The 2026 NFL offseason is right here, and for all 32 groups, the clock is already ticking.
From blockbuster contract selections and franchise quarterback inquiries to roster overhauls and salary-cap crunches, each group faces a defining storyline that would form its season lengthy earlier than Week 1 kicks off.
Right here’s the most popular problem every staff should deal with (2025 file in parentheses):
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-9-1) | George Pickens’ contract | Cowboys proprietor and GM Jerry Jones promised followers he’s going to re-sign the star huge receiver in free company. Pickens had a breakout 2025 season with the third-most receiving yards (1,429) within the league and a career-high 9 landing catches, which implies the price of holding Pickens might be excessive.
NEW YORK GIANTS (4-13) | Getting Malik Nabers wholesome |
Nabers suffered a torn ACL in Week 4
that led to corrective surgical procedure that included repairing his MCL. The dynamic receiver has promised he’d be prepared when his physique permits. New head coach John Harbaugh should hope that is sooner somewhat than later, because the staff’s huge receiver room is skinny.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-6) | Coping with A.J. Brown | Head coach Nick Sirianni ended the 2025 season disregarding a heated argument on the sidelines together with his No. 1 huge receiver. It’s not the primary time Brown has been the middle of controversy, particularly in terms of his relationship with QB Jalen Hurts, and it in all probability received’t be the final. The staff should discover a approach to placate one among its high playmakers or resolve if a change of surroundings is finest for either side.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (5-12) | Getting Jayden Daniels extra weapons |
In a 2025 season during which every thing went flawed for the Commanders, it was clear that Washington would not have many offensive threats exterior of its younger QB. In 2024, the Commanders averaged the fifth-highest factors per sport (28.5); in 2025, they ranked twenty second in PPG (20.9). Their roster should get extra explosive and never rely a lot on Daniels. — Conor Killmurray
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-14) | Kyler Murray’s future |
The Cardinals solely had one win after their 2-0 begin and didn’t have the 2019 No. 1 decide for a lot of the season due to a number of accidents. With former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur taking on as head coach, the Cardinals have selections to make in the event that they select to maneuver on from Murray. They’ll commerce him or reduce him and take a $57.7M dead-cap hit — not excellent for one of many league’s bottom-dwellers.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (12-5) | Cornerback | The Rams led the NFL in scoring (30.5 PPG), and QB Matthew Stafford took residence his first MVP Award. Along with his return now confirmed, the Rams should give attention to upgrading their CB room — one which was a letdown in key moments in 2025. Jamel Dean (Buccaneers), Jaylen Watson (Chiefs) and Riq Woolen (Seahawks) might be excellent targets in free company. Plus, the staff has two first-round picks within the NFL Draft on April 23, placing the Rams in place to make wanted adjustments through the offseason.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
(12-5) | Depth at huge receiver | WR Brandon Aiyuk probably received’t be with the staff after he reportedly stopped exhibiting up on the facility, leaving the 49ers with a gap on the place. QB Brock Purdy wants extra downfield choices. Holding the No. 27 decide within the draft — and with accidents to key gamers plus free company looming — San Francisco’s focus must be squarely on huge receiver.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (14-3) | How can they preserve Tremendous Bowl-winning roster intact? | The 2025 title run was probably the most spectacular defensive performances in league historical past. To return to the Tremendous Bowl, Seattle should navigate the problem of holding its core intact via free company. The Seahawks have the items to make one other run, however with CB Riq Woolen, DB Coby Bryant, RB Kenneth Walker III and WR Rashid Shaheed amongst these set to hit the market, a busy offseason awaits. — Colby Colwell
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS (11-6) | A left deal with conundrum | Ozzy Trapilo was in line to take over as Chicago’s long-term left deal with after a robust rookie season, however a torn patellar tendon within the playoffs may power him to overlook most of 2026. The Bears probably do not wish to re-sign Braxton Jones or give the blindside keys to unproven Theo Benedet, however additionally they do not wish to overpay for a LT in free company when Trapilo may nonetheless return late within the season. This might be a troublesome choice for GM Ryan Poles.
DETROIT LIONS (9-8) | Overhauling the offensive line | The Lions want a whole reset alongside the offensive line after a season stuffed with accidents and poor play. Detroit is staring down the daunting activity of changing left deal with Taylor Decker and middle Graham Glasgow, and it must construct extra inside depth with the uncertainty surrounding proper guard Tate Ratledge. This offense solely features when the offensive line is controlling the road of scrimmage, and that wasn’t the case in 2025.
GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-7-1) | Disappointing strains, CBs | The Packers do not have a first-round decide within the 2026 NFL Draft (or 2027) due to the Micah Parsons commerce, which is able to damage their means to enhance disappointing place teams corresponding to offensive line, defensive position and cornerback. Inexperienced Bay nonetheless has one of many youngest rosters within the NFL, however it might want to hit free company onerous with a slim likelihood of including an instant-impact rookie.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-8) | Who’s the GM? | The Vikings are greater than $40M over the wage cap, the third-highest determine within the NFL behind the Chiefs and Saints. Eliminating veterans corresponding to operating again Aaron Jones, defensive deal with Javon Hargrave and tight finish T.J. Hockenson will give Minnesota extra flexibility this offseason, however it should discover a substitute for just lately fired GM Kwesi Odofo-Mensah first. — Jack Dougherty
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS (8-9) | QB depth |
Michael Penix Jr. is rehabbing from season-ending knee surgical procedure, and Kirk Cousins is anticipated to be launched earlier than the beginning of free company. The Falcons should deal with their depth on the place, and with few intriguing choices accessible, they’ll must get artistic.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-9) | Add viable WR2 |
Carolina hit one out of the park final offseason by choosing huge receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the 2025 Related Press Offensive Rookie of the Yr, at No. 8 general within the NFL Draft. That was an awesome begin, however extra is required for the Panthers to go from the league’s worst division champ to Tremendous Bowl contender.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-11) | Enhance offensive talent positions |
The Saints seem to have laid the inspiration for his or her subsequent contending period with a robust 2025 draft class, headlined by second-round QB Tyler Shough. New Orleans ought to make the most of the NFL’s most useful asset — a QB on a rookie deal — by elevating Shough’s supporting forged.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-9) | Get an elite edge-rusher |
The sting-rusher market has some jewels, and Tampa Bay can’t afford to return up empty at its largest place of want. Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) is the perfect accessible free-agent choice. The Bucs also needs to discover Raiders defensive finish Maxx Crosby’s availability after their edge defenders mixed for simply 13.5 sacks in 2025, fewer than 5 particular person defenders had all season. — Eric Smithling
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS (12-5) | Get Josh Allen receiving assist |
With a brand new head coach in Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard becoming a member of the fold, plenty of adjustments have already taken place. The first focus must be on enhancing the receiving corps. Contemplating the three tight ends — Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes — mixed for extra TDs (12) than the WR group (11), enchancment clearly is required.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-10) | Tua Tagovailoa’s future | All indicators are pointing to the Dolphins shifting on from Tagovailoa, the No. 5 general decide from 2020, who’s in the midst of a four-year, $212.4M extension. It isn’t excellent for the group, and with Jeff Hafley assuming the head-coaching duties, ushering in a brand new regime, Tagovailoa’s in all probability a goner.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-3) | Defending Drake Maye |
The second-year QB wasn’t at his finest within the Tremendous Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks, however he had little time to function. Rookie deal with Will Campbell’s struggles had quite a bit to do with that. With deal with Morgan Moses going into his age-35 season, the Patriots want extra depth on the OL to make sure Maye has the safety he wants.
NEW YORK JETS (3-14) | Fixing disastrous protection | QB may simply make this checklist as properly, however contemplating how traditionally unhealthy the Jets had been defensively in 2025, the “D” have to be the precedence. Not solely did the Jets turn into the primary staff in league historical past with out an interception in a full season in 2025, however additionally they had the second-worst scoring protection (29.6 PPG). A turnaround appears far off, however it ought to begin with enhancing the protection. — Colby Colwell
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS (14-3) | How one can higher defend QB Bo Nix | Nix — who ranked fifth amongst QBs in speeding makes an attempt (83 in 17 regular-season begins) in 2025, via Sports Info Solutions — ought to run much less after struggling a damaged proper ankle in a 33-30 divisional-round win over the Payments. The Broncos ought to goal an RB in free company to scale back his workload within the run sport, maybe Breece Corridor (Jets) or Rico Dowdle (Panthers). Corridor ranked fifteenth within the league in speeding yards (1,065) in 2025, whereas Dowdle ranked 14th (1,076).
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-11) | TE Travis Kelce’s future | Kelce, who will flip 37 on Oct. 5, hasn’t determined whether or not he’ll retire, however the Chiefs reportedly need him again if he wants to play. However, if the TE asks for a mega-deal, K.C. should let him walk in free agency. He averaged 50.1 receiving yards per game (851 yards in 17 games) in 2025, his lowest mark since his rookie season in 2013.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (3-14) | How one can repair RB Ashton Jeanty |
2025 decide No. 6 Jeanty fell wanting expectations in his rookie season, averaging a below-average 3.7 yards per carry (975 yards in 17 video games). New head coach Klint Kubiak’s observe file with RBs ought to give the Raiders hope. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III thrived beneath the previous Seattle OC, profitable Tremendous Bowl LX MVP.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-6) | How one can optimize QB Justin Herbert | When the Chargers employed new HC Jim Harbaugh earlier than the 2024 season, they thought Herbert would attain the subsequent stage, however his numbers have dipped. He averaged 232.9 passing yards per sport in 2025 (3,727 yards in 16 regular-season begins), the second-lowest mark of his six-year profession. L.A. is banking on new OC Mike McDaniel, a former Dolphins HC, serving to the QB re-enter the MVP dialog. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-9) | Move rush | If the Ravens are to return to being an elite contender, they have to be higher on protection. Their go rush was not wherever near ok in 2025. The largest pink flag ought to have been their Week 18 loss in Pittsburgh, once they let a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers prepare dinner them with their season on the road.
CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-11) | Joe Burrow’s mindset | The Bengals have a present in Burrow, top-of-the-line QBs and pure passers within the NFL. So far, nonetheless, they’ve just about wasted his profession. The Bengals already chased one No. 1 general decide franchise QB away with dropping and incompetence (Carson Palmer), and so they can not permit it to occur once more. KEEP BURROW HAPPY.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-12) | QB | The Browns have plenty of unhealthy choices at an important place. Are Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders actually starter high quality? Plus, Deshaun Watson continues to be hanging round together with his ridiculous contract. Nothing else is extra necessary than for this staff to get good QB play.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-7) | Their mindset | QB has been a problem right here for the previous 5 – 6 seasons, and it’s nonetheless one thing they need to repair. However what they do with that spot goes to dictate quite a bit about the place their heads are as a franchise and what their expectations are. If they bring about again Aaron Rodgers, that screams of a staff content material to barely sneak by, win 9 or 10 video games, lose within the first playoff sport and name {that a} good season. That is not ok. — Adam Gretz
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS (12-5) | Develop a real No. 2 WR | Nico Collins had his third straight 1,000-yard season in 2025 and is among the finest wideouts within the NFL, however the drop-off after him is much too steep in Houston. TE Dalton Schultz was second on the Texans in 2025 with 775 receiving yards. The Texans drafted two WRs inside the first three rounds final yr in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, and so they want one to grab management of the No. 2 function heading into 2026.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-9) | Work out QB | Daniel Jones was enjoying at a Professional Bowl stage earlier than struggling a torn Achilles in Week 14, and he now faces an extended street to restoration whereas headed free of charge company. 2023 No. 4 general decide Anthony Richardson Sr. has been a disappointment via his first three NFL seasons (11 TD passes and 13 interceptions). Jones may nonetheless be the reply in Indy if his rehab goes properly, however the Colts are as soon as once more coping with main uncertainty at an important place.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (13-4) | Outline Travis Hunter’s function |
The Jaguars had Hunter play each methods as a rookie, however the former Heisman Trophy winner suffered a season-ending knee harm in apply main as much as Week 9. Enjoying each WR and CB within the NFL appears too tall a activity. Jaguars HC Liam Coen should resolve the place he believes Hunter could make the largest affect, and keep on with that.
TENNESSEE TITANS (3-14) | How one can spend their cash | The Titans have nearly $100M in salary-cap space headed into the offseason — greater than some other staff. They desperately must encompass QB Cam Ward with playmakers, and so they manage to pay for to make a number of huge splashes in free company. Tennessee’s entrance workplace should spend properly to place new HC Robert Saleh for achievement. — Steve DelVecchio
