Mock NFL Offseason

Over the course of the past five days, I’ve spent over 60 hours researching and creating this article from scratch. This is a mock NFL offseason, and as the year progresses and more and more moves are made, this will become increasingly more realistic. I finished this at the conclusion of this year’s Super Bowl, and all the information and data is based off of everything up to 2/9/25 at 11:38pm. If something seems inaccurate or doesn’t make much sense, I tried my best to do what was best for every team separately. Everything is connected as well, so while signing guard Trey Smith may be the best move in the offseason for every team, I only had him going to one as this is what the ideal scenario for every team in the offseason will be from my perspective. If anyone disagrees with anything, feel free to let me know on my instagram page or by commenting on this post, and I’ll be happy to debate with you. For this mock offseason, I included all major information for every team going into the offseason, basic descriptions of their ideal plan, cap management based off of cuts and restructures, free agency signings, trade acquisitions, all draft picks from the top 2 rounds which were adjusted to match the trades, and descriptions explaining every move in terms of why it makes sense and would help the team. Every team on here seems to have improved towards the situation they need to be heading towards, and ideally fans of most of these teams will be happy with the moves (sorry, Saints fans). Anyways, I’m extremely burned out from all of the work and need to go to sleep, so I’ll leave you now to explore this giant piece that I’m very proud of.

Order of Teams

BUF MIA NE NYJ

BAL CIN CLE PIT

HOU IND JAX TEN

DEN KAN LV LAC

DAL NYG PHI WAS

CHI DET GB MIN

ATL CAR NO TB

ARI LAR SF SEA

Buffalo Bills

Cap Space: -$14,105,106

Key Draft Picks: 30, 56, 62, 108, 131

Biggest Strengths: QB, LT, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: DL, S, WR

The Bills are coming off of a conference championship appearance and have one of the most talented backfields in the league. They’ve had award winners and playoff success, with the only thing missing being a Super Bowl win. Unfortunately, to do that they need to make it past Chiefs, which they haven’t been able to do yet. They also have a negative cap situation and some bad contracts which will make building a team which can beat Kansas City very hard. They are very solid all around with few glaring roster needs, but Kansas City is just a little more talented at what seems to be nearly every position. They need to clear some cap space, and add elite talent to potentially finally get over that Conference Championship hump.

Cut: DE Von Miller

While Von Miller used to be a Hall of Fame level player, he has only gotten 14 sacks in three years while playing for the Bills, and only 6 in the past two seasons. He is only going to get older and regress harder, and while the defensive line of this team is already very subpar, considering the Bills’ current cap space, they can unload more than $17 Million by cutting him post-June 1st.

Restructure: QB Josh Allen, LT Dion Dawkins

Josh Allen and Dion Dawkins are fundamental pieces to this offense, and it’s in the best interest of the Bills to restructure their contracts to free up roughly $19.7 Million in Cap Space. Considering they are Pro Bowl level players, it’s unlikely they will be cut or traded in the near future and therefore pushing back salary money likely won’t end up hurting the team too much.

Resign: CB Rasul Douglas (2 / 13.25m APY)

Douglas has been one of the more reliable cornerbacks in the league for the Bills, posting top-32 PFF grades each of the last two seasons, coming in at 11th two seasons ago. He is a very solid cornerback and can help an uncertain DB room retain continuity and continue to build towards a championship roster.

Sign: S Elijah Molden (1 / 4.5m), WR DeAndre Hopkins (2 / 13.5m APY)

Molden had a breakout season for the Chargers, showing that he was one of the better safeties in free agency this cycle. The Bills are in dire need for help at the position, but can’t afford to spend big on one of the big name safeties. Molden will provide aid in a healing secondary after cutting many of their key defensive backs last offseason, and at 26 years old there is still room for him to improve further. While most Hopkins’ body is continuing to age, his hands are one thing that never seems to change. Josh Allen likes to extend and make plays, and Hopkins can be a huge help to him. Hopkins knows football as good as any receiver, and if paired with Allen can give him a reliable target and dangerous downfield threat to add to a solid receiving room of breakout receiver Khalil Shakir and young wideout Keon Coleman.

Trade: DE Greg Rousseau + 2026 1st Round Pick → DE Myles Garrett (Pre-June 1st)

The Bills have struggled heavily in pass rushing and run stopping, and adding the former DPOY turns this part of the team from a major weakness into a strength. It will hurt having to give away a future 1st, and a young edge with potential for an aging star. However, this should be worth it as the draft pick likely won’t be higher than a mid-1st round pick, and Garrett could help fill the void of Miller and Rousseau, and then some.

Draft: Pick #30: EDGE Jack Sawyer (Ohio St.), Pick #56: IDL Deone Walker (Kentucky),                       Pick #62: CB Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky)

While bringing in superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett will help with Buffalo’s struggling pass rush, they lost two standout edges in the meantime and have a spot opposite Garrett to fill. Jack Sawyer will immediately make an impact, as he was one of the best pass rushers in the country this past season, even in a class that’s stacked with edge rushers. While he sometimes struggles in run defense, he has room to grow and will be a nice replacement for the departing Greg Rousseau.

Staying on the defensive line, one of Buffalo’s major recurring weaknesses is in the interior of it. While DT Ed Oliver is a solid piece, they’ve been looking for a guy to put next to him, and Walker could easily be that guy. He has incredible potential with a huge build of 6’6”, and at 345lbs he could easily become one of the premier power rushers in the NFL. He’s a solid player overall but will likely need some time to develop into an impactful player, but if he reaches his ceiling it could be game-changing for Buffalo, and could potentially have the kind of impact as guys like Dexter Lawrence II for the Giants or Vita Vea for Tampa Bay.

Buffalo has had below average production at the cornerback position, and Hairston could be a future fix for the position. While his numbers don’t jump off the page, he is extremely athletic and has good traits that, with proper NFL development, could lead him to be a very solid cornerback for Buffalo in the future.

Miami Dolphins

Cap Space: -$11,670,398

Key Draft Picks: 13, 48, 98, 115, 135

Biggest Strengths: S, TE, WR
Biggest Weaknesses: ROL, DT, RB

The Dolphins have had success in the past, but their team is looking like it’s on a downward trend. Their best players are aging, and their young guys just simply aren’t playing as well as they have in the past. Normally a team that sounds like this would be rebuilding, but while Tua may not be an elite quarterback (or anywhere near it, in my opinion), he still is good enough to assure that they will win enough games that rebuilding isn’t in the picture, barring a crazy set of trades. For those reasons, in my opinion I think Miami should plug its glaring holes, hope that their best players play as they have in the past, and try to win now. If that fails, then their core pieces will likely be retiring or leaving in free agency, and they can rebuild the correct way.

Cut: RB Raheem Mostert, T Austin Jackson, DE Bradley Chubb

Raheem Mostert led the league in scrimmage just two seasons ago, but saw a heavily reduced role this past season with most of the RB touches going to speedster De’Von Achane. He’s only going to regress further as he will be turning 32 years old this upcoming season, and Miami can free up almost $3 million by releasing him. Austin Jackson performed rather poorly this past season, getting ranked by PFF as only the 61st best tackle in the NFL. The Dolphins can clear more than $6 million in cap space by releasing him, and should look to find a cheaper replacement in free agency or the draft. While releasing Bradley Chubb hurts as he was one of the best defensive ends in all of football just two seasons ago, the reality is that by the time the 2025 season starts, he will have not played football in almost two years, and will be closing in on 30 years old while coming off of a torn ACL. Typically a team in this position will want to retain a player such as him, but Miami can clear almost $20 million by releasing him. As it’s unsure if he will return to form or not, the Dolphins should look to clear as much cap space from questionable players such as himself and Jackson. That being said, they will need to look to free agency or the draft to replace him, as while 1st round edge Chop Robinson is looking to be a core piece to Miami’s pass rushing unit, they will need to bring in someone who can help in filling in additional production that they’re losing by releasing Chubb.

Restructure: QB Tua Tagovailoa

While it doesn’t look right now like Tua is the future for Miami, they should at least try and give him a fair chance to prove he is by fielding a good team around him. While restructuring his contract may not be the smartest move for the future, it will give Miami some much-needed cap space with more than $19 million being freed up to build the team.

Resign: DL Calais Campbell (1 / 3m)

Campbell, while one of the oldest players in the NFL, is still consistently one of the best DTs in football, year in and year out. Campbell should be a very cheap player to resign, who will be a great player at DT in Miami for at least another season.

Sign: OG Will Fries (4 / $14.3m APY), S Justin Simmons (1 / 6m)

Fries has improved every season of his young career for Indianapolis, and was looking like he was going to improve further into one of the best guards in the league before unfortunately getting injured in Week 5. That being said, his consistent development paired with his elite performance to start this season showed that Fries is trending to be a franchise piece to an offensive line, and while the right side of Miami’s line has been underperforming for some time, Fries could be a big part in changing that. On the other side of the ball, while losing elite safety Jevon Holland is going to hurt this defense, signing Justin Simmons will soften the blow and make it so that losing Holland will only cause a minor regression in Miami’s secondary. Simmons’ value is cheap enough that he will still allow the Dolphins enough cap space to make minor signings and such. Simmons has consistently been one of the best safeties in the NFL for the past decade, and while not a permanent solution for the safety position in Miami, he will certainly help them compete in a make-or-break year that they need to contend in.

Trade: Pick #156 → RB Jamaal Williams + Pick #186 (Saints)

While De’Von Achane is an incredibly talented running back and is capable of blowing a game wide open with his elite speed and vision, he is relatively small at only 5’9” and 187lbs. Jaylen Wright is another talented running back in Miami’s backfield, but the one thing this room is missing is a true power back. Williams can provide that element that the Dolphins have been missing, and can be a good player to bring in for goal line and short yardage situations. As they only will be paying about $1.6 million to Williams in salary and the deal only making them move back 30 spots in the late rounds, this move would be in Miami’s interest to help fill in a part they’ve needed to for multiple seasons now. While there are other alternatives like RB Nick Chubb in free agency, most are injury prone and would most likely cost significantly more than Williams, cap wise. For a team with significantly limited cap space, this is a trade Miami should make.

Draft: Pick #13: EDGE Jalon Walker (Georgia), Pick #48: CB Azareye’h Thomas (Florida St.)

After releasing Pro Bowl Edge Rusher Bradley Chubb earlier this offseason for cap space purposes, Miami can find his replacement to go alongside last year’s 1st round pick Chop Robinson. Jalon Walker is another incredible edge rusher in this insanely deep class, but Walker has a unique trait that few of the other elite prospects at this position have, aside from maybe Penn State’s Abdul Carter due to switching positions from linebacker. Walker can line up at any spot in the front seven, as he is a great run stopper and pass rusher, while also being able to tackle well and cover effectively. He has good athleticism and technique, and could develop into a great player in both Miami’s linebacking unit, and being a pass rushing duo opposite Robinson.

While Thomas didn’t perform exceptionally this past season, he has good attributes like being 6’2” and having great body control, which will translate well to the NFL. Miami has star CB Jalen Ramsey and corner Kendall Fuller, but the latter seems to be regressing going into his 30 year old season, and Miami could look to potentially secure their future opposite Ramsey by drafting and developing Thomas.

New England Patriots

Cap Space: $120,041,728

Key Draft Picks: 4, 38 69, 77, 105

Biggest Strengths: QB, CB, IOL
Biggest Weaknesses: WR, OT, DL

The Patriots have a great situation for an incoming head coach; a promising sophomore quarterback, a young lockdown cornerback, a Top 5 draft pick, and the most cap space in the league. The hardest thing to do in all of sports, drafting a franchise quarterback, seems to have been done for him already, and now newly hired Head Coach Mike Vrabel can use his top-tier non-player assets to build his team. He needs to start by continuing to develop his quarterback from a promising to a franchise QB, and the best way to do that is by building the trenches and getting him some weapons. After doing that for Drake Maye, Vrabel and GM Elliott Wolf can work on the defense, and turn this team into one that can contend in the postseason.

Cut: WR Kendrick Bourne

While the Patriots have enough cap space that they should look to retain any talent they have on their roster, Bourne hasn’t been super impactful in a few seasons and New England should look to upgrade heavily at the wide receiver position this offseason. They should additionally be able to field a better replacement for a similar price as Bourne.

Resign: CB Jonathan Jones (1 / 3m)

While Jones is coming off of a down year, this value contract should give him a chance to show that he can return to form and form a formidable cornerback duo with star corner Christian Gonzalez. While being 31 years old, he has still shown that he can be a good corner in this league as recently as last year, where he was ranked 21st in PFF grade out of all CB’s.

Sign: DE Malcolm Koonce (2 / 18.75m APY), WR Chris Godwin (3 / 20m APY), OT Cam Robinson (3 / 18.75m APY)

Koonce was improving exponentially as the 2023 season went on, but unfortunately couldn’t continue his strong play into 2024 due to an injury before the season started. While it’s risky spending so much cap space on a player who’s consistency is unknown, his crazy high ceiling is worth taking a shot on for a team with as much cap space as the Patriots especially since it’s a position of need for them. Godwin is a top-tier receiver, and was on pace for an amazing season before unfortunately getting injured midway through the year. New England can easily afford his hefty price tag, and he will be an incredible addition to a receiving room that lacks talent, and will give rising star quarterback Drake Maye a true weapon to help his development. Another way to help Maye will be by bolstering his line by addressing the tackle position, which has been extremely underwhelming for New England since losing solid tackle Trent Brown to the Bengals. Robinson is a very consistent player, and while he isn’t the greatest run blocker, he’s extremely sound in pass protection and will protect Maye’s blindside effectively for years to come.

Draft: Pick #4: OT Will Campbell (LSU), Pick #38: CB Shavon Revel (East Carolina)

While signing offensive tackle Cam Robinson is a start to fixing this offensive line, New England can solve both tackle positions by drafting Campbell with the 4th overall pick. Campbell is an incredible pass protector, and will secure the edge on passing plays for the coming years. He also uses his size very well to run block, as his 6’6” frame allows him to bully smaller edge rushers and open up huge gaps for running backs. While the defense still needs work, drafting Campbell will secure this franchise’s tackle positions for years, and will allow Maye to continue developing in cleaner pockets.

While the Patriots have a solid cornerback room, the idea of bringing in a top cornerback prospect to pair with star corner Christian Gonzalez is too intriguing of an opportunity to pass up on. Revel is solid in both man and zone coverage, and will make a very high upside duo with Gonzalez to shore up arguably the most important position in today’s NFL for a long time in New England.

New York Jets

Cap Space: $20,951,969

Key Draft Picks: 7, 42, 92, 108

Biggest Strengths: DL, RB, OL
Biggest Weaknesses: QB, S, TE

The Jets are in a brutal position right now with a giant question mark at quarterback. They don’t have enough cap space to trade for an elite QB, but don’t have a good enough draft pick to be in a position to pick one of the top prospects in this current draft. Their roster is built to win now, with their biggest holes being in luxury positions like safety; however, you can’t win now in today’s NFL without an elite, or at least above average, quarterback. The Jets should do whatever they can to secure their future at that position, especially as they have a good offensive line and weapons to help whoever it is develop into a guy that they can trust to lead the offense for the coming years.

Cut: QB Aaron Rodgers, K Greg Zuerlein, WR Allen Lazard

Aaron Rodgers is extremely disgruntled with the team right now, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to end up with them. He’s far from the Hall of Fame talent he just was, leading the Jets to only 5 wins in 2024 and looking like he won’t be sticking around for much longer. The Jets can get $10 million in cap space by cutting the quarterback, and another $5 million from cutting the struggling kicker. While Zuerlein used to be one of the best at his position years ago, he has been struggling heavily as of late and New York can free up a good amount of cap space by cutting him as well. In addition to Rodgers, they can cut his longtime teammate Allen Lazard to clear up an additional $11 million. New York still has stud receivers Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson, and releasing Lazard opens up a spot for an up-and-coming receiver like Malachi Corley.

Restructure: DT Quinnen Williams

Williams is one of the premier defensive tackles in the NFL, and is the core piece to this defense. He will be around for as long as New York’s defense is competitive, and freeing up $11.6 million in extra cap space to build their improved roster under new Head Coach Aaron Glenn will do wonders for improving the roster.

Resign: LT Tyron Smith (1 / 8m), LB Jamien Sherwood (2 / 7.75m APY)

While Smith didn’t have the incredible season the Jets had hoped for when they brought him in, he still is a very talented player who, at his best, is a top tackle in the league. While getting deeper into his 30s, he is still a very good player, and New York should bring him back for another season on a decent value contract. Sherwood, a 5th round pick from the 2021 NFL draft, broke out this season after finishing 4th in total tackles and 1st in solo tackles this past season. He is a young and talented player which can be a key piece to this defense for years to come, and the Jets should prioritize bringing him back to continue growing in the defense.

Sign: QB Sam Darnold (3 / 41.25m APY), TE Mike Gesicki (2 / 6m APY)

While Darnold’s first stint with the Jets may have been rocky at best, this past season under QB developing coach Kevin O’Connell showed that the Jets were right drafting him 3rd overall based off of potential that he’s living up to now. While his hiatus from the Jets may leave a little bad blood between the two, it’s nothing that a hundred million dollars can’t fix, and the improved Darnold showed that he can potentially be the franchise quarterback that New York always hoped he could. While the Jets don’t run as quarterback friendly of a system as Minnesota, his plethora of weapons should hopefully let Darnold continue his strong play for the coming seasons. While Darnold will miss having an extremely talented tight end in TJ Hockenson, the Jets can soften the blow by adding TE Mike Gesicki, an established receiving threat at the tight end position. While he isn’t elite by any means, he is a sound player and can help Darnold as a checkdown option and redzone threat, and for his fairly decent price he will be a much-needed upgrade at the position for New York.

Draft: Pick #7: DT Mason Graham (Michigan), Pick #42: CB Trey Amos (Ole Miss)

Mason Graham is an absolute stud at defensive tackle. While a bit undersized at just 6’3”, he still weighs 320lbs and gives shades of an Aaron Donald type player when he plays. While his ceiling isn’t quite Donald, he’s still going to be an impact player immediately and could grow into a game-wrecking defensive tackle. When paired next to Quinnen Williams and the deep edge rushing room New York has, this defensive line with Graham is going to be as good as any and will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

While New York’s cornerback room is stacked on paper, All-Pro Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner has been struggling recently and standout corner D.J. Reed is leaving in free agency. To replace his spot, Amos is a solid corner with good attributes, and standing at 6’1” 210lbs he has potential to grow further. He is sufficient in both man and zone coverage, and steps up to stop the run very well. Amos will fit in well for Jets, and his flexibility of being able to play both on the outside and in the slot will help their secondary considerably.

Baltimore Ravens

Cap Space: $5,956,460

Key Draft Picks: 27, 59, 91, 128, 136

Biggest Strengths: QB, S, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: DT, IOL, WR

Baltimore’s roster is constructed beautifully. They have an MVP quarterback, an above-average offensive line, good weapons, a defense which was 1st in the NFL only one season ago, and great players at luxury positions like running back and safety. The only thing seeming to end their season every year is just a few bad plays, and it’s hard to upgrade an elite team when there isn’t an obvious issue with the roster. The Ravens should continue to retain a great roster, and just hope every season that they can win those one or two games vs. the Bills and Chiefs.

Restructure: QB Lamar Jackson, MLB Roquan Smith

Lamar is coming off of potentially his second consecutive MVP campaign, and will be around for the long haul in Baltimore. Roquan Smith is one of the best MLB’s in football, and will be leading this defense for the coming seasons. Both of these players will be around long-term, and these two moves can free up almost $26 million for a Ravens team that needs cap space to make moves with.

Resign: LT Ronnie Stanley (2 / 20m APY), FB Patrick Ricard (1 / 4m), S Ar’Darius Washington (1 / 3m RFA Tender)

Stanley has been a great left tackle for the Ravens, and is not a player they can afford to lose if they want to continue the success they’ve had into the coming seasons. While expensive, he is a sound player at a premium position, and will protect Lamar’s blindside for the near future. Having a fullback, especially a good one, is more of a luxury in today’s NFL, but Ricard has been everything the Ravens have asked of him and more. He is a good lead blocker, runner, receiver, and can do anything they want of him from the fullback position. Considering the position’s relatively cheap market value, he should be a player who is brought back. Washington was a UDFA that the Ravens revealed to be a quality safety. Bringing him back to provide good safety depth is important as he played well this season when given increased playing time, and should continue to be a good rotational piece for this DB room.

Trade: 2026 5th Round Pick → S Tyrann Mathieu (Saints) (Post-June 1st)

Tyrann Mathieu is coming off of a bad year, and is going on 33 years old. However, he still is a very talented player, and at his best could fill in for the likely departing Marcus Williams. A late round pick should be enough to bring in the Honey Badger, and he can still provide quality play on a relatively affordable contract.

Draft: Pick #27: OT Armand Membou (Mizzou), DT Darius Alexander (Toledo)

Membou is outstanding at both run blocking and pass protection, and will serve very nicely opposite aging star tackle Ronnie Stanley. When Stanley retires, Membou will likely move back to left tackle, much like Tristan Wirfs did a few seasons back. Membou, while having a somewhat small frame for an offensive tackle at only 6’3” 314lb, uses his size well and his technique is up there with anyone’s. Membou will immediately fill a need for the Ravens and be an impact player from Day 1.

Baltimore has a need at defensive tackle, and while it couldn’t be filled in free agency due to a lack of cap space, bringing in Alexander could immediately improve the position. He is an above-average pass rushing, and an outstanding run stopper. He will get into the backfield very effectively, and can help continue this Baltimore defense’s success.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cap Space: $46,567,407

Key Draft Picks: 17, 49, 81, 118

Biggest Strengths: WR, QB, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: LB, CB, IOL

Cincinnati has one of the most talented sets of skill positions in modern NFL history, but their defense consistently holds them back from having any huge successes. With their large amount of cap space and good draft picks, they should retain their offensive talent and work towards building this defense into one that won’t lose them a game, at the very least. Combine an MVP-caliber Quarterback with an at least proficient defense, and they should consistently be having successful seasons.

Cut: DT Sheldon Rankins

The Bengals can look to gain even more cap space by cutting Rankins, a player who was the 51st ranked DT by PFF two seasons ago, and the 74th this past season. His production has been in decline for several seasons, and going on 32 years old it’s poised to decline further. The Bengals can clear up close to $10 million by making this cut.

Restructure: QB Joe Burrow

Burrow is an MVP-caliber quarterback who this team is built around, and restructuring his giant contract over the rest of it will only add about $5 million APY while freeing up a huge amount this upcoming year. By restructuring Burrow, the Bengals can clear up an additional $19 million which will help in retaining key receiver Tee Higgins while still allowing the front office cap space to work on fixing the defense.

Resign: WR Tee Higgins (4 / 28m APY), CB Mike Hilton (3 / 11m APY)

Higgins is an incredible target and is part of the reason why this offense is so dangerous. With two elite receivers getting thrown to by an elite QB, the trio of Burrow, Chase and Higgins is a nightmare for secondaries to try and defend. While it will cost a lot of money, this is a move the Bengals must make to keep their offense at such an elite level. While cornerback is a big weakness on this team, Hilton has been very solid at the position and can secure one of two or three corner positions that this team needs. He will help on the defensive side for at least the next couple of seasons, and is a player that Cincinatti should bring back.

Sign: LB Ernest Jones (3 / 12m APY), CB Paulson Adebo (3 / 13.3m APY), TE Zach Ertz (1 / 3.5m)

Jones broke out in 2023 for the Seahawks, providing the 4th highest WAR (wins above replacement) out of all linebackers in the whole league. Cincinnati’s defense has been among the worst in the league, and their poor linebacking play is a huge reason why. Jones will provide a piece of stability to that position, and help in fixing this defense that needs a lot of it. Adebo will also help in fixing this defense, as he has been a standout corner for New Orleans since the 2023 season. Putting him across from returning corner Mike Hilton will turn this secondary from a major liability into one with good upside, and if they play at the top of their game Cincinnati could have major improvements in this defense. On the offensive side, while they are losing tight end Mike Gesicki, replacing him with Ertz will be an upgrade for a cheaper contract. While it’s not a permanent solution as Ertz is going to be turning 35 years old next season, he still showed this past year, and especially in the playoffs, that he’s still very capable of being an impactful player in this league. He will be another threat for Burrow and will make this offense all the more dangerous.

Draft: Pick 17: OT Josh Simmons (Ohio St.), Pick #49: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku (BC)

Josh Simmons has amazing agility, and can both set the edge and climb to the second level effectively. He is a sound run blocker and a solid pass blocker, though he has room to grow for both. He can also play both right and left tackle effectively, which will give Cincinnati much-needed flexibility while trying to rebuild their struggling offensive line. Simmons will play a key part in that, and could be a franchise tackle if he can develop effectively.

Cincinnati’s defense struggled mightily this past season, and while edge rusher Trey Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks, Cincinnati’s defensive line struggled to produce much outside of that. After a lackluster 2023-24 campaign, Ezeiruaku bounced back in a huge way this past season, racking up 14 sacks and 20 QB hits, and solidifying himself as a top prospect in this already stacked class at his position. He is incredibly talented in both pass rushing and stopping the run, and will immediately be an impact player and a part in fixing this defense to one that can help Cincinnati compete for a championship.

Cleveland Browns

Cap Space: -$30,168,764

Key Draft Picks: 2, 33, 67, 94, 103

Biggest Strengths: LB, IOL, DE
Biggest Weaknesses: QB, DT, RB

Here’s the fact: this team currently isn’t in contention to win now. They owe a boatload of money to a quarterback who likely won’t even start for them in the future, they have an aging roster, many roster holes and are $30 million over the salary cap meaning their choices to fix their roster now are slim. They need to start looking to the future by piling up draft picks and getting a healthier cap situation while waiting for Deshaun Watson’s contract to end. There are going to be a lot of hard decisions to make this offseason, but hopefully this year can make the future a little brighter than it looks right now.

Cut: OT Jack Conklin, DT Dalvin Tomlinson

Conklin was the 44th rated OT by PFF this past season, and going on 31 years old he is bound to regress further from the All-Pro talent he once was. Cutting him post-June 1st will free up almost $15 Million, and for a team deep under the salary cap, they need to free up money whatever means necessary. Additionally, getting rid of Tomlinson will free up another $6 million. He has been decent for the Browns, but Cleveland is in dire need of cap space and they have other DT’s who have given similar production as Tomlinson who can fill in for him.

Restructure: CB Denzel Ward, OG Joel Bitonio, OG Wyatt Teller, C Ethan Pocic

Ward is an extremely talented cornerback who can be a key piece to this team when they begin building towards the future. This move will free up more than $9 million, and it will still be a good value contract for Ward for the remainder of it. As for their interior offensive linemen, they have performed well together and, while likely not a move that is smart financially, it is necessary to get Cleveland under the effective salary cap without having to cut any super important players to the team.

Resign: LB Devin Bush (1 / 2.7m)

Bush had a standout season where he was Top 10 in PFF grades among LBs, and is a key young player to this team. While Cleveland doesn’t have many pieces that belong on a true contender, Bush could definitely be one of those. He is a very talented linebacker, and bringing him back on such a value contract is a move the Browns must make.

Trade: DE Myles Garrett → DE Greg Rousseau + 2026 1st Round Pick (Bills), CB Greg Newsome → Pick #143 (Jaguars),           Pick #2 → Pick #6 + Pick #37 + 2026 2nd Round Pick (Raiders)

As unfortunate as it is to trade a player such as Garrett, he already requested a trade and will not be in Cleveland at the start of the 2025 season. In return, Cleveland is getting a young edge who can hopefully grow into a Pro Bowl DE, and a 1st round pick to help build in the future. Newsome performed terribly this past season, and trading him unloads more than $13 million in exchange for an early 5th round pick. He lost his starting job as a boundary corner to Martin Emerson, and this move helps clear space for Cleveland to have more flexibility in their limited ability to sign free agents. This final draft day trade allows the Browns to procure more draft capital and future draft capital, as they have many spots on the roster that need to be filled and this addition of draft capital allows them to start working on that. Right now, Cleveland isn’t in a situation to bring in a quarterback, and trading down allows them to build their roster with more young talent to create a better situation for a future QB.

Draft: Pick #6: OT Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas), Pick #33: OL Grey Zabel (North Dakota St.), Pick #37: IDL T.J. Sanders

Kelvin Banks is another stud offensive tackle in this stacked draft class. He has elite quickness and agility, which helps him with climbing to the second and third levels on run plays and lets him reset on a pass blocking rep where he might have started slow. He has a lot of room to grow as a pass blocker, but will come in as a great run blocker with lots of potential to develop his pass blocking to an elite level as well.

Zabel is another incredible lineman. While he played at the FCS level in college, he dominated any lineman he went up against, with his best PFF grading coming on the road at Colorado which showed that he can, and will, be dominant no matter who his competition is. He is an incredible run blocker, and an even better pass blocker, and will come into the NFL immediately as a quality offensive lineman. Zabel can play any position on the line, and this flexibility will allow him to perform no matter what Cleveland’s offensive line alignment looks like. Banks and Zabel will be key pieces to this rebuilding offensive line.

As tempting as it may be to take a quarterback here, the opportunity for Cleveland to bring in three premier prospects at some of the most important positions for an NFL roster is too valuable to pass up. Cleveland’s awful QB production will likely play themselves into a position to draft one next year, which is considered to be a lot more talented than this current class. Sanders is an incredible pass rusher from the interior line, and is good at stopping the run as well. He will be another valuable piece to the Cleveland trenches as they rebuild the roster.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Cap Space: $40,703,766

Key Draft Picks: 21, 52, 83, 122

Biggest Strengths: LB, K, IOL
Biggest Weaknesses: CB, WR, QB

The Steelers might be the most perplexing situation in all of sports right now. For over a decade, they’ve consistently been good enough to ensure they never have great draft capital or a ton of cap space, but have never been good enough to win it all. It might be the most consistent run of slightly-above average I’ve seen in my life, and the really unfortunate part is that there’s only two ways out; you either have to get good enough to have postseason success, or bad enough to rebuild the roster into one that can. The most important part for a team’s success is a quarterback, and after Big Ben Roethlisberger retired, they’ve never been able to play their way into an even above average one. They need to get a quarterback who can lead this team to a very successful season, without sacrificing the talent needed to have one.

Cut: DT Larry Ogunjobi

Ogunjobi had an awful season, and has been declining year over year for multiple seasons now. He’s 31 years old, and Pittsburgh can clear $7 million in cap space by letting him go. This helps the Steelers in getting enough cap space to potentially go out and acquire a high-salary quarterback which can lead them to more postseason success than they’ve had in years.

Restructure: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, DL Cameron Heyward, LB Alex Highsmith

While it may hurt in the future to defer so much money, they’re only deferring about $7 million each over the remainder of their contracts, which won’t be as much of a hit as it would be this year. It also clears up almost $22 million, which will bring them up to almost $70 million in cap space. These players are all key pieces to the defense, and the deferred guaranteed money likely won’t turn into dead cap space since they likely will all be around until the end of their contracts.

Resign: OG James Daniels (1 / 5.5m), QB Justin Fields (1 / 11m)

Daniels has been a great guard in the NFL for the past few years, and was on track to be one of the best in the league this season before getting hurt. He’s only 27 and going into his prime despite having played for 7 seasons, and is going to be a great part of this offensive line for what should be, in Pittsburgh’s best interest, the coming years. Pittsburgh should jump on this opportunity to re-sign him on a cheaper contract. As for Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation, while Wilson could provide more consistent play, his ceiling isn’t high enough to elevate this team to any real postseason success. Justin Fields, while having a low floor that could take this team from a competitive one into a 6-7 win one, at his ceiling is extremely dangerous in both the running and passing game, and has a deep ball good enough that it could make the Steelers serious contenders for postseason success. Either way with Fields, he’s likely to break the streak of mediocrity and will bring Pittsburgh into a normal rotation of building and competitiveness. At the worst, he plays the Steelers into a position where they’re primed to draft a young, potentially franchise changing quarterback with a high pick, and the best he  It’s a win-win either way for Steelers fans.

Sign: CB D.J. Reed (3 / 14m APY), RB Nick Chubb (1 / 3m)

While Reed isn’t an elite corner, he’s very solid and will help in this corner room that’s performed extremely subpar for multiple seasons. His contract is very decent compared to the way the cornerback market is shaping out, and will continue to look better as the seasons go on. Reed is still only 28 years old and will provide quality cornerback play which is essential in today’s NFL if you want to have success, especially in the postseason. Letting running back Najee Harris is essential for this new angle of rebuilding; backup running back Jaylen Warren broke out during the 2023 NFL season, and proved that while he wasn’t as consistent as Harris, he was much more explosive and could make big plays out of seemingly nothing. Harris’ consistency, while impressive, represents exactly what has been wrong with this franchise, and letting him go in favor of the more explosive Warren is the best move for the way this roster is shaping out. That being said, Harris was the team’s power back, and losing him means they’ll have to replace that element somehow. Chubb, while set to regress heavily following multiple extremely serious injuries and simply his age, still has a valuable power element and can be used on the goal line and in short yardage situations when power is more valuable than explosiveness.

Trade: Pick #83 + Pick #231 → WR Deebo Samuel + Pick #189 (49ers)

To really turn this team into a true contender, the Steelers need to make their team more explosive. Trading a 3rd round pick and change for who might be the most explosive player in the entire NFL could definitely help with that. Samuel can offer flexibility as a slot receiver and outside receiver, along with taking carries from the backfield and a weapon in the return game. He would fit in well with Pittsburgh, and while they are giving up a Day 2 pick to get him, his talent and toughness fit in well with this team, and his ability to make an immediate impact while helping Fields and the offense justifies this move.

Draft: DT Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), Pick #52: OL Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)

Nolen is an absolute stud at defensive tackle and will be a very pro-ready prospect to plug and play into the Steelers’ defense. He is very explosive, even at 290lbs, and can stack blockers to win effectively at both pass rushing and stopping the run. He can deal with double teams effectively and will do a good job at filling in on Pittsburgh’s defensive line when needed, and will be a great player to take over for DT Cameron Heyward when he decides to retire.

Losing Dan Moore to free agency is going to hurt this team, but bringing in Jonah out of Arizona can lessen the pain. Savaiinaea is a standout tackle, but could also be kicked inside to guard and play effectively if need be due to injuries or otherwise. He is an above average pass blocker and a decent run blocker, but his big frame of 6’5” 330lbs provides reassurance that he can surely improve in the running game, and with further development can become an even more sound pass protector who could protect Fields’ blindside for years to come.

Houston Texans

Cap Space: $101,553

Key Draft Picks: 25, 58, 89, 127

Biggest Strengths: DB, EDGE, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: OL, LB, TE

Houston is led by a field general quarterback. While few people tend to realize this, field general quarterbacks have up and down seasons. He’s not elite because of a great season, and he’s not awful because of a bad one. He’s a very talented quarterback who is going to have successful seasons, and unsuccessful ones. Houston just needs to keep building the team around Stroud and wait for a season where it all clicks.

Cut: DE Denico Autry

The Texans shored up their pass rushing needs last offseason, when they got Danielle Hunter. Hunter, paired up with a developing Will Anderson, proved to be one of the best pass rushing duos in the NFL, leaving Autry to get a reduced snap count and have a small impact on the team. While he had an outlier season in 2022 when he played the best football of his career, he has mostly been a solid edge at best and is now left without a job. Additionally, pass rusher Derek Barnett broke out this past season and took over as the main rotational edge rusher, leaving Autry with really not much purpose left on the team. Few teams are likely to trade for the aging DE due to his age, lack of production and contract, and the team can save over $8 million by cutting Autry post-June 1st.

Restructure: EDGE Danielle Hunter, WR Nico Collins

These two elite players really showed out this past season, with Hunter being tied for 5th most sacks in the league and Collins having the 2nd best PFF rating out of receivers despite missing multiple games. While Houston tries to contend in the present day, these two will be key pieces to their success and freeing up much-needed cap space to help with that is an easy decision.

Resign: LS Jon Weeks (1 / 1.3m)

While this isn’t the prettiest start to an offseason, the Texans don’t have many impending free agents worth resigning outside of Stefon Diggs, but it’s looking like he is going to leave Houston. Weeks has been one of the more consistent long snappers in the NFL over the past decade, and it’s in Houston’s best interest to keep him there.

Sign: WR Amari Cooper (2 / 17.5m APY), LB Robert Spillane (3 / 8m APY)

With the departure of coveted receiver Stefon Diggs, Houston needs to find a great replacement for him to keep up their top-tier offense. Cooper is only 30 years old, and while expensive, he is an incredible receiver and can be one of the best receiving duos in the NFL alongside Pro Bowler Nico Collins. Spillane has been incredibly consistent for the Raiders the past two seasons, and had an amazing sub-5% missed tackle rate. He’s top 10 in many statistical categories over that time frame, and while Houston’s linebacker play has been below-average the previous few seasons, Spillane can help to fix that.

Trade: 2026 3rd Round Pick → OT Ryan Ramczyk (Saints) (Post-June 1st)

The standout tackle for the Saints has been sidelined since about midway through the 2023-24 season, and hasn’t played football in over a year. However, when healthy, he’s an incredible player and is an All-Pro caliber player. New Orleans will be selling pieces for cheap, and Houston could have one of the better tackle duos in the league after this move. While a third round pick is valuable, Ramczyk at his best is one of the most solid tackles in the league and this move could help Houston’s lackluster offensive line.

Draft: Pick #25: DL Tyleik Williams (Ohio St.), Pick #58: OG Marcus Mbao (Purdue)

Houston’s elite edge rushers often mask the fact that their interior line performed very poorly this past season, and they lack talent in that area. While Williams has room to grow as a pass rusher, he will come in as an elite run stopping defensive tackle for Houston, and will immediately make a giant impact on their run defense.At 327lbs, he has a high ceiling as a pass rusher, and will immediately be one of the most impactful run defenders on Houston’s roster.

Houston has a need for a second quality guard, and Mbao could end up being that for them. He’s a great run blocker and can pull and climb very effectively. While he has room to grow as a pass protector, much of his struggles come due to poor footwork, which, if improved, could allow him to become a very solid piece to this offensive line.

Indianapolis Colts

Cap Space: $28,247,239

Key Draft Picks: 14, 45, 80, 116

Biggest Strengths: DT, IOL, WR
Biggest Weaknesses: TE, QB, LB

The Colts are relying on Anthony Richardson to take a leap closer to the potential that they poured so many resources into for, and their whole season relies on it. Indianapolis definitely could add more weapons around him, and the defense isn’t super promising either. The Colts need to keep building along this process that they started by drafting Anthony Richardson to start, and he along with the team needs to show consistent improvement this upcoming season to show that this is the path they should take.

Cut: DT Raekwon Davis

Davis is set to make $9 million this upcoming season, and releasing him frees up $7 million of it. He was outplayed by fellow rotational defensive tackle Taven Bryan who makes millions less, and his contract is not justified by his performance at all. Cutting him is a fairly easy decision, and should give this roster more cap flexibility without losing much talent.

Restructure: DT DeForest Buckner

Buckner has been a stud on this defensive line for the past 5 seasons, and looks to continue his production into his 2025 campaign. He was the 7th ranked interior defensive lineman this past season by PFF, and restructuring his contract will bring the Colts up to $56 million in cap space which will help in bringing in talent to the building and continuing to build a competitive roster.

Resign: C Ryan Kelly (2 / 9.5m APY), DT Taven Bryan (1 / 4m)

Kelly alongside All-Pro Left Guard Quentin Nelson has performed well consistently the previous few seasons, and is a good piece to a line that Indianapolis would want to develop Anthony Richardson behind. Bryan was a solid depth piece to the interior defensive line behind Buckner and Grover Steward, and was relatively impactful while rotating those two out on defense. Depth is a major issue for this team, but Bryan helps to fill that role.

Sign: DE Chase Young (2 / 17.5m APY), S Justin Reid (3 / 15.5m APY)

While letting go of rising star Dayo Odeyingbo may hurt in the future, this past season showed that, even while this team wasn’t playing well, they were still in the playoff hunt for much of the season, until a Week 17 loss to the Giants knocked them out of playoff contention. This past season showed that if Indianapolis plays to their potential, they could make the postseason and be threatening to other AFC teams. By improving the roster immediately, they can make that ceiling even higher. While Odeyingbo seems to have a higher ceiling, Young has proved to be the more impactful player at this very moment, and this addition could help the Colts’ subpar edge rushing play and make this defensive line even scarier alongside star tackles DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Similarly, losing improving safety Julian Blackmon may hurt a little, but in this case Indy can make a serious upgrade at the position by bringing in the multitalented Justin Reid. Reid can be a solid coverage guy, and will definitely be an improvement with their run support in the secondary. While expensive for a safety, the Colts have money to spend and need to bolster up the defense to be able to carry the team when the offense is struggling.

Trade: DE Kwitty Paye → Pick #148 & 2026 7th Round Pick

Paye has been a solid piece for the Colts, but they are limited in cap space and Paye’s $13.7 million cap hit is a piece they need to unload. His large contract will lower his value to around a 4th or 5th round pick, but it’s still a move Indianapolis should make to add more quality players to the roster.

Draft: Pick #14: TE Tyler Warren (Penn St.), Pick #45: LB Jihaad Campbell (Alabama)

Indianapolis has had subpar production from the tight end position for a long time, and they can finally put an end to that by bringing in star tight end Tyler Warren out of Penn State. Warren has a giant frame and great athleticism, and is an amazing receiving threat while also being a solid run blocker, with room to grow. Most great quarterbacks have great tight ends who contribute to their development and success, and perhaps Warren can be the piece that unlocks franchise QB Anthony Richardson’s full potential.

Indianapolis has struggled with quality play at linebacker since star player Shaquille Leonard regressed heavily for no apparent reason, being cut soon after. Campbell is a bright spot in this weak off-ball linebacker class, and is extremely solid stopping the run, in coverage, and pass rushing/blitzing when asked to. Campbell should fill in immediately in this roster that’s desperate for linebacker help outside of solid player Zaire Franklin.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Cap Space: $32,276,564

Key Draft Picks: 5, 36, 70, 88, 106, 125

Biggest Strengths: EDGE, LB, TE
Biggest Weaknesses: QB, IOL, RB

The Jaguars are a mess. They have bad contracts all over the place, including paying a quarterback the second most in the NFL at $55 million despite showing little proof that he can consistently win, outside of one season three years ago where he won a single playoff game. While this team isn’t in a spot to begin a rebuild immediately, as it’s unrealistic to be able to unload some of the awful contracts right now, they should start working towards rebuilding next season and weeding out the players that will end up being on the rebuilt roster, from the ones that won’t.

Cut: WR Christian Kirk, WR Josh Reynolds

Christian Kirk was brought in three years ago on a massive deal to be this team’s #1 receiver. Unfortunate to what they’d hoped, his production has declined every year since he signed. Additionally, rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr. solidified his spot as this team’s #1 receiver after an amazing rookie campaign, and with receiver Gabe Davis as the #2 receiver and Pro Bowl Tight End Evan Engram as this team’s weapons, this has left Kirk with no real spot on this team anymore. Jacksonville can get important cap space by cutting Kirk, which will free up more than $16 million this season and allow the Jaguars to fill other important needs. On a similar note, Josh Reynolds also had a poor 2024 campaign, and after the young wideout Parket Washington showed a lot of promise towards the end of the season, this leaves Reynolds without a real spot on this team anymore. The Jaguars can free up another $4 million by releasing Reynolds, meaning an extra $20 million total with minimal losses roster-wise.

Sign: OL Mekhi Becton (3 / 9m APY), DT Osa Odighizuwa (4 / 21.25m APY)

Becton played the best football of his career for the Eagles this past season, and showed that he could be a valuable guard to an offensive line. The Jaguars can additionally use his flexibility as a solid tackle as well, in case one of their two tackles goes down with an injury or such. On the other side of the line, bringing in defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa can improve this Jaguars pass rush dramatically. Pro Bowler Josh Hines-Allen and former 1st Overall Pick Travon Walker are an extremely talented edge rushing duo, but they don’t have as much production as they should. Having Odighizuwa in the middle of the line will take some of the pressure off of them and allow them to produce more to their potential, and likewise with them to him. This should be a nice addition that could allow this defensive line to grow into a very scary one that opposing quarterbacks won’t want to face.

Trade: Pick #143 → CB Greg Newsome II (Browns), Pick #5 → Pick #8, Pick #74, 2026 4th Round Pick

While Newsome performed horribly this past season, he has put up good production in the past for the Browns. That upside at a position that Jacksonville needs in exchange is a safe gamble for them, as if it doesn’t work out then they can move on, but if he returns to form then the Jaguars could have found a potential fix for an important position. When Jacksonville is up to draft, the elite prospects available are mostly at positions which the Jaguars aren’t in dire need of addressing, like edge rusher and defensive tackle. They can trade back to acquire more capital, while still having a Top 10 pick this year to pick up an amazing prospect at a position which they may need more.

Draft: Pick #8: CB Will Johnson (Michigan), Pick #36: OL Donovan Jackson (Ohio St.)

Yet another pair of college teammates go back to back, with Will Johnson following Mason Graham a pick before. Johnson was very productive and locked down some of the best receivers in college football, and his elite traits will translate nicely to the NFL. Jacksonville brought in Newsome to potentially be a rotational corner in the future, but he will have to sit behind Johnson, who will be an immediate difference-maker for Jacksonville. Him and Tyson Campbell will be a cornerback duo with high upside, and they could be a bright spot in Jacksonville’s cloudy future.

The Jaguars have struggled with interior line play for a long time, and losing standout guard Brandon Scherff to free agency will only make their need bigger. Jackson has experience playing both guard and tackle, and that flexibility could be valuable to Jacksonville with their inconsistent play at both positions. Jackson is a very sound run blocker, and while he still has a lot of room to grow as a pass blocker, his upside, talent in the running game, and position flexibility will be valuable to Jacksonville as he should immediately start at a position of need.

Tennessee Titans

Cap Space: $44,022,883

Key Draft Picks: 1, 35, 102, 119

Biggest Strengths: DT, CB, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: QB, WR, S

The Titans have good players, but some of the worst holes in the league at some of the most important positions. Luckily, they have amazing draft capital and a healthy amount of cap space which they can use to start building a contending team immediately, assuming their young players and acquisitions play well coming into the building.

Restructure: CB L’Jarius Sneed

Sneed has played a pivotal role in winning two Super Bowls as a very talented cornerback, and could be a cornerstone piece to this defense for years to come, and restructuring his deal could open up $11.4 million of cap flexibility to start a rebuild around their core pieces and valuable draft capital.

Resign: DL Sebastian Joseph-Day (2 / 10m APY)

Joseph-Day was very solid for Tennessee, and while the stats aren’t eye-popping, he beat blocks well and posted the 21st best PFF grade among DE’s. If he can continue that efficiency while putting up more stats, this contract could be better value than it already is.

Sign: S Jevon Holland (4 / 19.5m APY), WR Marquise Brown (2 / 9m APY)

While this is a hefty contract for a safety, Jessie Bates III and Atlanta showed that the contract can be of good value if he plays up to his potential. The Titans are beginning a new era with their pick of who they want to lead, and they should work on building around their draft pick with young talent which can be around for a good period of time and can help this team be more competitive. Holland is an athletic and smart player who is good both in coverage and in helping to stop the run, and pairing him with cornerback L’Jarius Sneed could make for a scary secondary for teams to face. Opposing them in practice will be receiver Marquise Brown, who the Titans bring in to bolster their receiving corps. The speedster out of Kansas City has never quite reached the potential teams believed him to have, but he is still a very solid wideout who can stretch the field for Tennessee and will provide help in what might be their biggest issue outside of quarterback play. Brown is going into his prime and will be a huge upgrade at WR2 from the underwhelming former 1st Round Pick Treylon Burks.

Draft: Pick #1: QB Cam Ward (Miami), Pick 35: WR Matthew Golden (Texas)

Ward is a franchise-changing prospect who could change the direction of this offense that has had trouble finding its passing identity in a league where passing is essential. No matter how a play is looking, Ward can make something out of nothing, and can potentially transform this offense that has severely struggled without generational running back Derrick Henry. Ward can make any throw from any arm angle, and while he has things to work on like patience in the pocket instead of looking to escape and be a superhero when it’s unnecessary, he is probably the most pro-ready quarterback in this class and could be the QB Tennessee has been looking for for a decade.

While bringing in receiver Marquise Brown in free agency will be a help to Ward, he certainly isn’t a fix for their lack of receiver talent. Bringing in former Longhorn Matthew Golden can certainly be a dangerous weapon for Ward. Golden runs a 4.38 40 yard dash, making him one of the fastest players in this class. He is a great deep ball threat and had the 15th most deep catches and 30th most deep yards in college football this past season, and will be a good piece for helping Ward have success in the NFL’s complex passing game.

Denver Broncos

Cap Space: $34,776,255

Key Draft Picks: 20, 51, 85, 121

Biggest Strengths: CB, DE, OG
Biggest Weaknesses: C, LB, TE

The Broncos showed promise the previous season and look very promising for the future as they have great players at very important positions; proficient edge rushers, one of the best cornerback duos in the league in Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss, and a young quarterback who played well his rookie season. They should continue to build off of that, and plugging some huge holes in the roster should immediately help them take the next step up.

Restructure: OG Ben Powers

Powers has had a very consistent NFL career, and is a solid and consistent player. He will give you quality guard play, and paired with an above average offensive line, he fits in soundly. He will be a piece to this team for the next few seasons, and restructuring his deal opens up more than $7 million to work with and gives Denver a healthy amount of cap space to continue building around Bo Nix going into his sophomore season.

Resign: DT D.J. Jones (2 / 9m APY)

Jones is a great piece to this defense, and was the 3rd best run-stopping DT in the NFL this past season. While he’s fairly expensive at $9 million per year, the cost should be worth it as his run stopping production and pass rushing potential gives him huge upside with a decent floor.

Sign: OL Brandon Scherff (1 / 6m)

While the Broncos have two quality tackles and two incredible guards, their center play has been awful and is holding back this line from its true potential. Signing the veteran Scherff can help shore this up, as he has experience playing every position on the line and can be brought in to play center. While he won’t be elite due to his age and not playing much at center over his career, he will still be solid for the Broncos and will be much better than what they’ve had at the position in recent years. With quality play at all 5 spots on the line, they could potentially be one of the best in the NFL this season if they all play up to their potential.

Draft: Pick #20: TE Colston Loveland (Michigan), Pick #51: RB Kaleb Johnson (Iowa)

Colston Loveland has a decent frame at 6’5”, and good speed to be a threat after the catch. He is very efficient against zone coverage, and will give sophomore QB Bo Nix another reliable target along with Cortland Sutton to help him keep developing into a star quarterback. Denver hasn’t had good tight end production since sending away Noah Fant as a part of the Russell Rilson trade, and Loveland could fill that spot for them effectively for the coming seasons as a solid receiving threat and room to grow as a run blocker.

While running back isn’t a huge need for Denver, they can continue to add weapons surrounding Nix by bringing in Kaleb Johnson. He is good in both zone and gap running, and is extremely effective in the open space with a wide bag of moves he can pull out at any moment. Johnson is also good through contact and can be an effective threat in the receiving game as well, and at his ceiling he can be an all-down back for Denver and a threat to any front seven they may face.

Kansas City Chiefs

Cap Space: $11,503,627

Key Draft Picks: 31, 63, 66, 95, 132

Biggest Strengths: IOL, QB, LB
Biggest Weaknesses: OT, P, S

The Chiefs came just short of winning their 3rd Super Bowl in a row, and mainly just need to keep continuity among this elite roster. However, they could use an upgrade at offensive tackle, and they could rotate in another safety like they’ve done in the past. While they’ve tried addressing these needs with premium picks in the previous few drafts, they could go for a more proven veteran who could plug a hole for them immediately, and make them even more impeccable.

Restructure: QB Patrick Mahomes II

It’s no secret that Mahomes is going to be here for a long time, which is why deferring so much money won’t hurt them too much. The Chiefs can unload almost $40 million from his cap hit alone, and by spreading it over the next 6-8 years of his contract, it won’t hit them too hard in the future. They will get an extra $40 million to be able to retain core pieces like All-Pro Caliber Guard Trey Smith, and fill out the few holes in this roster. With Travis Kelce likely retiring, they will need cap space to find his replacements along with some other positions.

Resign: G Trey Smith (4 / 20.5m APY), LB Nick Bolton (4 / 15m APY)

Trey Smith is one of the very best offensive lineman in the NFL. His combination of strength, speed, and technique makes him invaluable to any team that gets the chance to have him on the offensive line, and he is worth any penny Kansas City wants to throw at him to get him to return. Nick Bolton is a very tough and skilled linebacker, and leads the Kansas City defense every time they get on the field. While he may not be as talented as guys like Fred Warner and Roquan Smith, his leadership to this defense is worth the large contract he is likely to garner.

Sign: S Andre Cisco (3 / 9m APY)

Cisco was ascending as one of the best young safeties in the NFL, before his production fell off of a cliff in Jacksonville this past season. Part of it was most likely due to drama going on internally in Jacksonville as he was taken out of the starting lineup for two weeks during the season despite being one of their better players on defense, but a different situation might bring him back to the production he used to have. Kansas City has been rotating in and out safeties for years, and Cisco could provide stability to one of the only parts of this roster that isn’t very consistent.

Trade: Pick #31 → Pick #34 + Pick #155 (Giants)

Kansas City can acquire a little bit of extra draft capital to move down behind the QB needy Browns and Giants, meaning that the available prospects likely won’t change due to moving back, and they can obtain extra draft capital.

Draft: Pick #34: OT Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon), Pick #63: RB TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio St.)

Kansas City has been trying to fix their production at offensive tackle for years, which is easily their worst position by a mile. While Conerly isn’t an elite prospect, he’s very solid and can immediately be a plug and play guy for Kansas City. The Chiefs like to run zone running concepts, and Conerly excels in that area. While his ceiling isn’t quite as high as other prospects in this draft, his solid production and NFL-readiness will make him an appealing prospect for suitors.

While the NFL has been trending more and more towards a passing league and leaning away from the running game, this past season showed that a quality running back is, in fact, more important than it gets credit for. This was extremely apparent when the Chiefs got blown out in the Super Bowl this past season, as their offense was simply unable to keep up with Philadelphia’s which was more geared towards the running game. They can improve it by bringing in Henderson, who has great patience and athleticism, and will be a great 1-2 punch with RB Isaiah Pacheco where they can have a great mix of speed and power, and maybe this improved running back room will be able to get them back to holding the Lombardi Trophy.

Las Vegas Raiders

Cap Space: $92,526,914

Key Draft Picks: 6, 37, 68, 73, 107

Biggest Strengths: TE, LOL, EDGE
Biggest Weaknesses: RB, QB, CB

The Raiders are in an interesting position; they don’t have much talent on this roster outside of a generational tight end in Brock Bowers and an elite edge rusher in Maxx Crosby. However, they have very good draft capital and a huge amount of cap space, and can bring in talent wherever they feel they have to. They should mainly focus on young talent, which can give quality play for multiple seasons, into a time when they will be more likely to contend than now. While they aren’t in a position to draft a top quarterback this year, they should focus on building a roster that can make it easier for him when they do choose to draft their QB of the future; instead of giving up assets which they can’t afford to, in order to draft a QB which will be coming into an awful situation and will be set up to fail.

Cut: QB Gardner Minshew II

While Minshew is a capable backup quarterback and entertaining person to have on your team, he has not shown to be a starting-caliber quarterback in multiple seasons now. By releasing Minshew, the Raiders can free more than $9 million in cap space, and opens up the possibility of going out and getting a bridge or starting-caliber quarterback.

Resign: S Tre’von Moehrig (4 / 15m APY)

This is an expensive contract for a position that typically doesn’t matter as much as more important positions like cornerback or offensive tackle, Moehrig is still only 25 years old and is a quality safety who has shown consistent improvement and success over his young career, and could be an important piece of Las Vegas’ rebuild.

Sign: DT Milton Williams (3 / 21m APY), RB Najee Harris (3 / 11.5m APY)

Williams has been incredibly consistent for Philadelphia, having a 70 or better PFF grade each of the last 3 seasons, and will only get better while joining a line consisting of the incredible talents Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins. Their influence on opposing defenses will mean even more single teams for Williams, opening him up to have a career year for the Raiders and making their defensive line one of the best in the NFL. The Raiders let Josh Jacobs leave in free agency hoping that an in-house running back could turn out to be the future, but they couldn’t’ve been more wrong. Jacobs leaving left a hole at the position, and they can fill it with a player very similar to himself. Najee Harris is another tough, powerful running back, and his incredible consistency has seen him eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards each of his first four NFL seasons. Bringing him in to Las Vegas will once again add a dangerous element to their rushing attack, and he will make this offense more productive than last season.

Trade: 2026 7th Round Pick → QB Kirk Cousins (Falcons) (Post-June 1st),                                            Pick #6 + Pick #37 + 2026 2nd Round Pick → Pick #2 (Browns)

While Cousins isn’t close to what he once was, he’s still capable of playing decent football and will be a huge upgrade from the Raiders’ previous quarterback situations. When they choose to draft/obtain their potentially franchise quarterback, they may have the luxury of letting him sit for a bit of time to develop before thrusting him into the starting role. They get Cousins for super cheap due to his awful contract and Atlanta’s current QB situation with Cousins as the backup. While this draft trade may hurt the roster in terms of lost talent that the Raiders can’t acquire from the picks they’re trading away, the ability to bring in a future quarterback in the situation where he can sit for as long as he needs to develop before being thrust into the starting roster, is a situation that Las Vegas can’t pass up on. Their roster is talented enough that with a starting caliber quarterback in Kirk Cousins, they will likely play themselves out of a draft pick that could draft a top quarterback next season. He would likely need to fill in immediately for the aging Cousins, and Las Vegas can be stuck in this cycle for another 5-6 seasons. Bringing in someone now who they believe in could change their franchise for the better, and they would be entering into a good situation with multiple weapons in Jakobi Meyers, Brock Bowers and Najee Harris.

Draft: Pick #2: QB Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)

While Sanders isn’t as pro-ready as some other quarterbacks in this class, he has very good attributes for a quarterback and if given time to develop, he could turn into a Pro Bowl quarterback one day. Las Vegas is the perfect home for him, as he won’t be rushed into the starting job and can sit behind and be mentored by veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins while waiting for his turn. When he does get the starting nod, he has a generational tight end and good weapons to throw to. Las Vegas has been looking for its next franchise quarterback since Derek Carr left, and Sanders could be the guy that brings them back to relevance.

Los Angeles Chargers

Cap Space: $63,409,714

Key Draft Picks: 22, 55, 86, 124

Biggest Strengths: OT, EDGE, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: TE, WR, IOL

The Chargers are in a good spot, with their main problems being the weapons that Justin Herbert has to work with. He has one of the best deep balls in the NFL, but no real deep threat receivers to unlock his full potential. While the Chargers have Ladd McConkey, they should continue trying to put Herbert in the best situation possible. Additionally, HC Jim Harbough loves to run the football, and adding some better run blockers to the interior offensive line with some of the large amount of cap space they have could make Harbough’s game plans even more effective which could help while facing some of the juggernauts of the AFC in the playoffs, who mainly are more susceptible to the run.

Cut: OT Trey Pipkins

While Pipkins has been an okay tackle for the Chargers, they can save almost $7 million in cap space by releasing him. They have both tackle positions locked down with great players in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, and while depth is important as Slater has had injury issues in the past, paying more than $9 million in cap space for a guy that will sit on the bench most of the time is not necessary when LA can use the money for more important spots of the team.

Resign: EDGE Khalil Mack (2 / 22.5m APY), RB JK Dobbins (2 / 3.5m APY),  DT Poona Ford (1 / 3.5m)

Mack had a down year for his standards this past season, but after reaching 17 sacks and 5 forced fumbles only two seasons ago, his ceiling is well worth the investment. He also draws attention away from fellow defensive linemen Joey Bosa and fellow free agent Poona Ford, allowing each of them to face more single team blocks and be more disruptive in their own sense. Dobbins bounced back hard after tearing his ACL, LCL, and spraining his MCL all in his 5-year NFL career. He had more than 900 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns, showing that he can be the dominant running back in Jim Harbough’s run-heavy offense. While Poona Ford has had a very up-and-down career, he’s coming off of what could be the best season he’s had in his career. Following a down year, he was an extremely dominant force in the interior defensive line, and should be a guy that LA prioritizes in bringing back.

Sign: OG Aaron Banks (3 / 8.5m APY), TE Juwan Johnson (3 / 9.75m APY)

While Banks still has room to grow as a pass protector, he is a sound run blocker who has shown steady improvement over the course of his rookie contract with San Francisco. He is a physical blocker who will open lanes for JK Dobbins to break through, and could be a fix for a guard position that has struggled mightily for Los Angeles. Right next to the line has also been an issue for Los Angeles, as they haven’t had consistent quality play from the tight end position in years. Johnson is a sound blocker and a serious redzone threat in the receiving game, and will offer Justin Herbert a reliable target to continue his quest for postseason success.

Trade: Pick #177 → WR Cooper Kupp (Rams)

While Kupp is making a hefty amount of salary this upcoming season, Los Angeles would eat a fairly significant chunk of his salary and due to his age, injury history and recent play, Los Angeles' asking price would be fairly cheap. The Chargers need a good receiver to pair alongside wideout Ladd McConkey, this past season showed that no one on their current roster will fill that role effectively. While Kupp isn’t quite the historic player he was four seasons ago now, he will be a solid receiver with good upside and will fit into this system well. Other suitors for Kupp include teams inside of the Chargers’ division, which could hurt them additionally. They should make sure that Kupp doesn’t leave Los Angeles.

Draft: Pick #22: WR Luther Burden III (Mizzou), Pick #55: S Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)

Luther Burden is a very shifty receiver who can take a slant route for a touchdown anytime he pleases. Burden has great physical tools and athleticism, and with some solid development could expand his skillset to become an elite route runner as well. He has solid hands, and can be a dangerous weapon in the return game for Los Angeles as well. As the Chargers are trying to become more dangerous, an easy way to do that is by adding a weapon, especially when you only have two quality receivers. When Kupp regresses, Burden will be able to fill in and excel in the slot receiver role quite nicely.

While breakout safety Elijah Molden’s departure will leave Los Angeles with a spot to fill at the position, prospect Nick Emmanwori could immediately fill in for them and be an impact player in this young defense. The Chargers run a very safety-friendly system, and often rotate three talented safeties depending on situations and play calls. Emmanwori could be a valuable piece to that rotation, as his great coverage skills and tackling will translate to the NFL and could help him make an immediate impact.

Dallas Cowboys

Cap Space: -$2,848,056

Key Draft Picks: 12, 44, 76

Biggest Strengths: DE, K, OG
Biggest Weaknesses: OT, RB, DT

The Cowboys need to decide whether they’re going to give it all they have for one last run with Dak Prescott, or realize it’s time to change course and hop on that immediately. Jerry Jones said that his team was “all in” last offseason, then proceeded to sign one player in the early days of free agency, losing talent to the free agent market while getting little in return. That showed apparent when they regressed majorly this season, only getting 7 wins which is the first time they’ve won less than 12 in a season in four years. Unfortunately for their playoff aspirations, no quarterback can win without a decent offensive line, and save for two elite guards, they have no tackles or center and a bad o-line. This is going to make it nearly impossible to have any real postseason success, especially since they’re going to have to cut players since they’re more than $10 million over the effective salary cap. They should unload some of their older players and try to become a younger, more flexible team, similar to what Buffalo did last season. While they won’t have as much success as Buffalo due to their QB situations being vastly different, they should still be more competitive and in a better situation to build towards the future when they’re ready to move on from Prescott.

Restructure: QB Dak Prescott

While this is a bad move for Dallas’ future, owner and GM Jerry Jones has stated that he believes in Dak and wants to “win now”. Although they aren’t in a position to do so, restructuring Dak’s deal frees up more than $37 million in cap space, taking Dallas back under the salary cap and giving them more flexibility to resign and bring in players to give this team the best chance they have for success.

Resign: EDGE Chauncey Golston (2 / 6.25m APY), LB Eric Kendricks (1 / 4m), WR/KR/PR KaVontae Turpin (1 / 3.2m RFA Tender), IOL Brock Hoffman (1 / $1m ERFA Tender)

While Dallas will miss the dominant presence of DeMarcus Lawrence on the edge, he’s growing old and will no longer be the force he once was. Dallas should look inwards for his replacement; promising 27 year old edge rusher Chauncey Golston. Golston put up 5.5 sacks and 5 TFLs this past season, and with continued improvement he should be a guy that can consistently put up decent numbers while having a lesser burden while rushing alongside superstar Micah Parsons. Kendricks had arguably the best season of his career, forcing 5 turnovers and leading the team in tackles by a wide margin. Bringing him back to pair with a healthy DeMarvion Overshown should be an above average linebacking duo for the Cowboys, and if he can repeat his production from this past season on this cheap of a deal, this move will be one of Dallas’ best of the offseason. Turpin is an incredibly explosive player, and continued being a weapon in the returning game while improving upon his receiving ability and can potentially help this team in more ways than previous seasons. Hoffman filled in for standout guard Zach Martin while he was injured, and performed very well opposite Tyler Smith. His above average play paired with this contract only costing $1 million this upcoming season makes Hoffman an easy candidate to return.

Sign: OL Patrick Mekari (3 / 8.7m APY)

While Dallas’ offensive line has struggled, and losing standout future Hall of Fame Offensive Guard Zach Martin won’t help, Mekari can be a valuable piece to this rebuilding line as he can play all 5 positions on it. He’s a quality player and his flexibility will allow Dallas to build their line how they want to, and move Mekari to fit that. He will likely play tackle this season, as guard Brock Hoffman showed he can be a solid guard while filling in for Martin this past season opposite All-Pro Tyler Smith, and sophomore Cooper Beebe played solid enough to warrant no changes to the interior line this offseason.

Draft: Pick #12: RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise St.), Pick #44: EDGE Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss)

Ashton Jeanty was arguably the best player in all of college football this past season, coming within 30 rushing yards of breaking the all-time single season rushing yards record, which was considered to be untouchable. His incredible balance through contact and ability to make even the most talented tacklers miss make him a threat both as a rusher and receiver, and his skills will translate very well into the NFL. Dallas’ rushing attack has been on a decline ever since drafting star rusher Ezekiel Elliott in 2016, with this year being the worst it’s ever been. Jeanty could put an end to that and be the next elite running back in Dallas’ historic line of greats at the position.

While bringing back edge rusher Chauncey Golston in free agency is a start to helping Dallas’ pass rush, with DeMarcus Lawrence leaving to free agency and superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons’ future with Dallas in question due to an upcoming contract extension next year that Dallas may not be able to afford, Umanmielen is one of the best pure pass rushers in his class, even with all of the elite prospects at edge rusher. While he has room to grow in stopping the run, he could be a guy Dallas uses purely for pass rushing, and with a higher ceiling if he can develop in the run game as well.

New York Giants

Cap Space: $43,380,069

Key Draft Picks: 3, 34, 65, 104, 134

Biggest Strengths: DT, OT, LB
Biggest Weaknesses: QB, CB, IOL

New York has a good amount of salary cap space, some of the best draft capital in the NFL, and some very good players at important positions. They’re going to bring in a young quarterback this year, and they should add a proven weapon to help him develop, alongside their current skill guys in Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy. They need to shore up some of the less important gaps in their roster like free safety and a second defensive tackle with veterans, and should look to fill the important gaps like an alpha cornerback, an offensive guard, and a potentially franchise quarterback with their premium picks in the draft, and possibly even adding a bridge QB for the prospect to sit behind and learn for a season. While they likely won’t compete this season until a quarterback shows solid growth and can make this offense be at least adequate, they should continue to develop and work towards trying to compete in the coming seasons.

Cut: K Graham Gano, DT Rakeem Nunez-Rochez

These two cuts free up $8 million in cap space, which will allow the Giants more free agency flexibility in what looks to be a pivotal offseason for their franchise. Gano has struggled mightily over the past few seasons in addition to missing a significant amount due to injury, and Nunez-Rochez has not been the impactful player they signed him to be. These moves help the team work towards a younger, more talented roster, and their replacements will be looked for in free agency and the NFL Draft.

Resign: IOL Greg Van Roten (1 / 2m), KR/PR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (1 / 1.3m), EDGE Azeez Ojulari (1 / 5m)

Greg Van Roten was one of the few bright spots for the Giants in this season to forget. Van Roten was a sound run blocker and decent in pass protection, and while 35 years old, that kind of production on such a cheap contract is too good to ignore, even if it is just as a rotational/depth piece. When the Giants resigned returner Gunner Olszewski last offseason, they hoped he would solve their returning problem. While he is talented, he got hurt early into the season and the Giants needed to find his replacement. Smith-Marsette did that and then some, delivering their first kick return touchdown in almost 10 years. New York should look to bring him back and work on filling their need for a sound special teams unit. Ojulari is one of the most talented pass rushers in the league, notching 6 sacks and 7 TFLs despite playing less than 500 total snaps the whole season. For his relatively cheap deal, New York should try for him to return and be a good rotational piece in their talented edge rusher room.

Sign: CB Charvarius Ward (3 / 14.5m APY), QB Jameis Winston (2 / 6.25m APY), S Julian Blackmon (3 / 7m APY)

While Ward is coming off of one of the worst seasons he’s had in his career, the only takeaway from that is that his contract will be cheaper than if he played well. Before this past season, he was consistently a very good and productive cornerback, and this season’s performance may have been due to some drama going on for him personally and with the team. A change of scenery could be just what he needs to return to form, and New York desperately needs defensive back help after long time starting corner Adoree’ Jackson departs due to a rocky few season with the team, and pairing him up with young corner Andru Phillips, who the Giants drafted last offseason, could be a start to fixing the cornerback position for a long time in New York while they rebuild. While New York will almost certainly be bringing in a young quarterback either this draft or next, signing Winston gives the Giants the ability to let the rookie sit for as long as he needs to for developmental purposes while learning behind the veteran. Winston will also help develop budding superstar receiver Malik Nabers, as he isn’t hesitant to throw the ball like almost all other quarterbacks the Giants have had for many seasons, and will really let Nabers go nuclear in the passing game this year. If a young quarterback takes over, then Winston can be a quality backup quarterback and replace the former of Drew Lock, who underperformed significantly this past season. While New York isn’t signing any crazy contracts this offseason, they can look to fill another need with a quality player by bringing in safety Julian Blackmon from the Colts. Blackmon showed an ability to help with run support, but really shined when given the opportunity to primarily play deep safety in Indianapolis, racking up 7 interceptions over the last two seasons, which will be a huge help to the Giants who only had 5 across their whole team this past season. This move of Blackmon to high safety also lets sophomore safety Tyler Nubin play up towards the line of scrimmage more, which will be good for him as he really excelled in stopping the run this past season.

Trade: OT Evan Neal → Pick #254 + 2026 7th Round Pick (Saints), Pick #34 + Pick #155 → Pick #31 (Chiefs)

The Giants drafted Neal just three seasons ago 7th overall with the hopes that he could give them the same production he had at Alabama. He has not lived up to that in the slightest, and standout tackle Jermaine Eluemenor took his position this past season, leaving Neal without a starting role. Going to New Orleans gives him another chance to show what he could do, and a change of scenery could be just what he needs to get his career back on track. New York will also free up $4 million with this move, and get late draft capital in return. In this draft day trade, the Giants leap from the QB needy Cleveland Browns to have their pick at the quarterback of New York’s future. They will also get the option of having a 5th year option on the rookie’s contract due to the pick being in the 1st round.

Draft: Pick #3: CB/WR/KR/PR Travis Hunter (Colorado), Pick #31: QB Jalen Milroe (Alabama)

Coach Prime’s players go back to back in the Top 3 picks, with Travis Hunter landing in New York. Hunter is a generational prospect who could be their #1 cornerback, a dangerous receiver for the offense, and an explosive player in the return game, all at the same time. While Hunter likely won’t continue being a true 2-way player in the NFL, he is still likely to see snaps at both receiver and cornerback. The Giants will have him opposite Charvarius Ward, and with breakout sophomore cornerback Andru Phillips in the slot, this cornerback unit could go from possibly the worst in the NFL this past season, to one of the better ones, all in one offseason. He will also be a reliable target on offense with his incredible ball skills and tracking ability, and paired with his athleticism he will be able to fill in for the departing Darius Slayton, and then some. He won’t play full games on offense, but some snaps here and there should be enough to make a lasting impact on both sides of the ball.

New York needs to bring in a potential franchise quarterback this year, and Milroe is just that: potential. He is the best rushing QB in this class and has 20 rushing touchdowns this past college football season, and he has one of, if not the, biggest arm out of any player in this draft class. Pair that with his great deep ball accuracy, and Milroe has all the tools he needs to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. He needs to work on his accuracy and processing, and will often make bad reads or not see the right one in time. However, this is eerily similar to when Brian Daboll brought in Josh Allen and coached him up to the MVP he now is. While this pick is going to end up being either a giant hit or a giant miss, it’s a risk New York needs to take to find their franchise guy.

Philadelphia Eagles

Cap Space: $18,081,816

Key Draft Picks: 32, 64, 96, 129

Biggest Strengths: OL, RB, WR
Biggest Weaknesses: EDGE, S, QB

The Eagles have done a great job at replacing aging talent with younger guys which perform great as well, and they should look to continue to do so going into the offseason. They have some key guys to resign like Zach Baun, but also have a decent amount of cap space and young guys who are waiting to step up into the starting roster. They should continue to build young depth which will be the future of this team in the coming seasons.

Cut: CB James Bradberry

Bradberry has not been the Pro Bowl corner Philadelphia was looking for when they originally signed him, and releasing him this offseason can get them out of his contract while giving them $4.7 million in extra cap space to work with this year.

Restructure: TE Dallas Goedert

Goedert has been a very productive tight end for the Eagles, and they likely won’t look to replace him until at least after his contract expires. He’s one of the few players whose contract can still be restructured, and this move frees up $4.3 million more for Philadelphia to go after solid players in free agency.

Resign: LB Zach Baun (3 / 13.33m APY), 

Baun broke out for the Eagles this past season, getting ranked by PFF as the #1 MLB this year. Keeping him around will be crucial to the defense’s continued success, as they finally found an answer at linebacker after multiple seasons of subpar performance at the position. The contract is of good value, as other top linebackers are making up to numbers in the high teens, giving the Eagles a few more millions to play around with.

Sign: EDGE Joshua Uche (1 / 4.5m)

Uche, while struggling in recent seasons, started his career as a proficient pass rusher, and while losing Milton Williams and Josh Sweat will hurt their sack production, together they cost around $40 million and Uche could be a very decent replacement for one of them while only costing a tenth of that price. This also gives former 1st round pick Nolan Smith an opportunity as a primary pass rusher, and with his recent play these moves could end up with Philadelphia having little pass rushing regression while saving millions.

Draft: Pick #32: DL Derrick Harmon (Oregon), Pick #64: WR Tre Harris (Ole Miss)

While losing both Milton Williams and Josh Sweat to free agency will hurt, bringing in Harmon will make it hurt less. Harmon is an elite pass rusher from the interior line, and will immediately come in and make an impact on Philadelphia’s already standout pass rush. He is also an above average run defender, and standing at 6’5”, his ceiling is extremely high for this already stacked Eagles front seven.

While Philadelphia has extremely talented receivers, Harris has been incredible for Ole Miss and could make this Super Bowl winning offense even more lethal. Harris had a ridiculous 5.15 yards per route run this past season, and will be one of the most impactful receivers in this draft class right out of the gate. Pairing him with star receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith could wear secondaries incredibly thin, and be an offense that opposing defensive coordinators have nightmares about.

Washington Commanders

Cap Space: $78,110,668

Key Draft Picks: 29, 61, 79

Biggest Strengths: QB, WR, LB

Biggest Weaknesses: CB, DE, TE

While Washington is going to regress heavy, as many of the most important players to their season are in their early to mid 30’s, they should use their huge amount of cap space to replace them with younger quality players who can still provide value for multiple seasons and help them build continuity in the roster for more than one season. They have some glaring holes like cornerback and defensive end, and if fixed they could help Washington shore the regression by a large margin.

Cut: OT Andrew Wylie

While the Commanders have a large amount of cap space for this upcoming offseason, they can look to add some more by cutting struggling tackle Andrew Wylie. Both starting tackles of Wylie and Brandon Coleman got outplayed by backup tackle Cornelius Lucas; the difference is, while Coleman is set to make $1.4 million this upcoming season, Wylie is set to make more than $10 million. By cutting him, Washington can get another $7.75 million in cap space, and work on making this roster younger and more talented.

Resign: MLB Bobby Wagner (1 / 5m), S Jeremy Chinn (3 / 7.5m APY)

While Bobby Wagner is going to be 36 years old next year, his age hasn’t seemed to slow him down one bit. He is consistently a Top 5 middle linebacker in football, and was one of the lone bright spots on Washington’s poor defense this past season. Bringing him back is a must, and he and Frankie Luvu look to once again be one of the top linebacking duos in the NFL. Jeremy Chinn is a solid safety, and at only 27 years old he is just entering his prime. A three-year deal should keep him in Washington for his best years, and be a solid piece in their rebuilding secondary for years to come.

Sign: DE Josh Sweat (3 / 18m APY), CB Asante Samuel Jr. (3 / 14.5m APY), TE Kylen Granson (1 / 3m)

Sweat has shown that he is a productive pass rusher over the last four seasons with Philadelphia, and a move that could hurt a division rival while fixing a roster need is always a great move. While pass rushers are expensive, it’s the Commanders biggest need outside of arguably cornerback. Sweat is a very good player and should be a help to this pass rushing room, while also helping to fix their awful run defense. Another awful part of this defense has been their cornerback play, and while rookie Mike Sainristil has been a nice addition in the slot and Marshawn Lattimore is a good cornerback whom they traded for during this past season, they still have a gaping hole opposite Lattimore. Asante Samuel Jr. is a very sound cornerback, and with Washington’s incredible cap situation they should spend the money on bringing him in, as they are turning what was one of their biggest weaknesses of their secondary, and turning it into a very solid part of their team. Standout tight end Zach Ertz is turning 36 years old and leaving for free agency, and the free agent pool of tight ends this year is unfortunately very dry. While it won’t be a great replacement and Washington will likely need to make another move for a quality tight end, by means of a trade or the draft, Granson is a young receiving-geared tight end and will be a start to making up for the loss of production with Ertz’s departure.

Trade: Pick #148 & 2026 7th Round Pick → DE Kwitty Paye (Colts)

Washington has a giant gap at defensive end after trading away talented edges Montez Sweat and Chase Young during the 2023 season, leaving them with a hole at defensive end that really has shown this past season. The Commanders had the 3rd worst run defense this past season, and their lack of edge talent played a huge part in that. Paye has consistently been a solid defensive end, and his $14 million cap, while not a huge problem for Washington given their huge amount of cap space, lowers his value to something extremely affordable for them.

Draft: Pick #29: WR Emeka Egbuka (Ohio St.), Pick #61: OT Wyatt Milum (West Virginia)

Despite Washington’s incredible season, they seriously lacked receiver talent behind star wideout Terry McLaurin. Egbuka will come in on day one as an explosive, athletic player with huge upside after the catch. He’s got very good ball skills and can win contested catches against lesser opponents, and paired with his talented route running he will be a huge threat against man coverage, something this Washington team faced a lot this past season.

Milum had an incredible season for WVU, where he was in the top 5% of all NCAA tackles in run blocking - both zone & gap schemes, though he excelled in zone blocking - and pass blocking. He will be able to come into Washington and immediately contribute at the tackle position, and will be a huge piece to this offensive line for years to come.

Chicago Bears

Cap Space: $62,968,403

Key Draft Picks: 10, 39, 41, 72

Biggest Strengths: WR, LB, OL
Biggest Weaknesses: DT, RB, S

The Bears brought in one of, if not the, best offensive minds in all of football right now to be their Head Coach. Ben Johnson is working with a young quarterback with tons of upside, and has good weapons to help continue his development. The offensive and defensive lines of this team are very poor, however, and Ryan Poles should look to address that with great draft picks and a large amount of cap space in order to provide a huge boost to this team which is looking to take a step forward in 2025.

Cut: TE Gerald Everett

The Bears can free up $5.5 million by releasing Everett, a backup tight end who performed poorly this past season on limited action. They already have Cole Kmet, a solid tight end who gets most of the snaps and is a dangerous receiving threat. They can take a discount on a backup tight end, and should aim to replace Everett with a blocking tight end who could complement Kmet’s receiving skill set.

Resign: OG Teven Jenkins (3 / 13.33m APY), IOL Coleman Shelton (2 / 5m APY)

Finishing Top 15 in offensive guard PFF grading each of the last three seasons, Jenkins is a great lineman who the Bears should look to retain for a fair price. Playing next to Coleman Shelton, another free agent, Jenkins has been good in both run and pass blocking, and is a good piece to build a line around. Shelton is another player you want on your line, and the Bears should look to bring back the interior lineman who is very consistent in his production. While he isn’t a top-tiered center by any means, he is a decent player who will rarely be a negative to your team and should be brought back on a decent contract.

Sign: OT Dan Moore Jr. (3 / 13.3m APY), DT B.J. Hill (2 / 10.25m APY), RB Aaron Jones (2 / 7m APY)

Ben Johnson built his offense in Detroit around an incredible offensive line, and it opened up unique opportunities in both the running and passing games. Johnson will look to continue that into Chicago, where he can start by bringing back core lineman and working on developing the tackle position, which is one of the team’s weakest. Moore improved as a pass protector this past season, and has shown his value in the running game all throughout his career. While he isn’t quite to the pedigree as Taylor Decker or Penei Sewell in Detroit, he is still a quality player at one of the most important positions in all of football, and should be a great addition to this young squad which has struggled heavily with offensive line play for many seasons, albeit improved this last one. Although Chicago’s tackles played very well this past season, Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright have had some struggles in the past, and Moore could help fill in when they have issues and allow Johnson to be creative with his formations as he loves to do. He could also kick to guard if need be, and his talent and flexibility will be a huge help for Chicago’s offensive line. On the flip side of the line of scrimmage, Chicago can continue to add to a position of need in the trenches at defensive tackle. They’ve struggled with production at the position for multiple seasons as well, and Hill has been a consistent presence on different defensive lines for much of his career. Bringing him into Chicago can help bring produce at the position, while also mentoring younger defensive lineman to help in developing the unit. Johnson also loves the running game dearly, and having talented running backs is invaluable to his system. While D’Andre Swift is good in certain situations, Jones is a more well-rounded back and, while going into his 30s is never a good look for a running back, this past season showed that he’s still got gas left in the tank, and his carousel around the NFC North continues to Chicago.

Draft: Pick #10: EDGE Mykel Williams (Georgia), Pick #39: S Xaview Watts (Notre Dame),                                                      Pick #41: IDL Omarr Normal-Lott (Tennessee)

Mykel Williams is a physical beast, and standing at 6’5” 265lbs, he has a great mix of both power and speed to play the edge, and also inside when needed to. He has great hands and can shed blocks easily, and is a solid pass rusher with room to improve. He has amazing athletic traits for an edge rusher, and at his best he could end up playing like a watered down version of Myles Garrett. He will be an amazing pickup for Chicago, who has struggled with edge rushing play for a few seasons. While they brought in Montez Sweat to help with this problem, he will only play better when having Williams opposite himself.

While safety isn’t Chicago’s biggest need at the moment, Watts is an incredible playmaker on defense \, which is why he’s been an All-American twice, with one of them being unanimous. His incredible coverage skills and quality run support will make him a valuable piece to fixing this Chicago defense, and pairing him next to NFL veteran Kevin Byrad will help him develop until he’s ready to play up to his potential.

Normal-Lott is one of the best pass rushers out of all the DTs in this class, and he could fill a huge hole on this Chicago interior Dline. Bringing in both him and Williams will be a massive upgrade for this pass rush, and pairing that with Watts, this draft class could transform this defense over one offseason into a team that, if playing at their best, could seriously contend in the postseason as soon as this season.

Detroit Lions

Cap Space: $46,534,933

Key Draft Picks: 28, 60, 101, 133

Biggest Strengths: OL, RB, S
Biggest Weaknesses: CB, LB, QB

The Lions have an incredible roster, and a good amount of cap space to retain their talent. However, they lost both of their incredible coordinators, and no amount of offseason moves is going to be able to replace that. On the flip side, this team is talented enough that they should still be able to compete for a Super Bowl, and with good development from younger players and limited regression from their veterans, they should stay competitive. They should look to add to their depth with their cap space and draft capital, as injuries this season revealed how little depth they had and weren’t prepared to deal with all of the substitutions; that should make their chances of having postseason success better, even if they are plagued with injuries again. Due to losing so many coaches, they should try and retain as many key players as possible to maintain a sense of continuity and continue their success.

Resign: OG Kevin Zeitler (1 / 6.25m), CB Carlton Davis (3 / 14m APY)

Zeitler, while going on 36 years old, was incredible for Detroit this past season, posting an 86.8 overall grade which is ranked 3rd among all guards in the NFL by PFF. While he will likely regress due to his age, he is still a great lineman and it would be in Detroit’s benefit to bring him back on such a cheap contract relative to his play. Davis is coming off of his best season in years, where he proved to be a bright spot in an overall weak cornerback room, which the Lions should address additionally in free agency. Davis will be a good player to keep as he is a quality player, and if paired with another great corner, this secondary could go from a weakness, to one of the better ones in the league.

Sign: CB Stephon Gilmore (1 / 6m)

Detroit has many huge contracts kicking in next season, and still have to pay elite edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, which will cost well into the $20 million and possibly even into the $30 million dollar range. They have limited cap space next season as it is, and while they have a decent amount of space this cycle, signing long-term contracts could end up hurting them in big ways as soon as just next season. Signing Gilmore to a 1-year contract will help fill a huge need for Detroit this season, won’t affect them in the next, and will help to develop some of the younger corners they drafted last offseason.

Draft: Pick #28: EDGE Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), Pick #60: LB Carson Schwesinger (UCLA)

Despite having generational edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, their lack of depth behind him is astounding. When he went down with an injury this past season, their lack of edge rushing talent really showed. While trade acquisition defensive end Za’Darius Smith played well for Detroit, he’s aging and won’t be on Detroit’s roster this season. Scourton can solve a huge gap outside of Hutchinson, as his pass rush win rate of 17.4% this past season was incredible and up there with the best in college football. He’s a very talented pass rusher and could make a scary duo with Hutchinson for the future.

Detroit has decent linebackers, but could use extra support at the position. Schwesinger is amazing at the line of scrimmage in both run supporting and rushing the passer/blitzing, and can cover adequately when needed to. He has good athleticism and could be a solid piece for this defense for the future.

Green Bay Packers

Cap Space: $42,140,088

Key Draft Picks: 23, 54, 87, 123

Biggest Strengths: S, RB, QB
Biggest Weaknesses: C, CB, TE

The Packers have so much upside due to the amount of players with high potential, but the reality is that they most likely won’t reach it. A lot of their salaries are tied up in luxury positions like safety and running back, and while they are getting good value for their play, they simply have too many holes at important positions. That being said, they should look to plug those holes this offseason, and should use their cap space and draft picks on another cornerback to pair with Jaire Alexander, another offensive tackle and guard opposite Zach Tom and Elgton Jenkins to really make this a quality offensive line, and possibly look to add an alpha wide receiver if they have enough flexibility as they have a lot of solid receivers with upside but no one who has truly stood out as better than the others. Fixing some of those issues should make the Packers more competitive in an NFC which doesn’t have a truly unequalled team like the AFC. They should aim to end up similar to the Bengals when they went on their run in 2022, with a very dangerous offense and a defense that can perform decently against other good offenses.

Sign: DE DeMarcus Lawrence (2 / 7.5m APY)

Lawrence is one of the many talents leaving Dallas this free agency cycle, and can be a help in Green Bay’s lackluster pass rush. He is very sound at stopping the run and can provide extra pass rushing help. Additionally, he can help mentor young edge rusher Lukas Van Ness, whom the Packers drafted out of Iowa in the first round two years ago.

Trade: Pick #54 → C Erik McCoy (Saints)

Green Bay makes a huge trade to address their biggest need with a player who is one of the best in the league at his position. McCoy broke out for the Saints in a huge way this past season, going from a solid center to a potentially franchise-changing one. McCoy had a PFF grade of 94.2 over 293 snaps, which ranked 1st among all centers in the league. While he didn’t get to play out the full season due to an unfortunate injury early in the season, McCoy will be a huge add for this roster and transforms this offensive line into one of the better ones in the NFL.

Draft: Pick #23: CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)

Morrison excels in press man coverage, and the Packers ran man coverage the third most out of any team this past season. While Cornerback Jaire Alexander has played exceptionally for Green Bay the past couple of seasons, the Packers have been searching for a quality CB2 to play opposite him, and Morrison can slide into that role quite nicely. He has great physical tools and plays great man coverage, which will allow safeties Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney to play more freely and will lead to more takeaways. Morrison can step in and be an immediate impact player for Green Bay.

Minnesota Vikings

Cap Space: $58,012,543

Key Draft Picks: 24, 97

Biggest Strengths: OT, WR, DB
Biggest Weaknesses: IOL, DE, QB

The Vikings have a large amount of cap space, which they should look at to fix some of the bigger needs of this roster like interior offensive line and defensive end. They are looking to compete this season, after going 14-3 this past one. While they lack great draft capital, they should look to keep continuity among this defense who was elite for them, especially the secondary, and continue to put JJ McCarthy in the best position to succeed and try to lead them to postseason success.

Restructure: EDGE Jonathan Greenard

Greenard played incredibly in 2025, producing 12 sacks and 18 TFLs. He proved to be a good successor for the former Viking Danielle Hunter, and showed that he will be a key piece for the Minnesota defense for years to come. That being said, the Vikings can get almost $14 million in cap space by restructuring Greenard’s contract, which is what they should do to continue filling in weak spots of the lineup.

Resign: CB Byron Murphy (3 / 17.33m APY), S Camryn Bynum (3 / 14.25m APY)

Brian Flores transformed this defense this past season, and turned it into one which made the lives of quarterbacks a nightmare. While aging stars Stephon Gilmore and Harrison Smith played a big role in that, another huge part was due to the up-and-coming corner and safety duo of Byron Murphy and Cam Bynum. If Minnesota wishes to sustain its defensive back production, they need to make sure that they bring these key pieces back.

Sign: EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo (4 / 16.5m APY), OG Zack Martin (1 / 7m)

While star edge rusher Jonathan Greenard performed in a huge way for Minnesota this past season, racking up 12+ sacks two seasons in a row now and having 4 forced fumbles this past season to go along with it, Minnesota is lacking a second rusher opposite him. Odeyingbo is an up-and-coming edge rusher from Indianapolis, and has shown consistent growth each year on his rookie contract. He’s still only 25 years old, and Minnesota hopes he can grow into that second stud linebacker opposite Greenard for years to come. While Minnesota has their two franchise tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, the production they’re received from the lineman inside the tackles has been subpar. Dalton Risner played well this past season, but is leaving in free agency. Future Hall of Fame Guard Zack Martin can fill in for him just fine, and although he isn’t quite the player he once was, he’s still a very solid player who can solidify one of Minnesota’s spots at guard for at least another season.

Draft: Pick #24: CB Jahdae Barron (Texas)

While Minnesota’s secondary was exceptional this past season, losing cornerback Stephon Gilmore leaves the Vikings with a gaping hole at CB2 which they need to fill if they look to repeat their defensive performance in 2025. Jahdae Barron is a very talented cornerback, especially in zone coverage, which the Vikings run at one of the highest rates in the entire NFL. He also has good athleticism and a great feel for the game, which allows him to play freely and make split second decisions that make him as effective of a player as he is. He also has position flexibility and can play any DB spot Minnesota needs him to.

Atlanta Falcons

Cap Space: -$11,147,791

Key Draft Picks: 15, 46, 117

Biggest Strengths: S, RB, WR
Biggest Weaknesses: LB, QB, CB

The Falcons have a decision to make at quarterback. They will likely end up trying to get rid of Kirk Cousins, leaving the keys to the franchise to sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who they drafted 8th overall the previous season. While the offense has multiple weapons who each are very talented and will help Penix in his development, winning will be hard considering their defense has lots of holes at multiple positions. While they have negative cap space, they should look to get rid of some expensive players who aren’t playing up to their contracts to get cap space, and continue to build the defense with the good draft capital they have this year.

Restructure: OG Chris Lindstrom, S Jessie Bates III

Lindstrom and Bates have proven over the past few seasons with the Falcons to be among the best in the league at their respective positions, and will each likely be in Atlanta for years to come. The Falcons are well over the salary cap, and restructuring the contract of these two players can at least get them back under the salary cap.

Resign: C Drew Dalman (4 / 11.5m APY)

Dalman has quietly been one of the best centers in football, and Atlanta should look to keep continuity in its talented offensive line to make it as easy as possible for Penix Jr. to step in as this team’s starting quarterback. Dalman next to Lindstrom is one of the best 1-2 punches out of all offensive lines, and this decent value contract should keep this offensive line as one of the better ones in the NFL.

Sign: S Talanoa Hufanga (2 / 12.5m APY)

While Atlanta is letting star safety Justin Simmons walk in free agency, they can replace him with the much younger standout defensive back Talanoa Hufanga from the 49ers. He can be a much more permanent solution to the position opposite elite safety Jessie Bates III, and could offer additional flexibility as a cornerback in the case that Atlanta needs it. He will be a good addition to this team that wants to stay competitive for the coming years.

Trade: QB Kirk Cousins → 2026 7th Round Pick (Raiders) (Post-June 1st)

While a 7th round pick isn’t very valuable, the real benefit for Atlanta is that a team is willing to take on a bulk of Cousins’ massive salary. As sophomore QB Michael Penix Jr. is set to start, Atlanta should look for any way to unload a part of Cousins’ salary to put towards fielding a more competitive roster for the young quarterback.

Draft: EDGE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Pick #46: WR Savion Williams (TCU)

Shemar Stewart has a great frame for an edge rusher, and at 6’6” 285lbs he is capable of power rushing through just about any offensive tackle he faces. His incredible build gives him huge potential as a power rusher, and he showed at Texas A&M how he can be a good pass rusher while also being effective at stopping the run. Atlanta has struggled with edge rushing talent for years, and have tried temporary solutions like bringing in aging star Matthew Judon from the Patriots to play the position for them; however, it hardly works out, and Stewart could be a more permanent solution for them and be a big part in turning the defense around and making Atlanta more competitive.

While Atlanta has talented receivers, they have no giant holes that standout in their roster aside from edge rusher which they addressed earlier in the draft, and they look to continue making new starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s life as easy as possible. Williams, while not a finished product in the slightest and likely won’t be an immediate impact player, has a Top 3 ceiling out of all receivers in this class. Standing at 6’5” 225lbs, Williams will be a matchup nightmare for any cornerback to cover 1 on 1, which showed this past season as he had a ridiculous NCAA leading 88.9% contested catch percentage. While he struggled with drops heavily and needs to work on his skills like route running and releasing, his insane frame and incredible contested catch ability make him a potential franchise-changing wideout if he can develop into the player Atlanta hopes he can.

Carolina Panthers

Cap Space: $20,870,869

Key Draft Picks: 8, 57, 74, 110, 113

Biggest Strengths: ROL, QB, LB
Biggest Weaknesses: TE, EDGE, WR

While the Panthers started the year looking like they were going to continue their horrid campaign from the season prior, Bryce Young took over midway through and showed that he could be the franchise quarterback they’d drafted him to be. While he looked good with little help, Carolina should try and get Bryce some more weapons and hope he can continue to progress into a Pro Bowl-caliber QB, along with fixing the defense. While Bryce will keep them competitive in games, if the Panthers want to win more, they need to fix the many problems they have on defense. Restructuring the contracts of some of their key players should allow them more flexibility to do this, and they have good draft capital which can help in continuing to build around Bryce. While they likely won’t have any postseason success this upcoming season, they should try to be more competitive and show that this roster can be a playoff-caliber team.

Cut: DT Shy Tuttle

Tuttle was awful this season, having barely any stats and posting just a 42.7 PFF grade which ranks 116 out of 126 eligible interior defensive lineman. He is set to make almost $10 million this upcoming season, but Carolina can free $6.5 million by releasing him this offseason, which is an obvious move.

Restructure: DT Derrick Brown, OG Robert Hunt

Brown is one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL, and the Panthers have built their defense around their core of him and Jaycee Horn. Brown is the Panthers’ franchise DT and restructuring his contract can free up more than $9 million in cap space. Additionally, offensive guard Robert Hunt who was brought in from the Dolphins a season ago played phenomenally and showed why he is one of the best guards in the league. The Panthers can free up $11 million by restructuring his deal, meaning that over these two moves Carolina can free up more than $20 million which will help in adding talent to the roster, giving them more than $50 million in cap space.

Resign: LB Shaq Thompson (1 / 3.2m)

While Thompson isn’t the player he once was, he still plays decent football. The Panthers linebacker room is extremely subpar, and even if Carolina splashes in free agency on the position, Thompson can still provide quality depth and rotation on a fairly cheap contract while having upside as a starter if Carolina fails to add any starting-caliber linebackers.

Sign: WR Darius Slayton (3 / 12.5m APY)

Slayton has yet to reach his full potential, as inconsistent quarterback play and receiving for three different head coaches and systems have hindered his ability to play consistently at the top of his ability. However, Carolina is getting an extremely explosive threat, who can break off a big play at any time. They’ve tried bringing in older veterans to aid in franchise quarterback Bryce Young’s development, and while it worked somewhat with Adam Theilen, for the most part it’s looked unsuccessful. What Young needs is an explosive receiver going into his prime who he can build continuity with in the passing game, and Slayton provides just that.

Trade: Pick #8 + Pick #74 + 2026 4th Round Pick → Pick #5 (Jaguars),                                                                                          Pick #57 + Pick #141 + 2026 7th Round Pick → Pick #53 (Buccaneers)

The Panthers make a future-altering move by trading away an early 3rd rounder and future 4th to move up three spots. The Browns, who traded away Myles Garrett, are in need of a generational edge rusher to replace him, and as the Jaguars are unlikely to draft one, that hands Abdul Carter right to the Browns. The Panthers trade whatever’s necessary to trade up and draft the generation fix for a position where they’re lacking talent, especially after losing solid edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney to free agency. Carolina can continue to add playmakers in the draft by trading up a few spots with the Buccaneers in the 2nd round. While interdivision trades aren’t frequent in the NFL, this is one of the few times that could end up benefiting both sides relatively equally.

Draft: Pick #5: EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State), Pick #53: TE Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green)

Abdul Carter is a Pro Bowl-caliber player coming into the league, and with further development he could be an All-Pro or even DPOY Candidate for Carolina. After only switching to Edge Rusher from Linebacker a few seasons ago, he’s taken leaps and bounds in a short period of time and quickly established himself as the best EDGE in college football. Carter will take Carolina’s poor pash rush and quickly start dominating offensive lines alongside DT Derrick Brown, and will be a core piece to this defense which is looking as if it’s on the up and up.

Bryce Young needs lots of help on offense, and while bringing in Slayton in free agency can help with his lack of receiver talent, nothing helps a young QB develop better than a great tight end to pair him with. Fannin is one of the best receiving tight end prospects in recent memory, having a ridiculous 3.76 yards per route run as a tight end, and has great skills all around to go with an NFL-level build, athleticism and traits. Fannin could end up being one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL as soon as this upcoming season, and also could develop into an adequate run blocker to extend his number of skills.

New Orleans Saints

Cap Space: -$54,112,537

Key Draft Picks: 9, 40, 71, 93, 111, 130

Biggest Strengths: LB, DE, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: DT, QB, CB

The Saints are a potential GM’s biggest nightmare right now. In fact, that’s probably why they’re the only team in the NFL to not have a head coach currently, and are still looking for one. They are more than $50 million over the salary cap, with tons of awful contracts and no elite players on the team right now. While they have a few decent players with some potential like Chris Olave to build around, they have a below-average QB who’s getting paid more than $30 million per year, and while they have good draft capital, it’s not incredible. The Saints need to try and work their way out of this cap space nightmare in order to be able to potentially start their rebuild in the coming seasons.

Cut: QB Derek Carr, FLEX Taysom Hill, DT Nathan Shepherd

Carr isn’t quite the player the Saints were hoping to get when they offered him a contract of $35 million per year, and they can finally get out of it while clearing some of his cap hit. Similarly, while Taysom Hill is a fun and interesting player to have on a roster, it’s not worth paying him $18 million and New Orleans can clear $10 million by cutting him this offseason. Shepherd is a below-average defensive tackle, and the Saints can clear an additional $5 million from cutting him as well. In all, New Orleans can clear $45 million in cap space by making these cuts, and work towards building a better future.

Trade: C Erik McCoy → Pick #54 (Packers), S Tyrann Mathieu → 2026 5th Round Pick (Ravens) (Post-June 1st),                          OT Ryan Ramczyk → 2026 3rd Round Pick (Texans) (Post-June 1st), RB Jamaal Williams + Pick #186 → Pick #156 (Dolphins),   Pick #254 + 2026 7th Round Pick → OT Evan Neal (Giants)

This first trade is the most painful for the team, as they trade away who might be the best player on this roster currently. Unfortunately, he’s got a huge contract and will be turning 29 next season, meaning he will be well into his 30s by the time the Saints are ready to compete. While bonuses will limit the cap they open up this season, they will free $16 million in cap space each of the following two seasons, which will play a huge part in rebuilding. As much as it will hurt the team, they are getting a premium pick in return which will turn into a young player that can still be improving while on a more competitive roster in the future. New Orleans should be looking to dump off salaries no matter how much it hurts, and this next one is a fairly easy one. New Orleans can clear more than $7 million by unloading the aging star who most likely won’t be around when the Saints get back to competing, and they get a draft pick in return. Mathieu is talented, but a safety isn’t going to magically turn this team into a contender. Similarly, while Ramczyk is a great player, he’s aging and likely won’t help them in the future; while they aren’t freeing much cap space, they are getting a Day 2 draft pick which can help them get more young talent for a rebuild. Miami is taking Jamaal Williams from the Saints, which unloads $3m in exchange for improving a 6th round pick to a 5th, as Williams will be turning 30 next year and won’t be with the Saints when they are ready to begin rebuilding. After trading away all of these aging veterans, New Orleans should look for pieces that could help them in the future. While Evan Neal has struggled mightily for New York these past three seasons, they drafted him 7th overall as his potential is through the roof, as shown at Alabama. In the right situation, maybe he might be able to somewhat return to form. The move will only cost New Orleans $4 million this season, and if it doesn’t work they can let him leave after it. But if he can start developing into the tackle he was supposed to be, this could possibly be a franchise tackle type of player for New Orleans while they rebuild, and can hopefully step in for the departing Ryan Ramczyk.

Draft: Pick #9: WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), Pick #40: RB Omarion Hampton, Pick #54: OT Cameron Williams (Texas)

McMillan is massive for his position, standing at a looming 6’5”. He is a physical specimen, and will be an incredible prospect to pair with talented receiver Chris Olave. His elite physical traits and surefire hands are traits that translate very well to the NFL, and he could end up being a Tee Higgins-esque player for the Saints. When New Orleans is in a position to compete and contend in the playoffs, McMillan will almost certainly be a core piece to that roster.

While a running back isn’t necessarily the most important part to building a roster, New Orleans just needs to get talent in the building, and Hampton certainly has talent. He would be considered the RB1 in most draft classes, as he is incredibly talented at finding rushing lanes, fighting through tackles, making moves in the open field and can be a threat in the receiving game as well, both as a pass-catcher and pass blocker. When New Orleans is ready to bring in a franchise quarterback, Hampton can be a big part in helping him develop.

While losing Ryan Ramczyk to the Texans will definitely hurt this offensive line for the near future, Williams is a prospect who could develop into a guy that could somewhat fill the void left behind at tackle by Ramczyk’s departure. He has outstanding size at 6’5” 335lbs, and if he can develop his technique to an NFL standard and work on improving in pass protection, he could be a solid replacement for Ramczyk for years to come. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cap Space: $2,239,732

Key Draft Picks: 19, 53, 84, 120

Biggest Strengths: LT, DT, RB
Biggest Weaknesses: IOL, EDGE, TE

The Buccaneers are an interesting team. While they haven’t shown enough consistent success to be considered true postseason contenders, they also have shown that they’re capable of beating any team in the NFL when they get hot. Inconsistency can often mean that there’s a line problem, and in this case there is. The Buccaneers should work towards filling out the offensive line outside of their franchise left tackle Tristan Wirfs, and trying to add depth behind some of their more injury-prone starters like in their receiving room. While they aren’t working with great draft capital or a lot of cap space, they can get more by restructuring some of the more important parts of the team like QB Baker Mayfield to be able to fix this offensive line and make his life easier.

Restructure: LT Tristan Wirfs

Wirfs is arguably the best left tackle in football, and is a core piece to this roster. Tampa Bay will have him for at least the remainder of his contract, and due to its length restructuring won’t cause too big of a pain in the future. Restructuring his deal will free up almost $20 million in cap space, allowing Tampa more cap flexibility when building on their roster.

Resign: LB Lavonte David (1 / 6.5m)

David is the leader of this Buccaneers defense, and is still a quality linebacker even at his age. Resigning David can make the linebacking core at least decent, even if it’s just for a season. His contract will be fairly cheap for his production, and resigning him here allows Tampa to spend on other positions of need more freely.

Sign: EDGE Derek Barnett (1 / 4.25m), WR Diontae Johnson (1 / 3m)

Tampa has struggled recently in producing in the pass rush, and Barnett, while aging, is performing as efficiently as ever. Even on a reduced snap count this past season, he still sacked the quarterback on more than 2.2% of dropbacks, one of the best marks in the NFL. While he won’t change the team too drastically, he can definitely help them in a position where they’ve struggled. Johnson is a player who likely won’t do much, as he regressed exponentially this past season and had lots of drama going on with him and multiple teams. However, at his best he’s a very talented receiver, and if he plays up to his ceiling he could make the loss of star receiver Chris Godwin hurt much less. He has a high ceiling, but even if continues to perform poorly, the Buccaneers only owe him $3 million this upcoming year and can let him go if he has another disappointing season. At 28 years old, he’s in the perfect position physically to have a career year, especially since he’s playing with the best passer he’s had in his whole career; the question is if he will actually do it.

Trade: Pick #53 → Pick #57 + Pick #141 + 2026 7th Round Pick (Panthers)

The Buccaneers don’t have a huge amount of draft picks this year, and trading down a few spots can add a 5th round pick and a pick for next year. While trading interdivision isn’t super common, this is one of the few times that helps both parties. 

Draft: Pick #19: OG Tyler Booker (Alabama), Pick #57: EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau

While the Buccaneers may have the best left tackle in the NFL, every other position on the offensive line needs to improve, and fast. Bringing in Booker helps to solve that problem for the Bucs, as he should immediately make a positive impact and solidify the left side of this line for years. He’s an extremely effective run blocker, and can pull, climb to the second level, and block both defensive tackles and edge rushers effectively. While he has room to grow as a pass blocker, playing next to Wirfs will make it easier for him, and he should immediately make an impact and allow running back Bucky Irving to improve off of his breakout rookie campaign this past season.

Tampa has a need for production at the edge rushing position, and while signing Derek Barnett is a start to helping with the pass rush, Tuimoloau could be a more permanent solution at the position. Coming in, he will immediately be one of the team’s best run stopping lineman, and traits like great hands and instincts will allow him to develop into an effective pass rusher as well.

Arizona Cardinals

Cap Space: $71,333,263

Key Draft Picks: 16, 47, 78, 114

Biggest Strengths: TE, RB, S
Biggest Weaknesses: CB, DL, LB

The Cardinals are another team that invested in luxury positions like running back and safety, before building the team through more important positions like cornerback and the offensive/defensive lines. While they have who they consider to be ‘their guy’ at quarterback and have done a good job at giving him weapons like elite TE Trey McBride and generational prospect Marvin Harrison Jr., they need to continue working on the more important positions that I mentioned above this offseason to be more competitive, since they want to win and be competitive now. They have more than $70 million in cap space and good draft capital, so they should be able to do a good job on filling in the pieces they need to to be more competitive.

Cut: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Murphy-Bunting has struggled mightily as a coverage corner the majority of his career, and is making too much money to justify his poor coverage skills. Releasing Murphy-Bunting frees $3.5 million, and more importantly allows Arizona to look for a good corner in the offseason that can cover opponents’ best receivers.

Resign: EDGE Dennis Gardeck (1 / 2.5m)

The Cardinals need pass rushing production, and Gardeck could do that for them. He started to develop into a good pass rusher towards the end of the 2023 season and was looking like he was going to continue his strong play into this past season, but unfortunately suffered an injury which cut his evaluation short. This 1-year prove it deal could possibly help Arizona with their pass rushing, for a way cheaper cost than most edge rushers garner on the open market.

Sign: WR Stefon Diggs (1 / 16m), DE Baron Browning (1 / 6m)

Arizona’s free agency period starts with a bang, by bringing in a big name receiver by the name of Stefon Diggs. Diggs, while not quite as productive as he was in his younger years, is still a very talented wideout and will take much of the pressure away from developing receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. who the Cardinals drafted 4th overall this past offseason. Diggs will provide a reliable weapon for QB Kyler Murray, and will help Harrison to develop into the franchise wide receiver most people think he can be. Another helpful addition is defensive end Baron Browning, who can help the Cardinals with their poor defensive line. They have little talent on it, and Browning is a solid player who still has much room to grow being only 25 years old currently. If he performs well, this could be a good piece to add to their defense line for years to come, as he will soon be entering his prime.

Draft: Pick #16: DT Kenneth Grant (Michigan), Pick #47: WR Isaiah Bond (Texas)

While Grant isn’t one of the more pro-ready defensive tackles in this class, he will still be an upgrade from the extremely subpar talent Arizona has at the position, and his ceiling is extremely high. He has arguably the quickest and most impressive first step out of all DTs in the class, and at a massive 339lbs, he is beats lineman consistently with his impressive mix of size, strength and speed, and by learning to utilize his abilities more consistently, he could establish himself as a premier defensive tackle in the NFL.

While Arizona has done a good job at addressing the wide receiver position over the past few offseasons, the one thing they’ve truly lacked since losing WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the Chiefs has been a player who can stretch the field with his speed. Bond, who has run a 4.28 40 yard dash, can certainly do that for Arizona, and continue to surround franchise QB Kyler Murray with weapons to help him succeed.

Los Angeles Rams

Cap Space: $38,331,906

Key Draft Picks: 26, 90, 100, 126

Biggest Strengths: RB, WR, OG
Biggest Weaknesses: CB, TE, S

The Rams are getting elite play from great, young players, but their aging stars like QB Matt Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp seem to be looking to get out of LA, and will likely be traded this offseason. The Rams should try to get a quarterback in this draft as a backup plan to Stafford, as there should be quality players in the late 1st/2nd round like Jaxson Dart and Kyle McCord. They should also work on clearing cap space and getting draft capital, since while they will stay competitive as they are a very talented roster, they should also work on building towards the future since it looks like some of their key pieces to their success won’t be there for much longer.

Cut: TE Colby Parkinson

While Parkinson is a good backup tight end, he’s set to make almost $10 million this upcoming season and his play on the field does not reflect that at all. LA can save more than $3 million by releasing him, and look for a cheaper alternative somewhere else, and more than $10 million next offseason.

Resign: LT Alaric Jackson (4 / 14.5m APY)

The former UDFA broke out for the Rams in a big way this past season, securing himself as a talented tackle in this league and garnering a large payout this offseason. While Los Angeles needs to look for a new center, every other position on the offensive line performed very well this past season, and the Rams need to look to continue that in the coming years. Jackson will play a huge part in that, as he’s only 26 years old and will be a very solid blindside protector for years to come.

Sign: DT Tershawn Wharton (2 / 8.25m APY), WR Keenan Allen (2 / 12.5m APY)

The former UDFA has become a very productive pass rusher for Kansas City, and pass rushing is a big need for this team as they were ranked 20th in total sacks this season, with the majority of that coming from edge rushers. While they have solid defensive tackles, they seem to lack talented pass rushers in the middle of the line, which is something that Wharton could help with. With the departure of Cooper Kupp looming, Los Angeles can get out of that potential issue by signing wide receiver Keenan Allen from the Bears. At his best, Allen is a game-changing player, and while he can’t play quite as well as he used to, he is still a very quality wideout in this league and at his best, given the current receiver market, can make his contract look extremely good in comparison. He can fill in nicely for Kupp, and while he is very injury-prone, if he stays healthy, he can be a great WR2 next to Puka Nacua this season.

Trade: WR Cooper Kupp → Pick #177 (Chargers)

Kupp will not be returning for the 2025 season, and the Rams should look to get something in return for his departure. Kupp isn’t the player he once was, and this move opens up a starting spot for one of their younger receivers, along with letting superstar Puka Nacua show what he can do when being the true #1 receiver on a team. The Rams will save #12.5 million by trading him before pre-June 1st, which is not as much as the $20 million they would get by trading him over the summer but will make him much more desirable to teams.

Draft: Pick #26: S Malaki Starks (Georgia)

Starks is one of the top talents in this draft, and it’s a miracle for LA that he even made it this far. He’s elite at run supporting, and will stop a run the second a running back reaches him. He is also adequate in coverage, with room to grow. He will be a great strong safety for the Rams for years to come, and his great ball skills allow him to create turnover worthy plays more often. Los Angeles' secondary has been subpar ever since they traded away cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins two years ago, and this pick is a start to rebuilding that part of the defense.

San Francisco 49ers

Cap Space: $48,295,849

Key Draft Picks: 11, 43, 75, 99, 112, 138, 139

Biggest Strengths: LB, TE, WR
Biggest Weaknesses: S, DT, OL

The San Francisco 49ers have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but for some reason they never can seem to have sustained success. They need to get more consistency, and that should be done by addressing the offensive line. While they will need to spend money this offseason on either retaining their talented players, or finding their replacements, they should use their good draft picks to address key needs like the offensive and defensive lines, and depth players. They can also restructure core players to get more cap space to fill these needs, since they should be looking to contend each year until their core players split up. By addressing some of these needs, they should once again be competitive in 2025, even if they get plagued with injuries again. But the fact is, quarterback Brock Purdy is going to need to be extended after this upcoming season, which will likely cost San Francisco upwards of $50 million, a huge step up from his current cap hit of just $5 million. While the 49ers need to maximise their championship window for this season as many of their superstars are advancing further into their 30s and will likely start to regress, they can’t restructure more money towards next season and need to start on opening up cap space for Brock’s future contract now.

Resign: LB Dre Greenlaw (1 / 6m)

While San Francisco doesn’t have the cap leniency to sign any huge contracts this offseason due to their situation, Greenlaw is an extremely important piece to this defense and they should absolutely jump on the chance to re-sign him while his value is lowered due to past injuries. When healthy, he and Warner are one of the best linebacking duos in the league, and the 49ers should look to keep that a continuity on a roster that’s going to be undergoing serious change in the coming seasons.

Sign: S Harrison Smith (1 / 7.5m), OG Will Hernandez (2 / 4.75m APY)

While San Francisco can’t afford to spend future salary cap on a long-term contract for a free agent, they can certainly bring in Smith for this season who will fill in nicely for the standout safety Talanoa Hufanga departing for Atlanta. While Smith will be turning 37 this upcoming season, he is still a quality safety and will secure the spot in San Fran until they can figure out a more permanent solution at the position. Similarly, bringing in the 30 year old Hernandez to play opposite the rookie phenom right guard Dominick Puni will help shore up the position for at least another season where they can release Hernandez with a tiny cap penalty, or choose to keep him on this relatively small contract for another season. Hernandez is a very solid guard, and while he may regress a little from switching from right guard, where he plays primarily, to left guard, playing next to future Hall of Fame Left Tackle Trent Williams will make the transition fairly smooth and he will give quality guard play to the 49ers for next season, assisting with their subpar offensive line.

Trade: WR Deebo Samuel + Pick #189 → Pick #83 + Pick #231 (Steelers)

While Deebo’s ability to play anywhere in this offense is invaluable to Kyle Shannahan, his production has been decreasing over the past few seasons and is set to become a free agent after this upcoming season and trading him away now can give them a decent pick in return for him. San Francisco can bring next year’s cap space to over $50 million with this move to help prepare for the post-Brock Purdy Extension era in San Fran, and while the 49ers’ offense will miss him, their plethora of receiving talent will soften the blow about as much as you can when trading away a star player.

Draft: Pick #11: EDGE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), Pick #43: OT Aireontae Ersery

James Pearce has great physical traits and elite agility, something that paired with his lanky frame allows him to keep control of run blockers and shed them to be a force in stopping the run. He is also a pass rusher, with room to improve, and his ceiling is extremely high due to his elite traits and great production in college. He led the SEC in sacks during the 2023 season with 9.5, which showed that he can be a great pass rusher when playing up to his ceiling. While DE Nick Bosa has always been elite, he’s lacked a star edge rusher opposite him, and with this pick, the 49ers may finally have found him.

San Francisco has improved its line considerably over the past few offseasons, but they are still looking for a more permanent solution for a right tackle who could also move to left once superstar Trent Williams decides to retire. While Ersery isn’t the best tackle available at this moment, his incredible frame of 6’6” 330lbs, great lateral speed and good strength for his size allow him huge potential to develop into both an elite pass blocker and and run blocker, and could be the future for the 49ers at the position.

Seattle Seahawks

Cap Space: -$13,463,266

Key Draft Picks: 18, 50, 82, 137

Biggest Strengths: WR, CB, S
Biggest Weaknesses: ROL, TE, LB

The Seahawks are far over the salary cap, but the good news is they already have many of the core players they’ll need when trying to compete. They should look to unload aging players on big contracts, especially guys like Geno Smith who aren’t playing up to their salaries, and replace them with cheaper alternatives who can hopefully thrive in this easy system. Their roster is mostly solid, with only a few big holes like at tight end. Plugging those with cheaper free agents or rookies could help this team stay competitive and be in the playoff hunt while getting a better salary cap situation for the future.

Cut: DE Dre’Mont Jones, S Rayshawn Jenkins

Jones and Jenkins were each brought in to fix problems with their respective positions, and each have fallen short of that by a decent margin. Cutting these two can alleviate almost $22 million in cap space, and considering Seattle’s awful current cap situation, these moves will hardly hurt them at all on the field and can bring them closer to being able to make roster-improving moves in the offseason.

Restructure: WR DK Metcalf

While Metcalf hasn’t put up quite the numbers he used to in the past couple of seasons, he still can be a game changing receiver at times and quite a dangerous weapon for the Seattle offense. Restructuring his deal can provide Seattle another $12.6 million to work with, and bring their available cap space to over $20 million.

Sign: DT Levi Onwuzurike (2 / 8.25m APY), LB Tyrel Dodson (2 / 5.5m APY)

Seattle is letting aging defensive lineman Jarran Reed leave after arguably the best season of his career, as being 32 years old he’s set to regress to a player that may be a liability on defense. Bringing in the young Onwuzurike from Detroit will help their pass rush, and playing next to star defensive tackle Leonard Williams will allow both to have successful seasons and will give Seattle more production in their pass rush, something that has been lackluster for a little while. While Seattle has to let go of linebacker Ernest Jones for cap space purposes, they might be able to find solace in incoming linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Dodson is a very high ceiling, low floor kind of player and Seattle needs to hope he can perform up to his ceiling. He is very aggressive and can cause major turnovers, but can also give up huge plays as well. If things go right, Jones’ departure could be forgotten, and Dodson’s contract could be a huge steal. If things go wrong, well, let’s just say Seattle may be addressing this possession again next season. The Seahawks need to hope that he can live up to his potential in a room lacking major linebacker talent.

Draft: Pick #18: EDGE Mike Green (Marshall), Pick #50: QB Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)

Mike Green, like the coveted Abdul Carter, only recently switched positions to edge rusher, and he’s been incredible ever since. His ability to power through any offensive lineman gives him huge potential as a power rusher and puts his ceiling as a pass rusher in the double digit sack range. While a solid run defender, he needs to improve to be an NFL-caliber player, but his pure potential alone skyrockets his value. Seattle is in dire need of an effective pass rusher, with outside linebacker Boye Mafe being decent at pass rushing but Seattle not having anyone outside of him. Bringing in Green brings the ceiling of this defensive line up majorly, but he needs to develop quickly for Seattle’s line to reach it.

While Seattle is not currently in major need of a quarterback, as Geno Smith is still playing very well for them, they could look to potentially secure their QB of the future in Dart. He is a prospect quickly rising up many people’s draft boards, and for good reason; he throws an extremely pretty ball, and is capable of fitting it into spaces that few in this class can do. Going to Seattle right now allows the Seahawks the opportunity to let him sit behind Smith and develop for as long as he needs, and take over once Seattle is ready to move on from Smith and onto their young prospect.