Which players benefited the most from the 2025 NFL offseason?

Ryan Kelly's free agency exit opened the Colts' center position for the first time in nine years. The Vikings signed the 2016 first-round pick, who exited last season as the longest-tenured Colt. Bortolini is on track to replace the Pro Bowler, providing a potential value play for Indianapolis. The Colts chose Bortolini in Round 4 last year and used him as Kelly's primary substitute. While the Wisconsin alum returned to the bench when Kelly returned from a midseason knee surgery, the Colts letting him and guard Will Fries defect to the Vikings shows they are prepared to sink or swim with rookie contracts complementing Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith.

Obviously overqualified for a list like this, Burrow lands here because of the Bengals' big-picture pivot he almost definitely caused. On track to make 2025 the year Tee Higgins departed, the Bengals saw their quarterback launch a media tour in which he lobbied the Bengals -- to the point he delved into uncomfortable territory for the franchise -- to retain his WR2. Burrow's crusade reminded a bit of Carson Palmer's standoff with the Bengals, but the team relented this time around, deviating and paying Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase on the same night. This marked the rare strong-arming of a stubborn organization. A true inside job.

Most of the non-Daniels parts of Washington's 2024 roster made the Heisman-winning QB's rapid ascent all the more impressive. A mediocre defense and unremarkable O-line pieces supported Daniels, but the Commanders' top 2025 moves went to bolstering their QB's situation. Deebo Samuel will be plenty motivated in 2025, as he enters a contract year after a down season (while seeing a few notable peers, including Brandon Aiyuk, cash in). Washington then traded for Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafted Josh Conerly in Round 1. Conerly could slot in at guard or right tackle. Either way, these are three key pieces coming to help a rising team.

Davenport has not done much to warrant faith. He somehow turned a half-sack Saints contract year into a $13 million Vikings deal. A season-ending injury shut down Davenport early in his Minnesota tenure, leading to a $6.5M Lions pact. Davenport went down two games into his Detroit season, but the Lions brought him back. Yes, this involved a pay cut (down to $2.5M), but the Super Bowl contender did not make a notable addition on the edge despite Aidan Hutchinson's injury-marred 2024. One may still be coming, but options are limited now. Thus, Davenport could again enter a season as a team's top OLB sidekick.

The Patriots showed modest appreciation for Elliss, tendering him as a restricted free agent. But the Pats gave the linebacker the low-end tender -- worth $3.26 million. The Raiders came in with a rare RFA offer sheet (two years, $13.5M). The offer more than doubled Elliss' guarantees, vaulting them to $7.8M. The Patriots matched, locking Elliss (six starts in a four-year career) down in a roundabout way. Mike Vrabel's team may not turn Elliss into a full-timer at linebacker, but his substantial raise -- and the Pats' releasing Ja'Whaun Bentley -- points to a regular role.

Arriving as a first-round safety in 2022, Hill sat behind Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell as a rookie before faring poorly as a full-time starter in 2023. The Bengals moved Hill to cornerback last year but saw him go down with an ACL tear five games into the season. Nevertheless, Cincinnati just picked up Hill's fifth-year option. This ties him to a $12.7 million guarantee for 2026. This represents a win for Hill, whose potential still intrigues the Bengals despite it not showing up much on the field. The Michigan alum now has an extended runway to prove himself as a reliable corner with the team.

The Steelers traded up three spots to land Jones in 2023, but the team has not seen the Georgia product justify the investment. Beginning his career as a backup, Jones played right tackle during the second half of his rookie season. He did not build on that work in 2024, struggling at the position. Not only are the Steelers moving him to the position he primarily played in college, but they cleared out the left tackle role by letting four-year starter Dan Moore Jr. join the Titans in free agency. As the Steelers woo Aaron Rodgers, they will have Jones as a pivotal component of the sales pitch.

The other AFC North team planning to deploy a Jones at left tackle, the Browns also cleared out a spot by parting ways with their former starter. Cleveland had used 2020 first-rounder Jedrick Wills as a regular LT starter for five seasons, but health issues interfered. Jones, however, did not seize the job when a troublesome knee injury felled Wills. A 2023 fourth-round pick, Jones suffered a meniscus tear. But he returned on time last year, eventually usurping Wills opposite Jack Conklin. The Browns have added veteran Cornelius Lucas but did not draft a tackle, keeping the door wide open for Jones to solidify himself as their blindside bastion.

The Aaron Rodgers gang is almost all gone. Nathaniel Hackett, Randall Cobb, Billy Turner and Davante Adams are out in New York, and Rodgers described an unceremonious departure notification. But the Jets have not canned Lazard, who signed up to rejoin Rodgers in 2023. Yes, the Jets gave Lazard a pay cut -- as his four-year, $44 million contract had become untenable for a new regime -- but the team has not signed a notable wideout in free agency, nor did it draft one in the first three rounds. Lazard, who scored six TDs last season and outplayed higher-profile signee Mike Williams, has outlasted the Packer purge.

While having McCarthy ready to be a full-time starter in 2025 has been the Vikings' goal since drafting him last year, two meniscus procedures altered the national championship-winning QB's status. So did a 14-3 Vikings season, which brought rumors of a Sam Darnold re-signing. The Vikings, however, are showing tremendous confidence in McCarthy. They let Darnold walk, passed on outbidding the Colts for Daniel Jones and have stiff-armed Aaron Rodgers' interest in completing the full Brett Favre arc. Minnesota also added two O-line starters in free agency and used its first-round pick on guard Donovan Jackson. The Vikes are all-in on McCarthy.

Meyers submitted one of the quietest 1,000-yard years in NFL history, inching to 1,027 on a dreadful Raiders team. Signed to reunite with on-again, off-again Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, Meyers is still in Las Vegas two regimes later. Still tied to an $11 million-per-year deal, Meyers remains ticketed for a starting role. And he has seen the team ditch its ill-fated post-Derek Carr QB plan for Geno Smith, a middling-at-worst passer. Smith will be the best QB with whom Meyers has played, and the Raiders did not add a signature WR piece in free agency. Meyers may be a trade chip, but he should up his value in this new setup.

Drew Dalman became by far the highest-paid free agent center this offseason, moving from fifth-round pick to $14 million-per-year player. The Falcons have three eight-figure-per-year contracts up front, with second-round guard Matthew Bergeron also in place. Atlanta again appears to be gambling at center, being ready to plug in a former undrafted free agent. Already set to play an age-28 season despite not being eligible for free agency yet, Neuzil has 12 career starts on his resume. He can transform his value in a critical year, as the Appalachian State alum's age-29 offseason may represent his lone notable free agency shot.

Paul served what will be a one-year internship behind Terron Armstead. While Armstead played well and logged his most games in a season (15) of his career, the Pro Bowler opted to retire rather than play an age-34 season. This will move Paul from swing tackle to Miami's left tackle starter. Austin Jackson is the blindside presence for lefty Tua Tagovailoa, but the Dolphins are counting on Paul (three rookie-year starts) to provide quality protection for a quarterback whose injury trouble has gridlocked a franchise. No pressure. 

Pearsall playing at all represents a win considering the shooting incident that occurred last summer, but the 2024 first-round pick's football situation has since improved. The 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to the Commanders, and they are not expected to have Brandon Aiyuk available to start the season. Brock Purdy will need to develop a rapport with Pearsall, who showed promise down the stretch last season. Even when Aiyuk returns, Pearsall will replace Samuel as a San Francisco starter. After a 400-yard rookie year in limited duty, Pearsall will need to contribute much more for a 49ers team that observed a free agency exodus this offseason.

This spring Yardbarker staple has never previously included a free agent, but Rodgers has inexplicably benefited in 2025. Despite an unremarkable return from an Achilles tear and now being 41 (and increasingly difficult to manage), the four-time MVP has seen a team roll out the red carpet during an extended courtship. The Steelers did not make a starter-caliber signing in free agency, despite what they'll have you believe with Mason Rudolph, and passed on Jaxson Dart, Shedeur Sanders and Jalen Milroe. It is Rodgers or bust for Pittsburgh, which has limited leverage. A declining QB still has a final shot at an unquestioned starting job -- if he still wants it.

Rodgers has started three games since his 2023 gambling suspension moved him out of the Colts' lineup and into NFL limbo. The Eagles signed Rodgers as a reclamation project, stashing him on their reserve/suspended list in 2023. Philly's defense cratered that year, but thanks to Vic Fangio, they rocketed to No. 1 in 2024. The Super Bowl bludgeoning of the Chiefs helped Zack Baun, Milton Williams and Josh Sweat cash in. A part-timer, Rodgers will parlay his Fangio apprenticeship into a starting chance for a Vikings team that did not re-sign starter Stephon Gilmore. The Vikings gave Rodgers a two-year, $11 million deal.

Smith has not lived up to his second-round draft slot. Not a fit in Fangio's defense in 2023 -- though, few Dolphins were -- the young cornerback did not beat out a former UDFA named Storm Duck in 2024. The Dolphins, however, are expected to move on from All-Pro Jalen Ramsey despite authorizing an extension last September. This opens a door for Smith, who looks to have one more chance after playing 153 career snaps. This annual list has never guaranteed improved play, only noting increased standing with an organization. The Dolphins have challenged Smith, as a job should be his if he can claim it.

A recent trend has formed in the NFL. Teams are hanging onto their slot cornerbacks and identifying a No. 1 boundary corner. This has left some CB2 types to seek their money in free agency. After a shaky contract year, the Ravens' No. 2 corner -- Stephens -- was not exactly wanted back in Baltimore. However, a market still formed for an uneven performer. The Jets, who let their No. 2 CB (D.J. Reed) walk after paying slot Michael Carter, had a $12 million-per-year offer waiting. This might have been free agency's most surprising payout, but Stephens scored more money than the Jets gave Reed in 2022. Plenty of targets will come his way opposite Sauce Gardner.

As the Chiefs could not find left tackle stability after Eric Fisher's 2020 AFC championship game (and Orlando Brown Jr. declining their extension offer at the 2022 franchise tag deadline), they used a second-round pick to address the premier position last year. Suamataia won the LT job out of training camp, but Andy Reid benched him during Week 2. The BYU alum never regained his job, as the Chiefs cycled through four LT starters last season. But they traded All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to afford RG Trey Smith's franchise tag. Suddenly, Suamataia -- after no guard investments came in the draft -- has a good chance to reclaim a starting spot, this time as a guard.

From 2022-24, Sutton was perhaps the NFL's trade-rumor kingpin. Deemed available for most of this stretch, Sutton steadily worked his way back into the Broncos' good graces. He helped Russell Wilson recover from a disastrous 2022 and then boosted Bo Nix during the latter's surprising rookie season. Outlasting Jerry Jeudy, the eighth-year veteran now carries more leverage due to being Denver's clear-cut No. 1 receiver. As Sutton angles for a third contract, the Broncos not adding a starter in free agency or using their first-round pick on the position gives their anchor solid leverage to score a nice payday ahead of another WR1 season.

Perhaps no incumbent performer was more closely impacted by the Travis Hunter trade than Tillman, who zoomed back to the forefront after the Browns passed on adding the two-way superstar at No. 2 overall. Cleveland brass eyed Hunter as a receiver, which would have effectively demoted Tillman. The second-generation NFLer now has another chance to work alongside Jeudy, as the Browns did not draft another wideout. Although Cleveland signed Diontae Johnson, the WR nomad's historically volatile 2024 makes him a dice roll at best. Amari Cooper's primary replacement last year, Tillman should have a chance to be a Week 1 starter this year.

Signs pointed to the Cowboys having been ready to draft Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan had the Panthers not swooped in at No. 8. Dallas then went with a guard at No. 12 and did not draft a wideout. This came after the team lost Brandin Cooks (to the Saints) in free agency. The Cowboys figure to pursue other upgrades, as they have since trading Cooper to Cleveland in 2022, to help CeeDee Lamb. This situation could also remind us of the team's running back apathy last year, and Dallas has another big-ticket payment -- for Micah Parsons -- to authorize. Leaning on Tolbert's rookie contract may need to be the play after a 610-yard 2024 showing. 

Similar to this space highlighting Uchenna Nwosu as the Chargers' post-Melvin Ingram Joey Bosa sidekick in 2021 , Tuipulotu has a similar opportunity years later. Only it will be alongside Khalil Mack, as the Chargers made Bosa a cap casualty after nine seasons. Nwosu parlayed his Chargers contract year into a nice Seahawks fit, and Tuipulotu has two rookie-contract years left. The 2023 second-rounder has subbed for Bosa frequently, and he posted 8.5 sacks as a part-time starter last year. A big opportunity awaits, as a full-time role should be his. With Mack 34, the Bolts will aim to see if Tuipulotu can solidify himself as a long-term pillar.

This Bears offseason has doubled as one of the staunchest commitments to upgrading a quarterback's situation in recent NFL history. The team lured hotshot coaching candidate Ben Johnson away from Detroit, and it then overhauled its interior O-line by adding Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney via trades and Drew Dalman in free agency. The Bears kept going in the draft, devoting their top two picks -- Colston Loveland, Luther Burden -- to Williams weaponry. After Williams took 16 more sacks than anyone else last year (68), the Bears gave him a top-notch play-caller, veteran O-line starters and young auxiliary pass catchers. Chicago is still betting big on its QB.

A Jalen Ramsey reunion may be coming, but the Rams have still given Williams an extended rebound runway. The Jaguars cut the former Super Bowl starter in 2024, and the Rams re-signed him on a three-year, $22.5 million deal. This would have amounted to basically a one-year contract, but on Day 5 of the 2025 league year, Williams collected another $8M guaranteed. Williams will head into an age-32 season a virtual lock to remain a Ram; the team did not draft a corner or make a notable outside investment. Williams missed four games to start last season but held a full-time role upon return. The aging CB has somehow lumbered onto sturdier ground this year.