One head-scratching offseason transaction made by each NFL team

Arizona undoubtedly needed to address their front seven, and did so with the additions of Tomlinson, Calais Campbell, Josh Sweat, and Akeem Davis-Gaither. The Tomlinson addition helps plus the run, but the cap hit was substantial on a two-year deal with $16 million guaranteed. It's a huge sum for a position that can more commonly be filled on the cheap.

Pearce is a fine talent who fills a desperate need for the Falcons, but the price was steep. Atlanta shipped their second—and seventh-round picks in 2025, plus their first-round pick in 2026, to the Rams. The pressure is now on Pearce to make an immediate difference.

There's something to be said for veteran leadership, but it's unclear if Hopkins makes the Ravens better on the field. The likely future Hall of Famer clearly lost a step last season with the Titans and Chiefs, finishing with only 610 yards receiving, and could be in for continued decline as he approaches his mid-30s.

The Bills needed more help for Josh Allen, but it remains to be seen if Palmer is the answer. The speedster has been inconsistent in four seasons with the Chargers, finishing with more than 600 yards only once. His three-year, $36 million contract is a significant sum for a flier.

Wharton was going to get a lucrative deal from somewhere after his breakout season in KC, but he's a giant risk after having just 6.5 sacks with the benefit of playing with Chris Jones. He received a three-year, $54 million deal with $30 million guaranteed, bringing big expectations.

Jarrett moves on from Atlanta, which supported one of the weakest front sevens in the league last season. Chicago apparently believes the veteran has something left, but they did it at the expense of $43.5 million over three years as he enters his age-32 season.

While the Bengals should be commended for keeping their offensive core together, it could be at the expense of a very leaky defense. The team extended both Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, while their defense was handicapped by significant spending. Higgins has played only 12 games in each of the season two seasons, and it remains to be seen if the team can remain competitive after paying two wideouts.

Arguably the best defensive player in football, Garrett is set to stick around Cleveland after signing a four-year extension. It's great to keep the franchise player, but the Browns roster is ripe for a rebuild after the consequences of Deshaun Watson's disastrous contract. Spending $40 million per year on a defensive end greatly compromises that effort.

Fowler received a reasonable contract worth up to $8 million after an outstanding year in Washington. However, the Cowboys should are very familiar with Fowler after he played in Dallas during 2022-2023, and might be counting on too much given those mediocre results and his age (31).

There's no issue with adding Sherfield, a journeyman role player, but he represents the team's inability to make a big splash at wide receiver this offseason. While the Broncos added tight end Evan Engram, they didn't add much more significant pass catches for young Bo Nix beyond third-round pick Pat Bryant.

Despite a disappointing playoff finish, the Lions had to be more conscious of their spending this offseason. As such, the extension of linebacker depth in Barnes on a three-year deal with $16 million guaranteed is eye-opening. He had 81 tackles in 2023 but played only three games last season.

Wideout was a need in Green Bay, but the Packers drafted like it was at the top of their list. They used their first-round pick on Golden, followed by a third-round pick on Savion Williams.The team's track record at the position is excellent, but the wideout room was already strong with Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed and there were other more pressing needs like the secondary and offensive line.

The Texans added veterans on the defensive line for the second straight offseason, signing Rankins and Mario Edwards. Last year's addition of Danielle Hunter worked well, but counting on Rankins appears riskier. The 31-year-old is coming off a subpar season in Cincinnati, playing only seven games with one sack.

It was clear heading into the offseason that the Colts needed competition for former first-round quarterback Anthony Richardson, but is Jones the answer? Jones has the mobility to keep the same offense intact for both quarterbacks, but he's struggled to protect the ball in six NFL seasons. Even if he takes over for Richardson, Jones is likely just a stopgap for a massive problem.

New Jags head coach Liam Coen has a tall task fixing the offense, and the team made some interesting moves in the process. Brown was given a surprising one-year, $10 million deal after four mediocre seasons in Washington, effectively replacing Christian Kirk at wideout. It's a hefty sum for a player who has never gained 400 yards in a season.

The NFL salary cap isn't for the faint of heart, and GM Brett Veach was faced with some difficult decisions this offseason. Despite the offensive line being the team's biggest issue in 2024, Veach traded arguably the team's best lineman in Thuney. Instead, he opted to retain young guard Trey Smith and sign unproven tackle Jaylon Moore. It's a massive risk moving on from an All-Pro guard like Thuney who filled in admirably at left tackle last season.

There's no question that Raiders needed a change at quarterback, and Smith is quite familiar with new head coach Pete Carroll. However, the Raiders invested a third-round pick and significant cap space to take on Smith, who is arguably the worst quarterback in the AFC West. He had a mediocre 53.8 QBR last season, but is guaranteed $66.5 million over the next two seasons.

Kudos to the Chargers for bringing Williams back after seven mostly strong years in LA. However, even a one-year deal worth up to $6 million could be an overpay for a player clearly on the downside of his career. Williams has struggled over the last two seasons and had only 21 receptions in 18 games with two teams last season.

The Rams did an admirable job holding serve on defense last season despite the retirement of Aaron Donald. They didn't make many impact moves this offseason, but it appears they spent high on Ford with a three-year deal worth nearly $30 million. The former Charger had a breakout year with three sacks and 39 tackles last season, but is going on 30 and barely played in 2023.

Miami's big contracts have come back to bite them in building their squad, with a secondary that's in a tough place entering 2025. They spent very little to add veterans Davis and Ifeau Melifonwu at safety, and have Jalen Ramsey on the trade block. After also seeing turnover on the defensive line, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is in a tough place entering the season.

The value Minnesota got out of Jones last season after coming over from Green Bay can't be understated. He was arguably the catalyst of the offense with over 1,500 yards from scrimmage. It appears the Vikings fell into the trap of retaining a 30-year-old running back after a great season, giving Jones a significant two-year deal with $13 million guaranteed. The team takes on more risk keeping the veteran around, but they deserve credit for adding insurance in Jordan Mason.

The Pats weren't shy about spending this offseason, handing out huge deals to Davis, Stefon Diggs, Morgan Moses, Harold Landry, and Milton Williams. Davis is the one who brings the most anxiety due to durability concerns. The cornerback has never played more than 14 games in a season over his seven-year career.

A change of scenery did Young some good last season with 5.5 sacks and a career-high 21 quarterback hits. Still, the Saints didn't have much cap room to work with, so a three-year, $51 million contract for an edge rusher who has often disappointed is eye-opening. Those resources could have been better spent on the offense in light of Derek Carr's shoulder injury.

The Giants offseason screams desperation after ownership put the front office and coaching staff on notice following the 2024 season. The team is now caught in between at quarterback after signing Wilson and Jameis Winston, and then also drafting Jaxson Dart in the first round. While the quarterback situation has improved over the last year, it's hard to see how the team will bounce back to be competitive immediately.

Even in a thin offseason for quarterbacks, the signing of Fields to a two-year deal worth up to $40 million was shocking. He's yet to develop in Chicago and Pittsburgh, and was benched by the Steelers last season. Fields has some strong weapons with his new team, but he has shown no real signs of being a franchise quarterback.

The Eagles helped produce a breakout season from Baun in 2024, changing his role after four lackluster years in New Orleans. It's not surprising that team and player reunited, but the Eagles still take on a big risk with a three-year, $51 million deal at a position that's not often rewarded with huge deals. Philly did have the luxury of great recent drafting on the defensive line and secondary, so that they could spend at linebacker.

There's nothing wrong with bringing back Rudolph, a solid backup, on a two-year, $8 million deal. Still, this move is emblematic of the franchise's recent problems at quarterback, where they haven't had strong play since Ben Roethlisberger's prime. An offseason flirtation with Aaron Rodgers didn't add confidence that the team's quarterback issues would be addressed in 2025.

The 49ers were in a tough cap situation entering the offseason, and it showed with their trade of Samuel. The team only acquired a fifth-round pick from Washington and took a large cap hit, even with Brandon Aiyuk coming back from serious injury. 

Darnold revived his career in Minnesota last offseason, and was rewarded with a massive three-year deal in Seattle. Seahawks fans do have reason to be nervous, as Darnold floundered down the stretch, and had the benefit of quarterback whisperer Kevin O'Connell. The team is putting a lot on the back of Darnold, replacing the more consistent Geno Smith.

The Bucs are taking a big risk in signing Reddick, who held out for part of last season and had a disappointing year when he did play. Tampa Bay hopes he can find his old form, with double-digit sacks in four straight seasons before last year, but they could suffer negative consequences if it doesn't come to fruition.

The rebuilding Titans likely suffered a big downgrade in their pass rush, replacing Harold Landry with Jones. The former Bronco and Seahawk has been relatively consistent with at least 3.5 sacks in every season, and doesn't carry much risk on a one-year deal. Still, it appears the Titans defense is moving further in the wrong direction.

Considered a first-round bust early in his career with San Francisco, Kinlaw made the most of one season with the Jets. He was rewarded with $30 million guaranteed after recording 4.5 sacks last season, but it's still a big sum for the production as he tries to fill the shoes of Jonathan Allen.