Every NFL team and fanbase likes to think they made all the right moves this offseason, but that’s not the case. As we’ll learn over the next few months and years, some teams made decisions that will have a strong negative impact on their immediate and future outlook. But which NFL offseason moves were the worst?
New York Giants letting Saquon Barkley sign with division rivals
The New York Giants entered the offseason lacking an offensive identity. Letting their best skill position leave in free agency won’t help. While we will give credit for landing Malik Nabers and strengthening the receiving corps, as the Eagles will show their division rivals, Barkley was worth every penny of his three-year, $37.7 million contract.
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Buffalo Bills trading Stefon Diggs for 2025 draft capital
We’re big fans of the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen, but they definitely took a step back by trading Stefon Diggs for a future second-round pick. The move may pay off in the long run, but this doesn’t help the Bills win a Super Bowl right away; it only made them worse.
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Atlanta Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr. over a top defender
We love the potential Michael Penix Jr. has. He could become one of, if not the best quarterback of the 2024 draft class. But selecting him eighth overall months after committing to a four-year, $180 million contract to Kirk Cousins makes no sense. It sends a message that the Falcons either already believe they have a team capable of competing for the Super Bowl or that they realize Cousins won’t be the one to get them to the promised land. Either way, it’s a bad look for now.
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New England Patriots moving on from Bill Belichick
As Tom Brady recently admitted, the New England Patriots’ success wasn’t all thanks to him. It wasn’t all thanks to Bill Belichick either. The truth is somewhere in between. The Patriots needed Belichick’s complex defensive schemes to help Brady win six Lombardi Trophies, and he needed Brady’s dedication and preparation to lead the locker room. Belichick may have made some mistakes since Brady’s departure, but he’s still an excellent coach.
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Denver Broncos cutting bait on Russell Wilson
Bo Nix may very well be the franchise quarterback for the Denver Broncos, but they had no reason to give up on Russell Wilson, especially since they’re still paying him nearly $40 million just to not be on the team. Couldn’t they have drafted Nix to develop behind Wilson without putting added pressure on their young QB? Time will tell whether Denver made the right move, but it’s hard to imagine them not being able to recoup some trade value for the former Super Bowl winner at the deadline with improved play instead of cutting him altogether.
Las Vegas Raiders lacking a QB plan
While the Las Vegas Raiders’ offseason plan may pay off in the long run. We like that they didn’t commit massive amounts of money or draft capital to a quarterback who likely isn’t the future, but at the same time, there’s no way the Raiders can win a Super Bowl with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Without a premier QB, the Raiders aren’t going anywhere in the AFC West, but again, this could pay off next year if they land a top-ten pick.
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Tennessee Titans firing Mike Vrabel
Mike Vrabel should still be an NFL head coach, but for whatever reason, the Tennessee Titans didn’t agree. Vrabel is now consulting with the Cleveland Browns, bringing a 54.5% win rate to the Dawg Pound, but we believe the Titans took a step back in the short term here.
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Los Angeles Chargers taking Joe Alt instead of Malik Nabers
Joe Alt has the potential to be a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, but who will Justin Herbert be throwing to now that Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are gone? The Chargers could have selected Malik Nabers, but they’d still have Rashawn Slater as their starting left tackle. While we understand Jim Harbaugh’s fascination with building in the trenches, we would have gone with Nabers and found a right tackle later.
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Seattle Seahawks retiring Pete Carroll
Perhaps worried that Pete Carroll was no longer at his professional peak, the Seattle Seahawks decided to part ways with their Super Bowl-winning head coach after 14 seasons. He ends with a strong 60.6% win rate in Seattle. We get that the Seahawks believe Mike Macdonald can be a great coach for a long time, but there was no need to push Carroll out of Seattle just yet. We believe this was a temporary setback for the ‘Hawks.
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Carolina Panthers failing to get strong value in Brian Burns trade
The Carolina Panthers had received offers worth as much as multiple first-round picks for Brian Burns in previous years, but they turned them down to hold onto the elite pass-rusher. This offseason, the Panthers suddenly decided it was time to part with the 26-year-old since they weren’t going to meet his asking price on a new contract. But getting just a second and fifth-round pick in return for the two-time Pro Bowler feels like a surefire way to make the defense worse, putting more pressure on Bryce Young.
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