We’re only two weeks into the league new year and every NFL team has been deemed offseason champion, offseason chump or somewhere in between. But no one’s offseason to-do list is completely checked off in such little time.
So, what is your team still missing? Is it a need that can be filled in the 2025 NFL Draft in April or is there still a signing to be made? The Athletic’s NFL writers answer those questions, as they dish below on the remaining needs and wants for all 32 teams.
Arizona Cardinals
GM Monti Ossenfort is off to a solid start. The Cardinals made one of free agency’s biggest moves with the signing of Philadelphia pass rusher Josh Sweat, filling perhaps the team’s greatest need. Ossenfort also signed Cleveland’s Dalvin Tomlinson, a sturdy, dependable defensive tackle. Shoring up the offensive line — the Cardinals need help at guard — is the obvious next step. The Cardinals can address this in the draft. At No. 16, they should have options should they choose to go this direction. They also could use a productive veteran receiver to complement Marvin Harrison, Jr.. — Doug Haller
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons taped over their holes at edge rusher and in the secondary by signing outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and safety Jordan Fuller and re-signing last year’s starting cornerback Mike Hughes, but none of those moves are the final fixes at those positions. That leaves any of the spots as options when the Falcons are on the clock with the 15th pick of the first round. Given Atlanta’s historically bad pass rush, edge rusher should still probably be the betting favorite, though. — Josh Kendall
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens got a little clarity along their offensive line by re-signing left tackle Ronnie Stanley. They’ve added a backup quarterback (Cooper Rush) and a third quality wide receiver (DeAndre Hopkins). However, they’ve done nothing at cornerback beyond losing starter Brandon Stephens in free agency and releasing Arthur Maulet. Baltimore has only four corners on its roster. Marlon Humphrey and 2024 first-round pick Nate Wiggins are a good duo to start with, but the Ravens need at least two more starting-caliber cornerbacks. They can get one in the draft. It’s asking a lot to hit on two quality rookies ready to play immediately when you have other needs. — Jeff Zrebiec
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have starters in place almost throughout the entire roster. That is, except for their second cornerback position. Last season’s starter, Rasul Douglas, remains a free agent and they traded 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam. Their only move to replenish the position was to sign Dane Jackson, primarily a No. 3 cornerback. Top starter Christian Benford is one of the best players on the team, but he’s a free agent after 2025, further complicating the potential depth of the need. The Bills would likely want to get him under contract if they can to help the need. After striking out on Elam with their top pick and finding several later draft gems at the position, it doesn’t necessarily mean the Bills are a slam dunk to use their first-round pick on a cornerback this year. — Joe Buscaglia
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made a flurry of moves to address a defense that was among the worst in NFL history last year. But even after signing ex-Raider Tre’Von Moehrig to a three-year, $51 million contract and re-signing backup/special teams regular Nick Scott, general manager Dan Morgan still has work to do in a safety room that is being overhauled. Moehrig said he is looking forward to helping the young players “coming from college or whoever else we bring.” Morgan is expected to target a safety in the draft, but he could still add another in the late stages of free agency. — Joseph Person
Chicago Bears
The Bears added five new starters up front this offseason: guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, center Drew Dalman, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. Adding a draft pick or two will also improve the trenches. The depth at linebacker and safety now stands out. Linebacker T.J. Edwards and safety Kevin Byard are entering the final years of their contracts, while there is an affordable exit point in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds’ deal after 2025. Safety Jaquan Brisker has a history of concussions. Addressing both positions in the draft makes sense. — Adam Jahns
Cincinnati Bengals
Hard to pin down just one need. The Bengals didn’t fill many needs in free agency outside of the bank accounts of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. They need two starting guards, a backup swing tackle, any form of pass-rush juice on the defensive line, a linebacker to start next to Logan Wilson and probably a long-term replacement for safety Geno Stone. But they don’t need receivers! The Bengals will need to find starters in the third wave of free agency as well as nail the draft to make the rest of the pieces fit around Joe Burrow, Chase and Higgins. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Cleveland Browns
Past overspending and the disastrous commitment to Deshaun Watson made the Browns value-only shoppers in the first wave of free agency, and it’s hard to make the case the team has improved at all. Quarterback remains the biggest need, both for the present and future. Kenny Pickett was acquired in a trade ahead of the new league year and is the only healthy quarterback on the roster. The Browns are still in the market for a veteran starter and will certainly be drafting a quarterback next month. But whether that player comes with the No. 2 pick or at some point on the draft’s second day remains to be seen. The Browns continue to keep an eye on things with Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson, but real hope lies only in drafting the right young passer. — Zac Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
There’s not an absolute No. 1, but running back is as close as it gets. They added some depth pieces in free agency with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, but they’re still lacking that unquestioned No. 1 back. Rico Dowdle had that role most of last year. He’s now in Carolina. The Cowboys, one of the NFL’s worst rushing teams last season, need an upgrade. The most likely path continues to be early in next month’s draft.
This is considered a quality running back draft class. Dallas should’ve drafted a back in one of the first four rounds either last year or the year before. It didn’t happen and now it’s a must. If Ashton Jeanty is still available at No. 12, it just makes too much sense. — Jon Machota
Denver Broncos
There might as well be a neon “Help Wanted!” sign hovering above Denver’s backfield. Javonte Williams joined the Cowboys in free agency, leaving the Broncos without a running back on the roster who has rushed for at least 500 yards in a season. There isn’t a huge bar to clear to outpace what Williams did last season — 3.7 yards per carry and 8.2 attempts per game — but the question is who will Denver target in a draft rich with running back talent. Omarion Hampton looms as a first-round option, but Denver should be able to get a difference-making rusher without using the 20th pick. — Nick Kosmider
Detroit Lions
What the Lions do at the edge spot opposite of Aidan Hutchinson remains a question. They released veteran Za’Darius Smith — whom they traded for ahead of the deadline after Hutchinson went down — earlier this month. They re-signed Marcus Davenport, the current projected starter, but he’s played just six total games the last two seasons. A team with Super Bowl aspirations should not count on Davenport to play a starter’s workload and stay healthy over the course of 17 games and the playoffs. The rest of the edge room consists of rotational pieces and depth. The Lions usually address needs in free agency so they don’t have to draft for need, but unless Detroit adds a starting-caliber edge before then, it should be a real priority next month. — Colton Pouncy
Green Bay Packers
The future of Green Bay’s best cornerback, Jaire Alexander, remains uncertain. My guess based on what I’ve heard is still that he doesn’t play for the Packers in 2025. Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell have signed elsewhere in free agency. The Packers brought in Nate Hobbs from the Raiders and still have Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine (Packer fans won’t be thrilled if that’s the top three), but their need for depth at the position is glaring. You could argue wide receiver is a more pressing need since they’ll be without Christian Watson for at least the first half of the season, but cornerback might be atop the priority list entering the NFL Draft in Green Bay next month. — Matt Schneidman
Houston Texans
Offensive line help remains a high priority for a team that surrendered the third-highest sack total in the NFL last season. C.J. Stroud is a quality young quarterback, but the Texans will never see him fully ascend to stardom if they do not invest in protecting him. Houston did sign ninth-year pro Cam Robinson to a one-year deal and added veterans Trent Brown and Laken Tomlinson, but they need a long-term solution and upgrades on the interior. The goal should be to emerge from the draft having used multiple early round picks on a left tackle and an interior lineman. — Mike Jones
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts desperately need to upgrade at tight end, and they’ll likely target one in the draft. Drew Ogletree and Will Mallory are currently atop the depth chart, but that likely won’t hold up for the 2025 season since neither has shown signs of being a No. 1 option. Jelani Woods was supposed to be Indianapolis’ long-term answer at tight end — using his 6-foot-7, 253-pound frame and speed to create constant mismatches — though the 2022 third-round pick has missed the last two seasons due to injury. Perhaps Penn State’s Tyler Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland could fill Indy’s years-long void at tight end. — James Boyd
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags still have plenty of needs, but there’s a glaring hole at receiver behind Brian Thomas. Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, Tyler Lockett, Josh Reynolds and Elijah Moore are among the best available. It’s probably not a spot where they want to draft a wideout at No. 5, so they should find a lower-cost veteran beforehand. — Jeff Howe
Kansas City Chiefs
With the addition of left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency, the Chiefs’ biggest priority should be to continue building their defensive line. One of the most underrated parts of the Chiefs loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX was how little effect their pass rush had against quarterback Jalen Hurts. Adding more youth and talent around pass rusher Chris Jones and defensive ends George Karlaftis and Charles Omenihu would be a shrewd decision for general manager Brett Veach. — Nate Taylor
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders took care of their biggest need, trading for Geno Smith, and then chipped away at some others in free agency. So we’re going with a four-way tie with linebacker, cornerback, running back and receiver. The Raiders lost both starting linebackers from last year and signed run-stopper Elandon Roberts from the Steelers, but saw the Patriots match an offer sheet for pass-coverage guy Christian Elliss. They also rolled the dice on former first-round pick Eric Stokes at corner and got a bargain in 11th-year change-the-pace running back Raheem Mostert. There is no depth at receiver after Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, though the Raiders will likely sign one in these last ripples of free agency. — Vic Tafur
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers did a fine job methodically plugging holes through free agency. They made moves in every position group, and that has created depth. I still see two needs tied for the biggest remaining: running back and edge rusher. The Chargers have Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree. They need a fourth edge to round out that room and insure against two older players in Dupree and Mack. They have running back Najee Harris, who they signed in free agency. They need a second back with some big-play potential to create a viable one-two-punch in a remade room. — Daniel Popper
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams set the table for themselves in free agency to not enter the draft with any glaring needs. It started with keeping quarterback Matthew Stafford for at least one more year, then extending left tackle Alaric Jackson and receiver Tutu Atwell, signing nose tackle Poona Ford, receiver Davante Adams and center Coleman Shelton. Depth concerns were addressed at cornerback and inside linebacker with the signings of Ahkello Witherspoon and Nate Landman. They still need to add at the latter positions, and should be in the draft market for another young receiver, a right tackle to eventually take over for veteran Rob Havenstein, a quarterback to develop and a dynamic tight end. — Jourdan Rodrigue
Miami Dolphins
After losing Jevon Holland in free agency, you could make a compelling case for their biggest needs being at safety or defensive line — what’s the plan next to Zach Sieler? — but the Dolphins cannot enter the 2025 season with Liam Eichenberg penciled in as a starting guard. He’s OK as depth, but Miami must continue to upgrade its interior offensive line, even after signing James Daniels, who is plenty talented but coming off of an Achilles tear. The Dolphins’ running game efficiency nosedived last season, largely because of a substandard offensive line. I expect upgrading the line to be a top priority in the draft. — Jim Ayello
Minnesota Vikings
The difficulty in trying to answer this question reflects how successful a free-agent period the Vikings had. They added two interior offensive linemen (Ryan Kelly and Will Fries). They revamped the interior of their defensive line (Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave). They kept high-end cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. They enhanced their running back room (Jordan Mason). Minnesota still needs a backup quarterback. The cornerback room could use more depth. For now, though, the most glaring question mark is at left guard. The Vikings could opt for Blake Brandel or Walter Rouse, but they could also use the draft to fortify this spot. — Alec Lewis
New England Patriots
This one is rather easy. Despite having perhaps the worst group of wide receivers in the NFL, the Patriots’ biggest need is at left tackle. Their hopes of signing Ronnie Stanley in free agency evaporated when he re-upped with the Ravens, and the other free-agent options weren’t too appealing to them. So as the draft nears, the Patriots remain without a long-term blindside protector for Drake Maye. — Chad Graff
New Orleans Saints
Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo opened last season as the Saints’ starting cornerbacks. Both of them are long gone now. They brought back Isaac Yiadom via free agency after he spent last season in San Francisco. He’s a solid piece and the Saints will likely start Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry. But there’s a reason the Saints pursued Charvarius Ward so vigorously. The draft seems like the direction at this rate, unless the Saints pull off a trade. Taking a cornerback at No. 9 would be a likely stretch unless New Orleans made a bold move for Travis Hunter. — Larry Holder
New York Giants
Despite signing Jameis Winston to a two-year, $8 million deal, not much has changed for the Giants in their quarterback pursuits: They still need a reliable starter. Winston, who hasn’t played a full season since 2019, isn’t that. While he’ll inject personality to the locker room and in his on-field play, the Giants are still in the hunt for top remaining veteran Aaron Rodgers, per reports. Plus, they have the No. 3 pick in the draft and they have to hope for a new face of the franchise to leave with on that April weekend. — Charlotte Carroll
New York Jets
The Jets need more weapons for Justin Fields. Badly. Yes, they’re in good shape at running back. While Garrett Wilson is there at wide receiver, an argument could be made the Jets have one of the worst groups of targets at both wide receiver and tight end in the NFL — especially at TE, where they added Stone Smartt to a room with Jeremy Ruckert. Fields needs a reliable tight end for the offense the Jets are going to run — someone who can act as a safety valve in the middle of the field while also contributing as a blocker — which is why they’ve been heavily tied to Penn State’s Tyler Warren. At receiver, Allen Lazard is the current No. 2 — and he might still get cut. After him it’s just Tyler Johnson, Malachi Corley and Xavier Gipson. — Zack Rosenblatt
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles need more options at safety. After trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans for Kenyon Green, an offensive guard, the Eagles created a vacancy for the starting spot opposite Reed Blankenship. Sydney Brown is the presumptive frontrunner. The 2023 third-round pick showed promise while starting in six games during his rookie season, which ended with a Week 18 ACL tear. Brown’s recovery timeline necessitated Gardner-Johnson’s arrival. His departure signals the Eagles’ faith in Brown. But it’d behoove them to acquire another option, likely in the draft. Among the three other safeties under contract, Tristin McCollum is the only one who has ever started in a game. — Brooks Kubena
Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers general manager Omar Khan said at the combine that “ideally” he hoped to have his quarterback in place before the start of free agency. But now here we sit, two weeks after the NFL’s negotiating window opened, and the Steelers still don’t know who their starting quarterback will be in 2025. Four-time NFL MVP and soon-to-be 42-year-old QB Aaron Rodgers continues to hold the franchise hostage. It’s reached the point that people in Pittsburgh are throwing their support behind Mason Rudolph as a possible starter in 2025. Eventually, the glaring hole at defensive tackle will become the No. 1 priority in the draft. But until a QB is in place, it’s hard to think about anything else. — Mike DeFabo
The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Aaron Rodgers for a visit last week, but continue to wait to see if the quarterback will join the team. (Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers lost three-fourths of their 2024 starting defensive line in free agency. An argument can be made that the team finally should find a bookend for Nick Bosa at defensive end. But the most glaring weakness is defensive tackle. As it stands now, Jordan Elliott and Kevin Givens are the top players there. The upcoming draft is deep at the position, and the 49ers should bring in both a quick, penetrating defensive tackle and big body who can occupy double teams and clog the opponent’s running game. – Matt Barrows
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle’s only addition to the offensive line in free agency was Josh Jones, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract to be a backup. The Seahawks are set at tackle with Charles Cross and Abe Lucas, but the interior of the offensive line isn’t very strong. General manager John Schneider has acknowledged that the front line is the team’s main deficiency, but he prefers to address it through the draft rather than throw big money at average players. Now he must hit on several players in the draft to fix the team’s most glaring weakness. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bringing back Lavonte David was significant, but the Bucs still have a need at inside linebacker. David played well last year, but he’s 35, so he might not play as well or be as healthy in the coming season. And even if he plays well again, a replacement is likely to be needed for 2026. Aside from David, the Bucs still are searching for another inside linebacker. The team remains hopeful about 2023 fifth-round pick SirVocea Dennis, but he has yet to start a game. Free-agent pickup Anthony Walker also could be a factor. The Bucs have a need at cornerback as well. Their primary need, however, is inside linebacker. — Dan Pompei
Tennessee Titans
The Titans did much to address their biggest weakness, offensive line — though the jury’s out on Dan Moore Jr. as a satisfactory answer at left tackle — and plugged a couple other holes on a roster full of them. That leaves receiver and edge as glaring areas of concern. Harold Landry has been cut. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has signed with the Dolphins. And those were problem spots with those guys. It would be very surprising if the Titans don’t address both positions in some way before the draft. Then, if Cam Ward at No. 1 is indeed the choice, pick No. 35 figures to be devoted to one of the two. This is a bad year to not have a third-round pick, which was traded to the Chiefs last year for L’Jarius Sneed. — Joe Rexrode
Washington Commanders
Splashy trades for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel addressed the offense’s primary needs. Moves on the defensive front have been more quantity over quality, particularly on the line. Enough to improve last season’s 30th ranked run defense or upgrade the pass rush? Maybe on the margins, but no DE with high-end potential exists. The remaining free-agent options are solid but trend older or risky. Trading for Trey Hendrickson might no longer be an option but it’s also a pricey one on multiple fronts if executed. The Commanders likely will draft help in the first two rounds. That means raising the group’s potential but what about Washington’s 2025 ceiling? — Ben Standig
(Top photos: Al Bello and Robin Alam / Getty Images)
