Grading the offseason for all 32 NFL teams

The writing was on the wall for a complete teardown after last year's disappointing season and Kyler Murray's ACL injury. The changes have been significant, including the retirement of J.J. Watt and release of DeAndre Hopkins. The team deserves credit for getting a king's ransom from Houston for the third overall pick in the draft and revamping their lines with young players like Paris Johnson and BJ Ojulari in the draft. Still, the Cardinals have yet to make a memorable move this offseason. The hiring of head coach Jonathan Gannon also hasn't received rave reviews.

Atlanta's offseason hasn't shaken out as some predicted. The team is apparently going to stick with second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder as their starter, and the results of that choice could override all of their other moves. It will be a shame if that decision doesn't pan out, as the team was aggressive in free agency by signing Jessie Bates, David Onyemata, Calais Campbell, and Bud Dupree, among others. Atlanta is set to turn back the clock and lean on their running game again, drafting running back Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick. Robinson looks like a top-shelf talent, but the team already had Tyler Allgeier and recent history has shown that drafting backs highly rarely earns return on investment.

They finally did it! The Ravens and Lamar Jackson finally agreed to their long-awaited contract extension, putting the talk of the last few years to bed. Both sides deserve credit for finding common ground, and the Ravens did a nice job adding receiver talent with Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round pick Zay Flowers. Baltimore moved on from several veterans, including Marcus Peters, Justin Houston, and Jason Pierre-Paul. However, they added cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and had other candidates from within to replace departing vets.

Paying a quarterback comes with tough decisions elsewhere, as the Bills found out this offseason when they saw Tremaine Edmunds walk in free agency. The team addressed other problem areas, drafting tight end Dalton Kincaid to boost Josh Allen's weapons and shoring up the offensive line with Connor McGovern and rookie O'Cyrus Torrence. Keeping the veteran safety tandem of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde together was another win. However, it remains to be seen how the defense will perform during coordinator Leslie Frazier's one-year hiatus.

After a few years of questionable decisions under Matt Rhule, the Panthers are back on the right track. Frank Reich is an experienced head coaching hire who showed potential in Indy, and the team aggressively improved the lowly offense by trading up for Bryce Young and signing Miles Sanders, Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, and Hayden Hurst. The defense also filled its holes with Vonn Bell and Shy Tuttle. There are likely to be some growing pains with a rookie quarterback in 2023, but the Panthers can win the weak NFC South if Young matches the hype.

No team entered the offseason with more resources than the Bears, and Chicago has done a nice job rebuilding the roster from top to bottom. The team's big free agent acquisitions include Tremaine Edmunds, Yannick Ngakoue, DeMarcus Walker, T.J. Edwards, and Nate Davis, while the team also added No. 1 wideout DJ Moore by trading back in the draft. Chicago hit on many of last year's draft picks and hope for a repeat with a class that includes tackle Darnell Wright, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. While the roster isn't quite there yet, there's little debate about the improvement while also carrying over cap space into next year.

The AFC Championship loss still stings, and the Bengals needed to make some hard decisions by allowing Jessie Bates, Von Bell, Samaje Perine, and Hayden Hurst to walk in free agency. However, the team did well in replacing that crew, adding Nick Scott and Irv Smith Jr. in free agency while also improving its offensive line with Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle. The team also got some great draft values, including safety Jordan Battle and running back Chase Brown. Retaining Joe Mixon at a cheaper dollar figure was also an astute move.

The ramifications of the Deshaun Watson trade and signing last offseason remain and handicapped the team's capabilities this year. Cleveland was able to find enough money to revamp the defense with free agents Dalvin Tomlinson, Juan Thornhill, and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, while the under-the-radar trade acquisition of wideout Elijah Moore from the Jets could be a steal. Without much draft capital, some questions remain with the running back depth behind Nick Chubb and the development of a true No. 2 wideout alongside Amari Cooper.

Dallas hit a home run with the acquisition of Brandin Cooks, and deserves credit for resisting the temptation to retain Dalton Schultz and Ezekiel Elliott. Even with the likely heartache of employing rookie second-round tight end Luke Schoonmaker, the offensive talent around Dak Prescott looks better. Just as significant could be the acquisition of veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore and first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith. As usual, the goals of owner Jerry Jones are clear, and head coach Mike McCarthy could be entering a make-or-break year.

Sean Payton was undoubtedly a home run hire, and the Broncos aggressively added to the offensive and defensive lines afterward. The loss of Dre'Mont Jones will hurt, but the team was able to sign Zach Allen to effectively replace him while also improving Russell Wilson's protection with Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. Samaje Perine adds key running back insurance while Javonte Williams returns from knee surgery, and K'Waun Williams is a good fit at corner. Despite lacking a first-round pick, the Broncos did well to address wideout and the defense with Marvin Mims Jr., Drew Sanders, and Riley Moss.

Detroit just missed the playoffs last season, but the team is the favorite in the NFC North with a young roster and interesting additions. The team made much-needed and significant defensive additions with Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the secondary. They also swapped out Jamaal Williams for David Montgomery at running back. The Lions' draft does get mixed reviews due to resource allocation, using first-round picks on a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) and middle linebacker (Jack Campbell), two positions that can usually be had on the cheap. The Lions might have made up for those blunders with good values in safety Brian Branch, tight end Sam LaPorta, and quarterback Hendon Hooker.

The Aaron Rodgers-Packers marriage is finally over after a few years of controversy, but the team did well in its return from the Jets. Green Bay did well to retain Aaron Jones, while adding receiving options Jayden Reed, Luke Musgrave, and Tucker Kraft early in the draft as targets that can grow with Jordan Love. The losses of defensive ends Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry sting, but the front seven might be even strong after selecting Lukas Van Ness in the first round out of Iowa.

Former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans was one of the hottest names on the coaching circuit in recent memory, so Houston did well to bring him back to Houston in a rebuild situation. The team handed out some significant free-agent contracts like Robert Woods, Dalton Schultz, Devin Singletary, Jimmie Ward, and Sheldon Rankins, but none of those players will bring the Texans back to contention. The trade of Brandin Cooks is a big body blow that offsets many of those moves. The biggest splashes came with the extension of left tackle Laremy Tunsil and draft additions of C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. The latter came at a huge trade cost, with Houston sending a massive haul to Arizona that included the team's first-round pick in 2024.

The Colts have made some questionable moves over the last years, particularly on the coaching front, but deserve credit for their bold offseason. Head coach hire Shane Steichen is partly credited with Jalen Hurts' development in Philly and could be the perfect fit for fourth overall draft choice Anthony Richardson. The team added Isaiah McKenzie and third-round pick Josh Downs to replace Parris Campbell, while second-round pick Julius Brents will try to fill the shoes of Stephon Gilmore. The changes in the pass rush are also significant, as Yannick Ngakoue is gone and replaced by Samson Ebukam. Questions about Jonathan Taylor's status following a trade demand still hang over the organization's head.

Jacksonville didn't have the cap space to make the impact they did last offseason, and there's reason to be nervous about the offensive line between the loss of Jawaan Taylor and Cam Robinson's suspension for PEDs. First-round tackle Anton Harrison does add insurance. Elsewhere, Calvin Ridley was reinstated from his suspension to seriously boost the receiver corps, and the team kept tight end Evan Engram on the franchise tag. The defense is mostly status quo, though the Jaguars did lose some depth with Arden Key, Dawuane Smoot, and Shaquill Griffin.

Navigating the salary cap with the massive contracts of Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones is no easy task, but the Chiefs made it work. They hope to get better pass protection from free agent signings Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor than they did with Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie and did well to sign Mike Edwards on the cheap after losing Juan Thornhill. The loss of veteran defensive linemen Frank Clark, Carlos Dunlap, and Khalen Saunders stings, though the team is younger up front with Charles Omenihu and first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The biggest concern is wideout after losing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman, but the team expects improvement from Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore while also adding Richie James and second-round pick Rashee Rice. Extending Chris Jones would be the final piece of the puzzle to their offseason.

The Raiders made some earth-shattering moves in the offseason, but it's unclear if the roster is actually improved. Moving on from Derek Carr in favor of Jimmy Garoppolo is likely a downgrade at quarterback, and it remains to be seen if paying Jakobi Meyers big money offsets the loss of Darren Waller. Tight ends Austin Hooper and Michael Mayer could make for a nice tandem, but the offensive line still appears to be a weakness. The defense made much-needed additions at the second and third levels with Robert Spillane, Duke Shelley, Marcus Peters, Marcus Epps, and David Long Jr., though it's not a given that those moves make a significant impact on a defense that has consistently been near the bottom of the league.

As the Chargers prepare for life with an expensive quarterback, they were mostly quiet on the free agent front with linebacker Eric Kendricks the only major addition. They did fill needs via the draft, adding another offensive weapon in first-round wideout Quentin Johnston and more linebacker help with Tuli Tuipulotu and Daiyan Henley. Retaining right tackle Trey Pipkins on a big three-year deal was important, though the most significant offseason transaction was the addition of former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to jumpstart the offense.

There was a sigh of relief when Sean McVay opted to stick around, but the team faced tough personnel decisions after kicking the can down the road for several years. The Rams lost key players in all areas, including Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, Nick Scott, and Leonard Floyd. LA will be looking at a true stars and scrubs situation in 2023 with stars like Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald, but an incredible number of inexperienced players and rookies around them.

The core of Miami's 2022 playoff roster remains, though there have been some changes, particularly on defense following the hire of veteran coordinator Vic Fangio. Jalen Ramsey is back in Florida after the Dolphins acquired him from the Rams to improve an already strong secondary, though he will miss a large chunk of the season following knee surgery. David Long was also brought in to replace Elandon Roberts at linebacker. The offensive depth looks stronger, as well, with Mike White now backing up Tua Tagovailoa, Braxton Berrios replacing Trent Sherfield, and third-round running back Devon Achane add more speed. The only area that remains shaky is tight end, where the Dolphins didn't do much to replace Mike Gesicki.

Minnesota's poor point differential and disappointing ending to 2022 necessitated some changes. The defense is had a much-needed revamp, with new coordinator Brian Flores and additions like Byron Murphy, Marcus Davenport, and Dean Lowry. Long-time Vikings Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Eric Kendricks are gone. First-round pick Jordan Addison will try to fill Thielen's shoes at wideout, and the team returned to the draft to boost their secondary in the middle rounds. There will likely be some growing pains after the changes, but getting younger was a good thing.

The Pats started the offseason by bringing back former offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, a move desperately needed after last year's struggles. Still, the rest of the moves leave much to be desired. The change in talent is negligible with JuJu Smith-Schuster replacing Jakobi Meyers, Mike Gesicki replacing Jonnu Smith, and more offensive line depth. Bill Belichick used his top three draft picks on the defensive side of the ball, led by first-round corner Christian Gonzalez.

The quarterback-needy Saints made a big splash by signing Derek Carr, and made some smaller moves behind him, including Jamaal Williams, Nathan Shepherd, and Khalen Saunders. After paying for a quarterback, the Saints couldn't afford to keep Marcus Davenport, David Onyemata, Kaden Elliss, or Shy Tuttle. The defensive line losses necessitated the drafting of Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey in the first two rounds of the draft, a strategy that could bite the Saints in the short term. Still, the addition of Carr puts New Orleans in a far better position to win the division in a weak NFC South.

The Giants signed Daniel Jones to an extension and retained Saquon Barkley for one year after their breakout 2022 season. The team has improved Daniel Jones' other weapons in the meantime with star tight end Darren Waller, Parris Campbell, and third-round pick Jalin Hyatt. Other problem areas on the team have also received an influx of talent with free agents Bobby Okereke, A'Shawn Robinson, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, along with early draftees Deonte Banks and John Michael Schmitz. 

The Jets seemed to have everything except for a quarterback last season, and feel they've solved that problem with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Granted, the long-time Packer will turn 40 this season and struggled in 2022, and the Jets gave up a big package of draft picks for his services. The team did do a great job surrounding him with more weapons, including speedy Mecole Hardman and old friends Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. The team also added center Joe Tippmann as a plug-and-play lineman in the draft's second round. The extension of defensive star Quinnen Williams adds security for the defense.

It was inevitable Philly would lose significant free agents after paying Jalen Hurts, and they certainly did with Javon Hargrave, Miles Sanders, Isaac Seumalo, T.J. Edwards, and others out the door. However, they were able to keep the rest of the elite offensive line intact and even add some talent with D'Andre Swift, Terrell Edmunds, Zach Cunningham, and Myles Jack. Another terrific draft from Howie Roseman that included early steals Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Kelee Ringo further gives the Eagles staying power in the NFC.

With a starting quarterback on a rookie deal, the Steelers had some giant needs to fix in free agency, like the offensive line and defense. They checked those boxes with guard Isaac Seumalo and first-round pick Broderick Jones on the offensive line, and notable defensive additions like Cole Holcomb, Patrick Peterson, Elandon Roberts, along with draftees Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton. Pittsburgh made incremental improvements, but they'll need Kenny Pickett to make a big leap in his sophomore season to really compete.

With not one but two rookie contracts at quarterback, the 49ers could afford to keep spending money despite minimal draft capital. Spending they did with the addition of ferocious interior pass rusher Javon Hargrave. He will be counted on to replace Charles Omenihu and Samon Emukam in the pass rush. Long-time safety Jimmie Ward is also gone. The 49ers have shown they can develop offensive linemen, and it appears they might be banking on their pipeline after losing tackles, Mike McGlinchey and Daniel Brunskill.

Seattle found a viable quarterback in Geno Smith, and came to agreement on a reasonable short-term extension. They also spent big money on defense with Dre'Mont Jones, Jarran Reed, Bobby Wagner, and Julian Love before spending a first-round pick on Devon Witherspoon. The offense wasn't left out, either, adding Evan Brown to the offensive line along with draftees Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zach Charbonnet, and Anthony Bradford. It's difficult to find an area where the Seahawks didn't improve, and they could be legitimate contenders in the NFC.

Baker Mayfield seemed to revitalize his career during his short stay with the Rams, and the Bucs are banking on that improved play continuing in his new home. That's a low EV bet after his struggles with Cleveland and Carolina. The team moved on from several veterans, including Leonard Fournette, Julio Jones, Donovan Smith, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Mike Edwards, and Logan Ryan after hanging on for two more years. There will likely be more hiccups with youth across the offensive and defensive lines, and the team looking to rookies Calijah Kancey and Cody Mauch to start immediately.

New GM Ran Carthon was tasked with renewing a franchise was scuffled down the stretch and had made repeated poor decisions in free agency and the draft. Fans won't recognize much of the team, but they did a good job revamping their identity of the offensive and defensive lines with free agent additions Andre Dillard, Daniel Brunskill, and Arden Key plus first-round pick Peter Skoronski. However, the biggest addition was superstar wideout DeAndre Hopkins. They also added a long-tierm signal caller and second-round value in Will Levis after Ryan Tannehill struggled with injuries last season. There remain depth issues, but that's expected after years of poor drafting.

Hiring former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is great news for the Commanders, though it remains to be seen what he will have to work with at quarterback with the team invested in Sam Howell. They did attempt to fix his protection with free agents Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates, while the secondary got a needed influx of youth with corners Emmanuel Forbes and Jartavius Martin. The core of a competitive team is in place, but the bet on Howell, a former fifth-round pick, could cost the coaching staff their jobs when new ownership takes shape.