With the bulk of the acquisition period complete, it’s time to take a look at all 32 teams and the progress they made this offseason. Check out who rises and who falls in a special edition of WCG’s NFL Power Rankings.
Now that the bulk of the offseason’s acquisition period is in the rearview mirror, this is a great time to rewind to the last few months of action. Among all professional sports, the NFL is among the most balanced in terms of parity. A significant reason for this is free agency and the unpredictability of the drafting process. Although the free agent market isn’t what it used to be, a considerable amount of talent shifts from team to team each year.
As offseason programs wind down and teams brace for a long summer of training camp starting at the end of July, let’s dive into how much each team has changed since the end of the regular season.
Months after winning the Super Bowl, the Eagles had their roster raided in free agency. Defensive linemen Milton Williams and Josh Sweat received deals over $19 million, while Mekhi Becton and Isaiah Rodgers were priced out of Philadelphia on the market. The good news is that the Eagles have plenty of top-end talent and were able to replenish their roster with a strong draft class. Until further notice, they are the NFC favorites and are strong enough in the trenches to beat anyone, including the Chiefs again.
Biggest Gain: LB Jihad Campbell
Biggest Loss: DE Josh Sweat
After being thoroughly dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage in February’s Super Bowl, the primary focus of the offseason has been on the offensive line. The Chiefs surprised most when they franchise-tagged right guard Trey Smith. It led to them trading away All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to maintain flexibility in the free agency market. Assuming he’s healthy, Josh Simmons should beat out Jaylon Moore for the left tackle spot, which could force a move inside to guard for Moore after signing a two-year, $30 million contract early in free agency. At the very least, the Chiefs should have more depth along the offensive line.
Biggest Gain: OL Jaylon Moore
Biggest Loss: LG Joe Thuney
Despite having one of the league’s most talented rosters, the Bills’ inability to get over the hump against the Chiefs in the playoffs is a huge problem. The offense could use another top-end receiving option, but general manager Brandon Beane was tired of seeing the defense lay an egg when it mattered the most. With a bolstered defensive front and plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, is 2025 finally the year they can break through to a Super Bowl bid?
Biggest Gain: CB Maxwell Hairston
Biggest Loss: WR Amari Cooper
Following a disappointing one-and-done in the playoffs, the Lions lost both coordinators to head coaching jobs and some additional assistants. From a roster standpoint, this group is still built to win, but it’s easy to wonder how much these coaching changes will impact the team in a deep division. Detroit added more to both sides of the trenches while effectively swapping out Carlton Davis for D.J. Reed in free agency. The biggest remaining question on this roster is at edge rusher, opposite Aiden Hutchinson, who will return from a torn ACL.
Biggest Gain: CB D.J. Reed
Biggest Loss: iOL Kevin Zeitler
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Labeling the Commanders as a “Surprise Team” last year doesn’t come close to accurately describing just how impressive their run in 2024 was. Quarterback Jayden Daniels looked like a Top 5 quarterback, and the new coaching staff did an outstanding job of getting the most out of a roster that appeared to be below-average on paper. Washington spent the offseason addressing weaknesses while adding to positions of strength. Deebo Samuel should be a fun addition to the offense, and Tunsil should significantly improve their offensive line. Another edge rusher remains their most significant need, but this team is primed for another playoff run.
Biggest Gain: LT Laremy Tunsil
Biggest Loss: DE Dante Fowler
Year in and year out, the Ravens remain one of the more stable franchises in the league. Their free agent approach is always innovative and tends to cut ties with players at the right time. So far, it has been more of the same this season. Instead of overpaying utility players like Patrick Mekari, etc., they let them walk in free agency and rely on the draft to add the bulk of their talent. Adding Chidobe Awuzie was a typical Ravens move that won’t factor into their compensatory formula. Baltimore looks like the odds-on favorite to win the AFC North once again.
Biggest Gain: DE Mike Green
Biggest Loss: OL Patrick Mekari
After a brutal start to last season, it would have been easy for the Rams to pack it in and rebuild on the fly this offseason. Instead, they stayed the course and ultimately made the playoffs. Despite their injuries and slow start, it’s a testament to the quality of Sean McVay’s coaching that they were able to turn things around and make the playoffs. With a young, ascending defense and plenty of weapons on offense, it’s easy to see why many have the Rams as favorites to win the West again in 2025. We’ll see how things go after effectively swapping Davante Adams for Cooper Kupp as their big free agent move.
Biggest Gain: WR Davante Adams
Biggest Loss: WR Cooper Kupp
Coming into the offseason, Denver’s primary focus was to add additional pieces to the offense. Both tight end and running back were priorities, and many speculated they would add to both groups early in the draft. Following the addition of Evan Engram in free agency, running back became the top priority. Instead of taking Omarion Hampton at No. 20, they went with defense, selecting Jahdae Barron. The Broncos surprised some when they took R.J. Harvey in the second round, but the organization seems thrilled to have him after an early run in the second round at the position. The defense is stacked, and if Bo Nix can build on an impressive rookie year, this team could push the Chiefs for first place in the AFC West.
Biggest Gain:S Talanoa Hufanga
Biggest Loss: LB Cody Barton
Count me among the many people who had the Vikings winning fewer than seven games last year. Usually, when a team drafts a quarterback in the Top 10 and they miss the entire season, it’s a disaster. It allowed Minnesota to give Sam Darnold the whole year to impress and sign a big contract elsewhere this offseason. The good news for the Vikings is that they’ll receive a 2026 3rd-round compensatory pick for Darnold’s departure. The even better news is that they have a young quarterback with plenty of tools, and one of the best offensive minds in football as their head coach. To prepare for J.J. McCarthy’s first year starting, the team spent three big resources on the interior of their offensive line with Will Fries and Ryan Kelly in free agency, and then taking Donovan Jackson in the first round. Much of their season hinges on McCarthy’s success, but as we’ve learned, this is not a group to overlook.
Biggest Gain: G Will Fries
Biggest Loss: QB Sam Darnold
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The Chargers’ 2024 campaign was a prime example of a well-coached team overachieving. This team was a disaster the year before Jim Harbaugh’s arrival. With a similar roster, Harbaugh took them from being blown out on national television to a playoff team with a bright future. Honestly, I’m not sure how much better their roster is in 2025, but it’s easy to trust this coaching staff to get the most out of them. Adding Mekhi Becton, Mike Williams, Najee Harris, Omarion Hampton, and Tre Harris to the offense is a nice touch. Defensively, they don’t have a suitable replacement for Joey Bosa on paper, but the return of Khalil Mack and fourth-round pick Kyle Kennard should provide some juice off the edge. This is a solid roster with a great coaching staff. I’m not sure how high the ceiling is, but it’s fair to expect them to be in the mix for the playoffs again.
Biggest Gain: OL Mekhi Becton
Biggest Loss: DT Poona Ford
2024 was a strange season for the Packers. Following a slow start and an injury to quarterback Jordan Love, they found their footing and looked like a legitimate contender. Yet, they were a blocked field goal away from going 0-6 in the division, and were handled in the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champs. On paper, they still have one of the youngest rosters in football, but their ceiling is what is in question. The primary focus of their offseason was on the offensive side of the ball. They replaced Josh Myers with Aaron Banks on the interior offensive line and added a pair of receivers early in the draft with Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. We’ll see if those changes will help Love take the next step in Year 3 as the full-time starter.
Biggest Gain: WR Matthew Golden
Biggest Loss: DT T.J. Slaton
For a third straight season, Tampa Bay will rely on a new offensive coordinator to take the reins. Following the 2023 season, Dave Canales took the Carolina Panthers job. This year, Liam Coen secretly went back to Jacksonville for an interview, after verbally agreeing to a raise that would have made him the highest-paid coordinator in league history. The good news for the Buccaneers is that they have an established offense with plenty of talent. In a relatively weak NFC South, there’s plenty of reason to believe they can win the division again. Much of their pending success will depend on the defense, which has added Haason Reddick and a pair of Day 2 picks in the secondary, including Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parish. If the defense can improve into a Top 10 product, this could be a dangerous team to face down the stretch.
Biggest Gain: DE Haason Reddick
Biggest Loss: iOL Robert Hainsey
The Bengals entered the offseason with two disgruntled receivers and emerged with both under long-term contracts. All things considered, that’s a pretty big win. Especially considering how vocal Joe Burrow was about keeping their core players. The only genuine concern I have offensively is their line. There are many unknowns, and this group still projects as a bottom-10 unit. The defense is what will make or break their season. They made some moves in free agency to bring in some quality vets, but the future of Trey Hendrickson is still very much in question. Without him getting after the quarterback, it’s hard to see a significant improvement with this group, even with Al Golden as their new defensive coordinator.
Biggest Gain: DE Shemar Stewart
Biggest Loss: OT Trent Brown
Now that we’ve seen the bulk of the offseason moves happen, I can confidently say that the Cardinals are one of the “winners” of the offseason. There for a while, it felt like they had a legitimate shot at the playoffs last year. Unfortunately, they fell off, which led to a more aggressive approach in the offseason from March to April. Assuming that Marvin Harrison Jr. takes a big step forward in Year 2, the offense should be in good shape. Defensively, they placed a strong emphasis on the defensive line, adding Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson, Calais Campbell, Walter Nolen, and Jordan Burch. Assuming Will Johnson can stay healthy, he makes their secondary even more dangerous. We’ll need to see it on the field, but Arizona is one of the teams that could be labeled as the “breakout” team of the year.
Biggest Gain: DE Josh Sweat
Biggest Loss: DT Roy Lopez
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This franchise’s entire offseason (and possibly future) rests squarely on the shoulders of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. All signs point to him eventually signing a deal with the team, but the charade is three months old. In the meantime, they traded for Metcalf, traded away George Pickens, and let both of their starting quarterbacks in 2024 walk in free agency. With no other needle-moving actions made in free agency, it’s fair to wonder what this team’s ceiling is, especially without Rodgers. Pittsburgh has painted itself in a corner, and even if Rodgers comes, he’s not a long-term option. I’m not convinced that Will Howard would be, either. This will be a very interesting year in Pittsburgh, especially if the Bengals return to their winning ways.
Biggest Gain: WR D.K. Metcalf
Biggest Loss: QB Justin Fields
If the Commanders were the “surprise” good team in the NFL last season, the 49ers would have to be the most disappointing group, right? Plenty went wrong whenever a team goes into the season with Super Bowl aspirations and finishes at 6-11. It was a combination of horrible injury luck and aging players for San Francisco. Left tackle Trent Williams is key to their success, and he missed plenty of games last season. Samuel looked a step slower, and losing Brandon Aiyuk for the year felt like the final nail in the coffin. Unfortunately, their road back to the Super Bowl didn’t get any easier this offseason. In addition to trades and releases of other key players, they lost multiple key starters in free agency. There’s still plenty of talent on this roster, but it feels more like a team in transition than a true contender. We’ll see if 2024 was a fluke or simply a sign of things to come.
Biggest Gain: DE Mykel Williams
Biggest Loss: CB Charvarius Ward
17. Houston Texans
Confounding. That’s how I would describe the Texans’ offseason in one word. They traded away franchise left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Instead of attacking the offensive line woes head-on, they made a series of moves that I’d label as “questionable” when assessing true upgrades. On a more positive note, adding Christian Kirk in the slot and Jayden Higgins in the second round should give third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud plenty of weapons (if he can get the ball off). Defensively, they’ve got plenty of talent. This should be a 10-plus win team on paper, but as we learned last year, things don’t always align with expectations. Either way, they need to get Stroud and this offense back on track.
Biggest Gain: OT Cam Robinson
Biggest Loss: LT Laremy Tunsil
18. Seattle Seahawks
Year 1 of Mike MacDonald started strong but finished on a disappointing note. Despite having every opportunity to run away with the division, Seattle was unable to finish it. Instead of attempting to run it back with a similar core, the team traded away both quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, only to replace them with Sam Darnold and an aging Cooper Kupp. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will be tasked with maximizing the potential of an offense featuring a troubled interior offensive line and one young, promising pass catcher. That’s not to say that things can’t come together, but MacDonald and this front office are putting a lot of faith into coaching, especially on the offensive side of the ball. There’s plenty of talent on the roster, but it’s distributed in areas that don’t hold as much value.
Biggest Gain: QB Sam Darnold
Biggest Loss: QB Geno Smith
19. Atlanta Falcons
One year ago, the Falcons made one of the boldest moves of the offseason when they gave quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year contract in free agency, and still drafted Michael Penix at No. 8 overall. Despite saying they were comfortable with sitting Penix for a year or two, Cousins didn’t last an entire year as the starter in Atlanta. Thanks to the expensive Cousins contract, Atlanta’s financial flexibility is stretched far thinner than it should be for a team with a starting quarterback on a rookie contract. From a personnel perspective, their offense is in good shape. That’s where they focused most of their draft resources on the defensive side of the ball. The NFC South is more than winnable, especially with substantial improvements on defense. The issue is that Penix didn’t show much in his few starts to end last season, giving this team plenty of questions heading into 2025. To make matters worse, general manager Terry Fontenot traded away a 2026 first-round pick to re-enter the first round for edge rusher James Pearce Jr. 2025 feels like a critical year for this regime.
Biggest Gain: LB/DE Jalon Walker
Biggest Loss: C Drew Dalman
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20. Chicago Bears
In another strong offseason in Chicago, the Bears are primed to become the NFL’s first three-peat offseason champions. The better question is whether or not it’ll finally translate to the field in the form of wins. Hiring head coach Ben Johnson was a significant step for an organization not typically known for paying top dollar to head coaching candidates. Going down the offseason checklist, it’s fair to say that Chicago addressed most of their pressing needs. Most of these moves have been with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams in mind, so there should be no excuses in 2025. Now we just need to see if a new coaching staff, and revamped offensive line is enough to get this team over the hump.
Biggest Gain: LG Joe Thuney
Biggest Loss: WR Keenan Allen
21. Dallas Cowboys
Heading into 2024, the Cowboys had been the model of consistency over their previous three-year stretch, during which they went 12-5 in each of those seasons. In Year 1 post-Dan Quinn, the defense took a considerable step back, and the team wasn’t the same. After just seven wins in 2024, Dallas appeared poised to keep Mike McCarthy as head coach. After 10 days of negotiations that went nowhere, they decided to take a different approach. Like most things Jerry Jones runs, the head coach search was a strange process that seemed half-hearted from the start. With a new coaching staff and a few bold decisions, the Cowboys will look to get back on track in a deep division. I’ve learned never to rule this team out, but seeing them achieve much better than eight to ten wins in 2025 is challenging. Who knows, maybe that will be enough to get them into the playoffs.
Biggest Gain: WR George Pickens
Biggest Loss: DE Demarcus Lawrence
The Jaguars had one of the least conventional offseasons in recent memory. It started with the firing of former head coach Doug Pederson. They started the interview process with Trent Baalke, who led the charge. After losing out on a few bigger names, including Liam Coen, ownership changed course and fired Baalke. Amazingly, the job became much more attractive when Baalke was out of the building. Imagine that! Once they hired Coen, things started to fall into place quickly. Under the guidance of a new regime with plenty of experience with successful offenses, they’ll look to get quarterback Trevor Lawrence back on track in Year 5. The AFC South is extremely winnable, so a quick turnaround should not be ruled out in Duval.
Biggest Gain: CB/WR Travis Hunter
Biggest Loss: WR Christian Kirk
In the NFL, it all starts and ends at the quarterback position. When general manager Chris Ballard took over the Colts, he had Andrew Luck. A year later, he abruptly retired, and it’s been a rotation of veterans and an underachieving Anthony Richardson since. Most of Richardson’s rookie season was lost due to an injury. That’s a lot of key development that was ultimately delayed by a year. In Year 2, he was the least accurate quarterback in football with a sub-50% completion rate and a negative touchdown-to-interception ratio. By all accounts, his first two years can safely lead analytically-minded folks to believe he will not succeed. For the Colts, their last-ditch effort is to hope that a quarterback competition will bring out the best in the 22-year-old. The tools are there, but everything else is the problem. How Richardson looks in Year 3 could impact the entire regime’s job status.
Biggest Gain: CB Charvarius Ward
Biggest Loss: RG Will Fries
24. Miami Dolphins
Sometimes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In the case of the Dolphins, I’m not finding this group overly attractive heading into 2025. The roster is seriously flawed, and as always, Tua’s health will be a concern. Star players like Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey aren’t happy in Miami. Yet, those are the players they chose to invest in over retaining younger players like Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt, among others. This team feels like a ticking time bomb, and it’s fair to wonder what will happen with a slow start.
Biggest Gain: DT Kenneth Grant
Biggest Loss: S Jevon Holland
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After entering the offseason with a historic amount of cap space, the Patriots got down to business in a big way. They began by hiring former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who assembled a solid staff. New England spent a lot on multiple free agents, including Harold Landry III, Milton Williams, and Stefon Diggs. They followed that up with a big draft, which yielded Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kyle Williams on the offensive side of the ball. After a promising rookie season, there’s reason to believe that quarterback Drake Maye could be in for a big sophomore season. If so, this could be a borderline playoff team, but that’s a big if.
Biggest Gain: DT Milton Williams
Biggest Loss: C David Andrews
26. Carolina Panthers
Evaluating the Panthers in 2024 takes a patient approach. Year 1 of Dave Canales’ tenure started rocky, but drastically improved as the year progressed. Quarterback Bryce Young was benched in favor of Andy Dalton, but when he returned, he looked considerably better. Carolina had an aggressive offseason, focusing on helping Young with additional weapons and attempting to drastically improve the defense. The NFC South is wide open, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they could contend for a playoff spot. However, it might be a year too early.
Biggest Gain: WR Tetairoa McMillan
Biggest Loss: DE Jadeveon Clowney
Not many believed that Antonio Pierce would be one-and-done. Still, after a turbulent Year 1, ownership decided to make yet another regime change, firing Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. Hiring John Spytek was a progressive move, but pairing him with a veteran head coach like Pete Carroll should immediately raise their floor. There’s not much to love on the offensive line, but a stable quarterback like Geno Smith and two great weapons like Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers should help. The AFC is a gauntlet, so the ceiling might not be super high, but it shouldn’t shock anyone to see Vegas finish close to .500 if all goes well.
Biggest Gain: QB Geno Smith
Biggest Loss: S Trevon Moehrig
28. New York Jets
One of these days, New York football teams will be fun again. Unlike the Giants, the Jets are on the right track. 2023 and 2024 were disasters. With Aaron Rodgers out of the building and a new regime in charge, we’ll see if they have a clear enough plan to turn things around. The way they’ve approached the offseason leads me to believe they recognize the need for a rebuild. If true, expectations for 2025 should be kept low. It shouldn’t stop Jets fans from hoping for a brighter future in a year or two.
Biggest Gain: QB Justin Fields
Biggest Loss: QB Aaron Rodgers
29. Tennessee Titans
Year 1 of the Brian Callahan era was a disaster. The team finished with the worst record in football, and they promptly fired former general manager Ran Carthon after just two seasons. This is a franchise that appears to have too many reactionary leaders. Cam Ward is a fun prospect, but it’s hard to feel great about his future when all signs indicate Callahan is on the hot seat. In addition, the offensive line is far from a sure thing, and their pass-catching options are average at best. We’ll see if Ward can rise above a poor situation, but if history is any indication, the deck is stacked against him in his rookie season.
Biggest Gain: QB Cam Ward
Biggest Loss: DE Harold Landry
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Even with a new coaching staff, the Saints feel like a rudderless ship without a clear direction. Much of that is due to general manager Mickey Loomis’ confounding decisions. They refuse to commit to a rebuild, while also kicking their poor cap situation further into the future. With Derek Carr’s abrupt retirement, they’ll receive some financial relief, but the quarterback position remains a big question. I would assume that Spencer Rattler will get the first crack at the job, but Tyler Shough was drafted early and might push for the job heading into Week 1. Either way, seeing much of a ceiling with this team is hard.
Biggest Gain: S Justin Reid
Biggest Loss: CB Paulson Adebo
31. New York Giants
The post-Tom Coughlin era has been rough for the Giants, so it’s easy to understand owner John Mara wanting to give the current regime another year to get things right. The bigger issue has been a long-term solution at quarterback. This was not a great offseason to need a quarterback, so they ended up with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and then traded back into the first round for Jaxson Dart. The selection of Abdul Carter made plenty of sense, but it’s fair to wonder if they should have followed Cleveland’s lead and traded down to build up more future draft capital. Their defense should be dangerous, but it’s hard to see a clear path forward offensively without a breakout performance from one of their three quarterbacks.
Biggest Gain: DE Abdul Carter
Biggest Loss: DE Azeez Ojulari
32. Cleveland Browns
The path for the Browns to move on from Deshaun Watson became even clearer early in the offseason when the quarterback re-tore his Achilles training. After years of kicking the can down the road with their cap situation to keep a non-existent competitive window open, the organization is on the same page. I’m still not sure I understand trading out of taking Hunter, but having a pair of first-round selections next year can help. We’ll see how their quarterback situation shakes out in 2025, but this will likely be another rough season for Browns fans to endure.
Biggest Gain: DT Mason Graham
Biggest Loss: DT Dalvin Tomlinson