Post-NFL Draft 2025 outlook for all 32 teams heading into the summer

New York Times

12-05-2025

Free agency is in the distant past, the NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror and, barring any major swerves, many fans are piecing team depth charts together with irrational confidence while anxiously waiting for Wednesday's schedule release.
It's summer in the NFL.
That means it's a good time to check in with The Athletic's NFL beat writers. How has your favorite team's post-draft 2025 outlook changed? Has it improved? Is it worse? Is there still work to do? Our reporters break down all 32 teams below.
The Cardinals have had a great offseason. They made strong moves during free agency, adding Josh Sweat, along with veteran defensive tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell. Then, GM Monti Ossenfort went out and aced the draft. Or at least that's how it looks. First-round pick Walter Nolen has concerns, but he looks more 'boom' than 'bust.' Second-round pick Will Johnson could end up the steal of the draft. The Cardinals defense should be among the NFC's most improved. And that means one thing in the desert — playoffs. Arizona hasn't participated since 2021. Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon are approaching Year 3. It's time. — Doug Haller
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One of the reasons the Falcons were willing to trade away next year's first-round pick is that they think they're going to be better than a lot of other people do. That largely depends on new coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's defense and the development of second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons' confidence in Penix and their offense was on display during the draft — they used only their seventh-round pick on an offensive player. On defense, they addressed the pass rush by drafting Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. with their first two picks and added two defensive backs who combined for 21 interceptions the last two seasons. — Josh Kendall
GM Eric DeCosta believes building the roster is a year-round pursuit, and he's always looking at veteran options. The Ravens annually add select vets up to training camp and even during the preseason. But DeCosta's biggest remaining offseason decisions will involve established standouts on his roster. Running back Derrick Henry and tight end Mark Andrews are entering the final years of their contracts — will the Ravens extend them? They picked up the fifth-year option for All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, while declining Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum's option. Then, there's the contract status of Lamar Jackson. His cap number balloons to $74.5 million next year. The Ravens would love to reach an agreement on an extension with Jackson before the start of this season. Regardless, even if there are a few moves they could get ahead of for the future, the 2025 Ravens are in a good spot. — Jeff Zrebiec
The Bills got the memo from what ailed them last season to add answers to their biggest questions — at least conceivably. They couldn't play man coverage well enough when needed due to their cornerback depth? Check. They couldn't stop the run at times throughout the season? Check. They couldn't get to the quarterback quickly or consistently enough in the late stages of the year? Check — on both the edge and interior. Their draft class and free-agent moves this offseason addressed major needs. Given all their moves and Josh Allen coming off the best season of his career in 2024, the table is set for what could be another special season in Orchard Park. — Joe Buscaglia
Anything the Panthers did defensively was going to represent an improvement — such was the state of last season's failings. The second-day pass rushers are intriguing and might have been a necessity with Jadeveon Clowney's release. This class will likely be defined by the play of Tetairoa McMillan. If he becomes a perennial 1,000-yard receiver who helps Bryce Young thrive and allows Xavier Legette to settle into a WR2 role, we'll look back and say GM Dan Morgan — and Young, for that matter — nailed it. — Joe Person
On paper, the Bears look better, particularly on offense. After everything Chicago has done this offseason, coach Ben Johnson has a lot to work with. Their skill positions for quarterback Caleb Williams appear loaded with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III at receiver, Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet at tight end and D'Andre Swift at running back. The interior offensive line has been upgraded with Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman. Johnson and his coaching staff have a lot to figure out, from their best starting five up front to the distribution of the ball. But that's why Johnson is here. — Adam Jahns
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The Bengals were workmanlike in checking off their long list of needs in the draft. They didn't add picks with any trades, so it's not complete (DT, safety), but they checked off every box with a player who's easy to believe in.
It's not out of the realm of possibility to think each of the first three picks will be starting in Week 1. This would mark the first time in franchise history that would be the case. The Bengals have cleared a path to that outcome for Shemar Stewart, Demetrius Knight and Dylan Fairchild.
Competition on the offensive line at both guard spots and backup tackle will be the theme of training camp, and that's by design, with offensive line coach Scott Peters looking to implement a new, more athletic, aggressive, technical style up front. If competition can create stability and defensive coordinator Al Golden's plan for accountability and consistency returns the defense to average, it's fair to say the roster is right where it should be with Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in tow: Among the Super Bowl contenders. — Paul Dehner Jr.
The 2025 Browns hope to be competent offensively, which would be a stark improvement from 2024. But that's also far from a given with uncertainty at quarterback and not much depth at any spot. The Browns will count on at least one rookie running back to play immediately, and they believe third-year receiver Cedric Tillman can build on the handful of big games he posted late last season.
How many can the Browns win? How many longtime contributors will still be on the team at this time next year, or even after the November trade deadline? Those were fair questions with no clear answers before the start of what became the strangest, most surprising draft in recent memory. In the wake of it, we're still going to need time to figure out exactly which way this team believes it's headed. — Zac Jackson
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The Cowboys came out of the draft with one glaring need, which was the No. 2 wide receiver spot. In trading for George Pickens, Dallas filled that need. Now, it's mostly about how things materialize from what's on the roster. How will Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown recover from their injuries? Will Pickens be able to show maturity with the change of scenery? Will a running back emerge out of the new crop assembled through free agency and the draft? Will a defensive tackle emerge next to Osa Odighizuwa? The Cowboys aren't ready for the season quite yet, but after adding Pickens they're primed for training camp. — Saad Yousuf
The Broncos' 2024 draft was all about pulling the brakes on the organization's dizzying quarterback carousel. They accomplished that mission by selecting Bo Nix, who started all 17 regular-season games and the team's first playoff contest since 2015. Nix not only put up big numbers — his 29 touchdowns were the second most ever in a season by a rookie QB — but also injected new energy into the organization.
This year's draft was about putting more tools around Nix. Coach Sean Payton stressed before the draft that helping his young quarterback wasn't just about giving him more receivers to throw to or running backs to complement him, though Denver did both with the selections of RB RJ Harvey and WR Pat Bryant. It also was about continuing to inject talent into a defense that was one of the league's best last season. The Broncos did that by using their top pick on CB Jahdae Barron, a versatile chess piece in the secondary, and feeding their stout defensive line with an ascending young player in edge Sai'vion Jones. — Nick Kosmider
Detroit was a Super Bowl contender last year, until injuries piled up and derailed its season. Improved health alone should be enough to keep the Lions among the favorites to win it all, but they made sure to address depth with these selections while building for the future. Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams can help now and in the future. Tate Ratledge can be a Day 1 starting guard. Isaac TeSlaa gives them an intriguing big-bodied speed receiver option in the event of an injury, which is nice to have considering Tim Patrick's injury history. Miles Frazier and Ahmed Hassanein can be early reserves, while safety Dan Jackson and wide receiver Dominic Lovett can be special teams contributors. The Lions got better, but you figured as much. — Colton Pouncy
Despite GM Brian Gutekunst feeling 'really good' about his roster entering the draft and the Packers taking a couple players who could make immediate impacts as role players, it's hard to see how they've closed the gap on the Eagles and Lions, who they went 0-4 against last season. (The Vikings are a question because of their quarterback change from Sam Darnold to J.J. McCarthy).
The Packers will stick to their guns and rely on internal improvements from players such as defensive end Lukas Van Ness, tight end Luke Musgrave and wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, unless, of course, they do something out of the blue, like trade for Bengals All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Having Jordan Love at full health is a helpful first step to playing better as a team in 2025, so maybe that does wonders early in the season for a squad that didn't have its starting quarterback practicing in full until midway through the year. — Matt Schneidman
The Texans will be improved, but it's hard to say how much. Their already strong defense has added reinforcements. But offensively, Laremy Tunsil (trade to Washington) and Stefon Diggs (free-agent departure) are two big losses. Cam Robinson is a veteran left tackle, but there will be a drop-off. Rookie wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel will help improve the depth of C.J. Stroud's receiving corps. The addition of guard Laken Tomlinson should also help improve a weak offensive line. — Mike Jones
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With the draft over, the QB competition regains its spot as the Colts' top offseason storyline. For as much talent as GM Chris Ballard has injected into the roster this offseason, the 2025 campaign hinges on whether Anthony Richardson and/or Daniel Jones can jumpstart their careers. Indianapolis has not made the playoffs since 2020 or won a playoff game since 2018. If that is going to change in 2025, then Richardson or Jones will have to take massive steps forward. This year is very likely a make-or-break year for Richardson, the Colts' highest-drafted QB since Andrew Luck in 2012. — James Boyd
Travis Hunter is the Jags' most important acquisition in terms of personnel, but the biggest difference will come down to coaching. Liam Coen has proven to be one of the best play callers in the NFL, but he must prove he can overcome the adversity of being a first-time head coach. If the offense follows a similar pattern to Coen's previous units, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jags will be in much better shape. There are still questions on defense after the unit took a major step back in recent seasons, so it would be mighty optimistic to expect Jacksonville to contend for the AFC South title. The roster is in decent shape, but it's still a mystery how the Jaguars will perform with a new regime. — Jeff Howe
There's a reason Kansas City has ranked among the best teams in the NFL for the last decade. Its front office excels at fortifying the roster through the draft. The Chiefs came away from this one having met one of their biggest long-term needs, acquired offensive reinforcements and replenished an already dominant defense. We'll see how quickly all of these draft picks work their way into either starting jobs or a rotation. But on paper, the Chiefs found some players who will assist in their rebound from the Super Bowl LIX defeat. — Mike Jones
The Raiders added Ashton Jeanty and will pay him like a top-10 guy in the league, so he'll get the ball often. Pete Carroll was also excited about the other toys that he and GM John Spytek got for OC Chip Kelly. Jeanty and receiver Jack Bech give new Raiders quarterback Geno Smith two more playmakers to go along with Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and Raheem Mostert. The defense, like last year, will only go as far as the line leads it, and Christian Wilkins and Malcolm Koonce are coming back from injuries to join Maxx Crosby. — Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur
This might be the deepest post-draft roster the Chargers have built in my time covering the team. The interior line spots are the only weaknesses on the roster, and even for left guard and center, the Chargers have multiple options competing for both starting spots. They have a well-rounded two-headed monster in the backfield in Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton. They have a diverse and complementary group of receivers and tight ends. Adding a veteran interior offensive lineman to compete for the starting left guard spot would put the finishing touches on a very complete offseason. — Daniel Popper
From stockpiling an extra first-round pick with their Round 1 trade to adding players such as Terrance Ferguson and Jarquez Hunter, plus their moves in free agency this spring and a core built out of the 2023 and 2024 draft classes, the Rams intent is clear. They are looking to solidify the backbone of their roster so that if they do go 'all in' to make another Super Bowl run, they have depth and a still-young future on the other side. — Jourdan Rodrigue
This Dolphins roster still has lots of holes, which makes their trade up in the second round for guard Jonah Savaiinaea tougher to rationalize, even if you like the player (and I do). It's difficult to look at the depth chart and not notice the glaring holes in the secondary, especially if Miami ends up trading cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The Dolphins took some shots on Day 3 with cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. and safety Dante Trader Jr., but those are just dice rolls. Odds are, Miami's secondary will be a liability throughout the 2025 season. — Jim Ayello
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The fun is about to begin. Soon, J.J. McCarthy will be back in a competitive environment. How will he look? Expectations are going to be higher than last season. On paper, the Vikings' fronts are more formidable. An improved pass rush should help the defense in coverage. Strengthened protection on the interior should make for more of a punch-you-in-the-mouth run game. Pair more control at the line of scrimmage with the roster's playmaking abilities (both on offense with stars such as Justin Jefferson and on defense with turnovers), and it's easy to envision an exciting fall. — Alec Lewis
Mike Vrabel has transformed this roster in just a few months on the job. He inherited the NFL's worst roster, but thanks to the team's cap space and some valuable draft capital, he has turned things around in impressive fashion. The Patriots still have a ways to go before they're a playoff team, and there are still a lot of questions. But after several years in the NFL basement, they finally have a respectable roster again. Even if a 10-win season is still too ambitious, at long last the Patriots appear to be headed in the right direction. — Chad Graff
Tyler Shough will be the subject connected to the success or failure of this draft class. The second-round pick joins a quarterback room with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener with Derek Carr's retirement. Even with Shough on board, there's zero guarantee that any of these QBs will be the starter come 2026. Drafting Shough's Texas teammates tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. and defensive tackle Vernon Broughton should help those respective front lines. But are the Saints any better than where they were last year at this point? Probably not, given the instability at quarterback. — Larry Holder
The Giants look a lot better on paper than the 3-14 mess they were last year, especially on defense. For all of the attention the quarterback situation gets, the Giants have been somewhat quietly building a strong defense this offseason. Not only did they add an exciting pass rusher in Abdul Carter at No. 3, but also they landed some high-quality veterans in free agency (safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo) to fortify their secondary. We'll see if all the investment results in a better defensive performance in 2025, but the pieces are there so that it should be this team's backbone, no matter what happens with the offense. — Charlotte Carroll
The Jets found a new starting right tackle (Missouri's Armand Membou) and a new starting tight end (LSU's Mason Taylor), arguably the biggest needs on the roster. They added depth in the secondary with a potential starting safety in fourth-round pick Malachi Moore, and depth at wide receiver and edge rusher. Interestingly, new coach Aaron Glenn seemed to model many of the Jets' picks after success stories he experienced as the defensive coordinator with the Lions: He compared Membou to Penei Sewell, Taylor has drawn comparisons to Sam LaPorta, and he called Brian Branch to ask about Moore, a teammate of Branch's at Alabama with a similarly versatile skill set. Clearly, they are building the team in Glenn's image. — Zack Rosenblatt
Howie Roseman's five draft-day trades included trading back four times. The Eagles entered the draft without any sixth-round picks. The trades supplied them with four. They spent each one on a player. The players available in the sixth round appear to have matched up more with the value the Eagles placed on them than those in the fifth round. That could also speak to the Eagles' overall view of the strength of this year's draft class. But Philadelphia has a long history of hitting on late-round picks. Johnny Wilson (2024), Tanner McKee (2023), Grant Calcaterra (2022) and Jason Kelce (2011) were all sixth-round picks. Moro Ojomo (2023), Jordan Mailata (2018) and Beau Allen (2014) were all seventh-rounders. Perhaps the Eagles will have again acquired future starters and key contributors with their late-round picks. — Brooks Kubena
The Steelers addressed several of their most-pressing needs in the draft, including defensive tackle and running back. However, they still don't have a starting quarterback under contract and could use a difference maker in the receiver room after dealing George Pickens. While it's fair to wonder how this Aaron Rodgers saga will end and how well he'll play if he does sign, the Steelers are taking a patient, build-it-right approach. In some ways, the roster is starting to look like the early 2000s, when the Steelers had a suffocating defense and a potent run game. When they drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, it catapulted them into the legitimate contenders tier.
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While the Steelers probably finish this season about where they always do — around 10 wins and fighting for a playoff spot — their opportunity to take the next big step and end this quarterback carousel could be next year. With 12 picks in the 2026 draft (including projected comp picks and assets from trades), they should be well-positioned to make a bold move at the most important position in football. Meanwhile, the Rodgers indecision continues. — Mike DeFabo
Kyle Shanahan admitted he was nervous about the team's threadbare roster after losing so many starters this offseason. The plan was to fill those spots in the draft, but what if it didn't work out as planned? Shanahan said he started feeling better the second night of the draft after the team chose four potential defensive starters. Though their first-round pick, Mykel Williams, is a defensive end, the emphasis was the heart of the defense — defensive tackle, inside linebacker, safety and nickel cornerback. Defensive tackles Alfred Collins (second round) and CJ West (fourth round) might not start together as rookies, but it's easy to envision them as a tandem for the future. — Matt Barrows
Grey Zabel is the only player from this draft class expected to make a significant impact as a rookie. That comes with being a first-round pick. If he's a good starter immediately, Seattle's offensive line might be in good shape. The other three I see with a path to helping as rookies are Nick Emmanwori, Elijah Arroyo and Robbie Ouzts. The latter has numbers in his favor because the roster features only one other fullback. Emmanwori and Arroyo have veterans ahead of them, but no job is safe in the defensive back room, and Arroyo's main competition is a fourth-round pick entering Year 2. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
If the 2025 Bucs played the 2024 Bucs, the 2025 Bucs would win, assuming talent decided the game. The new Bucs are better equipped to affect quarterbacks because they have more pass rush and better coverage, thanks to additions such as Haason Reddick, David Walker, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish. It isn't difficult to envision a career year for Baker Mayfield, seeing he should benefit from a healthy Chris Godwin and rookie Emeka Egbuka. The unknown with the Bucs is how much, if at all, they will miss offensive coordinator Liam Coen. They need Josh Grizzard to push the right buttons as Coen's replacement. — Dan Pompei
The Titans couldn't help but get better after going 3-14 last season and earning the No. 1 pick, but this was not the kind of offseason that suggests an instant, major turnaround. It all starts with top pick Cam Ward, of course. He should start immediately. But it's hard to imagine he can pull a Jayden Daniels of 2024 or C.J. Stroud of 2023. The Titans added some pass catchers. They added to the offensive line – but is Dan Moore Jr. a legit left tackle? They drafted some defenders, in particular Femi Oladejo and Kevin Winston Jr., whose impact should be felt more in 2026 than 2025. Double last year's three wins and come away feeling good about Ward and most of his draft class, and 2025 is a win for Tennessee. — Joe Rexrode
Canes connection 🙌 @CanesFootball@Cameron7Ward ➡️ @xavierrestrepo1 pic.twitter.com/d8KrXHsOay
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) May 9, 2025
The Commanders added two offensive tackles (Tunsil, Josh Conerly Jr.), two receivers (Deebo Samuel, Jaylin Lane) and other depth pieces to last year's fifth-highest scoring offense. If Samuel, running back Austin Ekeler and tight end Zach Ertz can avoid extended injury absences, guard Sam Cosmi returns quickly and the Jayden Daniels rocketship continues soaring, Washington's attack will be a massive problem for foes. On the other side of the ball, the Commanders should be better on the margins with linemen Javon Kinlaw and Deatrich Wise Jr. acquired to help the 30th-ranked run defense. Still, questions about consistency with the pass rush and playmaking for a group with only seven interceptions in 2024 remain. — Ben Standig
(Top photos of George Pickens and Travis Hunter: Randy Litzinger and Logan Bowles / Getty Images)