No more pencils, no more books. Summer is here in the NFL, and we’re officially pivoting from a primary focus on roster construction to smashing those new pieces in with the returning ones. From here on out, it’s about the on-field action as all of these franchises begin organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp.
When we look at the rosters now, what we see is largely what we’ll get by Week 1 of the regular season. Of course, there could be some deals between now and then, but with free agency and the NFL Draft behind him, we have a good enough grasp to take out the red pen and begin grading what we’ve seen transpire over the last few months.
In this space, we’ll comb through the AFC, highlighting the notable moves each club has made this offseason, and then give our grade. Let’s roll.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: B
- Notable additions: WR D.J. Moore, EDGE Bradley Chubb, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB Dee Alford, OLB T.J. Parker, CB Davison Igbinosun
- Notable departures: LG David Edwards, OT Ryan Van Demark
The Bills have a new coach in Joe Brady after firing Sean McDermott, and the former offensive coordinator has a new weapon at his disposal. Buffalo made a slash this offseason by pulling off a blockbuster trade for former Bears wideout D.J. Moore. The offense had been sorely lacking a player of Moore’s caliber, so his arrival is a welcome sight for Josh Allen. While that addresses the biggest need on offense, there were far more holes to fill on defense. They gave themselves a veteran pass rusher in Bradley Chubb, coupled with second-round edge rusher T.J. Parker out of Clemson. They also added some help in the secondary with Gardner-Johnson and Alford.
It’s not the most robust offseason, but Buffalo made calculated additions that should address the most dire needs on its roster in 2025. Paired with a new voice in Brady, that’s a solid offseason in Orchard Park.
New England Patriots: A-
- Notable additions: WR Romeo Doubs, IOL Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT Caleb Lomu, LB Dre’Mont Jones, S Kevin Byard III, EDGE Gabe Jacas
- Notable departures: EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, TE Austin Hooper, DT Khyiris Tonga, WR Stefon Diggs, LB Jahlani Tavai, OT Vederian Lowe, LB Anfernee Jennings
Knock this down to a B/B+ if A.J. Brown somehow doesn’t find himself a member of the Patriots by the end of the summer. We’re going to grade this with Brown in mind, because it feels like the worst-kept secret in the NFL and a virtual lock to happen after June 1. Brown gives New England a much-needed No. 1 wideout for Drake Maye, and slots fellow pass catcher Romeo Doubs — who signed a four-year, $68 million deal in free agency — in a more realistic WR2 spot.
While receiver garnered most of the on-field headlines for the Patriots, they also provided Maye with more protection by trading up in the first round to select tackle Caleb Lomu and also signing veteran guard Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency. Dre’Mont Jones and Kevin Byard are two strong veterans being brought into the fold defensively, while second-rounder Gabe Jacas has plenty of upside off the edge. This roster is better than the one we just saw in Super Bowl LX.
Miami Dolphins: C
- Notable additions: QB Malik Willis, OL Kadyn Proctor, WR Jalen Tolbert, WR Tutu Atwell, WR Chris Bell, WR Caleb Douglas, CB Chris Johnson, S Lonnie Johnson Jr.
- Notable departures: QB Tua Tagovailoa, WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle, EDGE Bradley Chubb
The Dolphins stripped it down to the studs and hit the reset button. Miami fired coach Mike McDaniel, cut the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb, and traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos. With those pieces out the door, they brought in GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley, who have begun rebuilding the roster. Namely, Malik Willis has been slotted in as QB1, and used its two first-round picks on Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor and San Diego State corner Chris Johnson, along with a second rounder on Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
They’ll need to catch lightning in a bottle with this draft class after making 13 selections. That mentioned, this is the first step on a long road forward towards contention for the Dolphins, but a necessary one after falling flat under the previous regime. While locking up De’Vone Achane will continue to give the offense some juice, the unit still has loads of questions at wide receiver. The next couple of seasons could be lean in South Beach.
New York Jets: A
- Notable additions: EDGE David Bailey, WR Omar Cooper Jr., QB Geno Smith, TE Kenyon Sadiq, LB Demario Dabis, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, DT T’Vondre Sweat, OL Dylan Parham
- Notable departures: QB Justin Fields, IOL Alijah Vera-Tucker, LB Quincy Williams, EDGE Jermaine Johnson II
The Jets still need a quarterback, but they are building well around the position as they keep their eyes open for a signal-caller of the future. After making some jaw-dropping moves at the trade deadline last season and moving on from Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, New York continued to shed some of the old guard, shipping away edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II to Tennessee, while letting offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker leave in free agency.
While that’s a lot of former first-round talent walking out the door, the Jets did a strong job replenishing the talent pool at the 2026 draft. They took Texas Tech edge rusher, David Bailey, with the No. 2 overall pick, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16 overall, and traded back up into the first to select Indiana wideout Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30.
First, looking at offense, pairing Cooper and Sadiq with Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Olu Fashanu, and Armand Membou, the Jets have a really nice core on that side of the ball. Geno Smith doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but the veteran should be stable enough to keep them competitive. Meanwhile, Bailey headlined the defensive additions, but the Jets also made various moves in this area earlier in the offseason, including Demario Davis, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and T’Vondre Sweat. New York continues to build a really intriguing young core for the long term and also added enough veterans to make them frisky next season. When you account for the three first-rounders they have at the 2027 NFL Draft, the future is surprisingly bright in East Rutherford.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers: C+
- Notable additions: WR Michael Pittman Jr., OT Max Iheanachor, WR Germie Bernard, QB Drew Allar, S Jaquan Brisker, CB Jamel Dean
- Notable departures: IOL Isaac Seumalo, RB Kenneth Gainwell
This was teetering with an F, depending on what transpired with Aaron Rodgers. After waiting all offseason for his decision, had the veteran quarterback retired or decided to pursue another opportunity in the league, this would’ve been an unmitigated disaster for Pittsburgh. However, Rodgers and the Steelers did come to terms on a one-year deal, reuniting with former Packers coach Mike McCarthy.
Rodgers’ return makes Pittsburgh’s offseason palatable, adding win-now pieces such as wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., safety Jaquan Brisker, and cornerback Jamel Dean. That mentioned, the organization had egg on its face during the NFL Draft when they saw USC receiver Makai Lemon scooped up by the Eagles while they were on the phone with him on Night 1. That forced them to pivot to offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. While he’ll help protect Rodgers, it was a rough look overall for GM Omar Khan.
Pittsburgh will have a new leader pulling the strings in McCarthy, and while some of their additions will make them more competitive in 2026, this doesn’t feel like a team with a championship ceiling. Instead, they’ll continue to one of the higher floors in the conference, which isn’t exactly going to make you jump out of your seat in excitement.
Baltimore Ravens: B
- Notable additions: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, OL Olaivavega Ioane, EDGE Zion Young, WR Ja’Kobi Lane, DL Calais Campbell
- Notable departures: C Tyler Linderbaum, TE Isaiah Likely, LB Dre’Mont Jones
Hiring Jesse Minter in the aftermath of John Harbaugh’s departure should help elevate the defense to a more respectable level. The former Chargers DC has led top-flight units since his days as Michigan’s coordinator. So, from a coaching standpoint, they could get a jolt on that side of the ball, but there are still questions in terms of the personnel. They backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade and pivoted to Trey Hendrickson, while adding Zion Young in the second round to give them more of an edge presence. After ranking tied for 28th in the NFL in sacks last season, they should be better with Hendrickson and Young coming aboard.
While the team did use its first round pick (No. 14 overall) on interior lineman Olaivavega Ioane, the departure of center Tyler Linderbaum looms large. Ioane will likely slot in at guard, meaning that 2024 undrafted free agent Corey Bullock is currently in line to succeed Linderbaum. Baltimore’s inability to have a suitable replacement for its former Pro Bowl center is damning.
Cincinnati Bengals: B
- Notable additions: DT Dexter Lawrence II, DT Jonathan Allen, EDGE Boye Mafe, S Bryan Cook, EDGE Cashius Howell
- Notable departures: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, S Geno Stone, EDGE Joseph Ossai
Cincinnati desperately needed to improve its defense. Losing Trey Hendrickson only increased that necessity. They did a good job adding players to help them immediately. They shipped the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants to land All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, inked edge rusher Boye Mafe in free agency, and selected former Texas A&M pass rusher Cashius Howell in the second round. When you pair that with the addition of safety Bryan Cook, there’s suddenly a structure for a serviceable defense for the Bengals, which could be enough to catapult back to playoff contention with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins headlining the offense.
Cleveland Browns: A-
- Notable additions: OT Spencer Fano, WR KC Concepcion, WR Denzel Boston, LG Zion Johnson, C Elgton Jenkins, RT Tytus Howard, LB Quincy Williams, S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
- Notable departures: TE David Njoku, OL Joel Bitonio, OT Jack Conklin, OL Wyatt Teller, LB Devin Bush, RB Jerome Ford
There’s still a massive question at quarterback, but the Browns continue to build up a strong foundation of young players. After adding the likes of tight end Harold Fannin, Quinshon Judkins, Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger at the 2025 NFL Draft, Cleveland built on that momentum by adding impact players like left tackle Spencer Fano, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, along with receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. That gives the Browns a really strong foundation to build on, albeit without a clear-cut answer at quarterback.
While everyone will be paying attention to how first-year coach Todd Monken handles this looming quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, the rest of the roster is starting to come together quite nicely, thanks to their ability to draft.
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars: D
- Notable additions: TE Nate Boerkircher, DT Albert Regis, RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- Notable departures: RB Travis Etienne Jr., LB Devin Lloyd
So, what did the Jaguars actually do this offseason? If anything, they saw talent walk out the door and didn’t do much to replenish the holes they left behind. After four seasons with the organization and just earning second-team All-Pro in 2025, Devin Lloyd signed with the Panthers. Meanwhile, running back Travis Etienne, a former first-round pick in 2021, signed with New Orleans. Jacksonville is expected to elevate running back Bhayshul Tuten to the starting role. They signed Chris Rodriguez, but that unit now has question marks heading into the year. On both sides of the ball, they are arguably worse than they were a year ago.
As for the NFL Draft, the club didn’t have a first-rounder due to the Travis Hunter trade last offseason, and when they were on the clock made some puzzling decisions, namely tight end Nate Boerkircher with the No. 56 overall pick. Really, it seems like Jacksonville is hoping for internal development from guys they already had on the roster rather than dipping into external options to get better.
Houston Texans: B
- Notable additions: RB David Montgomery, IOL Wyatt Teller, OT Braden Smith, IOL Keylan Rutledge, S Reed Blankenship, DT Kayden McDonald
- Notable departures: RB Joe Mixon, OT Tytus Howard, S Jimmie Ward
One of the biggest moves came when Houston extended star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. and made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. That solidifies the defense for years to come, and the Texans continued to build on that strength throughout the offseason, signing safety Reed Blankenship in free agency and then selecting defensive tackle Kayden McDonald in the second round.
While there are still questions as to whether or not the Texans will hand C.J. Stroud an offseason extension, the team did a solid job building around him. They traded for David Montgomery to bolster what proved to be a lackluster running game in 2025. Houston also continued to add to the offensive line, bringing in interior linemen Wyatt Teller and Keylan Rutledge, while signing tackle Braden Smith. On paper, the Texans improved this offseason, but all eyes will remain on Stroud both in terms of a possible extension and a possible rebound season in 2026.
Indianapolis Colts: C+
- Notable additions: LB CJ Allen, S A.J. Haulcy, DE Arden Key, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
- Notable departures: WR Michael Pittman Jr., LB Zaire Franklin, EDGE Kwity Paye, OT Braden Smith, CB Kenny Moore
Indy’s biggest moves involved locking up players that were already in-house. The team re-signed receiver Alec Piece before he jumped into the free agent pool with a four-year, $114 million deal. After placing the transition tag on him, the Colts also signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million extension.
Those were the two seismic moves that needed to get done, and that was largely it for the Colts. They traded away Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers and dealt linebacker Zaire Franklin, while letting edge rusher Kwity Paye and offensive tackle Braden Smith leave in free agency. They brought in veterans like Adren Key and receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, while addressing defense at the draft with Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (second round) and LSU safety A.J. Haulcy (third round).
While it was important to retain Jones and Pierce, it’s hard to make a clear-cut case that Indy got better this offseason.
Tennessee Titans: B+
- Notable additions: WR Carnell Tate, WR Wan’Dale Robinson, C Austin Schlottmann, IOL Cordell Volson, DL John Franklin-Myers, EDGE Jermaine Johnson II, LB Antony Hill, CB Alontae Taylor
- Notable departures: CB L’Jarius Sneed, DT T’Vondre Sweat, EDGE Arden Key, TE Chig Okonkwo
Tennessee has built around Cam Ward quite nicely. The organization gave Robert Saleh a second crack at a head-coaching role. While his tenure with the Jets didn’t work out, he’s a great defensive mind who should translate well to Nashville. To help him on offense and get the best out of Ward, he brought in former Giants coach Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator. Daboll may have struggled as a head coach, but there’s no denying his ability as an OC, so this is a strong pairing to help with the young quarterback’s development.
As for the roster, the Titans added receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency and used the No. 4 overall pick to land former Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, giving Ward two major weapons in the passing game. Defensively, Saleh reunited with pass rusher Jermaine Johnson III after striking a trade with the Jets, while also adding notable names like defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and corner Alontae Taylor.
This is a solid nucleus of players, and if Ward continues his second-half breakout during his rookie season as he steps into Year 2, the Titans could be spunky.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: B
- Notable additions: WR Jaylen Waddle, DT Tyler Onyedim, RB Jonah Coleman
- Notable departures: DL John Franklin-Myers, S P.J. Locke, LB Dre Greenlaw
It was a rather quiet offseason for the Broncos up until they made the blockbuster trade for Jaylen Waddle, shipping the No. 30 overall pick to Miami in exchange for the star receiver. Given that Denver already boasted one of the top rosters in the conference, there wasn’t much on the offseason to-do list, but adding another pass catcher opposite of Courtland Sutton was certainly one of them, and they do just that with Waddle.
Losing John Franklin-Myers stings a bit, but this defense is still among the very best in the NFL. As for the draft class, running back Jonah Coleman will be an interesting prospect to watch this summer, and whether or not he can rival J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey for touches out of the backfield.
Los Angeles Chargers: B
- Notable additions: EDGE Akeem Mesidor, IOL Jake Slaughter, IOL Tyler Biadasz, IOL Cole Strange, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, TE David Njoku
- Notable departures: EDGE Odafe Oweh, OL Zion Johnson, DL Otito Ogbonnia, CB Benjanin St-Juste, TE Tyler Conklin
Los Angeles will improve along the offensive line from the simple fact that they’ll be getting starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back in the fold after each suffered season-ending injuries last year. Still, that didn’t stop the Chargers from doubling down to ensure Justin Herbert stays upright, signing center Tyler Biadasz in free agency along with interior lineman Cole Strange. They also used their second-round pick on interior lineman Jake Slaughter.
The arrival of first-round edge rusher Akeem Mesidor should help cushion the blow of losing Odafe Oweh in free agency, while David Njoku gives Herbert another pass-catching threat.
Kansas City Chiefs: B
- Notable additions: RB Kenneth Walker III, QB Justin Fields, CB Mansoor Delane, DT Peter Woods, EDGE R Mason Thomas, DT Khyriris Tonga, S Alohi Gilman
- Notable departures: CB Trent McDuffie, CB Jaylen Watson, S Bryan Cook, RB Isiah Pacheco
It’s been a busy offseason for Kansas City on both sides of the ball. Naturally, the majority of the focus has been on Patrick Mahomes and his rehab from his ACL tear late last season, but GM Brett Veach has been steady in reshaping the roster for whenever his quarterback returns under center. Leading up to free agency, Veach spoke about wanting to get more explosive out of the backfield, and they did just that by signing Kenneth Walker III, fresh off winning Super Bowl MVP honors with the Seattle Seahawks. He provides the type of burst that has been lacking in Andy Reid’s offense for quite a while and should help make the offense more balanced. The Chiefs also brought in Justin Fields in a trade with the Jets, providing some more insurance if Mahomes isn’t ready to start the year.
The biggest changes, however, came on defense. Kansas City traded corner Trent McDuffie to the Rams in exchange for the No. 29 overall pick, and also saw fellow corner Jaylen Watson leave in free agency. That kept the Chiefs down a couple of starters in the secondary, but they filled one of those holes by trading up to the No. 6 overall pick to land LSU corner Mansoor Delane, who was considered the top player at his position in this class. Elsewhere in the draft, Peter Woods and R Mason Thomas are two additions that should help raise the ceiling of the defensive line.
Las Vegas Raiders: A
- Notable additions: QB Fernando Mendoza, QB Kirk Cousins, C Tyler Linderbaum, IOL Spencer Burford, WR Jalen Nailor, OLB Kwity Paye, LB Quay Walker, LB Nakobe Dean, S Treydan Stukes, EDGE Keyron Crawford, CB Jermod McCoy
- Notable departures: QB Geno Smith, OL Dylan Parham
This has been a home run offseason for the Raiders. Of course, the opportunity to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick is the headliner, but it goes beyond that. Las Vegas did a great job creating an ideal environment for developing its young quarterback. At the top, they hired Klint Kubiak as head coach, who has been one of the league’s top offensive minds over the last few seasons and is fresh off a Super Bowl title as OC of the Seahawks. Moreover, they signed Tyler Linderbaum to a free agent deal that made him the highest-paid center in the NFL, ensuring Mendoza has protection up the middle.
They also made solid additions in free agency, albeit on a lower scale than Linderbaum, ranging from adding Nailor to the receiver room and both Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean at linebacker. Even the roll of the dice on Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy in the fourth round was savvy, as he’s a first-round talent and fell simply due to injury concerns. For a team that’s rebuilding, it’s a worthwhile gamble to see if you can catch lightning in a bottle.
Kubiak has noted several times how much he values having a veteran quarterback to take the pressure off a rookie, so it wasn’t too surprising to see them address that by adding Kirk Cousins, who is a perfect mentor for Mendoza.
