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Dan Graziano
No, the NFL offseason will not be over fairly but. There are nonetheless 4 months till the 2025 common season opens. There are nonetheless a couple of big-name free brokers kicking round. And there are nonetheless trades to be made.
However the principle player-acquisition parts of the offseason have come and gone. Free company and the draft are the place many of the large strikes occur, and as soon as they’re over, followers begin to get a little bit bit jittery in regards to the roster questions their groups have not but resolved.
So we’re wanting nearer at 10 of these still-unanswered questions. That is for the groups whose fan bases could be pondering alongside the strains of, “Yeah, these strikes have been cool, however what are we doing about _____?” Right here, we try to reply your questions on what your group did not do that offseason — and why.
Leap to:
ATL | BUF | CHI | CIN | DAL
DET | HOU | LAR | MIA | PIT
Why did not the Falcons transfer on from Kirk Cousins?
With Atlanta set to start out Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback this season, Cousins absolutely would have loved the chance to turn out to be a free agent and discover a group that provided him an opportunity to start out. However the Falcons didn’t launch Cousins forward of free company, even permitting a $10 million 2026 roster bonus in his contract to turn out to be assured when he was nonetheless on their roster 5 days into the brand new league yr. Additionally they didn’t commerce him earlier than or throughout the draft.
Cousins is scheduled to earn $27.5 million in absolutely assured wage this season as Penix’s backup. And any group that acquires him must pay him that cash, plus the $10 million roster bonus subsequent spring.
So why did not the Falcons lower bait right here? Stubbornness doubtless had one thing to do with it. They signed Cousins for $100 million in assured cash 14 months in the past, and group possession wasn’t thrilled in regards to the concept of releasing him after doling out all that cash for 14 not-so-great video games in 2024. And when it got here time to speak commerce, the Falcons have been asking groups to pay a good portion of that remaining $37.5 million in assured cash. That meant these groups weren’t providing the Falcons a return that Atlanta deemed worthwhile.
At this level, the Falcons keep that they are comfy with Cousins as a $27.5 million backup. Certain, his wage cap quantity is $40 million, however Penix’s is barely $5.2 million. If you happen to add these two figures collectively, it is not a ridiculous quantity to allocate to crucial place. Cousins may nonetheless find yourself traded earlier than the season. If Aaron Rodgers decides he does not need to play for the Steelers, Pittsburgh may get . If one other group’s starter will get damage in minicamp or coaching camp, a recent market may emerge.
However given the way in which the offseason has gone, it is most likely time we took the Falcons at their phrase after they say they’re wonderful protecting Cousins because the backup in 2025.
Why did not the Cowboys do extra at operating again?
Solely 5 groups rushed for fewer yards in 2024 than Dallas (1,705), and the group’s six dashing touchdowns ranked final within the league. The retirement of longtime inside offensive line standout Zack Martin is not doubtless to assist the Cowboys enhance their dashing assault. Additionally they let final season’s main rusher, Rico Dowdle, depart in free company after they absolutely may have topped the one-year, $2.75 million deal he bought from Carolina.
Dallas did signal a few reclamation initiatives in free company in former Eagles/Panthers again Miles Sanders and former Broncos again Javonte Williams. Then it drafted Texas’ Jaydon Blue within the fifth spherical and Clemson’s Phil Mafah within the seventh. So you may’t say the Cowboys did nothing on the place.
The reply to the query actually has to do with Dallas’ present place on operating again worth relative to different positions on the roster. The Cowboys are paying Dak Prescott greater than every other quarterback within the NFL. CeeDee Lamb makes greater than all however two different broad receivers. And Dallas might be about to pay edge rusher Micah Parsons greater than every other defensive participant. The entrance workplace has to search out methods to chop wage cap prices.
Over the previous couple of years, the Cowboys have made it clear that they intend to search out bargains at operating again. Dowdle’s journey from the center of the depth chart to a 1,079-yard dashing season in 2024 helps their concept that they’ll discover manufacturing at RB with out spending large. Williams bought one yr and $3 million, whereas Sanders bought one yr and $1.34 million. Sanders was a Professional Bowler who rushed for 1,269 yards with the Eagles in 2022, whereas Williams was an explosive tackle-breaker earlier than tearing an ACL in October of that 2022 season. Williams can be nonetheless solely 25 years outdated.
1:46
Why Stephen A. nonetheless is not feeling good about Cowboys’ possibilities in NFC East
Stephen A. Smith explains why the George Pickens commerce does not transfer the Cowboys up within the NFC East.
Particularly for the costs they paid, the Cowboys consider these are precisely the sorts of possibilities they need to be taking on the place, and that one among Williams, Sanders, Blue and Mafah will emerge the way in which Dowdle did final season. So I would not essentially get my hopes up about the potential for Dallas signing Nick Chubb or J.Okay. Dobbins. By no means say by no means, however in speaking to sources accustomed to this case, I do not get the sense that the Cowboys are determined so as to add to their RB group.
As with a variety of these, it is necessary to notice that they nonetheless would possibly do one thing. The Bengals have labored on discovering widespread floor with final season’s NFL sack chief (17.5) on a contract extension this offseason. However not like broad receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who bought large extensions in March, Hendrickson continues to be ready on a deal.
Bengals govt vice chairman Katie Blackburn informed reporters on the house owners conferences in March that Hendrickson “needs to be completely happy at sure charges that possibly he does not suppose he’d be completely happy at,” which definitely signifies that the group and the participant nonetheless do not see eye to eye on his worth. Hendrickson referred to as the feedback “a little bit disappointing.” He took his frustrations public once more this week, telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter there was no communication from the group on this since earlier than the draft.
Traditionally, the Bengals have refused to place future-year ensures in veteran contracts. Paradoxically, that is the principle cause Hendrickson grew to become a Bengal within the first place. Throughout free company in 2021, Cincinnati tried bringing again edge rusher Carl Lawson, however he left for the Jets as a result of they assured second-year cash. Cincinnati as an alternative signed Hendrickson as a result of he was OK with its contract construction.
The Bengals’ long-held rule was to ensure no cash exterior of the primary yr — particularly, the signing bonus. They broke this rule for quarterback Joe Burrow a few years in the past and broke it once more this yr for Chase and Higgins. I do not know for a incontrovertible fact that future-year ensures are the holdup in Hendrickson’s deal, however it’s a good assumption to make based mostly on what I’ve heard from sources.
And if you happen to’re questioning why it could be a holdup for Hendrickson when it wasn’t for Burrow, Chase and Higgins, the reply is age. Burrow, Chase and Higgins have been all 26 years outdated on the time of their contract extensions. Hendrickson is 30. For a group that completely hates to ensure cash in future years, it is quite a bit simpler to diverge from these ideas if mentioned years are the participant’s age-27 and -28 seasons, quite than his age-31 and -32 years.
There’s nonetheless a good likelihood Hendrickson finally ends up on the Bengals’ 2025 roster. Nevertheless it has been ugly getting there to date, and it seems there is a respectable likelihood this might finish in a coaching camp holdout. He mentioned Tuesday that he will not play for the Bengals this season underneath his present contract, so one thing has to provide.
1:10
Graziano: Bengals consider they’ve made truthful provides to Trey Hendrickson
Dan Graziano experiences the most recent on the contract saga between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals.
Why did not the Steelers take quarterback extra critically?
The Steelers let the 2 quarterbacks who began video games for them final season — Russell Wilson and Justin Fields — depart as free brokers for not-outrageous cash. They introduced again Mason Rudolph, who began 13 video games for them throughout 5 seasons from 2019 to ’23. Additionally they signed former Dolphins backup Skylar Thompson and drafted Ohio State’s Will Howard within the sixth spherical.
GM Omar Khan has made it clear the Steelers intend to go to camp with their typical 4 quarterbacks, which implies one spot is open. The Steelers have had discussions with Aaron Rodgers, however as of now, they’re nonetheless ready for him to determine whether or not the 41-year-old needs to play in any respect, not to mention for them. The funding Pittsburgh made in broad receiver DK Metcalf — buying and selling a second-round decide to the Seahawks after which signing him to a four-year, $132 million contract extension — has justifiably led many to marvel why the Steelers did not assault the QB place tougher in free company or the draft.
However in speaking to sources about this case, I do not get the sense the Steelers are as involved about their quarterback room as everybody else. Initially, they continue to be optimistic that Rodgers will signal and be their starter, and that he’ll play higher than he did final season for the Jets now that he is one yr additional faraway from his 2023 Achilles harm. Second of all, they like Rudolph and have recent recollections of him saving their 2023 season and main them to the playoffs when 2022 first-round decide Kenny Pickett struggled.
Going into the draft, the Steelers believed they wanted to search out their long-term reply at quarterback in one of many subsequent two drafts — not essentially on this one. And like many different groups, they consider the 2026 class could have extra to supply on the place than 2025 did. So that they did not need to pressure an early-round decide and discover themselves in an analogous place to the one the Pickett decide put them in.
It is an attention-grabbing technique in a league wherein groups are likely to fall throughout themselves to overspend and over-insure on the place (hi there, Falcons!). But when the Steelers consider of their protection and their run recreation, they do not suppose they want celebrity manufacturing out of the quarterback place to have success in 2025. Higher to attend and get the proper man than to panic and find yourself with the mistaken one.
Why did not the Payments add a star broad receiver?
Buffalo has had, within the estimation of most individuals I speak to across the league, a wonderful offseason. It targeting getting a number of of its core gamers — corresponding to Khalil Shakir, Terrel Bernard, Christian Benford and Greg Rousseau — signed to long-term extensions. It added veterans Joey Bosa and Larry Ogunjobi to complement the defensive entrance. It used its first-round decide on speedy Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston and spent the subsequent three rounds stacking defensive linemen. The Payments are a five-time defending AFC East champion coming off a 13-win season and an AFC Championship Recreation look, so it is onerous to argue that they wanted to do very a lot.
But after buying and selling away Stefon Diggs final offseason and getting little or no from deadline acquisition Amari Cooper within the second half of 2024, the Payments’ refusal to play large within the broad receiver market continues to confound followers who desire a big-time playmaker for quarterback Josh Allen. Free agent signings corresponding to Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore and Laviska Shenault Jr. provide veteran stability and upside — however none has star energy in a league wherein big-play passing is carrying the day.
There are a number of groups across the NFL, although, that suppose the receiver market has grown an excessive amount of — upward of $30 million per yr for the highest guys — and do not need to observe it there. The Payments, as final offseason’s Diggs commerce signifies, are a kind of groups. The variety of gifted receivers who enter the draft yearly means groups can now discover good manufacturing on low cost rookie offers.
The Payments would level out that they used the thirty third decide of final yr’s draft on Keon Coleman, a participant they anticipate to make a second-year soar in 2025. Shakir, in the meantime, caught 76 passes for 821 yards and 4 touchdowns final season and simply turned 25. Additionally they anticipate to get extra out of 2023 first-round tight finish Dalton Kincaid, and so they prefer to throw to their operating backs. Buffalo completed second within the NFL in factors per recreation final season (30.9) and not using a star wideout, and as GM Brandon Beane identified in a postdraft radio look, that ought to provide followers some consolation and confidence that the group is aware of what it is doing.
Why did not the Lions usher in a big-time edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson?
Certainly one of final season’s greatest groups in some way managed solely 37 sacks (tied for twenty third). Worse, 20% of the Lions’ sacks got here from Hutchinson (7.5), who bought injured within the fifth recreation and did not play once more. There is a pretty common recognition that, even as soon as he is wholesome from a damaged leg, Hutchinson goes to want some assist if the Lions need to area a cross rush befitting a 15-2 group with Tremendous Bowl aspirations.
They nonetheless have Marcus Davenport — who tore a triceps muscle in Week 3 and missed the remainder of the season — reverse Hutchinson, however they largely sat out the place in free company. And with gamers corresponding to Nic Scourton and Donovan Ezeiruaku nonetheless on the board at No. 28, the Lions chosen defensive sort out Tyleik Williams with their first-round decide within the draft. Their lone edge rusher decide got here in Spherical 6 with Ahmed Hassanein.
With Hutchinson and plenty of different Lions stars due for contract extensions quickly, Lions GM Brad Holmes has identified that large free company spending at premium positions are going to be robust for Detroit. The free agent edge rusher market additionally wasn’t nice. The largest contracts went to the likes of Josh Sweat, Chase Younger and Harold Landry III. The one-year prove-it offers went to gamers corresponding to Haason Reddick, Joey Bosa and Leonard Floyd. May (or ought to) the Lions have tried to outbid groups for these defenders? Maybe. However once more, they’ve to consider utilizing their cap {dollars} to maintain their glorious core collectively over the subsequent couple of offseasons.
Holmes additionally mentioned the group tried to commerce up within the first spherical for an edge rusher however was unable to make it occur. And when it got here time for the Lions to select, they opted for the most effective participant on their board — as they at all times do after they do not commerce. If a group’s greatest present downside is making an attempt to determine the best way to pay all the glorious gamers it has drafted over the previous 4 or 5 years, it most likely deserves the good thing about the doubt in relation to the draft.
Why did not the Rams attempt to tackle their future at quarterback?
This offseason started with the actual chance of the Rams dropping quarterback Matthew Stafford over a contract dispute. Stafford ultimately determined to keep in L.A., however he is 37 years outdated, and his standing seems to be year-to-year. The Rams introduced again Jimmy Garoppolo as his veteran backup, and so they nonetheless have 2023 fourth-round decide Stetson Bennett. However in a scenario the place they might want a Stafford alternative as early as 2026, they do appear to be working and not using a web at crucial place.
So, why not draft one? Nicely, I discussed this with the Steelers earlier, however groups did not suppose very extremely of this yr’s crop of draft quarterbacks. Forcing a decide on a quarterback of the long run whom you do not really feel nice about is not the most effective path for a defending division champion that sees itself as a Tremendous Bowl contender.
And bear in mind, the Rams got here away with an additional 2026 first-round decide because of their draft night time commerce with the Falcons. So, if subsequent yr’s group of draft quarterbacks is, as most groups appear to anticipate, higher and deeper than this yr’s, the Rams have the sources they may must maneuver within the early rounds and tackle this case in 2026.
Why did not the Bears add a big-name operating again?
When Chicago employed former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as its new coach, many individuals started fantasizing about him replicating Detroit’s run recreation together with his new group. The Lions have crushed opponents in latest seasons with a one-two operating again punch of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. And after the Bears beefed up the inside of their offensive line in free company, mock drafts bent over backward to discover a approach to get Boise State operating again Ashton Jeanty to Chicago to type an analogous thunder-and-lightning duo with D’Andre Swift.
Selecting at No. 10, the Bears could not get Jeanty; he went to the Raiders at No. 6. When the time got here for the Bears to select, they chose a special offensive talent participant in Michigan tight finish Colston Loveland. Actually, they did not decide a operating again till the seventh spherical (Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai), nor did they add to their operating again room in free company. At this level, the Bears seem like operating it again with Swift, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer and a seventh-round rookie — even after Chicago’s 4.0 yards per carry tied for third worst within the NFL final season.
Final yr’s free agent operating again class was distinctive, with the likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs headlining it. Groups acted on that by signing backs to contracts bigger than they’d been getting in recent times. It was a worth proposition. The offers nonetheless weren’t huge in comparison with different positions, and the expertise stage dictated that it was price stretching a bit to get one among these guys. The Bears joined in, signing Swift to a three-year, $24.5 million deal that also consists of $7.39 million in assured wage this season.
Nevertheless, the 2025 free agent RB class was not on the identical stage. Solely Ty Johnson (Buffalo) and Samaje Perine (Cincinnati) bought two-year offers; everybody else bought a one-year contract. The largest deal was the one-year, $5.25 million deal that Najee Harris signed with the Chargers. Within the Bears’ estimation, free company did not provide them the possibility to construct out a deadly Montgomery/Gibbs-style pairing, and after Jeanty, neither did the primary spherical of the draft.
2:00
Why Marcus Spears likes Bears’ rebuild
Marcus Spears and Jason McCourty reward the Bears’ offseason and state that it is time for Caleb Williams to step as much as the plate.
There’s additionally a couple of approach to construct a reliably explosive Ben Johnson offense, and the early-round additions of Loveland and Missouri broad receiver Luther Burden III to an already robust group of Bears cross catchers provide loads of cause to get enthusiastic about Caleb Williams‘ choices within the cross recreation. The offensive line adjustments ought to profit Swift, too. There are nonetheless some attention-grabbing operating backs sitting on the market on the free agent market, however with just one soccer to go round, it appears like Bears followers possibly should not be getting grasping.
Why did not the Dolphins do extra to deal with the cornerback place?
Jalen Ramsey is technically nonetheless on the roster, however Miami has been open and public about its efforts to discover a commerce companion for him. It doesn’t seem he is within the Dolphins’ plans for 2025. That leaves Kader Kohou as their solely remaining starter from 2024 on the place. Exterior of well-traveled veteran Artie Burns, they did not actually tackle it in free company till they signed Kendall Sheffield off a tryout a couple of days in the past. Florida’s Jason Marshall Jr. was the group’s solely addition at cornerback within the draft — within the fifth spherical.
So in a league that mainly requires three beginning cornerbacks, the Dolphins presently have one surefire starter and a bunch of query marks.
The Dolphins went into the draft figuring out this was a necessity, however their decision-makers believed this was an particularly deep group of corners and that they might discover a gem or two in the event that they waited till the later rounds. Miami likes Marshall quite a bit and believes it may need gotten good worth the place it drafted him as a result of harm points that restricted him in his last school season. The Dolphins are additionally anticipating 2023 second-round decide Cam Smith to take a leap ahead this offseason. Smith has been a disappointment for the reason that Dolphins took him 51st two years in the past, and GM Chris Grier has cited him publicly this offseason as a participant they anticipate to rely on.
Miami is one other one among these groups that is closely leveraged financially at positions like quarterback and broad receiver. Subsequently, it wants to search out some lower-cost options at different positions. Cornerback is essentially the most evident of these. However the Dolphins hope that their present roster provides some avenues for locating high-level manufacturing at low-level price.
What did not the Texans extend enhancements to the offensive line?
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 occasions within the 2024 common season — greater than each different quarterback within the league besides Caleb Williams. He took three extra sacks in a first-round playoff victory over the Chargers and eight — sure, eight — extra in a second-round playoff loss to the Chiefs.
Figuring out they desperately wanted to enhance their cross safety, the Texans kicked off their offseason by buying and selling away Professional Bowl left sort out Laremy Tunsil to Washington. They made a number of veteran additions, together with guards Laken Tomlinson and Ed Ingram and tackles Cam Robinson and Trent Brown, and so they drafted Minnesota sort out Aireontae Ersery within the second spherical. It stunned a variety of followers that the Texans did not do extra within the draft to deal with the O-line, notably within the first spherical. Sources say Houston tried a few occasions to commerce up for an offensive lineman however couldn’t make it work.
Total, the Texans made a variety of adjustments on offense, together with parting methods with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and offensive line coach Chris Strausser. They felt issues have been going badly sufficient with the road that any adjustments they made could be justified, together with the shocking choice to maneuver on from Tunsil. However in addition they consider they’ve some potential solutions to the questions that linger from final season and the offseason.
Houston may transfer Tytus Howard from left guard to left sort out and play 2024 second-round decide Blake Fisher at proper sort out. It is doable Ersery exhibits sufficient in camp to earn one of many two beginning sort out spots, as effectively. And the Texans anticipate Tomlinson to have the ability to play left guard and Juice Scruggs to battle Ingram for the suitable guard spot. The hope is to create as a lot competitors as doable alongside the road in order that the most effective mixture of 5 emerges and the ambiance across the group is extra conducive to success than final yr. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley can even put his stamp on the unit as he installs his new offense.
So, whereas followers could be disillusioned that the Texans did not take an offensive lineman within the first spherical to switch Tunsil, they do appear to have a plan — and so they determine the road cannot get a lot worse than it already was.
