The worst time to be a football fan is here, as the NFL offseason has arrived. For most teams, this is an opportunity to either scrap everything and start over or make the finishing touches to their team to compete for the Super Bowl trophy. Reaching this goal starts with new coaching hires, free agency signings, trades, and the NFL draft.
For every Super Bowl-winning team in the history of the NFL, it all started in the offseason. No doubt, this is when champions are formed, and careers are born.
Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas is coming off a brutal 2025 season after it finished with a 3-14 record. Bringing in head coach Pete Carroll to pair with quarterback Geno Smith was a disaster, and Carroll has already been fired to be replaced by former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Fortunately for Las Vegas, they hold the number one overall pick in the NFL draft, setting their eyes on Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Considering the Raiders will in all likelihood select Mendoza, they should prioritize beefing up the offensive line to protect him, as well as help second-year running back Ashton Jeanty take his game to another level in 2026.
New York Jets
The NFL’s poster child for failure. Coming off a 3-14 campaign, their defense became the first squad ever to not intercept a single pass all season. It seems like the Jets are in eternal football purgatory, as they have not had a winning season since 2015 and have not made the playoffs since 2010. Their biggest issue for a long time has been their quarterback, but now it seems there are way more holes on this roster than ever before.
However, if they find the right offensive coordinator and maybe make a trade for a bridge quarterback, like Kyler Murray or Malik Willis, maybe they could be slightly better in 2026, not to mention, they have five first-round picks in the next two drafts. If they hit on those selections, maybe New York could finally be competitive again.
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona is the laughing stock of the NFC West, as they were the only team from their division to miss the playoffs in 2025. In a conference with Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, it’s going to be hard to compete for a playoff spot in 2026; instead, they should focus on building a culture with new head coach and former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. It’s likely they will have a new starting quarterback next season, but Jacoby Brissett is already a good enough bridge quarterback for what will be a rebuilding year, so they should retain him at least as the backup quarterback.
Tennessee Titans
Tennessee has been a bottom dweller ever since making the mistake of firing current Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in 2023. Despite that, the future looks bright in Tennessee with former first overall pick Cam Ward as quarterback, new head coach Robert Saleh, and former Giants head coach Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. They should bolster the defense in free agency and get Ward a reliable wide receiver with the 4th overall selection by picking Ohio State’s Carnell Tate.
New York Giants
New York might have been the most exciting 4-13 team in NFL history in 2025. Despite the disappointing season, New York knows they have something special in quarterback Jaxson Dart. Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson emerged as a solid target for Dart in 2025, so retaining him for 2026 and beyond should be a priority.
New York holds the 5th selection in the draft; the only concern is how general manager Joe Schoen will handle this situation, as he has a history of botching big decisions. On the bright side, former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is the new head coach. I don’t have many doubts about New York’s ability to compete next season, especially knowing they’re getting standout players back from injury in running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland is quite the predicament going into the offseason. They have multiple star players set to be free agents, and for a team without much star power already, that’s not good. For the last four seasons, they’ve been trying to work around the monstrous contract they gave quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has barely played since due to injury and has been terrible when healthy.
Don’t expect Cleveland to be competitive in 2026, as their problems stem much further than their quarterback. Investing in a wide receiver in free agency and an offensive line in the draft could go a long way towards fishing this team out of the hole they’re in.
Washington Commanders
2025 was expected to be a Super Bowl-contending year for Washington. Instead, they imploded, finishing with a 5-12 record due to injuries and an aging, incompetent roster while wasting a year of quarterback Jayden Daniels’ development. This could be a get-right year for Washington, as many of their aging veterans are set to be free agents, which sets up the opportunity to build a young roster around Daniels and put them in a position to succeed.
Holding the 7th overall pick, perhaps they could land a player like edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. or wide receiver Makai Lemon. Bain Jr. is the best edge rusher in the 2026 draft class and has the potential to be a dominant player, while Lemon is the second-best wide receiver in the class behind Carnell Tate. It’s hard to envision how Washington could screw up this selection.
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans finished with a 6-11 record in 2025, which is a lot better than expected. Quarterback Tyler Shough showed flashes of being a capable starter in the NFL during his rookie season, but New Orleans has been over the salary cap for over five seasons, so it will be interesting to see how they navigate this offseason. Longtime players in tight end Taysom Hill, linebacker Demario Davis, and edge rusher Cameron Jordan will likely not be on the team in 2026, but they hold the 8th overall pick, which could land a solid offensive target for Shough to rely on opposite of wide receiver Chris Olave.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is the most polarizing team going into this offseason. They just suffered through their first losing season since 2012, finishing with a 6-11 record. Their roster is in shambles, and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL late in the season. Longtime superstar tight end Travis Kelce is expected to hit free agency, pending a retirement decision.
The best this team could do is hope Notre Dame standout running back Jeremiyah Love falls to them at the 9th overall selection in the draft. Running back has long been a concern for Kansas City; hopefully, Love can fix their woes at the position.
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati has sported the NFL’s worst defense dating back to 2024, which is to be expected when almost the entire salary cap is going towards three offensive players, albeit very good players in quarterback Joe Burrow, along with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Cincinnati should make the decision to trade Higgins for draft capital and to free up cap space so they can bring in some quality defensive players in free agency, as they are in desperate need of basically every position on defense, while also getting some defensive weapons in the draft. If they can get it right, perhaps they can return to 2021 form and make it back to the Super Bowl.
Miami Dolphins
What once was a promising future with an offensive guru at head coach in Mike McDaniel, star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and superstar receiver Tyreek Hill in 2023, has now become a burning pile of garbage fueled by tears of Dolphins fans. McDaniel has been fired, Tagovailoa will likely be traded or released, and Hill has been cut. Pretty much all Miami has now is running back De’Von Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Evan Waddle is not entirely safe, as his name has been in trade rumors for months.
Miami appears to be tearing everything down, looking for a fresh start in 2026 with new head coach Jeff Hafley, which is the right move. As for the draft, bulking up the offensive line should be the priority, and they should wait until 2027 to land their franchise quarterback.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas is in a very similar situation to the Cincinnati Bengals, great offense, horrendous defense, except they have a much older quarterback in Dak Prescott. The question Dallas needs to ask itself is, do they run it back with Prescott, or ship him off while his trade value is still high? They also have to decide whether they want breakout superstar wide receiver George Pickens back on a massive contract, when they’re already paying another superstar wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb.
The move here is to trade Prescott for draft picks to free up cap space and have enough money to bring back Pickens, along with running back Javonte Williams, then sign Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis in free agency.
Willis is the most talented free agent quarterback on the market this offseason, and he’s proven it when he’s played. All signs point towards Willis having a career resurgence much like Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, and Dallas is the perfect spot for him to succeed.
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta might have been the most talented team in the NFC South in 2025, but they lost to the Jets, so they didn’t deserve to make the playoffs anyway. The offense has all the pieces needed to be great, with players like wide receiver Drake London, running back Bijan Robinson, and tight end Kyle Pitts. However, their quarterback is still an enigma, though they shouldn’t give up on Michael Penix Jr. just yet.
They don’t have a first-round pick this year, as they traded with the Los Angeles Rams to draft edge rusher James Pearce Jr. in 2025, a move that looked promising until he was arrested in February of 2026. Despite that, it all comes down to coaching this year for Atlanta. If new head coach Kevin Stefanski can unlock Penix Jr.’s potential, the team should be able to compete for the NFC South division title next season.
Baltimore Ravens
Ravens fans came into the season expecting a Super Bowl win, but instead got one of the most disappointing teams in 2025, finishing with an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs. Longtime head coach John Harbaugh was fired and has been replaced by former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Pass rush was a huge issue in 2025, so bringing in a veteran edge rusher like Khalil Mack, who also played under Minter in Los Angeles, or going after superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who recently requested a trade out of Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, it seems superstar center Tyler Linderbaum will be leaving in free agency, leaving a massive hole on the offensive line. Because of this, Baltimore should prioritize the offensive line, as well as the defense, in free agency and the draft, as this team has the potential to mimic what Seattle has done the past two seasons.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A hot start had them looking Super Bowl-bound through their first six games of the 2025 season, with quarterback Baker Mayfield playing like the league MVP. Unfortunately for them, the season is 17 games, and they completely collapsed and missed the playoffs, finishing with an 8-9 record. Longtime wide receiver and fan favorite Mike Evans will likely be on a different team next season, but even without him, the offense can be good enough to compete; the defense is the larger issue.
Defense should be the top priority for Tampa Bay in free agency and the draft, especially with linebacker Lavonte David hitting free agency. Bringing back cornerback Jamel Dean needs to happen, as he just had one of the best seasons of his career and was one of the few bright spots on a poor defense. Mayfield is entering the final year of his 3-year contract, so 2026 could end up being the last year Tampa Bay can compete with its current players.
Indianapolis Colts
Much like Tampa Bay, Indianapolis looked like a Super Bowl contender halfway through the 2025 season, but the wheels fell off as they lost their last 7 games to finish 8-9. The big question this offseason is what to do with quarterback Daniel Jones. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the league until he got injured, and he is set to be a free agent.
Bringing him back long-term is the correct move for Indianapolis.
He is the best quarterback the Colts have had since Andrew Luck, and franchise quarterbacks are hard to come by. As for the draft, Indianapolis traded two first-round picks for Jets superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner; they won’t have a first-round selection this season because of that, and right now, that trade is looking like a huge mistake.
Detroit Lions
Coming off the greatest season in team history in 2024, finishing with a 15-2 record as the top seed in the NFC playoffs, 2025 was a colossal disappointment. The offensive line was a mess, the defense was awful, they simply couldn’t win games, and they missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record. 2026 will be a make-or-break year for Detroit as players from the 2023 draft, like running back Jahmyr Gibbs, linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta, and defensive back Brian Branch, are all set to be free agents in 2027, and it’ll be impossible to bring them all back for the long term.
Bulking up the offensive line and the defense needs to happen, especially because they played so horribly in 2025. Championship windows rarely last long; Detroit would be lucky if it’s still open at this point.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota was an absolute disaster in 2025. Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy was awful, the defense regressed, and they missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired after drafting zero Pro Bowl-level players in three drafts, as well as letting quarterback Sam Darnold walk after a tremendous 2024 season.
Once they find their new general manager, they should bring in a veteran quarterback such as Kyler Murray or Tua Tagovailoa to compete with McCarthy for the starting job, as well as find a replacement for longtime safety Harrison Smith, who appears to be heading for retirement.
Carolina Panthers
Carolina became the 5th team since 2010 to make the playoffs with a losing record in 2025, finishing 8-9, and winning the weak NFC South division. Despite losing in the Wild Card round to the Rams, this was a successful season for Carolina, and quarterback Bryce Young, while inconsistent, showed flashes of being a good NFL quarterback. There is still concern around the defense, however, as outside of defensive tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn, there aren’t many impact players on that side of the team.
Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan should prioritize bulking up the defense in free agency, like going after cornerback Tariq Woolen to fortify the cornerback room while also bringing in veteran leadership with linebackers Devin Lloyd or Lavonte David if they want to compete in the NFC and have their first winning season since 2017.
Green Bay Packers
When they traded two first-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys for superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons, Green Bay was looking at this season with Super Bowl aspirations. Instead, they were inconsistent, ending the season on a five-game losing streak, going into the playoffs finishing with a 9-7-1 record, and blowing an 18-point lead to the rival Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round.
The one problem that’s been hampering Green Bay has been its wide receiver room since trading Davante Adams in 2022. They weren’t great in 2025, especially rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden, as he had an incredibly disappointing season. If, for whatever reason, Dallas decides not to bring back George Pickens, he would be a great target for Green Bay; if not him, then Mike Evans should be on their radar.
Pittsburgh Steelers
A third straight 10-7 season, a third straight Wild Card round exit. It’s been the same script over and over for Pittsburgh, but now, things might be different, and possibly not in good fashion. Longtime head coach Mike Tomlin left the team, leaving former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy to replace him. Because of this move, it could lure quarterback Aaron Rodgers back for at least one more season to play under McCarthy again.
Pittsburgh has really dug itself into a hole as they have the highest-paid defense in the league, yet still one of the worst. It might be time for them to start looking into superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt’s future with the team, as well as defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. Pittsburgh needs to get younger, and it has to start with the defense.
Los Angeles Chargers
The story of the 2025 season for Los Angeles was how they couldn’t protect star quarterback Justin Herbert. Injuries along the offensive line played a huge part in their struggles, but the line in general was simply awful. This is clearly a good team, and they will hopefully be getting superstar offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back from injury in 2026, but they need to prioritize the interior offensive line, get a young edge rusher such as Boye Mafe, and find at least one more receiver for Herbert to throw to.
Philadelphia Eagles
The quest for back-to-back Super Bowl titles did not go so well, as poor play-calling hindered arguably the most talented offense in the league, leading to an early playoff exit for the defending champions. Wide receiver A.J. Brown will likely be traded, meaning general manager Howie Roseman will need to find a stud receiver in the draft or free agency to complement veteran wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Key players like tight end Dallas Goedert, safety Reed Blankenship, and edge rusher Jaelen Phillips are set to be free agents.
Goedert is 31 years old, so he doesn’t have many good years left, and there should be a good defensive back on the board at pick 23 in the draft to replace Blankenship, as he wasn’t very good in 2025, so Phillips should be brought back in 2026.
Jacksonville Jaguars
In his first year, head coach Liam Coen took Jacksonville from a 4-13 record in 2024 to a 13-4 record in 2025, becoming one of the best teams in the NFL off the back of an MVP-caliber season from quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Despite falling short, this team has a very bright future. Free agency might be rough, as breakout star linebacker Devin Lloyd will most likely be leaving, as well as running back Travis Etienne. Leaving second-year running back Bhayshal Tuten should carry the load in 2026, which I see as a reasonable task for him to do.
Linebacker will be a big need for Jacksonville, and unfortunately, they traded their first-round pick to Cleveland during last year’s draft to select wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. Bringing in a good veteran linebacker like either Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David in free agency could help to fill the void left by Lloyd if he does leave.
Chicago Bears
This was a dream season for Chicago. They won the NFC North, beat the hated rival Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, and head coach Ben Johnson paired quarterback Caleb Williams with a great duo. Despite that, the defense still wasn’t very good, and a lot of defensive stars are set to be free agents.
Bringing back safety Jaquon Brisker, along with cornerback Nahshon Wright, should be a priority, and defense should be the main focus in the draft.
Buffalo Bills
After a heartbreaking playoff loss to the Denver Broncos, Buffalo went from Super Bowl contenders to one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the NFL overnight. Head coach Sean McDermott was inexplicably fired, and offensive coordinator Joe Brady was promoted in his place. For a team with only two superstar players, running back James Cook and quarterback Josh Allen, to carry them, this might’ve been the worst move they could have made.
If they want to try and salvage this situation, surrounding Allen with a good receiving core in free agency and the draft needs to happen, but this team’s problems stem a lot further than receivers; it’ll be impossible to fix all in one offseason.
San Francisco 49ers
If San Francisco were fully healthy all season long, maybe they would’ve scored more than 6 points in the divisional round game against the Seattle Seahawks, but going into 2026, star quarterback Brock Purdy’s massive contract will start to affect the salary cap. Wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk are likely gone, so getting more receivers to help out Purdy is necessary. Superstar tight end George Kittle might not play in 2026 due to a torn Achilles suffered in the playoffs, so they should make it a priority to bring back tight end Jake Tonges.
Superstar offensive tackle Trent Williams will likely be released as well, leaving a gaping hole on the offensive line. San Francisco’s Super Bowl window is closing rapidly, and with steep competition in the NFC West, this might be the final year of the 49ers being true Super Bowl contenders.
Houston Texans
Arguably, the best defense in the NFL was wasted by a bottom-10 offense, leading to a divisional round exit. Quarterback C.J. Stroud got worse in his 3rd season, but a combination of bad offensive line play and poor play-calling doomed Houston’s season. They are in the market for offensive line help once again, and as long as they keep their defense together, they should still be a feared team in 2026, but Stroud has to be better; if not, it might be time to move on.
Los Angeles Rams
Sporting the league’s best offense behind the league MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford and superstar wide receiver Puka Nacua, Los Angeles put together their best season since their 2021 Super Bowl run, finishing 12-5 and reaching the NFC Championship game. They will be without offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur in 2026, as he’s headed to Arizona to be the head coach for the Cardinals. Los Angeles needs help in the secondary, and it’s likely they take either a cornerback or a safety with one or both of their two first-round selections.
Offensively, the decision is clear: run it back with Stafford, Nacua, wide receiver Davante Adams, and running back Kyren Williams.
Denver Broncos
It was a crushing end to the season for Denver as quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle on one of the final plays in their divisional round game, leading to backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham starting in his place for the AFC Championship, which they lost with a score of 10-7 to the New England Patriots. However, Denver has all the pieces they need to go on a run. The team needs to prioritize bringing back standout linebacker Alex Singleton, as well as acquire a reliable tight end for Nix to trust, as Evan Engram did not play well.
New England Patriots
The emergence of quarterback Drake Maye is everything New England could have hoped for. The offense was spectacular, the defense was stifling, and Mike Vrabel was the perfect pick for head coach. The big issue, however, was the offensive line.
Maye was one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the league in 2025, and that weakness proved to be their downfall in Super Bowl LX as they gave up six sacks in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Super Bowl disaster proved to New England that the offensive line needs to be the top priority in the offseason.
Seattle Seahawks
General manager John Schneider might have delivered the greatest offseason in franchise history in 2025, headlined by trading away bridge quarterback Geno Smith and signing breakout star Sam Darnold. They also hired Klint Kubiak as their offensive coordinator and had one of the best draft classes in 2025. 2nd-year head coach and defensive genius Mike Macdonald led Seattle to a franchise-best 14-3 record in the regular season, bringing their second Super Bowl title in team history.
It’s hard to find any holes in Seattle’s roster; they have the Offensive Player of the Year in wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and the defense they call “The Dark Side” is dominant. The top priorities for Seattle have to be bringing back Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III and midseason trade acquisition in return specialist Rashid Shaheed. They also have plenty of cap space, so they could go after a player like center Tyler Linderbaum, and they’ll even be in a position to take a cornerback in the draft to potentially replace Tariq Woolen, who will likely be let go.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the NFL is a business. Oftentimes, things don’t go as planned; trade requests, retirements, and other off-the-field situations are completely unpredictable, but the best general managers and front offices work around those situations, creating plans for if something doesn’t go the way they’d hoped. With all the high-profile players set to hit the market and the salary cap increase, this offseason is shaping up to be one of the wildest in recent memory.
