NFL offseason grades for all 32 teams so far with OTAs getting rolling

The NFL offseason isn't over, not by a longshot. Teams are just getting into the thick of things with OTAs right now, and there will surely be signings, cuts and trades made before training camp starts in a couple of months. However, it is fair to say that between the biggest moves we'll see in free agency, the NFL Draft, and the trades that have happened, we are deep enough in the NFL offseason to fill out the report card and hand out grades for every team.

We'll look at the body of work for every NFL team and evaluate their best and worst moves while handing out a grade. Obviously, every situation is different, and a good or bad grade won't determine how good a team is this season in itself. But it's abundantly clear which teams aced the offseason, and which teams didn't.

Arizona Cardinals

NFL Offseason Grades — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Offseason Grade: C+

Best Move: Hiring Mike LaFleur as head coach
Worst Move: Drafting Carson Beck in the Top 65 picks

The overall direction of the Arizona Cardinals at least seems to be rowing in the same direction now, moving on from Kyler Murray and hitting the reset button. While the value that they got in the draft by taking Jeremiyah Love so early and with selecting Carson Beck with the first pick of the third round is suspect, it does seem like the Red Birds are setting up a stronger long-term foundation, even if we likely won't see the impact of their moves in the 2026 season.

Atlanta Falcons

Offseason Grade: B+

Best Move: Hiring Kevin Stefanski
Worst Move: Signing Tua Tagovailoa

Bringing in Tua Tagovailoa this offseason to compete with Michael Penix Jr. feels somewhat like a half measure from the Atlanta Falcons, namely in that they set themselves up to move forward with more questions at quarterback. That being said, getting Kevin Stefanski in the building is massive, and the Falcons crushed their draft despite not having a first-round pick. If either Penix or Tua can be even an average NFL quarterback this season, Atlanta should be thinking about a playoff berth.

Baltimore Ravens

Offseason Grade: C

Best Move: Drafting Vega Ioane
Worst Move: The Maxx Crosby looky-loo

To say the offseason was strange for the Baltimore Ravens would be wildly understating matters. The Maxx Crosby trade rebuff was unlike anything we've seen, and then they followed that up by handing the bag to Trey Hendrickson. There were clearly good moves made by the Ravens this offseason. Vega Ioane should be a home-run draft pick, and Hendrickson bolsters the defense. At the same time, I'm not sure I feel much different about a Ravens team that still is aiming to get over the hump.

Buffalo Bills

Offseason Grade: C+

Best Move: Trading for DJ Moore
Worst Move: Trading for DJ Moore

Two things can be true for the Buffalo Bills this offseason: It was completely necessary for the franchise to trade for a player of DJ Moore's caliber given the state of the receiver room, but they also might've overpaid to do so. Moore will certainly help Josh Allen get back to an even higher form this season, but one does have to wonder if the Bills actually did enough this offseason to, much like the Ravens, actually get over the hump.

Carolina Panthers

Offseason Grade: A-

Best Move: Signing Rasheed Walker
Worst Move: Signing Kenny Pickett

Considering that the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South last year, it feels like their offseason was an undeniable victory for the franchise. While I love the value of signing Rasheed Walker to fortify the O-line, let's not forget they also upgraded the defense with high-priced additions like Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd, while drafting well on top of that. The division might be changing hands and running through Charlotte with how this team has been operating and adding.

Chicago Bears

Offseason Grade: B-

Best Move: Drafting Dillon Thieneman
Worst Move: Reaching on Zavion Thomas

Granted, it's sometimes easy to make a move when it falls in your lap, which is what the Chicago Bears experienced with Dillon Thieneman late in the first round. Their draft wasn't perfect, of course, but I did like some of the defensive shuffling that this team did to try and get more out of that side of the ball this season. Having said that, I do worry that there weren't meaningful enough upgrades made to make the Bears a viable Super Bowl favorite just yet.

Cincinnati Bengals

Los Angeles Chargers

Best Move: Signing Boye Mafe in free agency
Worst Move: Bungling the entire Trey Hendrickson situation

It seems that the Cincinnati Bengals finally took their defensive malfeasance to heart by making numerous additions on that side of the ball, which should surely be a tremendous help to Joe Burrow and company. The only thing keeping the Bengals from an A or A+ offseason is that they let Trey Hendrickson walk this offseason when they honestly should've dealt him. Regardless, Cincy should be much improved, even if I don't fully believe they're ready to take the AFC North just yet.

Cleveland Browns

Offseason Grade: B+

Best Move: Their entire draft
Worst Move: Even considering going back to Deshaun Watson

There was no realistic combination of moves this offseason that would take the Cleveland Browns from being as bad as they were, particularly on offense, last year to a playoff contender. Having said that, the Browns are in position to think about their future at quarterback, hence why it's troubling to see them mulling giving Deshaun Watson the QB1 job again. However, one thing that's certain is that the roster's infrastructure has been drastically made better.

Dallas Cowboys

Offseason Grade: A

Best Move: Drafting Caleb Downs
Worst Move: Trading Osa Odighizuwa

To the surprise of precisely no one, the Dallas Cowboys made their primary focus improving the defense this offseason. Not all of their moves in that light were how I'd have operated, most notably trading away Osa Odighizuwa given how good he's been for this team. However, landing Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence, among others, in the draft, while trading for Rashan Gary and keeping George Pickens on offense should set Dallas up for a big upswing in the 2026 campaign.

Denver Broncos

Offseason Grade: B+

Best Move: Trading for Jaylen Waddle
Worst Move: Not replacing John Franklin-Myers

Considering that a change in the weather forecast might've put the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl a season ago, I loved that this team got aggressive in trading for Jaylen Waddle to upgrade the offense. It also felt like they pushed a lot of the right buttons in making smart re-signings on both sides of the ball. The only big question for me is if losing John Franklin-Myers will prove costly for this team, but they did plenty enough this offseason to be right back in the Super Bowl mix.

Detroit Lions

Offseason Grade: C+

Best Move: Signing Cade Mays
Worst Move: Not pursuing more at EDGE opposite Hutchinson

Given the upheaval on the Detroit Lions offensive line, spending big to sign Cade Mays and using a first-round pick on Blake Miller, who will now move Penei Sewell to the left side of the line, makes a world of sense. At the same time, it felt an awful lot as if the Lions were simply trying to keep their head above water to replace players rather than make a ton of meaningful additions. Namely, I like second-rounder Derrick Moore, but I'm not sure that's enough for this defense.

Green Bay Packers

Offseason Grade: C+

Best Move: Trading away Rashan Gary
Worst Move: As always, a tepid free agency class

Rashan Gary never quite became the player the Green Bay Packers had hoped, so maneuvering around that via trade and then reshuffling the roster made a ton of sense. The Packers also knocked it out of the park in the draft. However, it's often difficult to be overly positive about this team's offseason simply because they don't operate much at all in free agency. And after losing the likes of Quay Walker and Romeo Doubs, there are some real questions about this roster entering the 2026 season.

Houston Texans

Offseason Grade: B

Best Move: Not extending C.J. Stroud yet
Worst Move: Drafting Marlin Klein in the second round

The shortcomings of C.J. Stroud in the postseason cost the Houston Texans mightily in what could've been a dream season. Thus, the team's decision to still punt on committing to him long-term makes a world of sense, and there's no reason to believe that the Texans defense under DeMeco Ryans is going anywhere. That being said, their draft featured quite a few reaches and, with questions still lingering about Stroud, that then causes some questions about what their actual ceiling is as a team.

Indianapolis Colts

Offseason Grade: B-

Best Move: Their draft without a first-round pick
Worst Move: Giving Daniel Jones $44 million per season

Of the several teams without a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, I'd argue that the Indianapolis Colts made the most of their haul with the likes of C.J. Allen entering the fray. And overall, it does feel like this team is finally confident in the direction their heading. My worry is that it's the wrong direction. Paying Daniel Jones for a half-season of work last year at the rate they will now fork over and making Alec Pierce one of the league's highest-paid receivers are both risky propositions that could come back to bite this franchise.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Offseason Grade: D

Best Move: Re-signing CB Montaric Brown
Worst Move: Reaching consistently in the draft

It was a breath of fresh air a year ago when young Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone made one gusty decision after another. It also might've been the worst thing for this offseason. After many of those moves paid off with a playoff berth, the Jags lost quite a bit in free agency and seemingly didn't do nearly enough to replace the losses. And that's before you get to their draft, where they made some of the biggest reaches of the entire proceedings.

Kansas City Chiefs

Offseason Grade: B

Best Move: Aggressively signing Kenneth Walker III
Worst Move: Not building a Rashee Rice contingency plan

Despite drafting some explosive athletes, the Kansas City Chiefs clearly recognized the need to add more of that element this offseason. While it's expensive, that's why I love the Kenneth Walker signing more than some. And it also felt like they made a concerted effort to really build up their defense, most notably with Mansoor Delane, Peter Woods and R Mason Thomas all coming into town by way of the draft. However, Rashee Rice's off-field troubles continuing make you wonder how Brett Veach didn't do more to add to the receiving corps this offseason.

Las Vegas Raiders

Offseason Grade: A

Best Move: Drafting Fernando Mendoza
Worst Move: Jalen Nailor being the biggest weapon signed

Do I believe that the Las Vegas Raiders have done enough to become a Super Bowl contender? Not at all. However, they've absolutely nailed this offseason, tabbing Fernando Mendoza as their franchise quarterback and then building a better infrastructure around him. The Raiders tried last offseason with Ashton Jeanty and Geno Smith to get rolling, but this feels like much more of a strategic roster construction now, and one that could see Vegas as one of the biggest risers of the offseason.

Los Angeles Chargers

Offseason Grade: A

Best Move: Hiring Mike McDaniel at offensive coordinator
Worst Move: Not doing enough at wide receiver

The prospect of the Los Angeles Chargers handing Justin Herbert over to Mike McDaniel is otherworldly enticing. This offense could be set to take off with its new coordinator in tow, and the Chargers also did good work overall this offseason to fill out gaps in the roster, starting on the interior of the offensive line, retaining some key defensive pieces and, overall, just making this roster better. I do still worry slightly about the wide receiver room's depth, but the makings of a contender are there.

Los Angeles Rams

Offseason Grade: B-

Best Move: Trading for and extending Trent McDuffie
Worst Move: Drafting Ty Simpson 13th overall

In all honesty, the most jarring part of the Ty Simpson pick was that it went against what we expected and had seen from the Los Angeles Rams throughout the offseason. Trading a first-round pick for Trent McDuffie while continuing to overhaul the secondary was smart, and quite indicative of a win-now move in a Super Bowl window. So to draft a long-term contingency plan at QB in the first round seemed misguided and cost the Rams a higher grade for the offseason thus far.

Miami Dolphins

Offseason Grade: C

Best Move: Rolling the dice on Malik Willis
Worst Move: Questionable approach to Top 100 picks

In what can only be described as a roster teardown, I fully understand and love the Miami Dolphins being aggressive in signing Malik Willis this offseason. By no means is that a surefire commodity for the future at quarterback, but it's a worthwhile gamble. Having said that, Miami's grade for the offseason suffers because of their draft and the rest of their moves. They had a chance to start building real core pieces for this roster in the future, and it felt like they took too many risks in doing so.

Minnesota Vikings

Offseason Grade: C+

Best Move: Swooping in to sign Kyler Murray
Worst Move: Reaching on Caleb Banks with the 18th pick

Immediately finding a contingency plan for J.J. McCarthy after last year was smart business from the Minnesota Vikings, and the fact that I believe Kyler Murray can revive his career in the Twin Cities makes me even more bullish there. At the same time, the Vikings had some key defensive departures I'm not sure they adequately replaced, and their draft had some questionable value picks as well. Murray could still be the difference-maker, but the overall offseason was left wanting a bit.

New England Patriots

Offseason Grade: B-

Best Move: Signing Alijah Vera-Tucker
Worst Move: Giving TE Julian Hill a 3-year deal

Putting aside all of the Mike Vrabel stuff this offseason, the New England Patriots cobbled together a solid offseason after a Super Bowl berth this past season. I love the bet on Alijah Vera-Tucker to fortify the problematic offensive line if he can stay healthy. And obviously, the looming likelihood of an A.J. Brown trade will help the cause for the Pats. As of now, though, I'm not sure they've done enough to close the gap with a team like the Seahawks this offseason, even if they are a better team.

New Orleans Saints

Offseason Grade: A

Best Move: Drafting Jordyn Tyson
Worst Move: Overpaying Travis Etienne (but it’s not that bad)

In all honesty, I struggled to find anything negative to say about the New Orleans Saints' offseason. Did they pay Travis Etienne more than I would have in free agency? Sure, but he's also a talented player who should be able to revitalize the run game behind Tyler Shough. The Saints were calculated both in free agency and the draft to put Shough in a better situation, and New Orleans now looks like one of the biggest risers of the offseason at this point.

New York Giants

Offseason Grade: B+

Best Move: Drafting Arvell Reese at No. 5
Worst Move: Signing Tremaine Edmunds for 3 years, $36 million

The New York Giants saw the task at hand of building around Jaxson Dart and have run with it. Not overthinking the Arvell Reese pick is a massive win, and I'm a big fan of Francis Mauigoa as well. Oh, and let's not forget that the team also almost surely upgraded at head coach, getting an adult in the room with proven pedigree in John Harbaugh. I'm not over the moon about a lot of their free agency work, but it's still a much better Giants team than we saw on the field last season.

New York Jets

Offseason Grade: A-

Best Move: Being patient at QB
Worst Move: Paying Joseph Ossai on a 3-year deal

Had Dante Moore not returned to school at Oregon, I'd have been in on the idea of the New York Jets selecting him as their next franchise QB hopeful. Since that didn't play out that way, though, I commend the Jets for playing the long game. Geno Smith's return isn't the long-term answer, but he's a fine stopgap. Meanwhile, this organization made a concerted effort to build a better overall roster, which sets them up beautifully to attack a loaded quarterback class in the 2027 draft with multiple first-round picks.

Philadelphia Eagles

Offseason Grade: B

Best Move: Trading up to steal Makai Lemon from Steelers
Worst Move: Banking on Arnold Ebiketie in free agency

The Philadelphia Eagles made a concerted shift in philosophy, or so it seems, this offseason. With Sean Mannion coming in as the new offensive coordinator, it appears they will be asking more from Jalen Hurts. Drafting Makai Lemon, who they nabbed with a beautifully timed trade up in the draft, and likely moving on from A.J. Brown surely means more happening in the middle of the field. On defense, though, I do worry about some of the losses and replacements that were brought in.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Offseason Grade: C-

Best Move: Trading for Michael Pittman Jr.
Worst Move: Running it back with Aaron Rodgers

Admittedly, handing out a sub-average grade to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason feels a bit harsh. The Michael Pittman Jr. trade was beautifully done, while the free agency additions of Jamel Dean, Rico Dowdle and more all make sense. But at the end of the day, banking on Aaron Rodgers again, and now Mike McCarthy as well sours me on the Steelers' offseason. It feels like resigning yourself to a playoff appearance ceiling, which was part of the issue with Mike Tomlin.

San Francisco 49ers

Offseason Grade: B-

Best Move: Trading a third-rounder for Osa Odighizuwa
Worst Move: Drafting De’Zhaun Stribling in the second round

Because of the confidence that Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have in their philosophy, I'm rarely going to be a fan of what the San Francisco 49ers do in the NFL Draft. That being said, I thought the Niners crushed the free agency and trade portion of the proceedings. Adding Osa Odighizuwa was a steal for this defense, and Mike Evans still has plenty left in the tank as a perfect fit for this offense. Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the 49ers aren't going anywhere after an offseason like this one.

Seattle Seahawks

Offseason Grade: C

Best Move: Re-signing Rashid Shaheed
Worst Move: Reaching to draft Jadarian Price

Don't get this twisted — even if I'm a bit low on what the Seattle Seahawks did this offseason, there's no reason to think that the defending Super Bowl champions still won't be in the championship mix again this season. That being said, nothing about their free agency class is going to wow anyone, and their draft featured a couple of substantial reaches, even if they did add good players. But the most pivotal loss of the offseason might prove to be Klint Kubiak, who's now the head coach in Vegas.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Offseason Grade: B

Best Move: Taking advantage of Rueben Bain Jr. falling to them
Worst Move: Losing Mike Evans

GM Jason Licht had to be thinking that Christmas came in April when Rueben Bain Jr. fell into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' lap in the first round of the draft. He's the exact type of lightning bolt that an aging defense needed, and they also did a nice job in free agency and elsewhere in the draft. At the same time, losing a franchise icon like Mike Evans has some interesting ramifications, and just how much better the Bucs got this offseason is a viable question, even if the overall vibe is positive.

Tennessee Titans

Offseason Grade: B

Best Move: Signing John Franklin-Myers
Worst Move: The Wan’Dale Robinson contract

Just blindly putting the number of veteran defensive players who the Tennessee Titans added, someone could probably guess that Robert Saleh was involved. It's clear they're trying to raise the floor in Nashville while also getting some help along the way for young Cam Ward. Now, the Wan'Dale Robinson contract is absolutely egregious for a player who simply isn't a WR1 in this league. That being said, the Titans certainly succeeded in taking a step forward this offseason.

Washington Commanders

Offseason Grade: B-

Best Move: Drafting Sonny Styles
Worst Move: Making sneakily risky free agency bets on D

On one hand, it was abundantly clear that the Washington Commanders needed to shake up the defense after a pretty dismal performance on that side of the ball a year ago. Sonny Styles and several other additions will help in that regard. However, Washington also took a lot of gambles on guys like Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson and Rachaad White who simply might not be needle movers. The Commanders look like a better roster, but there's a long way to go after what happened in 2025.

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