While the Philadelphia Eagles put a bow on Super Bowl LIX celebrations today, the NFL offseason has begun in earnest.
And with that comes the next five months of belaboring over the biggest fixes, adds and improvements your favorite teams need to close the gap. Survey The Athletic’s NFL beat reporters and you’ll find Super Bowl LIX leaves a tried-and-true blueprint for much of the league — find a quarterback to win with, a way to protect said QB and a way to disrupt the opponent’s quarterback.
What’s the top priority on each NFL team’s offseason to-do list? The Athletic picks one for all 32.
Arizona Cardinals: Edge rusher
Nick Rallis joined the Cardinals two years ago as the NFL’s youngest coordinator. Since then, he’s turned into a rising star. It’s time to upgrade his defensive talent, and that starts with an edge rusher (get ready — this might be a popular need on this list; nearly everybody needs help in this regard). The Cardinals are solid. They’re physical. They don’t make many mistakes. Budda Baker never slows down. But they lack a difference-maker up front who puts doubt in a quarterback’s mind. Rallis has done well getting by without one. But for Arizona to become a playoff team, this is the next move. It has to be addressed. — Doug Haller
Atlanta Falcons: Pass rush
It’s always pass rush in Atlanta, isn’t it? The Falcons were 31st in sacks last season (31) and are last in the league over the last five years (141), 10 years (298) and 20 years (606). Matthew Judon was second on the team last year with 5.5 sacks, but he’s hitting free agency and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of urgency on either side to keep Judon in Atlanta. The only “can’t miss” pass-rushing prospect in this year’s draft, Penn State’s Abdul Carter, will be long gone by the time the Falcons draft at No. 15, so free agency might be the best option. — Josh Kendall
Baltimore Ravens: Offensive line
The Ravens could be looking at an offensive line makeover for the second straight offseason. Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley and starting left guard Patrick Mekari are free agents, as are reserve offensive linemen Josh Jones and Ben Cleveland. Nearly half of the offensive linemen who ended the season on the 53-man roster are not under contract. The Ravens have some young players who can step into bigger roles, but they must add one — if not two — starting-caliber offensive linemen through the draft or free agency. — Jeff Zrebiec
Buffalo Bills: Edge rusher
The Bills have two significant needs that go hand in hand, as both edge rusher and wide receiver deserve ample consideration this offseason. The tie goes to edge rusher because quarterback Josh Allen proved he can get the most out of a receiver room that lacks a true top option. The Bills rely heavily on their front four to provide pressure without a blitz, and outside of Greg Rousseau, they came up woefully short throughout the season and playoffs. Making it an even bigger need, Rousseau, 24, will be a free agent in 2026. Whether through trade, free agency or the draft, the Bills must add something significant by any means necessary. — Joe Buscaglia
Carolina Panthers: Run defense
After becoming the fourth team in NFL history (and first since 1980) to allow 3,000 rushing yards, the priority has to be fixing a porous run defense. The return of Pro Bowler Derrick Brown, who missed the final 16 games following knee surgery, will help. But the Panthers need an upgrade at nose tackle, where Shy Tuttle hasn’t been stout enough. One name to watch: Broncos free agent D.J. Jones, who had the fourth-best run stop rate among DL (per Pro Football Focus) and has ties to Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The safety room needs to be overhauled with guys who can tackle and make plays on the ball. — Joseph Person
Chicago Bears: Offensive linemen
The Bears could be looking for three new starters in the middle of their offensive line. Guards Teven Jenkins and Matt Pryor and center Coleman Shelton are all set to be unrestricted free agents. Pryor and Shelton were both reserves who joined the team on one-year deals before becoming full-time starters. Jenkins, who has struggled to stay healthy, didn’t receive an extension as he hoped during last season. The Bears need to improve their pass rush. But quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times during his rookie season. He needs better help up front. — Adam Jahns
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Cincinnati Bengals: Defensive line
The Bengals must fix their defensive line. Not once. Not twice. They probably shouldn’t stop at three. They need many swings between the draft and free agency at a position group that failed them in 2024 beyond Trey Hendrickson. Figuring out a tenable future with Hendrickson’s contract is part of this, too. Cincinnati needs to take advantage of a draft ripe with quality and quantity up front, plus find a starter in free agency. Inevitably, the development of recent top picks Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson will go a long way to determining if this group can transform itself, but they need new playmakers to re-energize the position under new defensive coordinator Al Golden. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Cleveland Browns: Quarterback
The list of needs is lengthy, but with the Deshaun Watson experiment having failed miserably and expensively, the Browns are looking for both a quarterback of the present and one of the future. It remains unclear whether they’ll use the No. 2 pick on a young passer, and the team’s salary-cap situation may limit the number of realistic veteran options. But the Browns are undoubtedly on the quarterback search and will be adding at least two new players to their 2025 quarterback room.
Finding the long-term answer is key to becoming a real AFC contender, and it remains to be seen if the Browns can save the jobs of the folks in charge — and try to salvage the current roster core — by getting competent play from an experienced quarterback early next season. — Zac Jackson
Dallas Cowboys: Defensive tackle
After the season the Cowboys had, you can pick from several positions, but none is more pressing than defensive tackle. The Cowboys have one stellar player at the position in Osa Odighizuwa, and he is a pending unrestricted free agent and arguably the top player at the position in this class. If the Cowboys lose him next month, the cupboard is quite literally empty. The Mazi Smith experiment thus far has been a disappointment. The Cowboys need to make every effort to re-sign Odighizuwa, as well as add at least one more impact player, whether it be in the draft, through free agency or via trade. — Saad Yousuf
Denver Broncos: Tight end
The Broncos had less receiving production from the tight end position in 2023 than any team in the NFL. They had a chance to solve the problem by selecting Brock Bowers with the No. 12 pick in last year’s draft. Choosing Bo Nix instead? Wise move. The Broncos appear to have their long-term QB in place. But the need for a mismatch-creating tight end very much remains, and Denver must fill that void this offseason. The good news? This appears to be a strong draft class at the position, even beyond likely first-round picks Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. — Nick Kosmider
Detroit Lions: Defensive linemen
The Lions could really use another explosive pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, but they also need much more depth between the tackles — as we saw how things got once Alim McNeil went down with injury. Even if Detroit opts to bring back Za’Darius Smith on some sort of re-worked deal, the Lions still need more on the outside in terms of pass rushers who can win 1-on-1s opposite a dominant player (Hutchinson). Edge might be a slightly higher priority than DT, but not by much. — Nick Baumgardner
Green Bay Packers: Pass rusher
The Packers ranked 13th in pressure percentage and 10th in sack percentage, according to TruMedia, but the eye test reveals the pass rush was inconsistent. General manager Brian Gutekunst said as much at his season-ending news conference before the Packers fired defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich.
Green Bay could use a disruptive pass rusher on the edge or interior, but Gutekunst is more likely to find one on the edge and may be enticed to go all in for the likes of Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, Trey Hendrickson or Josh Sweat this offseason. If he truly wants to contend for a championship like he said, that may be the most sensible way to do so. — Matt Schneidman
Houston Texans: Offensive linemen
Although they have won their division and reached the postseason in back-to-back seasons, the Texans have quite a few needs with offensive line, defensive tackle and wide receiver leading the way. No position carries a higher priority than offensive line, however, specifically interior linemen. C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times during the regular season and another 11 times in his two postseason games. Houston needs to do a better job of protecting its prized quarterback in the worst way, and so whether through the draft, free agency, or both, the Texans can’t afford to emerge from the offseason without having significantly bolstered the line. — Mike Jones
Indianapolis Colts: Safety
Aside from QB Anthony Richardson drastically improving as a passer, the Colts’ biggest positional need this offseason is at safety. New Indy DC Lou Anarumo puts a lot of pressure on the backend, and when analyzing the success his defenses previously had in Cincinnati — when the Bengals went to back-to-back AFC Championship Games — it coincided with having a high-IQ and experienced safety. The Colts could always draft a safety, but it would probably be wiser to sign a proven veteran in free agency who could expedite the process of implementing Anarumo’s often multifaceted schemes. — James Boyd
Jacksonville Jaguars: Offensive line
The Jaguars need to boost their offensive line and surely need a left tackle. New coach Liam Coen’s offense will have a running identity, so the Jaguars need a tough, physical line to set the tone. They have the fifth pick in the draft, so they’ll have a good opportunity to take the first offensive lineman off the board. They’re also in the middle of the pack with about $32 million in cap space, so the Jags have the means to improve up front. Quarterback Baker Mayfield deserved all the praise he got last season with Coen, but don’t forget the Buccaneers jumped from 32nd to fourth in rushing last season. If quarterback Trevor Lawrence is going to take off with Coen, he’ll need a successful ground attack. — Jeff Howe
Kansas City Chiefs: Left tackle
This might sound repetitive, but the Chiefs are back to where they were last spring — or in 2023, 2022 or 2021. Even if the Chiefs were three-time champions, their biggest roster needs would be the same. They desperately need a viable left tackle. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was sacked six times in Super Bowl LIX. Mahomes will be 30 next season, and he could, for the first time in his career, be without tight end Travis Kelce, who is considering retirement. The Chiefs must acquire a left tackle who can be a dependable starter for multiple years. Remember, in the past six years, the Chiefs have started a different left tackle in each of their five Super Bowl appearances. — Nate Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes spent much of Super Bowl LIX under duress. Despite the team’s success, left tackle has been a weakness. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
Las Vegas Raiders: Quarterback
New coach Pete Carroll tried to downplay the need for a quarterback at his opening news conference, saying that the Raiders want to build the team around the position. But the Raiders still need a plan at quarterback, whether it’s drafting one at No. 6 to pair with a veteran, or opening their big wallet for likely top free agent Sam Darnold. Incumbent Aidan O’Connell will likely still be on the roster, while Gardner Minshew figures to be released — so the Raiders appear set to bring in two new bodies to compete for the starting job. Many will point to Russell Wilson due to his ties to his former Seahawks coach, though we’re not sure Carroll will go that route. — Vic Tafur
Los Angeles Chargers: Interior offensive line
The Chargers have one of the best tackle duos in the league in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. But they have to solve the interior of the line this offseason to elevate their offense. The interior played particularly poorly against the Texans in the Chargers’ wild-card round loss. That game will not sit well with general manager Joe Hortiz or coach Jim Harbaugh.
Center Bradley Bozeman is a pending free agent. Right guard Trey Pipkins is a potential cap casualty. Backup guard Jamaree Salyer started in place of the injured Pipkins in Houston and struggled. The Chargers could be looking at two new starters in 2025 between the two guard spots and center. — Daniel Popper
Los Angeles Rams: Offensive tackle
Now, let me be clear: If the Rams can’t figure out quarterback Matthew Stafford’s contract, or a team comes to them with a tempting trade offer, “quarterback” is the answer because they have no real plan behind the veteran star. However, if they go the “year-to-year” route with Stafford (and they could), then both left and right tackles are needed. Starter Alaric Jackson, their left tackle in 2024, is a free agent. Right tackle and veteran team captain Rob Havenstein will enter the last year of his deal and had trouble staying healthy in 2024, though his value when on the field versus off was clear. The Rams should look at both positions in the draft. — Jourdan Rodrigue
Miami Dolphins: Interior offensive line
Identifying the problem is easy. Fixing it won’t be. The up-against-the-cap Dolphins’ biggest priority this offseason has to be fixing the interior offensive line. More specifically, they need two new guards to line up next to solid center Aaron Brewer. What was once one of the league’s most efficient rushing attacks nosedived this past season, largely due to substandard guard play. The Dolphins ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing success rate in 2023, then watched Robert Hunt depart in free agency and plummeted to 27th this past season. Unfortunately for Miami, many other teams’ top priority will be upgrading the offensive line and without a lot of cap space, the Dolphins could struggle to make meaningful additions. — Jim Ayello
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Minnesota Vikings: Offensive line
Throw Minnesota into the long list of teams that need interior offensive line upgrades. The Vikings have tried multiple players at both guard spots in the last few seasons, and most have been turnstiles. Ezra Cleveland was traded for Dalton Risner, who was serviceable in pass protection. Risner was passed over for Blake Brandel, who allowed the second-most pressures among guards this season. Former second-round pick Ed Ingram was benched for Risner.
The musical chairs can’t continue. Even if Minnesota keeps center Garrett Bradbury on the final year of his contract, it desperately needs reinforcements alongside him. The Vikings have about $60 million in cap space and a first-round pick. They must use some of those resources — and maybe both — on their offensive front. — Alec Lewis
New England Patriots: Offensive line
We’ll make this simple: The offensive line, anywhere on the offensive line. The Patriots need help at pretty much every position on the front five. Left tackle? Great, need it. Right guard? Sure, and move Mike Onwenu outside. There’s a chance that the Patriots will have four new starting offensive linemen in 2025. So look for them to be very active there, both in free agency and the draft. — Chad Graff
New Orleans Saints: Wide receiver
It would be easy to suggest the biggest concern is at quarterback, but the Saints went 5-5 with Carr. If he doesn’t miss seven games, New Orleans likely would’ve been in the hunt for an NFC South title. The bigger issue facing the franchise is that whoever is at QB in 2025 needs someone to throw to.
Saints receivers finished with 1,833 yards last season — 31st in the NFL, according to TruMedia. Their top two receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, missed nine and 11 games, respectively. But adding a reliable target would go a long way to helping the Saints’ offense improve regardless of who lines up at QB. — Amos Morale III
New York Giants: Quarterback
While there’s quite a few needs that could be addressed for a team that finished 3-14 and possesses the No. 3 pick, there’s no greater one than the quarterback. There’s not a long-term starter on the roster right now. With general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll returning, there’s a lot of pressure on them to get this right, so expect them to make some bold moves. Whether that’s trading up in the draft or spending big in free agency (or both), the Giants must attack the position aggressively this offseason. — Charlotte Carroll
New York Jets: Quarterback
Here we are again, familiar territory for this franchise. Aaron Rodgers is on the way out, so the Jets have no long-term solutions at the most important position. Tyrod Taylor is on the roster and can be fine as a stopgap solution, but it’s unclear if Aaron Glenn views him as a viable starter for 2025 — and he certainly isn’t beyond that. The Jets do have other needs in an offseason when the quarterback market isn’t great — like right tackle, wide receiver, cornerback and defensive tackle — but it all starts at QB. I’d expect them to explore all options and possibly land either a stopgap veteran (if not Taylor, someone like Kirk Cousins or Derek Carr), a lottery ticket free agent (Justin Fields) or a rookie. — Zack Rosenblatt
Philadelphia Eagles: Extensions with key defenders
The Eagles won their second Super Bowl while ambushing Patrick Mahomes with a top-ranked defense that has four key members whose contracts are expiring. Zack Baun will be the hottest name to hit free agency after becoming NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalist in his first year as an inside linebacker. Josh Sweat changed agencies the week before the big game. That was fine timing for him. But how much will general manager Howie Roseman be willing to pay for a soon-to-be 28-year-old edge rusher after trading away Haason Reddick last offseason? Milton Williams recorded a season-high five sacks in the regular season as an interior lineman. Isaiah Rodgers filled in during critical moments as a backup cornerback, and the Eagles may want to keep him around with Darius Slay nearing the end of his career in Philadelphia. It’s wishful thinking to believe they’ll all sign team-friendly deals. For each player the Eagles don’t re-sign, each position becomes a need this offseason. — Brooks Kubena
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Stability
Mitch Trubisky. Kenny Pickett. Mason Rudolph. Justin Fields. Russell Wilson… The list of quarterbacks trying to succeed Ben Roethlisberger continues to grow as the Steelers spin their wheels looking for the long-term answer behind center. When coach Mike Tomlin benched Fields amid a 4-2 start, the QB said that he didn’t play well enough to keep his job. After Wilson’s offense scored 14.2 points per game during a five-game losing streak to close out the year, Tomlin said 14 points per game wasn’t good enough.
However, given the limited options in free agency and an underwhelming QB class, team president and owner Art Rooney II said that his preference is to re-sign either Wilson or Fields. Which one will they choose? It may not matter. Considering Wilson’s age and Fields’ inability to live up to his billing as the 11th pick in 2021, there’s no guarantee that either one is going to keep the Steelers from being in the same situation next year at this time. You can go ahead and pencil in the Steelers for a first-round QB in 2026. — Mike DeFabo
San Francisco 49ers: Defensive tackle
Five of the last seven tailbacks the 49ers faced in 2024 finished with more than 100 rushing yards, and it might have been six of seven had James Conner played in the meaningless finale for the Cardinals. Meanwhile, the 49ers’ defensive tackles recorded one sack — Maliek Collins’ against the Chicago Bears in Week 14 — over the last eight games. With Javon Hargrave scheduled to be released before free agency, they have one marginal starter in Collins and one developing player in Evan Anderson, an undrafted rookie in 2024. They’re fortunate the upcoming draft is deep at the position. They ought to take two with their 10 picks. — Matt Barrows
Seattle Seahawks: Offensive line
Last offseason, the Seahawks drafted three offensive linemen and signed five in free agency, yet they’re still in search of reliable starters along the interior. They have good tackles in Charles Cross and Abe Lucas, but last year featured an in-season rotation at right guard. Veteran left guard Laken Tomlinson is entering free agency and didn’t provide anything that would make re-signing him a priority. Second-year center Olu Oluwatimi had a decent finish to the season after Connor Williams’ sudden retirement, but the Seahawks could use an upgrade at that position as well. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge rusher
The Bucs’ leading sackers last season were defensive tackles Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea, who had 7.5 and 7, respectively. A little more juice off the edge would complement the tackles and outside linebacker Yaya Diaby as well as enhance the pass defense, which ranked 29th in the NFL and generated only seven interceptions. The Bucs also might have to replace Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a former first-round pick who has started the last three years. Tryon-Shoyinka will be a free agent. — Dan Pompei
Tennessee Titans: Quarterback
When you’re 3-14, you have all kinds of needs. The only position groups that don’t necessarily need addressing on this team are running back and cornerback – though the latter presumes L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie will play football in 2025. Coming in a close second to quarterback is offensive line, and they have to be fixed in tandem or the QB choice will not enjoy himself next season. The obvious question: Will the Titans use the No. 1 pick on Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, or will they already have a veteran starter signed by then? It is possible they do both. — Joe Rexrode
Washington Commanders: Edge defender
This could go in numerous directions considering Washington’s roughly 30 free agents, but one issue stood out above all last season. Run games chewed up the defense all season, averaging 4.8 yards per carry with significant damage done outside and before contact. The Commanders also lacked a consistent pass rush despite a surprising 10.5 sacks from 2025 free agent Dante Fowler. — Ben Standig
(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire, Luke Hales/Getty Images, Joe Robbins via AP, AP Photo/Doug Benc)
