Every NFL Team’s Biggest Offseason Need

With free agency looming large along with the combine giving us our first taste of draft season, the NFL offseason is about to be in full swing. On average, around a third of the average NFL roster is replaced, as teams seek to eliminate their weaknesses while also improving their strengths. Right now, clubs are still in the midst of negotiating with pending free agents. Once the clock hits 4PM ET on March 11th though, that’s when the first stage of the offseason will commence, and chaos will ensue. Every team is hoping to snag the best fits and pieces that will propel them to hoisting the Lombardi, and they’ll do it by addressing different deficiencies. Today, we’ll be looking at those deficiencies, and see what every team’s biggest need is heading into the 2026 NFL offseason.

Arizona Cardinals: Pass Rush

Barring Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell, who recorded 12 and 6.5 sacks respectively, Arizona’s front seven struggled to get home. The team ranked 28th in sack percentage, and 29th in pressure rate. With Calais Campbell turning 40 and unlikely to be retained by the team, pass rush becomes a dire need. Of course, Walter Nolen could tap into his upside and become a force in year two. Regardless, two competent rushers aren’t enough to field a proper defense, so expect the Cardinals to be buyers in the market.

Atlanta Falcons: Defensive End

First rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. seemed to finally solve the Falcons’ long-lasting vacancy at EDGE. However, following recent reports on James Pearce which make league discipline inevitable, Atlanta has to go back to the drawing board. They’re in luck, as while free agency isn’t particularly bountiful when it comes to DE, the upcoming draft on the other hand is notably at deep at the position. That’s not to say it’ll be easy to replace Pearce’s 10.5 sacks, especially without a first round pick, but it’s not impossible either.

Baltimore Ravens: Interior Offensive Line

If Tyler Linderbaum hits the open market, Baltimore’s interior unit of protectors is going to need a massive overhaul. Linderbaum was the saving grace of the Ravens’ interior trio on the O-line. While he held his own, Daniel Faalele and Andew Voorhees allowed a combined 58 pressures. As such, Lamar Jackson was under constant duress, making the offensive output in Baltimore lackluster. Hopefully, the team can lock up Linderbaum to a long-term deal. Otherwise, they’ll have their hands full needing to replace three pieces on the line.

Buffalo Bills: Run Defense

Yes, Buffalo is in desperate need for a true alpha receiver as per usual. However, Josh Allen is the great equalizer, and can still operate the offense to a high degree even with lesser pieces as his weapons. Unfortunately, Allen doesn’t play defense, and the lack of talent on that side of the ball shows against the run. The Bills allowed 2,315 total rushing yards, averaging approximately 136.2 yards per game, which ranked them 28th in the league. Greg Rousseau is among the best against the run, but giving him more help alongside Ed Oliver could do wonders.

Carolina Panthers: Linebacker

Most of Carolina’s shortcomings were on the defensive side of the ball. Though the return of Derrick Brown raised the team’s defense from historical lows back to the mean, there’s still some key improvements to be made. Pass rush is one of them, but the aforementioned Brown combined with flashes from rookies Princely Umanmielen and Nic Scourton have already laid the foundation for an effective front four. Instead, the team’s biggest hinderance was at linebacker. Starters Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom at times made plays, but were mostly liabilities on the field. They combined for an average PFF grade of 51.9, making them one of the worst linebacker duos in the entire game.

Chicago Bears: Safety

Chicago does not have a single safety under contract. That alone should make the team’s priorities clear. Their need for the position is exemplified due to how crucial their safeties were to team-wide success. Kevin Byard in particular had an All-Pro year, leading the league in Interceptions with 7. Interior pressure is also among the areas in need of improvement, but the attrition at safety puts it above the rest.

Cincinnati Bengals: Defense

Uh, defense, anything at all. Cincinnati had yet another year where their offensive success was marred by defensive ineptitude. Their corners couldn’t cover, their pass rushers couldn’t shed blocks and it felt like their linebackers lacked object permanence. With the likely departure of Trey Hendrickson looming large, EDGE seems to be the way to go. Nevertheless, improving any position on defense would be a step in the right direction, whether it’s through the draft or free agency.

Cleveland Browns: Offensive Line

It’s code red in Cleveland, as they’ll have to replace nearly all of their 2025 starters on the offensive line. That’s not to say the unit which was listed 31st in PFF’s offensive line rankings will be missed, but it puts a lot of pressure on a team that’s dealing with enough issues already. Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Jack Conklin, Cam Robinson and Teven Jenkins have expiring contracts or enter void years. Simultaneously, Joel Bitonio is considering retirement. Cleveland’s first year with Todd Monken will likely be another tank job, and that’ll be in large part due to the tremors they’ll see in the offensive line.

Dallas Cowboys: Cornerback

The Cowboys have been able to ease the pain of losing Micah Parsons. Quinnen Williams is a pillar in the interior, and Donovan Ezeiraku showed plenty of potential. While replicating Parsons’ impact will be near impossible, Dallas has done a good job at shoring up their front four. The same cannot be said for the secondary. The fall-off of DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs mirrored the collapse of the defense as a whole. Paired with second rounder Shavon Revel being ranked the worst CB in the league by PFF, it’s no secret as to why opposing offenses ran rampant against the Cowboys.

Denver Broncos: Linebacker

All three of Denver’s linebackers ended the season ranked within PFF’s top 32 at the position. Now, only Dre Greenlaw is left under contract, marking a key point of emphasis for the offseason. While the Broncos will likely retain one of either Justin Strnad or Alex Singleton, locking up a potential game changer at the position can make an already fearsome defense turn into an impenetrable wall.

Detroit Lions: Offensive Line

For the past few years in the Dan Campbell era, the Lions’ offensive identity has relied on the stability of the offensive line. While not the worst unit in 2025, the team’s protectors were a far cry away from their past forms. The losses of Kevin Zeitler and Frank Ragnow paired with notable starters losing time hindered Detroit’s success. With the club set to lose important depth pieces along with needing improvements on their first-team lineup, resources will be funneled into upgrading the line with the hopes of being a top five unit once more.

Green Bay Packers: Cornerback

With how Packers fans have been talking, you’d think Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine are the worst cornerbacks to ever suit up in league history. Though these comments are exaggerated, Valentine and Nixon impeded Green Bay’s success as a defense. While it’ll be difficult to replace both, finding an upgrade should be prioritized.

Houston Texans: Offensive Line

The decline of CJ Stroud can be partially attributed to the turnstile offensive line tasked with keeping him upright. While Stroud needs to improve his decision making and overall accuracy, the big men up front aren’t doing him any favors. Houston needs Stroud to be their franchise guy, and with the upcoming season being a do-or-die year for him, they’ll need to surround him with a team that’ll bring him back to his rookie form.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Defensive Tackle

Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker form what is a deadly duo on the edges for Jacksonville. Nevertheless, the two can only do so much without any push from the inside. Arik Armstead hit the ground running and racked up 5.5 sacks in his first ten games. However, an injury derailed his campaign and he struggled to leave a mark afterwards. Furthermore, he was the only man on the interior who got consistent pressure, as no one else in the Jaguars DT room was anything but a solid rotational piece.

Kansas City Chiefs: Offensive Tackle

Surprisingly enough, the Chiefs are a team with a concerning amount of holes to fill. There’s the question at runningback, the lack of a true star at receiver, the missing juice in the pass rush and the underwhelming secondary. But what matters most above all else is the upcoming need for a starting-caliber tackle. Kansas City is currently 14 million under the cap. Cutting current starter Jawaan Taylor (who’s been disappointing during his Chiefs tenure) will save up 20 million in space, and is a likely move KC will make. Of course, the team does still employ Jayloon Moore, but he’s more of a decent swing tackle rather than a capable first-teamer.

Las Vegas Raiders: Wide Receiver

If Klint Kubiak wants his offense in Sin city to resemble his Seattle form rather than the one he coached in New Orleans, he’ll need to solidify the offensive line. However, a lot of the issues at the position arose due to ineffective coaching. Wherever Kubiak’s gone, his coaches have molded units that are much better than the sum of their parts. What’s trickier than the o-line in this situation though is wideout. Tre Tucker had a respectable campaign with almost 700 yards receiving, but in order for Fernando Mendoza to have a real chance at success, he’s going to need more than what Vegas has in place.

Los Angeles Chargers: Interior Offensive Line

Yes, having both of your elite tackles succumb to season-ending injuries will throw a wrench into any cohesion on the offensive line. However, even with Joe Alt and Rashawn Slayer on the field, there was no fixing this interior unit. Bradley Bozeman, Mekhi Becton and Zion Johnson were among the worst rated at their position. Bozeman in particular ended the year as PFF’s worst qualifying center. Doesn’t matter how they get there, the Chargers need to fix the interior offensive line.

Los Angeles Rams: Cornerback

Initially, it seemed like the Rams found a diamond in the rough with Emmanuel Forbes. Forbes started the season off hot and was looking like one of the most improved players in the NFL. Then, his and the rest of the CB room’s production took a nosedive. While not entirely terrible, their shortcomings were exemplified in high-stakes situations. Therefore, trying to get a true shutdown corner on the roster would patch a massive hole for the team.

Miami Dolphins: Defensive End

The real need here is quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa has done anything but live up to his contract extension, and his time in Miami is all but done. However, the Fins are unlikely to be able to secure a top QB prospect. Instead, they appear to be content with gathering a nucleus of talent to support their future franchise signal-caller. As such, getting a contributor at almost any position would be a win for the team. What stands out most is edge rusher. Bradley Chubb was recently released and Jaelan Phillips was traded midseason, leaving no proven contributors on the edges.

Minnesota Vikings: Secondary

There’s still no word from Harrison Smith’s camp surrounding his potential retirement. The secondary is already looking dire, and if Smith retires it’ll only get worse. Byron Murphy failed to live up to his new extension and had an uncharacteristically bad year. Of course, Isiah Rodgers established himself as a very effective corner, but the team will need improvements in the area. And if the aforementioned Harrison Smith hangs up his cleat, then Minnesota must pivot to replacing his presence in the safety room.

New England Patriots: Offensive Line

Despite the shellacking New England faced against Seattle in the Super Bowl, they don’t have that many outright holes. What they do have though, are areas in need of some improvement. The offensive line is one of them, as while the unit was solid for most of the year, they did show signs of vulnerability. Part of that is Will Campbell dealing with a nagging injury, but even if Campbell were to be healthy, upgrades would still be due.

New Orleans Saints: Wide Receiver

In order to improve Tyler Shough’s environment in his sophomore year, landing a high-powered number two to pair with Chris Olave would work magic. Olave is already a bona-fide top-tier wideout who cemented himself as a major threat this year. Alongside him, Devaughn Vele made strides later down the stretch. Nevertheless, finding someone similar to that of Rashid Shaheed as a number two option could help take this offense to the next level.

New York Giants: Offensive Line

Similar to New Orleans, the Giants want to make sure they’re fielding the best team in support of Jaxson Dart. Starters Greg Van Roten and Jermaine Eleumunor are set to hit the open market. Though not the best of offensive linemen, the two were still key pieces in the trenches for the G-men. While there’s questions surrounding who they’ll retain and who they’ll let walk, it doesn’t change the fact that improvement at the unit is necessary.

New York Jets: Defensive Tackle

The Jets are one of those teams that have needs nearly everywhere. You don’t earn the rights to the second overall pick by accident, and the team’s already lackluster talent slowly dissipated further with every major trade. The losses of Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner were particularly damaging for New York, as the their departures were the straw that broke the camel’s back. While there’s young talent in place to hopefully replace Gardner’s efforts in the secondary, the DT room has little to be excited for. Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey have a lot of draft capital to build their new roster upon, hopefully they’ll address the talent deficiency in the middle of the D-line.

Philadelphia Eagles: Tight End

Only one of Philly’s 2025 tight ends is under contract for 2026. What makes matters worse is that the one tight end isn’t Dallas Goedert. Goedert has been a staple on the Eagles offense for quite some time. He’s not just a capable receiver, he does wonders in the run game while also being used as a unique gadget player. With all signs pointing towards a departure, Philadelphia will need to address the position and find some depth as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide Receiver

George Pickens left Pittsburgh and cemented himself as a top 10 receiver in the game. Meanwhile, his former team struggled to get any value out of their wideouts. Pittsburgh’s big offseason acquisition DK Metcalf had a fine season all things considered. It’s the rest of the receiving room that raises concerns. Metcalf reached 850 yards this past year, every other receiver combined for just 786 yards. The team has yet to find a reliable option at WR, and will look to upgrade the position once more this offseason.

San Francisco 49ers: Wide Receiver

San Francisco needs their roster to not spontaneously fall apart due to injuries again. Besides that, pass catcher is the big question mark for the club. George Kittle is getting older, Jauan Jennings alongside Kendrick Bourne will hit free agency, and Brandon Aiyuk’s time with the organization is over following his invisible man act. Ricky Pearsall can’t do it all, so it’ll be key to get him some help.

Seattle Seahawks: Interior Offensive Line

The Super Bowl champs have been among the best teams in terms of drafting in the past few years. Therefore, a lot of their great draft selections are set to hit the market, and unfortunately not all of them can be retained. Interestingly enough, no one in their biggest area of need is in that list of upcoming free agents. The interior of the offensive line was mostly up to scratch in 2025. Nevertheless, Jalen Sundell was a decent but not great starter, while Anthony Bradford was the team’s biggest and only weakness. Finding an upgrade in the trenches in order to build on a strong offensive campaign will bring great dividends for the Hawks in their hopes to repeat.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Linebacker

Regardless of whether or not the Buccaneers retain Lavonte David, they should still address interior linebacker. The ever-reliant David had an underwhelming year, and Sirvocea Dennis was a decent but ultimately mediocre starter. With how much the team has relied on David’s prowess, it’s hard to put into words how much their defense will further suffer without him. As such, targeting MLB and bringing in a stud at the position could prove to be bountiful.

Tennessee Titans: Defensive End

Of course, improving the abysmal situation around Cam Ward is also a great choice. However, the Titans had no one on the edges to help T’Vondre Sweat and Jeffery Simmons. This isn’t to say that the the team was bereft of pass-rush. They ranked average in terms of pass-rush win-rate and run-stop win-rate. However, if they’re able to add a true force on the edges, it would help mask the rest of the deficiencies in the secondary. As of right now, it’ll be nearly impossible for Tennessee to fix all their issues in one year, but a quick way to lay the foundation for an elite defense would be to secure a top-tier defensive end.

Washington Commanders: Defensive End

Having the 36 year old Von Miller leading your team in sacks with 9 is an indication that there’s a need for a youth movement on the edges. In general, Washington is suffering from fielding the oldest roster in the NFL. The pass rush however is the biggest issue. Other than Miller, the rest of Washington’s DE room combined for just 12 sacks. With a top 10 pick, the Commanders will likely be set on picking a premier EDGE prospect.

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