With nearly all major NFL offseason moves complete, save for whatever happens with Aaron Rodgers and possibly Kirk Cousins, it's a good time to single out a favorite move for each team. From Arizona to Washington, we have every team covered.
Adding Josh Sweat in free agency addressed Arizona's massive need for proven pass-rush help. Sweat's 43 sacks for Philadelphia since 2019 dwarf the totals for any Cardinal over that span. Arizona's most productive pass rushers since then -- Chandler Jones (30.5 sacks), Dennis Gardeck (17), Markus Golden (16.5), Haason Reddick (13.5) and J.J. Watt (13.5) are long gone from the roster, save for Gardeck. Sweat carries risk with a knee that requires management, but his history with the Cardinals' coaches assures a solid fit.
The Falcons' double-barreled approach to addressing their pass-rush issues cost them a 2026 first-round pick, which seemed desperate. But unlike last offseason, when the Falcons committed $90 million guaranteed to Kirk Cousins before using a first-round pick for another QB, Michael Penix Jr., the move to draft pass rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. was not an either-or proposition. Both first-round picks can play at the same time. Getting a third-round pick back from the Rams in the trade-up for Pearce also enabled the selection of safety Xavier Watts, a likely starter.
Re-signing Ronnie Stanley before free agency spared the Ravens from suddenly needing a left tackle in an offseason when there weren't great options at the position. This made it easier for them to use their first-round pick (No. 27) for safety Malaki Starks instead of chasing a tackle, which Kansas City felt compelled to do at No. 31 (Josh Simmons, coming off injury, was the Chiefs' pick there).
Keeping quarterback Josh Allen happy on an extension worth $55 million per year, well below the $60 million threshold set by Dak Prescott, affirmed that the relationship between the team and its franchise quarterback remains strong. Buffalo was under no obligation to redo a deal that had four years remaining, but in a market where keeping superstars comes with some additional challenges, the Bills' thinking appeared proactive. Allen is everything for Buffalo.
Safety Tre'von Moehrig, signed from Las Vegas on a three-year deal for $51 million, should upgrade a run defense that allowed 179.8 yards per game in 2024, most in the NFL since the 1987 strike-season Falcons (182.3). Moehrig ranked fifth among 50 qualifying safeties in PFF run defense last season, trailing Brian Branch, Julian Love, Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James.
An all-out effort to address the offense, led by Ben Johnson's hiring as head coach and heavy investments in the offensive roster, particularly up front, stands out for Chicago. All signs point to the Bears being in a better position to evaluate second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. That's critical.
Re-signing superstar receiver Ja'Marr Chase had to be done, but there were no guarantees the negotiations would play out smoothly for the Bengals. Cincy took the receiver market from $35 million per year (Justin Jefferson) to $40.25 million (Chase), keeping quarterback Joe Burrow and Chase himself happy. That was important.
Adding a 2026 first-round pick from Jacksonville in exchange for dropping from No. 2 to No. 5 in the draft stands out for Cleveland. Though the Browns could regret passing up Travis Hunter, the draft capital could help them land a quarterback in the future, which could be a top priority even after the team used third- and fifth-round picks on the position this year.
Re-signing defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa was important for new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, whose scheme leans on strong play from the three-technique position. Eberflus struggled to fill the role with Chicago, where the Bears reached an agreement with free agent Larry Ogunjobi in March 2022, only to fail him on his physical, nixing the deal. Having an established young player at the position removes some of that uncertainty.
Hiring Darren Rizzi as special teams coach rounds out a staff featuring Sean Payton as de facto offensive coordinator and Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator. That's a solid triumvirate of proven coaches in three key roles. Rizzi worked under Payton in New Orleans from 2019-21 and stayed in the role through last season, so the fit should be natural. The Saints ranked 12th in special teams EPA during Rizzi's tenure there (2019-24), including fourth on punts, punt returns, kickoffs and kickoff returns, per TruMedia.
Doubling up on interior offensive linemen after letting the 35-year-old Kevin Zeitler leave in free agency seemed smart for Detroit. The Lions used a second-round pick for guard Tate Ratledge and a fifth-rounder for guard Miles Frazier. The odds seem strong that at least one of the two will emerge as a starter longer term. Christian Mahogany, a 2024 sixth-round pick, also should be in the mix.
Before adding flash in the draft with first-round receiver Matthew Golden, the Packers focused on adding toughness in free agency with guard Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs. Hobbs also brings versatility through his ability to play the nickel role. Both project as hard-nosed players and welcomed additions to the NFL's youngest roster.
Remaking the receiver position by acquiring Christian Kirk and using two early picks for Jayden Higgins (second round) and Jaylin Noel (third) bought hope for the Texans after they subtracted Stefon Diggs and lost Tank Dell to injury. Those new receivers aren't going to help the pass protection, which remains a concern, but if quarterback C.J. Stroud can get the ball out of his hands quickly, Houston has some players who might catch it.
Before owner Jim Irsay passed, he authorized an unusual (for the Colts) free-agent spending spree, helping Indy address its secondary with safety Cam Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward. The financial green light gave new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo a better chance against a schedule featuring games against offensive callers Mike McDaniel, Sean Payton, Sean McVay, Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan.
There's no way to know whether Liam Coen is going to be a good head coach; his credentials are thin. I liked the way Jacksonville broke its pattern of pivoting with each hire. The team had gone from the intense Doug Marrone to nice-guy Gus Bradley to the intense Urban Meyer to nice-guy Doug Pederson with its previous hires. There was no pivot to a taskmaster this time. Coen, like Pederson, comes from the offensive side of the ball and would seem to be a player-friendly coach.
I'm betting on defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo maximizing the top two cornerbacks Kansas City added: veteran Kristian Fulton, who played well for the Chargers last season, and third-round pick Nohl Williams, who can play nickel and safety. Both project as physical pieces for Spagnuolo to utilize. They are surer bets than the players Kansas City added to address its issues at left tackle.
No team upgraded at the two most important positions -- head coach and quarterback -- more than the Raiders this offseason. The jumps from Antonio Pierce to Pete Carroll and from Aidan O'Connell to Geno Smith could allow Las Vegas to more than double its win total following a 4-13 season.
The Chargers seemingly could have done more this offseason, but one of their biggest additions should help them build on their physical identity under second-year coach Jim Harbaugh. Free-agent addition Mekhi Becton, all 6-foot-7 and 363 pounds of him, slots in at right guard next to the similarly massive tackle Joe Alt. It'll be fun to see those two giants aligned next to one another (unless you're a defensive lineman).
With Matthew Stafford returning and Davante Adams arriving in free agency, the Rams are very much playing for the present. Their ability to land a 2026 first-round pick from Atlanta for moving back 20 spots in the draft lets them prepare for the future as well, specifically by enhancing their ability to acquire their next quarterback. That was the forward-thinking move that stands out for the Rams this offseason.
Doubling up on guard acquisitions with veteran James Daniels and second-round draft choice Jonah Savaiinaea could deliver two immediate starters at a position where Miami needed to get better. Daniels suffered a torn Achilles tendon last season, so the risk could be heightened, but with the injury occurring in September, he could be ready for training camp. Daniels, who turns 28 in September, played 3,086 snaps at right guard over the 2021-23 seasons, fourth most in the NFL, per TruMedia.
Extending coach Kevin O'Connell's contract ended speculation that his future might be elsewhere, locking in stability at one of the most critical positions in the organization. I was less excited about some of the personnel moves Minnesota made, primarily because the team added so many older players with injury concerns.
Hiring Mike Vrabel as head coach and Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator was a strong 1-2 punch for New England. McDaniels could be the best coordinator in the league who isn't likely to become a head coach elsewhere. Having those two positions secured gives the Patriots a chance to implement a coherent vision for the long term.
Getting Derek Carr to forfeit $30 million in previously guaranteed money upon the quarterback's retirement gives the Saints a chance to finally reset after four years of mortgaging the future without reaching the playoffs. Whether the Saints will actually refocus on the long term remains unclear, but the team is in a better position to do so with Carr's contract coming off the books in 2027.
Selecting Abdul Carter with the third pick in the draft and still having their choice of available quarterbacks when the Giants selected Jaxson Dart at No. 25 showed the team read the market correctly. Whether Dart will succeed is another question entirely, and history is not on the Giants' side (in the salary-cap era, which dates to 1993, only three of 15 quarterbacks drafted in the first round after pick No. 19 signed long-term extensions with their original teams). Even so, the process seemed sound for the Giants, a welcome change from the previous two offseasons, which featured a Daniel Jones extension (2023) and Saquon Barkley's departure (2024).
Ending the Aaron Rodgers insanity while continuing to draft for the offensive line -- which now features three first-round picks, including both tackles, and a second-rounder -- gives the Jets a chance to build something for the longer term. I wasn't a huge fan of paying Justin Fields what the Jets paid him, but another season with Rodgers would have felt untenable. There's a fresh start in Florham Park, and that's a good thing.
The Eagles' all-out effort to keep the tush push legal, complete with in-person lobbying from owner Jeffrey Lurie and former center Jason Kelce, helped Philly preserve its offensive identity, maintaining an important edge. Buying at least another year for the tush push felt like an upset victory for the Eagles after momentum built to ban the play.
Getting a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth from Dallas for receiver George Pickens and a 2027 sixth might have been the Steelers' best move, especially after DK Metcalf's arrival signaled the end for Pickens in Pittsburgh. There hasn't been much to like about this Steelers offseason from a quarterback standpoint, no matter what happens with Rodgers. Acquiring and paying Metcalf didn't seem like the most logical move, either. But Pickens had to go, so getting decent value was a win for Pittsburgh.
I liked the way San Francisco became less emotional with its contract decisions, making measured choices with veteran players. But the move to bring back Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator stands apart. Saleh gives San Francisco a true head coach of the defense after the team ran through three coordinators in three seasons on that side of the ball. The current defensive talent isn't as good as it was when Saleh filled the role for the 49ers from 2017-20, but San Francisco couldn't have landed a better fit.
Klint Kubiak's hiring as offensive coordinator closes a gaping philosophical gap between coach Mike Macdonald, who wants to win the old-fashioned way, and 2024 coordinator Ryan Grubb, whose offense ranked fourth in pass rate on early downs, including when tied or leading. Seattle can now proceed with a unified vision for how to play on offense, leaning into the run game under its defensive-minded head coach.
Signing Haason Reddick to a one-year, $14 million deal was a low-risk move that could give the Buccaneers high-end pass-rush production. Reddick averaged 12.5 sacks per season with three teams from 2020-23 before his holdout-shortened year with the Jets. He'll be looking to produce Tampa Bay's first double-digit sack season since Shaq Barrett in 2021.
Tennessee selected the consensus top quarterback in the draft, Cam Ward, who will almost certainly upgrade the most important position. That move carries more upside than any other the Titans made (13 of 19 QBs taken No. 1 in the salary-cap era received long-term extensions from their original teams, with Ward, Caleb Williams and Bryce Young not yet eligible).
Acquiring Laremy Tunsil from Houston could solve the Commanders' left tackle position through quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract and beyond. Tunsil, who turns 31 in August, has earned Pro Bowl honors five times in the past six seasons. He's younger than left tackles Duane Brown and Trent Williams were when Seattle and San Francisco acquired them, respectively. Brown and Williams were solid through their age-36 seasons. This could be a very good move if Tunsil holds up similarly.