The 2024 season ended in disappointment for the 31 NFL teams not based out of Philadelphia. And even the Eagles know they have some work to do in the next few months if they want to stay on top.
That’s why what comes next will be so critical, as teams reshape their roster and navigate through free agency and the draft in the hopes of somehow making their teams better. For some teams, the to-do list is short. For others, it’s painfully long.
But by this point, all of them know exactly what their biggest priority is.
So here’s a look at those priorities — the one big offseason question that each of the 32 NFL teams must answer, either very soon, or at least by the time training camps begin:
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Can they bring in a dominant edge rusher to improve their pass rush?
The Cards have some dangerous weapons on offense and some solid players on defense, but there is no defensive player who can really scare opposing quarterbacks up front. Linebacker Zaven Collins led Arizona with five sacks, which is an absurdly low total for a team leader. Considering the Cards hired head coach Jonathan Gannon after a year in Philadelphia where the Eagles had 70 sacks as a team, they certainly expect better than the middling 41 they had last season. To do that, though, they’ll need help off the edge. A healthy return of linebacker B.J. Ojulari could help, but they really need a veteran edge rusher with a track record. The Cards have plenty of cap space (a projected $69 million), but they know those pass rushers don’t come cheap.
What will they do with Kirk Cousins?
Less than a year after signing Captain Kirk to a four-year, $180 million contract with $90 million guaranteed, the Cousins Era is over in Atlanta. The Falcons are clearly Michael Penix Jr.’s team now. And that’s smart, considering Cousins is 36 and spent all year battling injuries. But now what do they do with him? Cutting him would leave $65 million in “dead money” on their books. They could trade him and he’d leave less behind ($37.5 million) — if he waives his no-trade clause. But is someone going to want an aging, benched quarterback with injury issues and a guaranteed salary of $27.5 million in 2025? Keeping their former starter seems like the worst option, so they’ll have to do something relatively soon.
How can they patch the holes in their offensive line?
The Ravens had the No. 1 rushing team in football and were built to pound teams into submission with quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. They need a strong offensive line for everything to work. But their left tackle (Ronnie Stanley) and left guard (Patrick Mekari) are both scheduled to hit free agency, along with two key backups (Ben Cleveland and Josh Jones). The Ravens also barely have any cap space (about $5 million at the moment) so re-signing any of them or replacing them could be tough. They’ve done offensive line overhauls before. In fact, they had three new starters in 2024. But that’s not a great way to build consistency or to stay on top.
Will they even try to find a No. 1 receiver for their MVP quarterback?
They didn’t bother trying after they traded away Stefon Diggs in April. Their best receiver was Khalil Shakir, whose 76 catches, 821 yards and four touchdowns would’ve made him a serviceable No. 2 receiver on most teams. No other receiver caught more than 31 passes (Mack Hollins/Curtis Samuel) or had more than 556 yards (Keon Coleman). Allen was the NFL MVP anyway — probably because of the unimpressive targets that surrounded him. But as the Bills chase the elusive Super Bowl, just imagine how good they could be with a true No. 1 in Allen’s arsenal. Unfortunately, the Bills have a terrible cap situation (a projected $16.9 million over the cap), so if they do add a receiver, it’ll have to be a trade or through the draft. They probably can’t even afford to bring back veteran Amari Cooper (20-297-2 in eight games).
Josh Allen is in desperate need of more playmakers in the Bills’ offense.
Can they find someone who can rush the quarterback?
Quarterback Bryce Young finally showed some signs of life late last season. Now, if only the same could be said about their defense, and their pass rush in particular. Only two teams had fewer than their 32 sacks last season and no NFL team hit opposing quarterbacks less. That was the price of trading Brian Burns to the Giants and inadequately replacing him with journeyman Jadeveon Clowney (5.5 sacks). The Panthers defense was the worst in the NFL. It was also the worst against the run, which is another sign of how bad things were for them up front. That won’t help the development of Young if he’s forced to overcompensate for a defense that gave up 30 or more points 10 times last season. They only have $16.9 million in cap space, but that should be just enough for a premiere edge rusher if they can find one.
How are they going to protect QB Caleb Williams?
Before dissecting Williams’ rookie struggles, start with this: He was sacked a ridiculous, league-high, 68 times. If the Bears can’t do better, it won’t matter how much of an offensive genius new coach Ben Johnson is, the offense simply isn’t going to work. So, expect that they will use a huge chunk of their $63 million cap space on a line overhaul. All of their starting interior linemen are free agents — guards Teven Jenkins and Matt Pryor and center Coleman Shelton. They might look to upgrade at left tackle too, where Braxton Jones has been fine, but not great. Johnson knows the importance of a strong and powerful line from his days in Detroit. He has inherited the opposite of that in Chicago, so that needs to be the first thing fixed.
Can they find a way to keep Joe Burrow’s receivers in town long-term?
The Bengals have never been very aggressive when it comes to paying players, but they’ll have to decide soon whether it’s worth it to open their vault to keep their dynamic duo of receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase together. It should be considering that with those two as targets, quarterback Joe Burrow ran the No. 1 passing offense in the NFL. It will be expensive, though. Higgins, who had 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 12 games, is reportedly going to get the franchise tag (again) — this time for $26.2 million. And Chase, who led the NFL with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns, is already due $21.8 million in the final year of his contract, and his next deal will surely make him the highest-paid receiver of all time. Higgins’ next deal won’t be far behind either. It’s hard to imagine the Bengals paying both, and maybe not even one, but they’ll need to figure out their plan at that position soon.
Will they trade Myles Garrett or force him to stay (and be miserable)?
They have major issues at quarterback too, but they’re still stuck under the weight of Deshaun Watson’s ridiculous contract. So since they can’t fix that, Garrett’s trade request jumped to the top of their offseason list. He’s one of the best defensive players in football, but he sees the Browns as a sinking ship and wants to play out the last two years of his contract for a contender. He’s the kind of player the Browns need, unless they’re ready to embrace a full rebuilding project. They might be able to get a nice haul for him in return, but considering he’s 29, owed $45 million over the next two years, and is seeking a new megadeal, the return might not be as big as they’d hope. So far they say they’re not trading him, but they’ll need to have a final answer on that before free agency starts.
How quickly can they re-sign Micah Parsons?
The Joneses say they intend to give Parsons the lucrative contract extension he deserves, and he’s almost certain to ask for a deal that would make him the highest-paid defensive player in the game. That means something more than the five-year, $170 million deal with $122.5 million guaranteed that Nick Bosa got from San Francisco. The Cowboys will probably do it, but the “when” matters. Jerry Jones’ preferred method is to wait until the very last minute — like just as the season is set to begin. The problem is that Parsons right now is scheduled to count for $24 million against the cap and the Cowboys won’t have much room to bring in free agents. Signing Parsons before free agency could clear $12 million or so in cap space. Waiting until the summer would do the same, but by then all the free agents they could’ve signed will be gone. It’s up to Jones if he wants to wait like he did with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and pretend that he’s using leverage to get a better deal, all while squandering the benefits of reducing the cap space in the first year of Parsons’ new contract.
Micah Parsons is in line for a record-setting extension, but will the Cowboys make him wait?
Can they get Bo Nix some weapons?
Nix was one of the biggest surprises in the NFL with his stellar rookie season for a Broncos team that shocked everyone by going 10-7 and making the playoffs. And Nix’s performance was even more amazing considering what was around him. He had a pretty good No. 1 receiver in Courtland Sutton (81-1,081-8), but almost nothing else. No other receiver topped 41 catches (Devaughn Vele), and he didn’t even have a tight end that caught 20 passes (Lucas Krull caught 19 for 152 yards). Sean Payton needs to find his second-year quarterback some pass catchers to really get this offense going in the right direction. Nix and Sutton can’t do it all on their own.
Can they survive the loss of both of their coordinators?
The price of success was steep for the Lions, with prized offensive coordinator Ben Johnson getting a head coaching job in Chicago and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn taking over the New York Jets. Dan Campbell promoted outside linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to take over for Glenn and hired John Morton to take over for Johnson. Sheppard is a 37-year-old, first-time coordinator in just his fifth season as an NFL assistant. And the 55-year-old Morton’s only experience as an NFL offensive coordinator was with the Jets in 2017 when he ran the fifth-worst offense in the league. They both have huge shoes to fill — especially Morton. The Lions have to figure out a way to duplicate their former coordinators’ success.
Who will be their No. 1 receiver?
They have a really nice receiving corps in Green Bay with Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, but none of them are a true No. 1 receiver — the kind who can consistently break games open. In fact, Reed topped their charts with just 55 catches and only 857 yards. They need to do better for Jordan Love, their $55 million-per-year QB who somehow led the NFL’s No. 12 passing attack without a top-tier target. When a team spends that much on a quarterback, giving him weapons has to be a priority. Love’s numbers could skyrocket if the Packers could add a receiver who really keeps defensive coordinators up at night.
Should they prioritize weapons or protection for QB C.J. Stroud?
It shouldn’t be one or the other, but it might be for a team that is projected to be about $2 million over the salary cap. Stroud was sacked 52 times last season — second behind Chicago’s Caleb Williams — so clearly they need some help up front. But the receiving corps is thinning too, with Stefon Diggs headed to free agency and Tank Dell facing a long recovery from the devastating knee injury he suffered late in the season. Stroud regressed last season after a fantastic rookie campaign, but in the playoffs he reminded everyone that his talent is still there. The Texans just need to get him some help, and with limited resources, they might have to choose only one way to do it.
Will they decide that Anthony Richardson is the guy, or that it’s time to move on?
The word on Richardson before he was drafted fourth overall by the Colts in 2023 was that he had great size, a huge arm and loads of potential, but that he was inexperienced and would need time. Now he’s entering Year 3 in the NFL and time is running out. He’s played just 15 games in two years thanks to a variety of injuries, and he’s barely completed 50 percent of his passes (50.6%) with 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. The Colts seem committed to him still, but are they really? It might be time to dip into the free agent market and at least bring in some viable competition, because it’s not at all clear whether they can win with Richardson. And if there’s a decent quarterback available at No. 14 in the 2025 NFL Draft, they’ll have to think hard about that, too.
Is Anthony Richardson’s time in Indy coming to a close?
Are any of their offensive skill players worth keeping?
The Jags really thought they had a talented young core built around quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but they might have misjudged that. Outside of rookie receiver Brian Thomas (87-1,282-10) is anyone else worth keeping — or featuring — for new coach Liam Coen? Receiver Charlie Kirk only played eight games and didn’t do much (27-379-1). Tight end Evan Engram did catch 114 passes in 2023, but his yards per catch the last two seasons is only 8.24. Running back Travis Etienne fell off a cliff last year (558 rushing yards), and though his replacement, Tank Bigsby (766) had his moments, he wasn’t scaring anyone either. Coen’s top job is fixing whatever has gone wrong with Lawrence lately. He should start with putting beater weapons around him.
Is Travis Kelce coming back, and does he have much left?
The Chiefs have reportedly given their 35-year-old, Hall of Fame-bound tight end a month to make a decision on his future, so they know going into free agency what they have to do. What is already clear, though, is that Kelce has been on a steep decline the last two seasons, and was a shell of his old self with a career-low 8.5 yards per catch in 2025 (97-823). He is still a focal point of the Chiefs’ offense and a favorite of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs need to decide if that’s a wise strategy if Kelce wants to play another season. He was targeted 133 times by Mahomes in the regular season — 35 more times than anyone else. It might be time to start working in another tight end (Noah Gray was only targeted 49 times) or finding a true No. 1 receiver and making him the focus of the offense instead.
Which veteran quarterback will they sign?
The Raiders actually might have a shot at finding their Quarterback of the Future with the sixth pick in the draft, but neither new co-owner Tom Brady nor his new coach, the 73-year-old Pete Carroll, want to be involved in a rebuilding project. So they will be in the market for a veteran starter to be, at the very least, a bridge to what comes next. The good news is they have a ton of cap space ($92.5 million per OverTheCap.com) to get whoever they want. They could think longer term with Sam Darnold, or something shorter with Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers. With the money they have to spend and the attraction of playing for Carroll and for a team owned by Brady should land them whichever one they choose.
How can they keep their defense together?
It won’t be easy, even with a projected $63 million in salary cap space to spend because of how many defensive free agents they have. Re-signing Pro Bowl edge rusher Khalil Mack is probably their priority, even though he’s about to turn 34. Also scheduled to be free next month are defensive tackle Poona Ford, linebacker Denzel Perryman, corner Asante Samuel Jr. and safety Elijah Molden. While the Chargers’ offense struggled, the defense kept them in the playoff hunt. No team gave up fewer points during the 2024 season. Yes, they probably need to get Justin Herbert a second receiver too, to go along with star rookie Ladd McConkey. But if they can’t plug all their defensive holes, staying in the playoff chase next season could be tough.
Will they move forward with or without Matthew Stafford?
The 37-year-old quarterback apparently wants to keep playing, but he wants a contract extension too, which puts the Rams in a bit of a bind. They are trying to rebuild on the fly, as shown by their intention to trade 31-year-old receiver Cooper Kupp. They did go 10-7 and win a playoff game last year, so if they think they can win a Super Bowl in the next year or two, a short-term extension makes sense. But are they really that close? If not, getting a draft pick or two from a team that wants a veteran starter would help, and the $27 million in cap space they could clear would put them in the market for a younger veteran starter to replace him.
The Rams have a decision to make regarding Matthew Stafford’s future.
Does Tyreek Hill really want to stay, and is he worth keeping?
The speedy receiver made it clear at the end of the season that he wanted out of Miami. Then he apologized and took it back. But then came the reports that he still wants out and just wants to do it more quietly. At this point, the Dolphins have to wonder if he’s worth the $27.6 million guaranteed he’s owed this season, especially if he doesn’t want to be there. His numbers dropped dramatically last season to 81 catches, 959 yards and six touchdowns, on just 11.8 yards per catch. He didn’t look at all like the dangerous, game-breaking weapon he used to be. Certainly some of that was quarterback related (Tua Tagovailoa played only 11 games). But Hill is about to be 31 and receivers don’t get better or faster at that age. Maybe someone else will want to take a chance that a change of scenery will revive his career.
Is their quarterback of the future (and present) Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy?
The way Sam Darnold played most of the season in leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record seemed to make this an easy choice. But after he struggled in the season finale and the playoffs, his future in Minnesota didn’t seem so assured. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell says he wants to keep Darnold, but at what price? Darnold is a free agent and could have suitors, and the Vikings do have J.J. McCarthy, the 10th pick in the draft last year. It’s easy to forget now that he was supposed to be the starter last season before he got hurt. It’s tough to give up on a quarterback who led the team to 14 wins. But it’s tough to just punt on the 10th pick, too.
Can they find a way to protect QB Drake Maye?
The Patriots offensive line was ranked dead last in 2024 by Pro Football Focus, which wasn’t good for their star rookie quarterback. Maye was sacked 34 times in 13 games (though that included three games in which he barely played), which would have put him on pace to be one of the most sacked QBs in the league. The Patriots have clearly found a keeper at the NFL’s most important position. Now they need to keep him upright. They need a completely overhaul up front — maybe as many as four new starters. The good news for them is they are projected to have an NFL-high $119.8 million in cap space, so they can rebuild Maye’s protection and maybe get him a new receiver or two, too.
Can they afford to move on from Derek Carr (or can they afford not to)?
New coach Kellen Moore inherited a team with a huge problem — they’re projected to be about $54 million over the salary cap. They also have a 33-year-old quarterback who suffered through an injury plagued season and counts for $51.5 million against the cap. They could cut him and clear $30 million in space, but that still wouldn’t give them enough cap room to go find a replacement. They could restructure his deal, but that will push a lot of cap pain into future years. Carr has also said he won’t take a pay cut. And with no viable replacement on the roster, they might be stuck with each other in a very expensive marriage that probably isn’t doing either of them a lot of good.
Who will their next quarterback be?
If they had lost one more game, this would be an easy question to answer. But since they’re picking third in a two-team draft, there are some unknowns. Will either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders — generally acknowledged as the top two quarterbacks in the draft — slip to them at 3? Will they move up? Or will they dive into the free agent or trade market for a Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson? Maybe they’ll do both, because co-owner John Mara made it pretty clear that general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll need to win in 2025. That won’t be easy to do with a rookie starter, especially considering the NFL is generally down on this quarterback class. They may have to spend on a veteran no matter what, especially since free agency comes first.
Can they get it right at quarterback this time?
The odds are against them because they’ve had the most remarkable track record for getting it wrong, whether they screw up a draft pick with bad coaching (Sam Darnold), draft a bust too high (Zach Wilson), or sign a veteran just in time to see his body fall apart (Aaron Rodgers). They did the right thing and told Rodgers they were moving on, but there are no obviously good answers to their quarterback question. They have the No. 7 pick in the draft, which won’t be high enough to get them one of the top two quarterbacks available. The free agent market isn’t great, and the top player there might be Darnold who surely wouldn’t want to return to New York. They’ll probably be looking for a stopgap starter to get them through the next year or two. If new GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn choose poorly, like all their predecessors, it’ll be the defining decision of their tenure.
How will they rebuild the defensive line that powered them through the Super Bowl?
Never mind that quarterback Jalen Hurts was the Super Bowl MVP. Everyone saw what the Eagles’ defense — particularly their front four — did to the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX. But big changes are coming. Josh Sweat (who should have been the MVP) is scheduled to be a free agent and will almost certainly leave after taking a pay cut to stay last offseason. Brandon Graham is heading towards retirement. And defensive tackle Milton Williams is a free agent, too. The Eagles won’t have a ton of cap room to replace them, either. The emergence of Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt on the edges late in the season was promising. And they do still have edge rusher Bryce Huff, who so far has been a $51 million bust of a signing. But they will need to restock the unit that powered their postseason run and anchored the NFL’s top defense all season long.
Will they stick with a fading Russell Wilson, or give someone like Aaron Rodgers a try?
The way Russell Wilson played most of the season, it seemed like he was headed towards a long-term contract with Pittsburgh. But the way he and the team faded down the stretch was alarming. Still, if the price is right, they might be able to arrange a short-term marriage while the Steelers continue their search for a young quarterback of the future. But they also know they have all the rest of the ingredients in place to compete for a championship. If the 36-year-old Wilson couldn’t get them there, maybe someone like Rodgers can? He’s older (41) and he’s fading and he’s had injury issues. But he’s also the better quarterback if he’s healthy and in the right situation. If the Steelers are looking for a short-term option, they’ll just have to pick the best short-term guy.
Will they give QB Brock Purdy his lucrative contract extension now, or wait a year?
The 49ers have made it pretty clear they intend to lock up their quarterback to a long-term deal eventually. And why wouldn’t they? The 25-year-old former Mr. Irrelevant has led them to two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl in his first three seasons. He even played at an MVP level in 2023, which is why most expect his contract will land in the $55-60 million-per-year level, making him probably the second-highest paid player in the game. But he does still have one year left on his contract and is due just $5.2 million this season. It might be tempting for the 49ers to let him play that out, especially since they could still use the franchise tag on him in 2026, if necessary. They could use the extra cap space to rebuild the team around him. Then again, his price is only going to go up between now and next March if they wait.
Will the 49ers give Brock Purdy a huge extension this offseason?
Is it time to move on from Geno Smith, or give him one more year?
Seattle got a good return on investment from the three-year, $75 million deal Smith signed after his outstanding 2022 season. They didn’t make the playoffs last season, but they were close with 10 wins. And he generally played well, if unspectacularly (4,320 yards, 21 touchdowns, 15 interceptions). He’s 34 and in the last year of his contract, though, and while he’s still a relative bargain, his numbers have definitely been declining. The question for the Seahawks — a team seemingly loaded with offensive weapons — is whether Smith is a better short-term solution than some of the other veteran quarterbacks available. Smith has had them close to the playoffs the last two seasons. Could a Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers do better and put them over the top?
Will there be life without Liam (Coen) for Baker Mayfield?
Baker Mayfield’s career was revived in 2023 under offensive coordinator Dave Canales, before he got hired as the head coach in Carolina. Then last season Mayfield exploded for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns (with 16 interceptions) — big enough numbers to earn him MVP votes. That led to Canales’ replacement, Liam Coen, to get the head coaching job in Jacksonville. Now Mayfield will be under the guidance of 34-year-old Josh Grizzard, the passing game coordinator last year. So can Grizzard work similar magic with Mayfield? The answer to that will mean everything to the Bucs’ success in 2025. Most of the NFL’s No. 3 offense returns as is. The only question is whether it can thrive under yet another new coordinator.
Should they trade the No. 1 overall pick?
They are a franchise in need of a quarterback, so the easy solution for them would be to hold the pick and use it on either Shadeur Sanders or Cam Ward. But the better play might be to pass on the quarterback, sign a veteran instead (Hello, Aaron Rodgers?), and collect a king’s ransom from some other desperate team. They could easily trade down just a few spots and pick up an extra second- or third-round pick, or trade down even farther and maybe walk away with a future first. That could help get them young talent on the offensive line, at edge rusher and maybe at receiver too. They’d still need a long-term quarterback, but they’d have more ammunition to build the rest of the team.
Can they get help for Jayden Daniels?
They clearly have a star in a quarterback who won the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Now they’ve got to get some better talent around him. They have a really good receiver in Terry McLaurin (82 catches, 1,096 yards, 13 TDs), but the drop-off in talent is huge after that. His next-best receiver was 34-year-old tight end Zach Ertz (66-654-7). And the only other receiver to top 40 catches was Olamide Zaccheaus (45-506-3). They need another top receiver to take some of the pressure off McLaurin, which is why a run at top free agent Tee Higgins would make a lot of sense if he doesn’t end up being franchised. They have holes on the defensive line and at cornerback too, but Daniels is the one they literally need to build around and he’s going to need some help.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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