1 move every NFL team should make this offseason

After acquiring Bradley Chubb midway through the 2022 season, the young edge rusher immediately came through for the Miami Dolphins in 2023 with 22 QB hits, 11 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and a league-high 6 forced fumbles in 16 games. Unfortunately, he suffered an ACL tear late in the year. Chubb’s recovery in 2024 has been much slower than expected, with the Dolphins’ pass rusher revealing recently that he also suffered a torn meniscus and patellar tendon. He could still return late in December and perhaps he’ll look like the player we saw in 2023. However, the risk of him never regaining that form can’t justify a $30 million cap hit. Miami would gain $20.23 million of cap space if Chubb is designated as a post-June 1 cut.

More than anything, the New York Jets’ culture needs to change. The first step toward that is team owner Woody Johnson going away for four years as an ambassador, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Aaron Glenn’s defensive mind could fill the void left by Robert Saleh, helping steer this unit back into becoming one of the best defenses in football. He’s also a phenomenal leader, well-regarded by players and recognized for holding everyone accountable. Plus, something key to all GM-coach pairing, there’s already chemistry with Ray Agnew and the two could have an aligned vision for the Jets’ future. New York would be wise to look for a package deal to fill both of its vacancies. Moving on from Aaron Rodgers is also the obvious move.

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Even behind an awful offensive line and throwing to a receiving corps that doesn’t even have a great No. 2 receiver, Drake Maye has looked like a franchise quarterback. Now it’s time for the New England Patriots to get him some help. The Patriots will have north of $115 million in cap space this offseason, leading all NFL teams. That’s more than enough to make Higgins one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL, giving Maye his No. 1 option, while still having money left over to rebuild the line.

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With some NFL teams, the move to make in 2025 is obvious. Greg Rousseau, a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, is going to finish this season with career-highs in QB hits, tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles. He’s become one of the best players on a Bills defense that has played well despite a myriad of injuries. Now it’s time to pay him. With only one year left on his deal – $13.387 million guaranteed in 2025 – Buffalo is likely looking at adding another four-plus years with an average annual value north of $23 million per season. Considering he still might have some upside because of his physical talent, that could prove to be a great value for Buffalo down the line.

We realize it’s highly unlikely the organization that stuck by Marvin Lewis for nearly two decades will fire the head coach who was there for a Super Bowl. That doesn’t mean it’s the right decision. Talent has carried this Cincinnati Bengals offense, but this team is often outcoached on both sides of the ball. A major change is needed and with Burrow receiving more input in the franchise’s decision-making, it would make sense to reunite him with Joe Brady. The 35-year-old was at LSU as passing game coordinator in 2019, served as Josh Allen’s quarterbacks coach from 2022-’23 and has helped Allen likely deliver a season that will win him NFL MVP. Plus, Brady could take one of Buffalo’s top defensive assistants to become the Bengals’ defensive play-caller.

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For the second consecutive year, a backup quarterback with a penchant for turnovers and poor decision-making came in and provided a spark for a Cleveland Browns offense that looked lifeless with Deshaun Watson. With Watson now recovering from a torn Achilles, there’s no reason to think he’ll turn things around in 2025. Designating Watson as a post-June 1 release leaves a $118 million dead cap hit in 2025 with -$46 million in lost cap savings. There would also be a $53.835 million dead cap charge in 2026. Those are crippling financial bullets, but they are still a better alternative than keeping him on the roster as a backup quarterback or pretending like he deserves to be the starter. It’s time for Cleveland to admit failure on the worst move in NFL history.

The Baltimore Ravens are going to ride things out with Justin Tucker for the rest of the 2024 season, even with him being one of the worst NFL kickers this year. Loyalty is a great thing, but it can come at a cost. Even if Tucker doesn’t single-handedly cost the Ravens a playoff game this year, the form that made him the most accurate kicker doesn’t work anymore at age 35. It’s not going to get any better as he nears 40 years old. Baltimore must find a viable challenger who will legitimately be allowed to compete with Tucker for the job next season.

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Russell Wilson isn’t playing at an elite level by any means, his 57.0 ESPN QBR ranks 17th among quarterbacks this season. However, Wilson has demonstrated that he’s a good fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense and they know how to get the most out of him in his age-36 season. We’ve seen Pittsburgh survive years of quarterback purgatory and compete, but they are Super Bowl contenders with league-average quarterback play in 2024. After reaping the benefits of having Wilson on a $1.2 million salary this season, it’s reasonable for Pittsburgh to pay Wilson $30-plus million annually for the next year or two. Equally as important, the Steelers finding a quarterback to develop for the future.

The Houston Texans swapped Day 3 picks in 2023 to acquire Shaq Mason, hoping he could bolster the interior offensive line. Less than two months after acquiring him, Mason was signed to a $36 million extension. However, he’s been one of the worst guards in football this season and nearing age 32, it’s probably time to find his replacement. For a team that doesn’t have a ton of cap space in 2025, freeing up $9.5 million with a post-June 1 cut designation would help considerably.

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Chris Ballard is one of the longest-tenured general managers in the NFL, running the Indianapolis Colts football operations since he was hired in January 2017. The Colts have won one playoff game (1-2) with zero AFC South titles during that tenure. There are no more excuses for him. It’s been more than five years since Andrew Luck retired and the Colts haven’t won a single playoff game. Change is desperately needed for Indianapolis.

One of our keys for NFL teams seeking to make major changes this offseason, when applicable, is to clean house and create a united front. That means finding a head coach and general manager pairing that have already worked together. While Liam Coen has only been with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a year, the offensive play-caller is eclipsing the success that Dave Canales had with this unit and he’s transformed the Bucs’ rushing attack. John Spytek, Tampa Bay’s assistant general manager, is widely recognized as one of the top NFL GM candidates in 2025. Spytek’s background in salary-cap management paired with his talent evaluation could really help Jacksonville. Plus, the Jaguars get a head coach and general manager who can align on how to build the roster around Trevor Lawrence.

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A few NFL teams – New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders – stand out as potential landing spots for Sam Darnold, but we like the Tennessee Titans. Signing Darnold to a two or three-year contract provides some stability at quarterback for a few years, putting him into an offense with Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard and Chig Okonkwo. Plus, signing Darnold allows Tennessee to use a first-round pick on an offensive tackle to plug in on the right side, much like the Los Angeles Chargers did with Joe Alt. Darnold can be the quarterback to execute Brian Callahan’s offense, especially if the biggest weakness on the Titans’ offensive line is addressed.

The Los Angeles Rams’ resurgence midway through the season quieted NFL rumors about a potential Cooper Kupp trade. However, a big reason many around the league thought Kupp might be traded is because of his cap hit in 2025 ($29.78) million when he’ll be 32 years old with significant questions regarding his durability. The Los Angeles Chargers can navigate their way up to $100-plus million of cap space in 2025, which is more than enough room to either facilitate a trade for Kupp or sign him if he’s cut for cap relief. The Chargers get a true No. 1 receiver for Justin Herbert, with a player Jim Harbaugh will love, while Kupp gets to stay in Los Angeles.

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Right before the start of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos traded a sixth-round pick for defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers. The 28-year-old has been one of the best players on the Broncos defense, a top-five unit, this season. Myers, who doesn’t turn 29 until late September, is entering a contract year with just a $10 million cap hit and $7.39 million base salary. He’s earned a hefty pay raise and if Denver doesn’t extend him this spring, it could be more costly in 2026.

The decision to name Antonio Pierce full-time coach was a mistake forced by Maxx Crosby’s trade demand and Pierce’s move to make Luke Getsy his offensive coordinator was even worse. What the Las Vegas Raiders need is a total reset with an experienced head coach who can bring accountability to the organization with good in-game decision-making. That’s Mike Vrabel, who squeezed far more wins out of the Tennessee Titans roster than anyone ever expected. Plus, he has a good relationship with Tom Brady and that matters now with Brady a co-owner of the team.

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The Jawaan Talor contract – $0 cap savings if designated post-June 1 release in 2025 – can’t realistically be taken off the books this year. So, the Kansas City Chiefs are effectively stuck with two big problems at offensive tackle. This team can’t afford to lose Trey Smith. A bidding war is the last thing a team with just $20 million in projected cap space can afford, but Kansas City has no other choice. If Smith is gone, 60 percent of the Chiefs offensive line next season could be well below-average starters and we’ve seen what just having two of those did to the offense this season.

If the New York Giants are going to fire Brian Daboll, they might as well clean house and show Joe Schoen the door. After all, he’s the one who re-signed Daniel Jones and convinced ownership that allowing Saquon Barkley to leave for the Philadelphia Eagles was a good idea. So, New York starts fresh. The best direction for general manager is to hurt the Dallas Cowboys, poaching vice president of player personnel Will McClay. One of the NFL’s top talent evaluators, McClay has turned down jobs for years so he could see his son finish school in Dallas. With his son graduating in 2025, McClay can finally leave Dallas to become general manager and stealing him from the Cowboys would be a double-win for the Giants.

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Dan Quinn has maximized the Washington Commanders’ defense as much as possible given the limited blue-chip talent on that side of the ball. Thankfully for Quinn, Washington will be among the NFL teams with the most cap space this spring. Khalil Mack, even nearing his age-34 season, is still playing at an All-Pro level as a pass rusher and run defender. The veteran edge would be a massive help for the Commanders’ defense and they ca afford to pay him while still addressing other needs.

If Jerry Jones was unwilling to extend Mike McCarthy’s contract after three consecutive 12-win seasons because he wasn’t happy with the lack of postseason success, you can’t justify signing him to a new contract after a losing season. The Dallas Cowboys offense has fallen far behind the times and that was long before the season-ending Dak Prescott injury. Dallas needs to make a coaching change, despite what Jones and the players in the Cowboys locker room are saying publicly.

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Considering the limited number of high-end starters at off-ball linebackers right now, NFL teams would love it if Zack Baun hit the open market. He signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles this past spring and transformed into an All-Pro. Baun will only be 28 years old next season, so even if it takes making him one of the highest-paid linebackers in football, Baun is worth it for the Eagles.

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t lose offensive coordinator Liam Coen in 2025, re-signing Chris Godwin needs to be a top priority. Prior to his season-ending injury, Godwin played the Cooper Kupp role in the Bucs’ offense and averaged 7.1 receptions and 82.3 receiving yards per game. The injury likely pushes down what he could earn in NFL free agency as well, making the case even stronger for Tampa Bay to bring Godwin back.

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For all the other NFL teams, it’s about one move involving a coach, player or general manager. With the New Orleans Saints, it comes down to the organization finally recognizing it’s time to rebuild. The in-season Alvin Kamara contract extension does suggest the front office and ownership still don’t get the proverbial ship has been sinking for years, although the Marshon Lattimore trade did offer a sign the gravity of the situation is starting to sink in. Maybe being $64 million above the 2025 NFL salary cap with long-term financial issues also on the horizon will finally set in for the Saints execs.

The Atlanta Falcons weren’t criticized for overpaying Kirk Cousins, at age 36, coming off a torn Achilles. Nor was the franchise ridiculed for using a top-10 pick on Michael Penix Jr. It’s doing both that rightfully received widespread criticism. Now, the Falcons have left themselves with no other options. Cousins, who turns 37 next August, is far more of a statue in the pocket than ever before and modern NFL offenses simply can’t function effectively with that. Penix needs to be the Falcons starting quarterback in 2025 and Cousins can either serve as a mentor or Atlant takes a $40 million dead cap hit next season by designating him as a post-June 1 release.

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The very fact that finding a replacement quarterback isn’t here is a testament to the work of Bryce Young and Dave Canales. With that acknowledged, there’s still an insane amount of work that must be done to repair the Panthers roster. Unfortunately, Carolina still doesn’t have its own second-round pick in 2025. With so many holes on defense, the Panthers need to trade down from the top 10 and stockpile draft picks.

Coveted by NFL teams for years, the Arizona Cardinals have finally reached a place where it makes sense to re-sign Budda Baker. Jonathan Gannon has truly done wonders with a Cardinals defense that has one high-quality starter (Baker) and he is integral to this unit’s performance both in pass coverage and as a run defender. Even if it means making the 29-year-old one of the highest-paid safeties in football, Arizona can’t afford to let Baker walk in free agency.

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Matthew Stafford has played very well this season, especially considering all the multi-week absences to key starters along the offensive line and at wide receiver. However, he’ll be 37 years old in February and Stetson Bennett clearly isn’t the long-term answer. Sam Darnold would’ve been a perfect option for Sean McVay, but Darnold’s success this season pushes him well out of the Rams’ price range. So, Los Angeles needs to find a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft it is confident McVay can develop into Stafford’s successor.

Fans love Tyler Lockett and for good reason, he’s responsible for over 8,500 receiving yards with 61 receiving touchdowns since being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately, Father Time and salary-cap constraints leave the franchise with no choice. Lockett is now just a WR3 in Seattle and the $17 million in cap savings by releasing him can help land a quality starter at a position of need.

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Even after a rough Thursday Night Football performance, the San Francisco 49ers have likely seen enough from Brock Purdy this season to know he can be their long-term starter. He has played well without Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk, erasing the notion he was being carried by the talent around him. Quite frankly, he’s also been hurt at times by Deebo Samuel’s drops and poor play. Cutting or trading Samuel is another obvious move for San Francisco, but re-signing the franchise quarterback comes first.

It’s been made very clear that there are only a few NFL teams Ben Johnson is willing to leave Detroit for. He wants to maximize his chances at success and looking around the league at likely head-coaching vacancies, the Chicago Bears are the best spot. Caleb Williams can become a premium franchise quarterback and he’s only entering the second year of his rookie contract, as is wide receiver Rome Odunze. Johnson can build his offense around Williams and Odunze, also working in Cole Kmet, DJ Moore and D’Ande Swift as key offensive weapons.

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Sam Darnold has been a revelation for the Minnesota Vikings, helping this team thrust itself into the mix for Super Bowl contention. In a perfect world, he would be re-signed as an insurance policy for J.J. McCarthy in 2025. However, the level of desperation at quarterback for some NFL teams far exceeds the Vikings’ need for Darnold. Using the franchise tag on him can be an option, but getting into a bidding war for Darnold and committing $40-plus million to him would be a mistake that would hamstring the Vikings’ ability to keep upgrading the roster around McCarthy.

We certainly could’ve utilized Aidan Hutchinson in this spot, but it might not make sense from his agent’s perspective to sign a long-term deal months after a season-ending injury. Instead, Kerby Joseph gets the deal. The best NFL safety in 2024, Joseph’s All-Pro play and his ability to keep this defense playing at a high level despite a weakened pass rush warrants a huge contract. Plus, it’s always wise to sign star talents a year early rather than letting them have the threat of testing the open market or being on the franchise tag which would be the case in 2026.

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The Green Bay Packers pass rush has been one of their biggest problems this season. Lukas Van Ness, the 13th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has failed to develop into a reliable starter and Rashan Gary hasn’t looked the same. Something needs to change. Malcolm Koonce, who turns 27 in June, missed the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury. In 2023, however, he recorded 17 QB hits and 8 sacks despite playing in just 44 percent of the Las Vegas Raiders defensive snaps. Koonce would be more affordable than Khalil Mack and he’s also much younger.

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