Answering key offseason questions for every NFL team: Intel on free agency, QB decisions and draft options

Now that the 2024 NFL season is behind us and the 2025 offseason has begun, every team has a big question to face.

Teams looking for a quarterback might wonder where quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins play in 2025? Will the Jets, Browns, Steelers, Titans and Raiders solve their QB situations? Will up-and-coming teams such as the Commanders and Broncos take the next step?

We asked our NFL Nation reporters to take a closer look at the biggest question each team will face this offseason and give their insight into what could happen over the next few months.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

What can the Bills do this offseason to help take the next step to the Super Bowl?

It's a big-picture question for the Bills, and it's an extremely important one. The Bills are coming off a season that ended within reach of the big game, and how the team handles the tinkering of the roster in the offseason will be vital to reaching that next stage with quarterback Josh Allen entering his eighth season.

Putting resources toward the defensive line will be important. This is also a team that has had mixed success in the early rounds of the draft, and finding strong contributors would go a long way. -- Alaina Getzenberg

Miami Dolphins

What will Miami's rebuilt offensive line look like?

Now that receiver Tyreek Hill has walked back his pseudo trade request, the Dolphins' focus returns to their offensive line. General manager Chris Grier did not speak about Miami's offensive line with the same confidence he used in years past, saying bluntly that the team will have to spend heavily this offseason.

The Dolphins might need to replace three starters if left tackle Terron Armstead retires. But after playing at a high level in 2024, Armstead's return seems more likely than not. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

New England Patriots

Will an abundance of salary cap space help produce a better roster?

With around $100 million in cap space, according to Roster Management System, the Patriots are among the teams with the most space. But they also have an abundance of needs.

While the ideal plan is to draft, develop and re-sign, how the Patriots approach this free agency with their financial flexibility will be critical. Do they look to fortify the offensive line with a top free agent such as Chiefs guard Trey Smith? Or do they seek out a potential top receiver such as the Bengals' Tee Higgins? -- Mike Reiss

New York Jets

Who will replace Aaron Rodgers?

New coach Aaron Glenn wants to start with his own quarterback. OK, fine, we get it. Rodgers isn't for everyone. But it won't be easy to replace his numbers (28 touchdown passes, 3,897 yards in 2024).

The in-house option is Tyrod Taylor, 35, who hasn't started more than six games in a season since 2017. Kirk Cousins (if he's released by the Falcons) and free agent Justin Fields are external options. They also could draft a quarterback. Keep an eye on Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss. He intrigues the Jets. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

How aggressively will the Ravens try to keep offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley?

This is one of the more difficult decisions the Ravens have had to make in recent memory. Stanley is considered the top left tackle available in free agency, and he is the only Ravens player among ESPN's top 50 free agents.

There is no question Baltimore would like to retain Stanley, who has been protecting the blind side since 2016 and enjoyed a solid bounce-back season. But, there is a risk with investing a big deal in Stanley, who turns 31 on March 18 and has sat out 36 games over the past five years. If Stanley leaves, Baltimore could look to move 2024 second-round pick Roger Rosengarten from right to left tackle. -- Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals

Will the Bengals build a championship contender?

Last season should have included the postseason for Cincinnati. Instead, the Bengals squandered an MVP-caliber performance from quarterback Joe Burrow and a historic effort from wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and missed the playoffs. Cincinnati will have to make decisions on extending Chase, wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Those decisions must also be folded into how to fix other spots on the roster, such as guard and defensive tackle.

The pressure is on coach Zac Taylor and the Bengals to make the postseason after missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. -- Ben Baby

Cleveland Browns

Can the Browns solve their quarterback quandary?

The Browns are back in the quarterback market because of Deshaun Watson's poor play and right Achilles injury. The free agent class isn't filled with elite passers, and the Browns could be outbid for the better options, such as Sam Darnold or Russell Wilson.

In the draft, Cleveland holds the No. 2 pick in a class that doesn't have a can't-miss prospect. But the bar for QB play is low after last season's struggles. The Browns could opt for a midtier free agent such as Daniel Jones or Justin Fields and pair him with a rookie quarterback in 2025. -- Daniel Oyefusi

Pittsburgh Steelers

Can the Steelers build a roster to contend in 2025?

Not only do the Steelers need to find a quarterback, as Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are free agents, but the roster holes around their signal-caller are significant. Running back Najee Harris is poised to become a free agent, and the wide receiver room still lacks a credible WR2 behind George Pickens.

Defensively, the team needs to bolster an aging and thin defensive line and find a CB2 to pair with Joey Porter Jr. The Steelers outperformed expectations to reach the playoffs in 2024, but they'll need significant renovations to their roster to do that -- or win their first playoff game in nearly a decade -- in 2025. -- Brooke Pryor

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

How will the Texans rebuild the offense around quarterback C.J. Stroud

The Texans' offense will see some change throughout the offseason to build around Stroud heading into a critical Year 3 for the quarterback. Coach DeMeco Ryans started by changing offensive coordinators when he fired Bobby Slowik, replacing him with former Rams pass game coordinator Nick Caley.

Next is finding the right ingredients for Caley to cook with, starting with the offensive line, as Stroud was sacked 52 times (second most in the NFL). Also, the offense needs a couple of more playmakers beyond wide receiver Nico Collins and running back Joe Mixon. -- DJ Bien-Aime

Indianapolis Colts

How much roster turnover will there be?

The Colts have kept most of their core together for the better part of the past five seasons but have only one playoff appearance (and zero postseason wins) to show for it. General manager Chris Ballard has suggested some upheaval is coming, but how far are the Colts willing to go to reshape their roster after owner Jim Irsay contemplated leadership changes last month?

They are already committed to adding some competition at quarterback behind Anthony Richardson, and some moves on defense seem likely after the hiring of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. A revamped offensive line is also a possibility. -- Stephen Holder

Jacksonville Jaguars

How can new coach Liam Coen fix the offense?

As Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator, Cohen improved the unit from last in rushing (88.8 yards per game) and 17th in passing (224.2) in 2023 to fifth in rushing (149.2) and third in passing (250.4) in 2024. For the Jaguars to make a similar improvement, they need to get more from their offensive line -- it ranked 19th in pass block win rate and 25th in run block win rate last season (the Bucs were top six in both).

Bolstering the interior -- with right guard Brandon Scherff not expected to be back and 32-year-old center Mitch Morse entering the final year of his contract -- is a major need that doesn't get much attention. Affordable starters can be found in free agency, and they'll also address it in the draft. -- Michael DiRocco

Tennessee Titans

What will the Titans do at quarterback?

Tennessee can go a variety of routes as it searches for a franchise quarterback. The Titans can use the No.1 pick on one of the top quarterback prospects if they want to do a hard reset at the position. The veteran market will offer options. But there aren't many true veterans who can be relied upon to be more than a bridge quarterback. The team hasn't ruled out giving third-year quarterback Will Levis another shot at securing the job.

Second-year coach Brian Callahan will need whoever is under center to perform much better than what the team got out of its QBs last season. -- Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

How can the Broncos close the gap on the AFC's elite?

The playoff drought might be over, but the 2024 season proved the Broncos still have a lot to do to close the gap on the conference's best teams. Denver was 1-5 in games against AFC playoff teams, with the only win coming when the Chiefs sat most of their regulars in the regular-season finale. And it's going to get even tougher after the Raiders' hired Pete Carroll to add another Super Bowl-winning coach to the AFC West.

On offense, the Broncos need more big-play pop and tight end production, and they'll be looking for reinforcements at linebacker and safety on defense. -- Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs

How many significant contributors can the Chiefs find in the draft?

Facing a tight salary cap and lengthy list potential free agents, general manager Brett Veach has said free agency for the team will be its draft. In other words, any help in 2025 from the outside probably will come from rookies.

The Chiefs, with four picks in the top 100, will need to maximize their haul. They could use help at particular spots, most notably offensive tackle. But mostly they need good players regardless of position. -- Adam Teicher

Las Vegas Raiders

If the Raiders don't draft a QB with the No. 6 pick, what are the alternatives?

Las Vegas could hope for Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward to fall. But the Titans, Browns and Giants also need a quarterback and could target them before the Raiders are on the clock. Las Vegas could go in multiple directions because of a handful of roster needs.

Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan would bolster their wide receiver room. The Eagles' Super Bowl win over the Chiefs showed the value of a strong defensive line, and the Raiders could consider Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and pair him with Christian Wilkins. -- Ryan McFadden

Los Angeles Chargers

Will the Chargers invest in help for quarterback Justin Herbert?

The Chargers head into this offseason with $63 million in projected cap space for a team that won 11 games with an offense that was often its Achilles' heel last season.

Chargers pass catchers not named Ladd McConkey struggled to pose much threat to defenses, and the Chargers' interior offense line was perhaps the team's biggest weakness. These struggles came to a head in a 32-12 drubbing by the Texans in the wild-card round, when Herbert threw four picks, and Houston pressured him on half of his dropbacks. -- Kris Rhim

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

How do the Cowboys close the gap on the Eagles?

Brian Schottenheimer will look to do what only Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, Bill Parcells and Wade Phillips did in Cowboys history: get to the playoffs in his first season as head coach.

The health of key players (quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, cornerback Trevon Diggs) is a must, but the Cowboys will have to do more than just hope from improvement from within and the draft. They will need a proven pass rusher opposite Micah Parsons, a No. 2 receiver opposite Lamb and help on the offensive line. They need to keep some of their own (Osa Odighizuwa, Jourdan Lewis) and be surgical in free agency.

A quick reminder: The NFC East has not had a repeat champion since 2003-04. -- Todd Archer

New York Giants

How can the Giants get competitive?

It always starts with the quarterback position, and owner John Mara has already said it's priority No. 1 this offseason. But it's way more than that. You don't finish 3-14 by accident. It's imperative the Giants get a No. 1 cornerback after Deonte Banks flopped this past season. They can't possibly put him in that situation again.

They also need to add depth to both lines, acquire more playmakers and fix their secondary as a whole. The Giants have a lot of work to do (in both the draft and free agency) to simply get back on the track to respectability. -- Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles

How can they set themselves up for a repeat?

First, they have to find a high-level replacement for offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who left to become the Saints' head coach. The starting offense should remain largely intact (right guard Mekhi Becton is the only pending free agent), but there are a number of defensive difference-makers whose contracts are expiring, including linebacker Zack Baun, edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Milton Williams.

Meanwhile, defensive end Brandon Graham might retire, and it remains to be seen whether they move forward with 34-year-old corner Darius Slay Jr., whose cap number increases to around $14 million in 2025.

General manager Howie Roseman had a very good hit rate in the draft and free agency in '24. Another strong offseason will help keep Philly on top. -- Tim McManus

Washington Commanders

Can Washington make enough moves to take the next step?

After unexpectedly reaching the NFC Championship Game, and with a young rising star at quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Commanders have a chance to take a big leap. They do have the third-most salary cap space available and seven draft picks.

But they have 28 unrestricted free agents and the second-fewest players under contract for 2025. Washington has only two receivers under contract for 2025. It needs to fortify both lines, as well as corner and running back. How much the Commanders accomplish this offseason -- in addition to Daniels' growth -- will determine whether they can surpass the Eagles. -- John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

How aggressive will the Bears be in improving the offensive and defensive lines?

New Bears coach Ben Johnson knows the role that a well-built offensive line plays in the success of an offense. During his introductory news conference, Johnson said he and general manager Ryan Poles were already discussing how to improve along the O-line, which has three starters (G Teven Jenkins, C Coleman Shelton and G Matt Pryor) headed to free agency.

Chicago also needs to address its pass rush and add talent to help free up defensive end Montez Sweat, who had his lowest sack output (5.5) since 2021. With the sixth-most salary cap space (an estimated $63 million) and four draft picks in the top 72, Chicago has the resources needed to tackle several needs in the trenches. -- Courtney Cronin

Detroit Lions

Can the Lions adjust to losing two coordinators?

Detroit lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to head coaching jobs with the Bears and Jets, respectively. Coach Dan Campbell has hired former Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton as the new OC and former linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard as Glenn's replacement for the DC role.

After a record-setting 15-win season, and with the core of last season's roster intact, Detroit's new coordinators will have big shoes to fill. But Campbell says he feels as if Detroit's Super Bowl window is still "absolutely" open, even with the drastic coaching changes. -- Eric Woodyard

Green Bay Packers

How can the Packers surpass the Lions and Vikings?

Maybe the Lions will regress after losing their offensive and defensive coordinators to head coaching jobs, and regardless of whether the Vikings bring back Sam Darnold or turn to J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota might not get the same level of quarterback play two years in a row. But the Packers can't simply count on that if they want to get back on top of the NFC North and have playoff games at home, unlike the past two years.

Picking up a No. 1 receiver or a veteran pass rusher seems unlikely, so this will be on the coaches to make internal improvements, especially in the passing game and with the pass rush. -- Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings

What will happen at quarterback?

Everything in Minnesota hinges on whether the team brings back Sam Darnold, who produced a career-best season at age 27. If not, will the Vikings turn the keys over to J.J. McCarthy, who sat out the 2024 season because of a torn meniscus in his right knee? Or will they sign another veteran, perhaps free agent Daniel Jones who joined the team late in the season, to start in 2025 or until McCarthy is ready?

Retaining Darnold could require the franchise tag, which would consume nearly $40 million in cap space and limit the options for building a team around him. But are the Vikings willing to let the quarterback who led them to 14 victories walk out the door for nothing? -- Kevin Seifert

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

How does the Kirk Cousins saga shake out?

Another chapter in the drama between Cousins and the Falcons was written last week when Cousins acknowledged on NFL Network that he had a right shoulder and elbow injury from a hit he took in Week 10. Previously, Cousins had denied being hurt during a stretch in which he threw nine interceptions and one touchdown over five games, leading to his benching in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Both sides come out of this with egg on their faces, and even the small chance Cousins might return to Atlanta seems to be decreasing now. The Falcons releasing him next month and eating $65 million in dead money is most likely. -- Marc Raimondi

Carolina Panthers

Can the Panthers fix their defense?

This one is obvious. Carolina ranked last in total defense (404.5 YPG), run defense (179.8 YPG) and points allowed (31.4 PPG). General manager Dan Morgan felt confident enough in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to bring him back.

Now he has to get Evero help in free agency and the draft (No. 8 pick) -- as he did for quarterback Bryce Young and the offense a year ago -- starting with an elite edge rusher and better support on the line. -- David Newton

New Orleans Saints

Can Kellen Moore turn things around?

The Saints went the opposite direction in their hire of Moore as their head coach. The previous coach, Dennis Allen, was a hire from inside the building, a second-time head coach and was 50 years old when hired. Moore, 36, is a young, first-time head coach who is coming off a successful stint as Eagles offensive coordinator.

Moore will have challenges though, with an aging defense and salary cap issues. Can the new coach turn things around quickly or will the Saints face a total rebuild in 2024? -- Katherine Terrell

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Will the Bucs re-sign WR Chris Godwin?

Let's just get this out of the way now. Sources told ESPN the Bucs absolutely want Godwin back and will do everything in their power to make that happen, with no concern about his recovery from a dislocated left ankle in Week 7.

Of course, there is precedent for them with this, having rewarded him with a three-year deal worth $60 million after he tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee in 2021. Still, conversations must be had and pen still has to hit paper. But it's clear how the Bucs feel about him. -- Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

How can the Cardinals build on 2024?

In coach Jonathan Gannon's second season, the Cardinals doubled their win total and were sitting in first place in the NFC West in mid-November. Then, Arizona dropped off after its bye week and finished third in the division and out of the playoff picture.

This offseason's goal is to build a roster that can sustain winning for an extended period of time. The Cardinals showed, albeit briefly, they're a playoff-caliber team. The next step is to fill the holes and bolster their roster so the Cardinals don't have a late-season slide and can go to the playoffs. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams

Will QB Matthew Stafford be back in 2025?

With news of the Rams intending to trade wide receiver Cooper Kupp, it's clear Los Angeles' offense will look different next season. But whether there will be a total overhaul depends on if they can come to an agreement on an adjusted contract with Stafford.

The quarterback is under contract through 2026, but his $40 million average ranks 15th at the position. Coach Sean McVay didn't have a timeline for a reworked deal -- it took until the team reported to training camp last year -- but said he hoped for clarity sooner than later. -- Sarah Barshop

San Francisco 49ers

When will QB Brock Purdy sign an extension?

For both the 49ers and Purdy, the sooner a deal can get done, the better. The cost certainty that comes with a completed deal would allow the 49ers to better gauge how much they have to spend and how aggressive they can be when it comes to putting resources into the offensive and defensive lines, the two areas that need the most attention.

Of course, deals the magnitude of Purdy's aren't easy to pull off, and if it drags out, it could make for a difficult offseason in San Francisco. -- Nick Wagoner