• Carolina Panthers get their WR1: The Panthers solidified their defense in free agency and then drafted their WR1 in Tetairoa McMillan, whose 98.6 receiving grade on 10-plus-yard targets since 2023 is just what the team needed.
• Geno Smith to Las Vegas: Since the start of 2022, Smith has recorded the eighth-best passing grade and second-most big-time throws in the NFL, which gives the Raiders an excellent solution to their recent quarterback struggles.
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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Every team’s roster turns over to some extent in the offseason, but the idea for them is to find proper fits based on either positional need or some specific talent of the acquired player. Here, we’ll break down one key acquisition for every team as it relates to a specific need or match with the player’s skill set.

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

Key Metric: 85.9 Run-defense grade in 2024 (Led all defensive tackles)

The Cardinals’ defensive line ranked 24th in run-defense grade last season, so there’s no better place to turn to remedy that problem than old friend Calais Campbell. Playing at 38 years old, Campbell incredibly led all defensive tackles with an 85.9 run-defense grade last season. The Campbell addition, as well as first-round pick Walter Nolen, could transform Arizona’s defensive line in the run game.

Key Metric: 22.4% pressure rate since 2023 (highest among FBS EDs, min. 200 pass rush snaps)

The Falcons tied for the second-worst pass-rush grade as a team in 2024 and went into the 2024 draft determined to change that. After selecting Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick, they doubled down by trading back into the first round to select Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr.. Among FBS edge defenders with at least 200 pass-rush reps over the past two seasons, Pearce led the group with a 22.4% pressure rate and ranked fourth with a 92.4 pass-rush grade.

Key Metric: 90.6 Run-defense grade since 2023 (fifth among qualified Power Four safeties)

Starks was already ticketed for a significant role in Baltimore, but Ar’Darius Washington’s recent injury makes him an even more crucial part of the team’s defense. The Ravens’ secondary took off last season when Kyle Hamilton became the team’s primary free safety. If that continues into 2025, Starks’ ability to play closer to the line of scrimmage will be in the spotlight. Fortunately for Baltimore, he earned a 90.6 run-defense grade over the past two seasons at Georgia, the fifth-highest among qualified Power Four safeties in that span.

Key Metric: 84.8 coverage grade since 2023

Bills cornerbacks ranked 22nd in the NFL with a 61.2 coverage grade last season. Christian Benford accounted for most of that positive production while the rest of the group struggled. First-round pick Maxwell Hairston is likely to start across from Benford after recording an excellent 84.8 coverage grade over the past two seasons at Kentucky. Hairston also ranked third in the FBS with five interceptions in 2023.

Key Metric: 98.6 receiving grade on 10-plus-yard targets since 2023 (led FBS)

Bryce Young’s improvement down the stretch last season came with a greater willingness to throw the ball vertically downfield and into tight windows. Carolina capitalized on that by adding wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick in the draft. McMillan led the FBS with a 98.6 receiving grade on 10-plus yard targets over the past two seasons. He also made 35 contested catches since the start of 2023.

Chicago Bears: C Drew Dalman

Key Metric: 94.3 outside zone run-blocking grade since 2023 (fourth among all OL)

The Bears overhauled their interior offensive line this offseason, and nobody is a better fit for Ben Johnson’s offense than their new center, Drew Dalman, who is one of the best outside zone blockers in the NFL. His 94.3 run-blocking grade in those concepts since 2023 ranks second among centers and fourth among all offensive linemen. That bodes well considering Johnson called outside zone runs at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL last season.

Key Metric: 88.2 run-defense grade in 2024 (sixth among FBS EDs)

Stewart’s freakish athleticism and coinciding lack of pass-rush production were two of the most talked-about subjects prior to this year’s draft, but his work in run defense likely appealed to the Bengals. His 88.2 run-defense grade was the sixth-highest among FBS edge defenders last season. Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s defensive line posted a 53.3 run-defense grade last season, 21st in the NFL.

Key Metric: 88.3 pass-rush grade since 2023 (seventh among qualified FBS DIs)

Cleveland thought enough of Graham to take him with the fifth overall pick in the draft, and rightfully so. Graham led the FBS with a 92.6 run-defense grade in 2024. He also ranked seventh among qualified defensive tackles with an 88.3 pass-rush grade over the past two seasons. The latter figure may be more beneficial to the Browns, whose interior defenders ranked 23rd in pass-rush grade this past season.

Key Metric: 99.9 deep receiving grade in 2024 (tied for the highest in the NFL)

Dallas’ offense declined last season due to a lack of a legitimate receiving threat aside from CeeDee Lamb. They recently traded for George Pickens to change that. Pickens tied for the NFL lead last season with a perfect 99.9 receiving grade on deep targets (20-plus yards). Meanwhile, Cowboys wide receivers ranked 21st in the NFL in deep receiving grade, and they were only that high mainly due to Lamb’s downfield production.

Key Metric: 90.0 coverage grade since 2019 (fourth among qualified LBs)

Led by NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos’ coverage unit had the foundation of an elite unit last season. Their biggest weakness was a lack of coverage production from their linebackers. That unit ranked 28th in the NFL in coverage grade last season. If healthy, former 49er Dre Greenlaw should alleviate that problem. Since his career started in 2019, he’s recorded an elite 90.0 coverage grade. Fred Warner, Demario Davis and Lavonte David are the only qualified linebackers to record a higher coverage grade in that span.

Detroit Lions: CB D.J. Reed

Key Metric: At least a 70.0 coverage grade in each of the past six seasons

Detroit has been searching for cornerback stability for several years. Carlton Davis III left for New England in free agency, but D.J. Reed should be able to provide that stability for an otherwise young group. Cornerback production is notoriously volatile, but Reed has managed to earn at least a 70.0 coverage grade in each of the past six seasons. In that same span, Detroit has only had three instances where a cornerback played at least 100 snaps and recorded at least a 70.0 coverage grade.

Key Metric: 99.6 deep receiving grade in 2024 (14th in FBS)

Green Bay was sorely lacking a vertical threat in the passing game last season. They should have no such issue in 2025 after drafting Matthew Golden and his 4.29-second 40-yard dash. Golden recorded a nearly perfect 99.6 receiving grade at Texas last season. That should pair well with Jordan Love’s strong arm. In the meantime, he should also be able to threaten safeties well enough for Love to complete more underneath throws as well.

Key Metric: 99.9 intermediate receiving grade in 2024 (tied for first in the FBS)

If there is one thing we know for sure about Houston’s offense in 2025, it’s that C.J. Stroud will be attacking the intermediate area of the field often. Nico Collins led the NFL with a perfect 99.9 intermediate receiving grade last season. Second-round pick Jayden Higgins led the FBS with a perfect 99.9 intermediate receiving grade last season. Redundancy be damned, the Texans are well equipped to throw the ball in this range as long as Stroud is protected.

Key Metric: Led all Power Four TEs in receiving grade, YAC and missed tackles forced in 2024

Tyler Warren may not have been the first tight end selected in this year’s draft, as many expected, but he couldn’t have found a better landing spot than Indianapolis. Warren led the Power Four last season with a 93.4 receiving grade, 693 yards after catch and 19 missed tackles forced. Meanwhile, Colts tight ends ranked in the bottom four in each of those categories last season.

Key Metric: 87.4 slot coverage grade in 2024 (highest among any player with 150-plus slot coverage snaps)

As a team, the Jaguars ranked 25th in coverage grade last season. One solution to that problem was to bring former Cowboy Jourdan Lewis in via free agency. Lewis posted an 87.4 slot coverage grade last season across 418 coverage snaps last season. That’s the highest mark of any player who played at least 150 slot coverage snaps last season. He should help the Jaguars immediately, considering they ranked 26th as a team in slot coverage grade last season.

Key Metric: 82.2 true pass-blocking grade in 2024 (tied for ninth among qualified FBS OTs)

For the second time in his career, Patrick Mahomes desperately needs pass protection following a Super Bowl loss. One of the most obvious first-round pairings in this year’s draft was Kansas City and Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons, whose 2024 season ended early due to a knee injury, but his 82.2 true pass blocking grade tied for ninth among qualified FBS tackles. He should provide an upgrade when healthy after the Chiefs saw all of their tackles, Joe Thuney notwithstanding, record a true pass blocking grade below 65.0 in 2024.

Key Metric: 95 big-time throws since 2022 (second in NFL behind Josh Allen)

Geno Smith should bring significant improvement to the Raiders’ offense after three outstanding seasons as Seattle’s starting quarterback. Since 2022, Smith has accrued the second-most big-time throws in the NFL and leads the league with a perfect 99.9 deep passing grade. In that same time frame, Raiders quarterbacks rank 26th and 30th, respectively, in those two categories.

Key Metric: 2,330 rushing yards after contact since 2023 (second in FBS)

Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want to run the football, and they selected a good candidate to do so in the first round of this year’s draft. Since the start of 2023, Omarion Hampton recorded a 93.9 rushing grade and 2,330 rushing yards after contact. The latter figure was bested only by sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty. Chargers running backs ranked 28th in rushing grade and 21st in yards after contact per attempt last season.

Key Metric: 83.3 receiving grade vs. man coverage in 2024 (tied for 17th among qualified WRs)

Davante Adams may be advancing into his 30s, but he still wins plenty of man-to-man matchups. Last season, he recorded an 83.3 receiving grade versus man coverage. His new teammate, Puka Nacua, ranked 4th on that same list. Meanwhile, the player Adams is effectively replacing, Cooper Kupp, recorded a receiving grade below 67.0 against man coverage in each of the past three seasons.

Key Metric: 87.5 Run-defense grade in 2024 (13th among qualified FBS DIs)

Miami lost its best run defender, Calais Campbell, in free agency and wasted no time finding the player it hopes can replace that production. Former Michigan Wolverine Kenneth Grant brings his 331-pound frame to Miami to fill that void. Grant earned an outstanding 87.5 run-defense grade in his final season in Ann Arbor, 13th-best in the nation among qualified interior defenders.

Key Metric: 86.9 PFF grade in 2024

Will Fries was on his way to a breakout season before suffering a season-ending injury in the Colts’ fifth game. During the time that he did get to play, he recorded a terrific 86.9 PFF grade that would’ve been a top-five mark at the position if he had played enough snaps to qualify. Considering Minnesota’s guards ranked just 24th in PFF grade and the team will be getting J.J. McCarthy for his first season as their starting quarterback, it’s understandable that they would take the chance on Fries’ small sample of elite production.

Key Metric: 91.7 pass-rush grade in 2024 (led all interior defenders)

Just when it looked like Milton Williams was preparing to sign with the Panthers, New England swiped him away with an offer he couldn’t refuse. If Williams continues his elite pass-rush production from last season, that contract will be well worth the price for the Patriots. Williams recorded a 91.7 pass-rush grade last season, narrowly edging out Chris Jones for the NFL lead among interior defenders. Conversely, Patriots defensive tackles ranked 30th in the NFL in pass rush grade last season.

Key Metric: 89.9 pass-blocking grade in 2024 (fourth among qualified FBS OTs)

New Orleans ranked dead last in pass blocking grade as a team in 2024. That certainly makes their selection of Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. in this year’s draft a sensible one. Banks recorded an excellent 89.9 pass blocking grade in 2024, fourth-best in the nation. Across 538 pass-blocking snaps, Banks allowed just 10 pressures and one sack in his final season as a Longhorn.

Key Metric: 97.3 deep passing grade in 2024 (Highest in NFL)

Russell Wilson brings his patented moon ball to Gotham City after leading the NFL with a 97.3 deep passing grade last season. Even with the addition of superstar wide receiver Malik Nabers, the Giants struggled to throw the ball downfield last season. As a team, they recorded just a 67.4 deep passing grade in 2024, 4th-worst in the NFL. 

Key Metric: 87.4 zone run-blocking grade in 2024 (sixth among qualified FBS OTs)

First-round pick Armand Membou should slot in as the starting right tackle on a very young and talented Jets offensive line this season. If offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand is going to run things similarly to how Ben Johnson did in Detroit, then Membou is a perfect fit. Membou ranked 6th among qualified FBS tackles with an 87.4 zone run-blocking grade last season. The Lions ran the fifth-highest rate of zone run plays in the NFL last season.

Key Metric: 81.0 run-defense grade, 80.1 coverage grade in 2024 (one of six FBS LBs with at least 80.0 grade in run defense and coverage)

Led by breakout star Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean, Philadelphia boasted the league’s highest-graded linebacker unit by a wide margin last season. Dean could miss time to start the season due to injury, but the team will have no worries after the best linebacker in the draft fell to them in the first round. Jihaad Campbell was one of just six qualified linebackers to post at least an 80.0 grade in run defense and coverage last season. Similar to Baun, he also has experience as an edge rusher, as he racked up 20 pressures and eight sacks in 2024.

Key Metric: 55 total pressures in 2024 (Led all FBS DIs)

The Steelers led the NFL in team pass rush grade last season and have a great chance of retaining that crown after selecting Oregon’s Derrick Harmon in the first round of the draft. Harmon led all FBS interior defenders with 55 pressures last season while placing third amongst that same group with an 86.3 pass rush grade.

Key Metric: 86.0 run-defense grade since 2023 (tied for 11th among FBS EDs, min. 200 snaps)

The 49ers made very clear their goal of improving their run defense in this year’s NFL draft. That process started with the selection of Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams. The versatile Williams earned an outstanding 86.0 run-defense grade over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, San Francisco’s defensive line eroded in 2024 to the point where Nick Bosa was the only qualified player among the group that earned a run defense grade above 60.0.

Key Metric: 88.5 play-action passing grade in 2024 (fifth in NFL)

Sam Darnold excelled in his lone year in Minnesota, particularly in play-action scenarios, where he earned the fifth-best passing grade in the NFL. One of the players ahead of Darnold in those rankings was Derek Carr, who ranked second with a 92.6 play-action passing grade. The common denominator is that Carr’s offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, will now be calling plays for Seattle. Kubiak was also Darnold’s quarterbacks coach in 2023 in San Francisco, so the familiarity between the two should lay a foundation for success in 2025.

Key Metric: 90.8 receiving grades on 0-19 yard targets since 2022 (seventh among FBS WRs, min. 100 targets)

During his time at Ohio State, Emeka Egbuka proved himself as a premier underneath route runner. Since 2022, among players with a minimum of 100 such targets, Egbuka produced the seventh-best receiving grade and 2nd-most receiving yards on targets between 0 and 19 yards in the air. That should make him a favorite target for his new quarterback, Baker Mayfield, who ranked fourth in the NFL with a 91.8 passing grade on throws in that specific range.

Key Metric: 92.9 PFF grade in 2024 (Led FBS)

The math is simple in Tennessee. Led by Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, the Titans ranked dead last in the NFL in passing grade in 2024. Their new quarterback, Cam Ward, led the FBS last season with a 92.9 PFF grade. Where Ward arguably made his biggest improvement in 2024 was against the blitz. His 86.0 passing grade when blitzed was the sixth-best mark in the country, while his 17 passing touchdowns in such scenarios were the second-most.

Key Metric: 89.1 pass-blocking grade (fourth among all OTs)

Jayden Daniels managed to light the world on fire last season despite playing behind a set of offensive tackles that ranked 23rd in the NFL in pass-blocking grade. That group should rank much higher after acquiring Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who placed fourth in the NFL with an 89.1 pass blocking grade. Tunsil, along with first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr., should make Daniels’ life a lot easier in his sophomore campaign.