The 2026 NFL offseason is here, and for all 32 teams, the clock is already ticking.
From blockbuster contract decisions and franchise quarterback questions to roster overhauls and salary-cap crunches, every organization faces a defining storyline that could shape its season long before Week 1 kicks off.
Here’s the hottest issue each team must address (2025 record in parentheses):
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-9-1) | George Pickens’ contract | Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones promised fans he’s going to re-sign the star wide receiver in free agency. Pickens had a breakout 2025 season with the third-most receiving yards (1,429) in the league and a career-high nine touchdown catches, which means the cost of keeping Pickens will be high.
NEW YORK GIANTS (4-13) | Getting Malik Nabers healthy |
Nabers suffered a torn ACL in Week 4
that led to corrective surgery that included repairing his MCL. The dynamic receiver has promised he’d be ready when his body allows. New head coach John Harbaugh must hope that’s sooner rather than later, as the team’s wide receiver room is thin.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-6) | Dealing with A.J. Brown | Head coach Nick Sirianni ended the 2025 season brushing off a heated argument on the sidelines with his No. 1 wide receiver. It’s not the first time Brown has been the center of controversy, especially when it comes to his relationship with QB Jalen Hurts, and it probably won’t be the last. The team must find a way to placate one of its top playmakers or decide if a change of scenery is best for both sides.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (5-12) | Getting Jayden Daniels more weapons |
In a 2025 season in which everything went wrong for the Commanders, it was clear that Washington doesn’t have many offensive threats outside of its young QB. In 2024, the Commanders averaged the fifth-highest points per game (28.5); in 2025, they ranked 22nd in PPG (20.9). Their roster must get more explosive and not rely so much on Daniels. — Conor Killmurray
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-14) | Kyler Murray’s future |
The Cardinals only had one win after their 2-0 start and did not have the 2019 No. 1 pick for most of the season because of multiple injuries. With former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur taking over as head coach, the Cardinals have decisions to make if they choose to move on from Murray. They can trade him or cut him and take a $57.7M dead-cap hit — not ideal for one of the 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 home his first MVP Award. With his return now confirmed, the Rams must focus on upgrading their CB room — one that was a letdown in key moments in 2025. Jamel Dean (Buccaneers), Jaylen Watson (Chiefs) and Riq Woolen (Seahawks) could be ideal targets in free agency. Plus, the team has two first-round picks in the NFL Draft on April 23, putting the Rams in position to make needed changes during the offseason.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
(12-5) | Depth at wide receiver | WR Brandon Aiyuk likely won’t be with the team after he reportedly stopped showing up at the facility, leaving the 49ers with a hole at the position. QB Brock Purdy needs more downfield options. Holding the No. 27 pick in the draft — and with injuries to key players plus free agency looming — San Francisco’s focus should be squarely on wide receiver.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (14-3) | How can they keep Super Bowl-winning roster intact? | The 2025 title run was one of the most impressive defensive performances in league history. To return to the Super Bowl, Seattle must navigate the challenge of keeping its core intact through free agency. The Seahawks have the pieces to make another run, but with CB Riq Woolen, DB Coby Bryant, RB Kenneth Walker III and WR Rashid Shaheed among those set to hit the market, a busy offseason awaits. — Colby Colwell
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS (11-6) | A left tackle conundrum | Ozzy Trapilo was in line to take over as Chicago’s long-term left tackle after a strong rookie season, but a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs could force him to miss most of 2026. The Bears likely don’t want to re-sign Braxton Jones or give the blindside keys to unproven Theo Benedet, but they also don’t want to overpay for a LT in free agency when Trapilo could still return late in the season. This will be a difficult decision for GM Ryan Poles.
DETROIT LIONS (9-8) | Overhauling the offensive line | The Lions need a complete reset along the offensive line after a season filled with injuries and poor play. Detroit is staring down the daunting task of replacing left tackle Taylor Decker and center Graham Glasgow, and it needs to build more interior depth with the uncertainty surrounding right guard Tate Ratledge. This offense only functions when the offensive line is controlling the line of scrimmage, and that wasn’t the case in 2025.
GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-7-1) | Disappointing lines, CBs | The Packers don’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (or 2027) because of the Micah Parsons trade, which will hurt their ability to improve disappointing position groups such as offensive line, defensive line and cornerback. Green Bay still has one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, but it will need to hit free agency hard with a slim chance of adding an instant-impact rookie.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-8) | Who’s the GM? | The Vikings are more than $40M over the salary cap, the third-highest figure in the NFL behind the Chiefs and Saints. Getting rid of veterans such as running back Aaron Jones, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and tight end T.J. Hockenson will give Minnesota more flexibility this offseason, but it must find a replacement for recently 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 surgery, and Kirk Cousins is expected to be released before the start of free agency. The Falcons must address their depth at the position, and with few intriguing options available, they’ll need to get creative.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-9) | Add viable WR2 |
Carolina hit one out of the park last offseason by selecting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the 2025 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, at No. 8 overall in the NFL Draft. That was a great start, but more is needed for the Panthers to go from the league’s worst division champ to Super Bowl contender.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-11) | Improve offensive skill positions |
The Saints appear to have laid the foundation for their next contending era with a strong 2025 draft class, headlined by second-round QB Tyler Shough. New Orleans should take advantage of the NFL’s most valuable asset — a QB on a rookie deal — by elevating Shough’s supporting cast.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-9) | Get an elite edge-rusher |
The edge-rusher market has some jewels, and Tampa Bay can’t afford to come up empty at its biggest position of need. Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) is the best available free-agent option. The Bucs should also explore Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby’s availability after their edge defenders combined for just 13.5 sacks in 2025, fewer than five individual defenders had all season. — Eric Smithling
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS (12-5) | Get Josh Allen receiving help |
With a new head coach in Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard joining the fold, a lot of changes have already taken place. The primary focus should be on improving the receiving corps. Considering the three tight ends — Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes — combined for more TDs (12) than the WR group (11), improvement clearly is needed.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-10) | Tua Tagovailoa’s future | All signs are pointing to the Dolphins moving on from Tagovailoa, the No. 5 overall pick from 2020, who’s in the middle of a four-year, $212.4M extension. It’s not ideal for the organization, and with Jeff Hafley assuming the head-coaching duties, ushering in a new regime, Tagovailoa’s probably a goner.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-3) | Protecting Drake Maye |
The second-year QB wasn’t at his best in the Super Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks, but he had little time to operate. Rookie tackle Will Campbell’s struggles had a lot to do with that. With tackle Morgan Moses going into his age-35 season, the Patriots need more depth on the OL to ensure Maye has the protection he needs.
NEW YORK JETS (3-14) | Fixing disastrous defense | QB could easily make this list as well, but considering how historically bad the Jets were defensively in 2025, the “D” must be the priority. Not only did the Jets become the first team in league history without an interception in a full season in 2025, but they also had the second-worst scoring defense (29.6 PPG). A turnaround seems far off, but it should start with improving the defense. — Colby Colwell
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS (14-3) | How to better protect QB Bo Nix | Nix — who ranked fifth among QBs in rushing attempts (83 in 17 regular-season starts) in 2025, via Sports Info Solutions — should run less after suffering a broken right ankle in a 33-30 divisional-round win over the Bills. The Broncos should target an RB in free agency to reduce his workload in the run game, perhaps Breece Hall (Jets) or Rico Dowdle (Panthers). Hall ranked 15th in the league in rushing yards (1,065) in 2025, while Dowdle ranked 14th (1,076).
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-11) | TE Travis Kelce’s future | Kelce, who will turn 37 on Oct. 5, hasn’t decided whether he’ll retire, but the Chiefs reportedly want him back 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 to fix RB Ashton Jeanty |
2025 pick No. 6 Jeanty fell short of expectations in his rookie season, averaging a below-average 3.7 yards per carry (975 yards in 17 games). New head coach Klint Kubiak’s track record with RBs should give the Raiders hope. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III thrived under the former Seattle OC, winning Super Bowl LX MVP.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-6) | How to optimize QB Justin Herbert | When the Chargers hired new HC Jim Harbaugh before the 2024 season, they thought Herbert would reach the next level, but his numbers have dipped. He averaged 232.9 passing yards per game in 2025 (3,727 yards in 16 regular-season starts), the second-lowest mark of his six-year career. L.A. is banking on new OC Mike McDaniel, a former Dolphins HC, helping the QB re-enter the MVP conversation. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-9) | Pass rush | If the Ravens are to return to being an elite contender, they must be better on defense. Their pass rush was not anywhere close to good enough in 2025. The biggest red flag should have been their Week 18 loss in Pittsburgh, when they let a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers cook them with their season on the line.
CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-11) | Joe Burrow’s mindset | The Bengals have a gift in Burrow, one of the best QBs and pure passers in the NFL. To this point, however, they have pretty much wasted his career. The Bengals already chased one No. 1 overall pick franchise QB away with losing and incompetence (Carson Palmer), and they cannot allow it to happen again. KEEP BURROW HAPPY.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-12) | QB | The Browns have a lot of bad options at the most important position. Are Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders really starter quality? Plus, Deshaun Watson is still hanging around with his ridiculous contract. Nothing else is more important than for this team to get good QB play.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-7) | Their mindset | QB has been an issue here for the past five or six seasons, and it is still something they must fix. But what they do with that spot is going to dictate a lot about where their heads are as a franchise and what their expectations are. If they bring back Aaron Rodgers, that screams of a team content to barely sneak by, win nine or 10 games, lose in the first playoff game and call that a good season. That’s not good enough. — Adam Gretz
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS (12-5) | Develop a true No. 2 WR | Nico Collins had his third straight 1,000-yard season in 2025 and is one of the best wideouts in the NFL, but the drop-off after him is far too steep in Houston. TE Dalton Schultz was second on the Texans in 2025 with 775 receiving yards. The Texans drafted two WRs within the first three rounds last year in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, and they need one to seize control of the No. 2 role heading into 2026.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-9) | Figure out QB | Daniel Jones was playing at a Pro Bowl level before suffering a torn Achilles in Week 14, and he now faces a long road to recovery while headed for free agency. 2023 No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson Sr. has been a disappointment through his first three NFL seasons (11 TD passes and 13 interceptions). Jones could still be the answer in Indy if his rehab goes well, but the Colts are once again dealing with major uncertainty at the most important position.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (13-4) | Define Travis Hunter’s role |
The Jaguars had Hunter play both ways as a rookie, but the former Heisman Trophy winner suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice leading up to Week 9. Playing both WR and CB in the NFL seems too tall a task. Jaguars HC Liam Coen must decide where he believes Hunter can make the biggest impact, and stick with that.
TENNESSEE TITANS (3-14) | How to spend their money | The Titans have nearly $100M in salary-cap space headed into the offseason — more than any other team. They desperately need to surround QB Cam Ward with playmakers, and they have enough money to make multiple big splashes in free agency. Tennessee’s front office must spend wisely to position new HC Robert Saleh for success. — Steve DelVecchio
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