Demetrius Knight can make an immediate impact, but there isn’t much reason for optimism.

Deshaun Watson has effectively handicapped the Browns franchise, setting them back years in draft capital, money, and performance. They made the most of a bad situation, adding rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders as possible heirs to veteran Joe Flacco. They also replaced former franchise player Nick Chubb with rookie backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. After making Myles Garrett happy with his contract again, Cleveland was mostly quiet on defense, but did spend on defensive linemen Maliek Collins and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. They should help rookies Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger develop.

The promotion of Brian Schottenheimer to head coach was considered a head-scratcher by many, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt. The team gave him some strong offensive weapons to work with, led by George Pickens and first-round guard Tyler Booker. Dallas has gone on the cheap at running back again with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, but there’s upside piggybacking them with late-round rookies. The painful loss of DeMarcus Lawrence is lessened by the return of Dante Fowler and the addition of Kenneth Murray, but remaining in a holding pattern with Micah Parsons over his contract could negate an otherwise prosperous offseason.

Sean Payton was hoping to capitalize on Bo Nix’s rookie contract and a big jump in performance from his squad last season. He did that with the addition of tight end Evan Engram and impact defensive additions Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga. Denver further strengthened their secondary with first-round pick Jahdae Barron, and the running game could see an upgrade with rookie R.J. Harvey alongside veteran J.K. Dobbins.

After a soul-crushing playoff defeat, the Lions took two more big losses with coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn being hired as head coaches. Dan Campbell moves on with his talented roster despite losing key offensive linemen Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler. The team could hang its hat on the defensive additions of D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin, helping complete the secondary. Adding first-round pick Tyleik Williams up front to a healthy Aidan Hutchinson will hopefully get the pass rush on track.

Green Bay’s big offseason moves were few but very impactful, signing guard Aaron Banks to a big free agent contract and adding rookie wideouts Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. Golden has made plenty of noise already in training camp, as Jordan Love tries to take the next leap forward. The Pack moved on from oft-injured corner Jaire Alexander, replacing him with Nate Hobbs.

A poor offensive line and stale play calling caused some regression in Houston last season. The team addressed both areas, making a change at coordinator and adding three new starting offensive linemen (Cam Robinson, Laken Tomlinson, Aireontae Ersery). With Tank Dell sidelined, the wideout additions also shouldn’t be overlooked with Christian Kirk and two early draft picks. There was money left over for the defense, as well, with proven veterans Sheldon Rankins, Darrell Taylor, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson now in the fold.

The Colts certainly needed to add quarterback competition, and Daniel Jones arguably has the most upside in the short term this offseason. While the team’s other veteran additions were limited, Indianapolis spent big money on Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum to fix the secondary. Adding first-round tight end Tyler Warren as a potential outlet receiver on top of the wideout core was also a solid move.

Offseason rehauls are all too common in Jacksonville, with an organization synonymous with losing. The team hopes they got this one right, led by new head coach Liam Coen, two new starters on the offensive line (Robert Hainsey and Patrick Mekari), and wideout Dyami Brown. Of course, the most high-profile addition was No. 2 overall draft choice Travis Hunter, a potential game changer for the team and the league as a two-way player. The secondary got a much-needed boost with free agents Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray.

The Chiefs fell short in the Super Bowl largely due to poor pass protection. While they traded away former All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, buying low on first-round tackle Josh Simmons is already looking like it will pay dividends. The team also did well to lock up Trey Smith, George Karlaftis, and Nick Bolton, while bringing back Kareem Hunt, Hollywood Brown, and Charles Omenihu. The big free agent addition was cornerback Kristian Fulton, adding coverage depth to make up for losing Justin Reid.

The Raiders needed a quick bounce back to relevance with high-profile head coaches Andy Reid, Sean Payton, and Jim Harbaugh in the division. Pete Carroll does that instantly, and the team acquired Geno Smith to give the offense some stability. The defense was rebuilt with at least five new veteran starters ( Germaine Pratt, Elandon Roberts, Devin White, Eric Stokes, Jeremy Chinn), though losing Nate Hobbs and Tre’von Moehrig could hurt. The most impactful long-term addition could be first-rounder Ashton Jeanty, who has the dynamic ability to transform the offense at running back.

The Chargers did more buying than last offseason, with their cap situation in a better situation. While they opted to keep Khalil Mack but not long-time star Joey Bosa, the team signed Da’Shawn Hand and Donte Jackson on defense while shoring up the offense with guard Mekhi Becton and the return of Keenan Allen. First-round running back Omarion Hampton could allow the run-heavy offense under Greg Roman to lean on the ground game even more this season.

The Rams’ offseason represents an effort to make one more run with the current core, as Matthew Stafford makes his return. Out is Cooper Kupp, but he’s been replaced by star Davante Adams on a two-year deal. The offensive line depth was strengthened with Coleman Shelton and D.J. Humphries, while the front seven could see nice veteran boosts with Poona Ford and Nate Landman. Stafford’s barking back in training camp threatens the team’s plans to run it back, however.

Injuries were a significant cause of last year’s struggles in Miami, but changes were needed. The team has two new offensive line starters, led by guard James Daniels, and brought Darren Waller out of retirement. The secondary is completely obliterated with four new starters, led by Minkah Fitzpatrick. It’s a massive risk, but a youth movement was needed after Jalen Ramsey and company slowed down last season. For all the moves, getting Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill back to their 2023 levels should have the biggest impact on this year’s success.

The biggest question coming out of the 2024 season was Sam Darnold’s status. With J.J. McCarthy back, the team moved on from Darnold and reinvested those funds into Josh Oliver, Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and more. Minnesota also selected guard Donovan Jackson in the first round, thereby completely rebuilding the interior of their offensive line. If championship teams are built up front, the Vikings did what they needed to put themselves in position.

Credit the Patriots for hiring Mike Vrabel when the opportunity presented and for making bold personnel additions that could put the team back in contention. The offensive line is set to have four new starters, led by rookie Will Campbell, and Drake Maye has some nice new weapons with rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson and wideout Stefon Diggs. They spent even more money on defense, including big contracts for Milton Williams, Harold Landry, and Carlton Davis. New England couldn’t have done much more to maximize Maye’s rookie contract window.

The Saints have aged quickly, and haven’t done much to reverse that trend. They spent big money to retain Juwan Johnson and Chase Young, and added other veterans like Brandin Cooks, Davon Godchaux, Isaac Yiadom, Justin Reid, and Julian Blackmon to the fold. With the retirement of Derek Carr, there were huge questions at quarterback that haven’t been adequately addressed with a combo of Spencer Rattler and second-round pick Tyler Shough. It could be a long season for new head coach Kellen Moore.

GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll entered the offseason in a very tough spot after another disappointing season. Addressing quarterback was the highest priority, but the team might have gone a bit overboard paying both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston before selecting Jaxson Dart in the first round. New York did very little to surround the quarterbacks with more talent on offense, instead opting to spend resources on defense with Paulson Adebo, Jevon Holland, Chauncey Golston, Roy Robertson-Harris, and first-round pick Abdul Carter. The roster looks better than 2025, but probably not enough to make a serious run this season.

The end of the Aaron Rodgers era sparked the Jets to make a clean slate. The big results of their offseason were the hire of Aaron Glenn and the signing of Justin Fields. It remains to be seen if Fields has it in him to be the long-term answer at quarterback, and the rest of the team’s free agent additions were complementary, like Josh Reynolds, Brandon Stephens, and Andre Cisco. Credit to the front office for realizing this rebuild will take time, but impatient fans are likely to see more of the same in the near future.

There’s usually a purge of free agents from championship rosters, and the Eagles weren’t an exception, losing Milton Williams, Darius Slay, Josh Sweat, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Mekhi Becton, among others. It’s a compliment to Howie Roseman that he’s drafted well enough to replace most of those players in-house. The team was able to lock up Saquon Barkley, Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens, and Zack Baun, and see huge upside with first-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell.

Tired of falling short in the playoffs, the Steelers made an effort to go all-in this offseason with a long list of veteran additions led by Aaron Rodgers. The other big veteran additions include D.K. Metcalf, Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey, Juan Thornhill, and Chuck Clark, while the team moved on from the likes of George Pickens, Najee Harris, James Daniels, Larry Ogunjobi, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Keeping T.J. Watt happy with a contract extension was also an offseason headliner. Fans have reason to watch with this new group, but it’s unclear if the team is actually improved with a 41-year-old quarterback leading the way.

The 49ers knew the day would come when they would need to pay Brock Purdy and suffer the consequences to their roster elsewhere. That time came this offseason, and San Francisco lost a long list of impact players, including Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, and Talanoa Hufanga. The pressure is on the players the team could afford, including Demarcus Robinson, Bryce Huff, and Jason Pinnock, as well as a defense-loaded draft led by Mykel Williams.

The Seahawks opted to upgrade at quarterback, signing Sam Darnold for big money and moving on from Geno Smith. It’s a bold risk worth taking for a franchise with Super Bowl aspirations. Of course, losing D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett won’t help that effort, but the Seahawks were able to sign Cooper Kupp. De Marcus Lawrence is another risky upside signing on a defense that looks loaded on paper.

Tampa Bay made minimal changes to an offense that broke out last season, though replacing coordinator Liam Coen could be difficult. First-round pick Emeka Egbuka addresses long-term concerns for Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, making the rich even richer in the immediate future. The defense replaced Joe Tryon-Shoyinka with Haason Reddick, a veteran with something to prove. Elsewhere, the secondary filled holes in the draft with Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, putting a lot of pressure on their rookies to perform.

Tennessee addressed its front office again by adding Mike Borgonzi, and he hit the ground running. Drafting Cameron Ward first overall was the most impactful long-term move, and he tried to put the young quarterback in position to succeed by signing veterans Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson, Kevin Zeitler, and Dan Moore. The recent fall of the defense was also addressed by signing veterans Dre’Mont Jones, Cody Barton, and Xavier Woods.

Washington was the breakout team if 2024 with the emergence of Jayden Daniels, and the Commanders made a splash to keep moving forward. Adding left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wideout Deebo Samuel via trades instantly improves the offense, and the team further helped the offensive line in the draft (Josh Conerly Jr.). The defense also got better with big free agent signing Javon Kinlaw, as well as veteran role players Von Miller and Will Harris. The losses of Jonathan Allen and multiple starters in the secondary are worth watching, along with Terry McLaurin’s contract situation.