Hope springs eternal in the NFL offseason, and all 32 teams are setting up for what they hope will be a magical season.
Let's look at the biggest questions facing each NFL team heading into the free agency period.
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NFC East | NFC North | NFC West | NFC South | AFC East | AFC North | AFC West | AFC South
NFC East
Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels changed everything for Washington last season. The Commanders are officially in win-now mode, which means they will be aggressive with trades and free agency. The team just acquired WR Deebo Samuel to complement Terry McLaurin on the perimeter. They will need to get better and younger on their defense to remain Super Bowl contenders. Bobby Wagner was re-signed, but he is not a long term solution. In another big move, the team released Jonathan Allen. Can Washington bring younger talent on defense?
Dallas Cowboys
It was a disappointing season for Dallas. Even before Dak Prescott went down with an injury, they looked like a bad football team. The defense, outside of Micah Parsons, was poor. Dallas appears destined to lose DeMarcus Lawrence along with some depth pieces on their line. Dallas also has an issue at running back. Could Ashton Jeanty solve their issue?
New York Giants
The Giants need upgrades on defense and at quarterback. The team currently only has Tommy DeVito rostered. They will need to draft either a franchise quarterback or a foundational defensive piece with the No. 3 overall pick. New York also must retain some of their depth pieces in free agency. Azeez Ojulari was a productive pass rusher who they can’t afford to lose. Will the Giants prioritize their defense in the offseason?
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have built the most talented roster in the league through calculated offseason moves. They now must make decisions on some crucial free agents on their defense. The team already re-signed Zack Baun but might lose Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, and Avonte Maddox. Could Philly take a step back?
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Chicago had a meltdown after starting 5-2 despite a solid rookie season from Caleb Williams. They will be going into the offseason with a new coach, talented young skill players, and sturdy veterans on their defense. The biggest question for Chicago was whether or not they could build their offensive line group. They addressed that issue by trading for both Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Now they must upgrade their defensive line which needs a superstar. The Bears are in a great position to address this issue with plenty of cap space and draft capital. Can they pressure the opposing quarterback next season?
Green Bay Packers
The Packers don’t have any superstars on the chopping block this free agency but could use some restructuring on defense. Jaire Alexander only played in 5 games in 2024. Across from him, Eric Stokes had a decent season but he is headed to free agency. The pass rush was not spectacular with Rashaan Gary leading the charge with 7.5 sacks. Green Bay needs to find an x-factor on the edge and revamp their cornerback group to contend for a Super Bowl. Can they sign a difference maker in free agency?
Minnesota Vikings
There is lots of uncertainty for Minnesota after their disappointing end to a great season. Most notably, J.J. McCarthy will be back healthy, and Sam Darnold looks set to hit the market. Also, Aaron Jones, Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy, Shaquill Griffin, Camryn Bynum, Jonathan Bullard, Jerry Tillery, and Dalton Risner are all starters with expiring contracts. The team has plenty of cap space to re-sign many of these players but they’ll be forced to make some tough decisions. How different will Minnesota’s roster look next season?
Detroit Lions
Detroit has a large list of players with expiring contracts, but they should have the resources to re-sign most of them. Their depth was a big reason for their success in 2024 with Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and Carlton Davis all missing time with injury. The defensive line is a group that could see some radical changes in Detroit. Seven players on their line are set to hit the open market, and the draft is filled with talented replacements. Can they get more help on the defensive front?
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are due for some changes this offseason. They have already traded away one of their star receivers, Deebo Samuel, and they might lose more players to free agency. Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, and Charvarius Ward are the headliners heading for the open market. Are the 49ers still contenders?
Los Angeles Rams
This is an evolving team with big name veterans on the way out and promising rookies replacing them. The pass rush was expected to take a hit with the departure of Aaron Donald last season but lots of guys stepped up including Defensive ROTY Jared Verse. Now, the Rams must find a partner for Puka Nacua with Cooper Kupp likely out the door to take full advantage of Matthew Stafford‘s remaining window. How much longer do these Rams veterans have left?
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals had an up and down year with lots of competitive play and a few blowout losses to finish the season 8-9. They have lots of upcoming free agents on their defensive line and have needed an impact player on the edge. The team ranked 13th in the league in sacks, but no player on the roster had more than 5 this season. Can they find a defensive anchor?
Seattle Seahawks
Recent groundbreaking moves have shaken up Seattle’s roster. Geno Smith was dealt to the Raiders. Tyler Lockett was released and DK Metcalf has requested a trade. The team might look unrecognizable by the time the offseason is over. Is there another big move coming from Seattle?
NFC South
Tampa Bay Bucs
Upgrades at all three levels of the defense will be necessary for Tampa Bay to elevate themselves into Super Bowl contention. Several starters could test the market, most notably Chris Godwin. Tampa also needs a game changer on the edge. Can the Bucs find one?
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have been working to restructure contracts to free up cap space. They started the offseason over $50 million in the hole but have cut that number to -$39 million through restructuring Erik McCoy’s deal. The team looks destined to lose stars like Chase Young to free agency due to a lack of money. Could New Orleans be headed for full on rebuild?
Carolina Panthers
Carolina has young talent on their roster to build from. The development of Bryce Young throughout last season was promising, but now it’s time to build around him. The Panthers need upgrades on their defense. The biggest need is on their defensive line. Will Carolina draft a defensive superstar early?
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are in a tough spot with not that much daft capital and only 4 draft picks. They have crucial starters on defense set to hit free agency such as Justin Simmons, Mike Hughes, Matt Judon, and Lorenzo Carter. The team likely can’t keep everyone so they will have to find replacements for a bargain. Can Atlanta keep their defense afloat?
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Another impact player could help Buffalo get over the hump. They currently stand $8 Million in the negative in terms of cap space, so bidding on a superstar seems unlikely. They will have to prioritize the defense through the draft. Can Buffalo find a star with the 30th overall pick?
New England Patriots
New coach Mike Vrabel has little talent to work with on New England's roster. Luckily, the organization is ranked top five in cap space and draft capital this offseason. They will need to beef up their offensive line and surround Drake Maye with playmakers. Will they get Maye what he needs to improve in year two?
New York Jets
The Jets are once again in a poor position heading into the offseason. Aaron Rogers is gone and several defensive starters are hitting the market. Superstar Sauce Gardner had a down year. The future looks bleak and uncertain in New York. New head coach Aaron Glenn provides some optimism for this talented roster. The big question remaining is who will play quarterback for the Jets next season?
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have a plethora of questions to answer this offseason. Their two starting safeties could hit the market along with Kendell Fuller, their starting corner. Their disappointing season was mostly due to Tua Tagavailoa’s concussion. In his absence, the team could not move the ball and went several games without even scoring a touchdown. Will the Dolphins invest in a quality backup quarterback?
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals
The defense for Cincinnati was an absolute dumpster fire in 2024, but the team must re-sign their stars before addressing this issue. The Bengals franchise tagged Tee Higgins, but they still have not signed Ja’Marr Chase to a long term deal. Trey Hendrickson is another star with an uncertain future. He appears to be on the trade block. Cincinnati will probably part ways with Hendrickson along with many other defensive starters. How will the Bengals replace them in free agency?
Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were suitable game managers for the short term, but Pittsburgh needs to find their franchise quarterback. Both players will hit free agency in the offseason, with rumors the Steelers will work to keep Fields. Sam Darnold and Aaron Rogers are the only notable free agent quarterbacks, but both come with uncertainty. Will Pittsburgh draft a franchise quarterback?
Cleveland Browns
The Browns have the most draft capital and the least cap space in the league. They also were dealing with a trade request from Myles Garrett, but he was signed to a mega extension. Even so, it looks like Cleveland is in something of a rebuild mode. Both Jameis Winston and Bailey Zappe have expiring contracts and Deshaun Watson’s future looks bleak. Will the Browns draft a replacement at quarterback?
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have some big name free agents hitting the open market this offseason. Ronnie Staley was re-signed right before the start of free agency, but starting guard Partick Mecari remains set to hit the market. Baltimore is known for drafting well but ranks 15th in draft capital. How will they replace these starters next season?
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
The three-peat did not quite happen, but the Chiefs are still the top dogs in the AFC. They might lose some solid starters like Justin Reid and Nick Bolton. Kansas City already traded away All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. Can Kansas City keep its core together?
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have been aggressive so far in free agency. They acquired Geno Smith through a trade and signed Maxx Crosby to a huge contract extension. Vegas will need some weapons to complement their new quarterback and improvements in the secondary. They have $85 million and tremendous draft capital to tackle those tasks. Will Geno Smith be successful in Vegas?
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers released Joey Bosa and Gus Edwards before the start of free agency. They will have to either re-sign or replace a flurry of starters including J.K. Dobbins, Asante Samuel, Kahlil Mack, Denzel Perryman, and others. Interior offensive and defensive linemen are the most pressing need for Los Angeles. Are the Chargers still a playoff caliber team?
Denver Broncos
The Broncos were surprisingly excellent this season and have decent draft capital and cap space to work with. Bo Nix continued to get better as the season progressed and ended up third in ROTY voting. Denver needs more talent to surround their young quarterback. Courtland Sutton surpassed 1,000 yards but he was the only player within 400 yards of that mark. The draft could be a great place to address this need which begs the question: What position will Denver address with their first round pick?
AFC South
Houston Texans
Houston has a problem with their offensive line. C.J. Stroud was the second most sacked quarterback in the league last season. They have two quality starters in Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard but need more help on the interior. The Texans will also have to find a long term solution in their receiver room. Stefon Diggs is set to hit free agency, and Tank Dell is looking at a long recovery from his serious knee injury. Can the Texans revamp their offense?
Tennessee Titans
Improvements are needed up and down the roster for the Tennessee Titans. The Will Levis experiment did not work out, and it looks likely that the Titans select a replacement with the No. 1 overall pick. Tennessee has the fourth most draft capital in the league over $50 million in cap space, so an effective rebuild is attainable. Can the Titans find their franchise guy?
Indianapolis Colts
Finishing with an 8-9 record doesn’t seem all that bad, but the Colts are far from competing in the AFC. The team needs playmakers on both sides of the ball. Wide receiver, linebacker, and safety are some of the top needs for this group. They will be losing a large chunk of an already subpar secondary in free agency. It is also possible that Indianapolis is looking to replace Anthony Richardson. Which position group will they prioritize?
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are shaking things up after their 4-13 season. They traded Christain Kirk to the Texans for a seventh round pick and released four other players. The offensive line needs to be the priority in free agency. Brandon Scherff is set to leave in free agency, and Cam Robinson was traded back in October. Can Jacksonville find replacements on their line?
