• Cowboys maintain elite core despite playoff frustrations: Micah Parsons earned his fourth consecutive elite pass-rush grade, CeeDee Lamb posted another 90.0-plus receiving grade and Dak Prescott remains among the team’s best despite a down year.

• 49ers continue dominance with foundational trio: Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and George Kittle each earned elite grades once again, with Kittle finishing second on the team in WAR behind only quarterback Brock Purdy.

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Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

Following this morning’s release of our 2025 NFL quarterback rankings, we’re continuing our offseason preview series by shifting the focus from individual positions to full rosters. While quarterback remains the most important position in the sport, every roster has a core, the foundational players who will ultimately determine the ceiling and stability of a team in 2025.

Some teams made this process simple, with clear-cut stars at the top. Others required tougher choices, whether due to a lack of elite talent or an influx of young players still carving out roles. But in every case, we’ve identified the top three players who matter most for each team heading into the new season and explained what makes each selection so critical.

JUMP TO A TEAM:

ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

ARIZONA CARDINALS

• TE TREY McBRIDE
• QB KYLER MURRAY
• S BUDDA BAKER

McBride took a major leap in 2024, ascending into the top tier of NFL tight ends. His 89.8 receiving grade ranked second among all tight ends, trailing only George Kittle. Murray delivered his closest approximation yet to his peak form, posting a 4.7% big-time throw rate, his highest since 2021. Baker also bounced back in 2024, recording a career-best 77.8 overall grade and a 74.7 coverage grade.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Bates remained a standout performer in 2024, finishing with run-defense and coverage grades above 80.0. Lindstrom led all non-quarterbacks on the team in wins above replacement (WAR) at 0.58, the fifth-best mark among all offensive linemen leaguewide. Robinson broke into the league’s elite running back ranks with a 92.8 rushing grade and forced 70 missed tackles on the year.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

• QB LAMAR JACKSON
• RB DERRICK HENRY
• S KYLE HAMILTON

Jackson swept PFF’s 2024 honors, taking home MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and the Dwight Stephenson Award (given to the best player regardless of position). He led the league with 8.8 yards per pass attempt and averaged 6.6 yards per carry, 0.6 more than any other runner with 100 or more attempts. Henry earned a 93.1 rushing grade, the highest ever recorded by a back over age 30. Hamilton reached a career-high 90.0 overall grade, with standout marks in run defense (89.2), pass rush (88.1) and coverage (88.4).

BUFFALO BILLS

• QB JOSH ALLEN
• OT DION DAWKINS
• CB CHRISTIAN BENFORD

Allen earned an elite 93.1 overall offensive grade in 2024, his fifth straight season above 90.0. Dawkins maintained his high-level pass protection, posting an 81.6 pass-blocking grade, his eighth consecutive year above 76.0. Benford recorded 0.57 WAR, sixth among all NFL cornerbacks and the highest mark among his teammates outside of Josh Allen.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Unfortunately for Carolina, their best players have often struggled to stay on the field. Brown is the standout, earning a 90.1 overall grade in 2023 before being limited to just 60 snaps last season. Horn follows in terms of talent, but 2024 marked the first time he played over 1,000 snaps, and he earned just a 59.1 coverage grade. The Panthers need both of those players healthy and performing at a high level. Moton continues to be a model of consistency, as he just earned a pass-blocking grade above 76.0 for the eighth straight season and finished fifth on the team in WAR at 0.30.

CHICAGO BEARS

• CB JAYLON JOHNSON
• WR DJ MOORE
• CB KYLER GORDON

Johnson saw a dip in impact and efficiency in 2024, going from a 90.4 coverage grade in 2023 to 74.2, but that decline is modest for a position known for volatility. Moore has made a major impact since arriving, recording the second-highest non-quarterback WAR average (0.44) on the team over that span. The third spot could go a few different directions, but Gordon gets the nod after notching a 76.0 overall grade, 76.5 run defense grade and 76.0 coverage grade in 2024, resulting in the second-highest WAR on the team last season at 0.40.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

This was a tough top three to narrow down, but Burrow, Chase and Hendrickson edged out Tee Higgins. Burrow leads all players in WAR over the last three seasons, both cumulatively (11.42) and on a per-year average (3.81). Chase claimed the NFL’s receiving triple crown in 2024, leading the league in receptions (127), yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17). Hendrickson posted back-to-back elite pass-rush grades in 2023 (90.7) and 2024 (90.4), solidifying his place among the league’s best edge rushers.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

What more can be said about Garrett, PFF’s 2024 Best Pass Rusher Award winner? He led the league in pass-rush grade (92.8), total pressures (83), pass-rush win rate (23.1%) and pressure rate (18.2%), marking his sixth straight season with an elite pass-rush grade. Ward has dealt with some inconsistencies on a volatile defense, but remains one of the Browns’ top talents. Njoku rounds out the list, having recorded the third-highest non-quarterback WAR on the team over the past three seasons (0.93).

DALLAS COWBOYS

Parsons earned his fourth straight elite pass-rush grade in 2024 with a 91.6 mark, continuing to anchor Dallas’ defense. Lamb remained the offense’s top playmaker with a 90.8 receiving grade and a 27.8% target rate, topping 1,100 receiving yards. Prescott regressed slightly from his near-MVP 2023 season, with his big-time throw rate dipping to 4.5% and his turnover-worthy play rate rising to 4.7%. Even so, he’s still firmly among the Cowboys’ three best players.

DENVER BRONCOS

Surtain earned PFF’s Best Coverage Defender Award in 2024 with an 87.4 coverage grade while allowing just 0.53 yards per coverage snap. Meinerz posted a 0.51 WAR in 2024, third-best among all guards, on the strength of an 87.5 run-blocking grade. Sutton followed with a 0.44 WAR and a 77.0 receiving grade, placing him among the top 20 wideouts league-wide.

Jared Goff: PFF grades and data

DETROIT LIONS

• WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN
• EDGE AIDAN HUTCHINSON
• OT PENEI SEWELL

St. Brown continues to dominate PFF’s receiving metrics. He leads all wide receivers in WAR in 2024 (0.70), cumulative WAR over the past three years (1.70) and average WAR over that span (0.57). His 92.5 receiving grade trails only Tyreek Hill across those three seasons. Hutchinson opened 2024 with one of the most dominant five-game stretches ever recorded, earning a 95.0 pass-rush grade and a 38.9% win rate before injury. Sewell delivered a second consecutive elite run-blocking grade (91.5) and remains one of the top offensive linemen in football.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

• S XAVIER McKINNEY
• RB JOSH JACOBS
• OT ZACH TOM

McKinney impressed in his first season in Green Bay, notching a 90.2 coverage grade, his second straight season of elite performance in coverage. Jacobs set career highs with a 92.3 overall grade and a 91.3 rushing grade while also posting a 0.21 WAR, fifth-best among all running backs. Tom continued to ascend, earning an 87.8 run-blocking grade and an 85.8 overall grade — both career bests.

HOUSTON TEXANS

• WR NICO COLLINS
• EDGE WILL ANDERSON JR.
• CB DEREK STINGLEY JR.

Collins has entered the conversation as a Tier 1 wide receiver, as he has put up 90.0-plus receiving grades in each of the past two years. Anderson made a strong leap in Year 2, posting an 88.8 overall grade and a 78.3 pass-rush grade. Stingley produced a team-best non-quarterback WAR of 0.63 in 2024, the third-highest mark among all cornerbacks.g all corners in the NFL.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• OG QUENTON NELSON
• OT BERNHARD RAIMANN
• DI DEFOREST BUCKNER

Nelson holds the highest WAR for any non-quarterback on the Colts, both in 2024 (0.55) and as a three-year average (0.44). Raimann delivered career highs across the board — 85.1 overall grade, 82.0 pass-blocking grade and 80.7 run-blocking grade. Buckner earned an 81.9 overall grade, extending his streak to three consecutive seasons above 80.0.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Hines-Allen delivered his third straight season with a grade above 80.0, finishing 2024 at 82.7 with 63 total pressures. Thomas Jr. shined as a rookie, improving throughout the season and posting a team-best non-quarterback WAR of 0.46. Lawrence remains in this top-three mix, though his 76.8 passing grade represented a dip from 79.7 the year before, and his 3.9% turnover-worthy play rate marked a career high.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

• QB PATRICK MAHOMES
• DI CHRIS JONES
• CB TRENT McDUFFIE

Mahomes continues to rank among the best in the NFL, with only Joe Burrow posting a higher cumulative (10.72) and per-season average (3.75) WAR over the past three years. Jones earned a 91.5 pass-rush grade in 2024, his third consecutive elite season and sixth in the last seven years. McDuffie finished second among all cornerbacks in WAR behind only Patrick Surtain II, with his lowest individual grade — 79.2 in coverage — still among the best for any corner with significant snaps.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

• QB JUSTIN HERBERT
• ED KHALIL MACK
• OT RASHAWN SLATER

Herbert earned a 90.2 passing grade in 2024, the highest of his career. His 3.46 WAR ranked third among all players, trailing only Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. Mack posted a 90.2 overall defensive grade at age 33, the eighth such season of his career. Slater delivered career highs with a 90.9 overall grade and an 89.5 pass-blocking grade as the cornerstone of one of the league’s top offensive lines.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

• WR PUKA NACUA
• QB MATTHEW STAFFORD
• EDGE JARED VERSE

Nacua led the NFL with a 93.0 receiving grade and posted the highest non-quarterback WAR on the team at 0.56. Stafford saw his WAR dip from 3.38 in 2023 to 1.81 in 2024, but he remains one of the league’s most clutch quarterbacks. Verse burst onto the scene as a rookie, generating an 85.3 pass-rush grade and 89 total pressures.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

• EDGE MAXX CROSBY
• DI CHRISTIAN WILKINS
• TE BROCK BOWERS

Crosby missed time in 2024 but still played at an elite level when on the field. Wilkins appeared in only five games but is expected to make a major impact in 2025. Bowers earned a team-best WAR of 0.61 as a rookie, a number that would’ve earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors most seasons. His 85.1 overall grade was the highest by a rookie tight end since Jordan Reed in 2013.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

• WR TYREEK HILL
• CB JALEN RAMSEY
• WR JAYLEN WADDLE

Hill’s production dipped in 2024, dropping to an 80.8 receiving grade after leading the league the previous season, though he remains a premier weapon. Waddle’s grade also fell from 90.6 to 71.5, but he still holds elite upside. Ramsey earned the team’s highest non-quarterback WAR at 0.43 in 2024 and remains a cornerstone of the defense.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON
• OT CHRISTIAN DARRISAW
• OT BRIAN O‘NEILL

Jefferson ranks second among all wide receivers in cumulative WAR over the last three seasons, behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown. His 88.0 grade in 2024 narrowly missed a fifth straight season above 90.0. Darrisaw played only 392 snaps last year but continues to rank among the league’s best when healthy. O’Neill earned a 0.43 WAR, the third-highest mark on the team in 2024.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• CB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ
• DI MILTON WILLIAMS
• LB ROBERT SPILLANE

Gonzalez posted another strong season in coverage with a 78.2 grade. Williams arrives from Philadelphia after producing a 91.7 pass-rush grade during their Super Bowl run. Spillane brings proven value against the run, earning grades of 89.0 and 87.3 over the last two seasons.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• LB DEMARIO DAVIS
• C ERIK McCOY
• WR CHRIS OLAVE

Davis continues to defy age, as he has recorded a run-defense grade above 78.0 in six of the last seven seasons, including four seasons after turning 30. McCoy managed just 293 snaps in 2024 but earned a dominant 94.4 overall blocking grade during that span. Olave, though limited by injuries and concussions, remains one of the team’s most talented players moving forward.

NEW YORK GIANTS

• DI DEXTER LAWRENCE
• OT ANDREW THOMAS
• WR MALIK NABERS

Lawrence ranks among the league’s best interior defenders, logging grades above 89.0 in each of the last three seasons, including an 89.9 in 2024. Thomas has battled injuries but remains elite when on the field. Nabers takes the final spot after earning the team’s top non-quarterback WAR at 0.56 and finishing his rookie season with an 87.1 receiving grade.

NEW YORK JETS

Williams’ PFF grades dipped slightly last season, but he still earned a pass-rush grade above 70.0 for the fifth year in a row. After back-to-back 90.0-plus coverage grades, Gardner took a step back with a 73.2 mark in 2024, but remains one of the league’s most talented corners. Wilson posted a 0.53 WAR, the best among non-quarterbacks on the team, while earning a 79.3 receiving grade.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The reigning Super Bowl champs have no shortage of candidates. Brown has been the NFL’s most productive receiver against single coverage over the last three years and put up a stellar 96.5 grade against those looks. Mailata earned the highest WAR (0.69) of any offensive lineman in 2024 and took home PFF’s Best Offensive Lineman Award. Johnson allowed just 14 pressures over 1,190 snaps with an 88.7 pass-blocking grade.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Watt posted a three-year WAR total of 1.24 and averaged 0.41 per season, ranking sixth among edge defenders. At 35, Heyward still produced a 90.1 overall grade and an 85.9 pass-rush grade, marking his third career elite season. Metcalf joins Pittsburgh this year after earning a 0.32 WAR in 2024 and should have an immediate impact.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Witherspoon’s 69.2 coverage grade in 2024 was solid, but his 90.0 run-defense grade helped anchor Seattle’s defense. Smith-Njigba led the team in WAR (0.50) among non-quarterbacks and earned an 83.5 receiving grade. Cross continued his growth with career highs in run-blocking (77.9), pass-blocking (81.3) and overall grade (82.5).

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

• EDGE NICK BOSA
• LB FRED WARNER
• TE GEORGE KITTLE

Bosa has earned a defensive grade above 84.0 in each of the past six seasons, with three straight elite seasons above 90.0. Warner posted an 88.4 coverage grade, nearly matching his 91.1 career high from 2020. Kittle earns the nod over McCaffrey with a 2024 WAR of 0.58 — the highest on the team behind only Brock Purdy.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Evans missed time due to a hamstring injury, making his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season a dramatic milestone. Still, he posted the second-highest single-season receiving grade of his career at 90.2. Wirfs had a career year, earning a 94.1 pass-blocking grade while allowing just 13 total pressures on 1,061 snaps. Winfield saw a dip to a 57.8 overall grade in 2024 after dealing with injuries, but he nearly won Defensive Player of the Year the season before and is a strong candidate for a bounce-back campaign.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Simmons set a new career high with an 81.6 pass-rush grade, fueled by 45 total pressures in 2024. Ridley didn’t post a standout receiving grade (74.7), but he led all non-quarterbacks on the team with a 0.32 WAR. Rookie interior defender T’Vondre Sweat made a strong impression, finishing with a 75.0 run-defense grade in his first year.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

• QB JAYDEN DANIELS
• WR TERRY McLAURIN
• LB BOBBY WAGNER

Daniels took the league by storm as a rookie, winning PFF’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. He posted a 90.6 overall grade (90.0 rushing, 84.7 passing) and led all quarterbacks with a 3.11 WAR. McLaurin remained a steady star and has a cumulative three-year WAR of 1.31, seventh-best among all receivers. Wagner added yet another elite run-defense season to his résumé, earning a 91.2 grade, his third straight year above 91.0.