2025 Offseason Team Needs: NFC

On to the Divisional Round! The NFL playoffs are well underway, and we have just seven games left in the 2024 season. In no time, we will be moving to the offseason.

Like the AFC offseason team needs, this article will take a step back from the 2024 season to look ahead to the biggest team needs for all 16 NFC teams. This article will focus on offensive needs because those will have the biggest impact on the fantasy season next year.

Check out the biggest needs for each NFC team this offseason below.

NFC Offseason Team Needs

Arizona Cardinals

Add Interior Offensive Linemen

Arizona’s offensive line quietly performed at a high level in 2025, allowing just 15 sacks and 146 pressures on 543 pass attempts. Only one player on the unit with over 280 snaps played finished with a PFF grade below 64.0 (rookie guard Isaiah Adams).

The Cardinals entered the 2025 offseason set to lose four key offensive linemen to free agency, including both of their starting guards (Will Hernandez and Evan Brown), their swing tackle (Kelvin Beachum) and a backup interior lineman who can play guard or center (Trystan Colon). Arizona has $72 million in cap space and can retain whatever pieces they need to, or they can go after a big target (like Kansas City’s Trey Smith) to further bolster the unit.

The core of Arizona’s offense (Kyler Murray, James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride) is under contract next season. While the team could opt to spend some of their money on upgrades to their complementary pieces, it is far more important to invest in solid interior offensive linemen given how important it is to keep a clean pocket for Kyler Murray given his height (or lack thereof).

Atlanta Falcons

Fortify the Interior Offensive Line

Atlanta has a lot of nice pieces surrounding Michael Penix Jr. heading into his second season after a quick stint as the starter in 2024. The backfield of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier has more than enough talent to sustain the run game. Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts are good weapons in the passing attack (plus London forged an early connection with Penix in 2024).

However, the Falcons are set to lose their starting center (and top-five center) Drew Dalman as well as his backup (Ryan Neuzil). The Falcons could also explore upgrading left guard Matthew Bergeron, who showed a lot of improvement in his second season but surrendered three sacks and 33 pressures on 618 protection snaps.

The Falcons will (understandably) invest their cap space and draft picks into improving their defense, but they also could do themselves a service by re-signing Dalman and Neuzil if the prices are right.

Carolina Panthers

Get Bryce Young a True WR1

Bryce Young did enough down the stretch to regain the title of “Carolina’s quarterback of the future.” The second-year quarterback returned from his benching to completing 61.7% of his passes for 2,104 yards and 15 touchdowns with six interceptions over his final 10 games. He also had 37 carries for 223 yards and five touchdowns.

It was even more impressive given what he was throwing to.

Adam Thielen is a solid player but has struggled with injuries as he gets older. Jalen Coker had an excellent season but is a slot man (like Thielen) and a UDFA. The Panthers used a second-round pick on Xavier Legette, but he seemed to be more of a gadget player than an alpha receiver.

For Carolina to take the next step with the Young, they need to get a true No. 1 receiver this offseason. The team can offer Tee Higgins a big contract if he hits free agency and could also use their top 10 pick on the top receiver in this class, Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan.

The Panthers have a solid offensive line, a good running game and now (it seems) a franchise quarterback. They just need a player who can stand out among their depth chart of complementary receivers.

Chicago Bears

Upgrade the Offensive Line

The Bears offense fell well short of expectations this season thanks to a blend of bad offensive play calling, a penchant for big-play hunting from Caleb Williams and very inconsistent offensive line play. Chicago’s offensive line was credited with 37 sacks and 204 pressures this season. Williams took a total of 68 sacks on the year.

Chicago is set to lose six of their offensive linemen heading into 2025, including two starters (Teven Jenkins and Coleman Shelton) and a slew of players who rotated in at guard this season (Matt Pryor, Jake Curhan and Bill Murray). The team is also set to lose swing tackle Larry Borom.

The Bears need to overhaul their entire interior offensive line (and could also stand to look into upgrading left tackle Braxton Jones). Thankfully, Chicago has plenty of resources to build up this group this offseason thanks to their cap space ($66 million) and three top 45 draft picks.

As much as the Bears need to nail their next head coaching hire with an offensive-minded coach to maximize Caleb Williams’ skillset, they need an offensive line that can keep the pressure off their young quarterback even more.

Dallas Cowboys

Acquire a Complement to CeeDee Lamb

The Cowboys’ offense fell apart in 2024 thanks to an injury to Dak Prescott and the struggles of two rookie offensive linemen (Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe) at left tackle and center. Both players showed enough to believe they can take a significant step in year 2.

It seems like Zack Martin played his last season in Dallas, but an even bigger need for this team is finding somebody who can complement and take pressure off CeeDee Lamb in the passing attack.

Veteran receiver Brandin Cooks is set to be a free agent and likely won’t be back due to injury issues in 2024. Jalen Tolbert had his best professional season (49 receptions for 610 yards and seven touchdowns) but hasn’t done enough to stand out as a sure WR2. Jake Ferguson (59 receptions for 494 yards) is a solid chain mover at tight end without much speed.

Lamb is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, but the Cowboys desperately need to add a player to this passing attack who can make defenses pay for taking him away.

Detroit Lions

Add an Impact Player at Guard

There isn’t much you can do to improve the Lions’ offense in 2025. The backfield tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined to produce 435 carries, 2,187 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground (plus 88 receptions for 858 yards and four receiving scores).

Amon-Ra St. Brown (115 receptions for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns) continued to make defenses pay in the short passing game. In comparison, Jameson Williams (58 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns) flashed the explosive playmaking that made him a first-round pick in 2022.

The best thing Detroit could do heading into 2025 (aside from convincing Ben Johnson to stay in Detroit one more year) is to bolster the guard duo. Make no mistake, the Lions were still one of the best offensive lines in the NFL this year. But Graham Glasgow and Kevin Zeitler combined to give up 39% of the team’s sacks and 29% of the team’s pressures. Plus, Zeitler is set to hit free agency.

The Lions will need to focus most of their draft picks and available cap space ($57.5 million) on improving their defense. However, don’t be surprised if this team invests either big money or a premium pick on a player that will upgrade one of their two guard spots.  

Green Bay Packers

Find a Real WR1

Fantasy managers spent a lot of time this offseason trying to figure out which of Green Bay’s wide receivers would be the one to have in fantasy football. Unfortunately, the answer was none of them.

It became very clear throughout the season that the Packers didn’t have a receiver they could go to in key moments or to extend drives. Of the players listed above, Jayden Reed was probably the “most valuable” despite playing just 61.7% of the team’s offensive plays. The only player listed above set to hit free agency is Bo Melton, so the issue isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Green Bay will likely be without Christian Watson for most of the 2025 season after he suffered an ACL tear in Week 18. He’s got the size and tools to be a WR1 but has never been healthy enough to put it together.

The Packers need to find a wide receiver who can command targets (and the focus of the defense) in order to take their offense to the next level. They have enough cap space ($51 million) to try and attack the position in free agency or could use an early draft pick on second-tier prospects like Luther Burden III from Missouri or Elic Ayomanor from Stanford.

There was hope that a collection of WR2’s and role players could work together to offset the lack of a true top receiver for the Packers in 2024. Now that that plan has failed, it is time to find a true WR1 who can allow Green Bay the chance to fully utilize its cast of excellent secondary receivers.

Los Angeles Rams

Add Another Receiving Option

The Rams were able to make the playoffs in 2024 thanks to their stellar run game and the continued high-level play from Puka Nacua (when healthy). Unfortunately, the team also saw signs that age was finally catching up to Cooper Kupp.

Kupp, who also struggled to stay healthy, followed up 2023’s poor season with another underwhelming showing in 2024. The veteran receiver had just 67 receptions for 710 yards and six touchdowns. Most of that production came before he got hurt late in the year.

The veteran receiver is under contract in 2025 and will continue to provide a solid tandem with Puka Nacua. However, three of Los Angeles’s most important depth receivers (Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell and Tyler Johnson) are set to hit free agency.

Los Angeles can bring back a couple of them with their cap space ($46 million) but needs to start considering investing in early picks to elevate their passing attack while working to find a replacement for Cooper Kupp in the future.

Minnesota Vikings

Plant Your Flag on the Quarterback of the Future

Minnesota has several key contributors on offense (Aaron Jones Sr., Cam Akers, Cam Robinson and Dalton Risner) set to hit free agency, but their most important need is figuring out the quarterback for the team going forward.

The Vikings are set to have four different quarterbacks hit free agency, headlined by Sam Darnold. The veteran was a revelation in 2024 (at least before Week 18 and the Wild Card game), completing 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. His excellent play was enough to justify him earning a second contract with the team, especially since he’s just 27 years old.

The complicating factor for the team is the fact that they used a 2024 first-round pick on Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy was seen as a raw player coming out of college but missed his entire rookie season thanks to a preseason knee injury. The Vikings think highly of him, but it is hard to let Darnold walk for nothing after such a successful season for the team.

Ultimately, the Vikings need to figure out if they want to pay Darnold, who performed well in their system or take the chance that McCarthy will be able to successfully pilot their offense with minimal experience. The decision could have ripple effects on how the team can use the rest of its considerable cap space ($69.5 million) and limited draft capital in 2025.

New Orleans Saints

Blow. It. Up.

Nobody would be shocked to know that the Saints are heading into the 2025 offseason with negative $52 million in cap space. At this point, it is just worth assuming the team will find a way to further defer money to get under the cap before the season.

New Orleans doesn’t have many key free agents set to hit the market, but they may want to consider just embracing the rebuild and taking on more dead cap, especially after starting the process by trading Marshon Lattimore during the regular season (and picking up a third, fourth and sixth-round pick in the deal).

The Saints roster isn’t getting any younger, and while the team has some interesting young pieces in Chris Olave and Taliese Fuaga, this team is desperately in need of a reset. If they can find a coach to agree to stick out a brutal 2025, they can get out of a lot of bad contracts at one time.

New York Giants

Find a Competent Quarterback

The Giants did a solid job bolstering their offensive line during the 2024 offseason. They also had two fantastic hits on offense in the NFL draft in wide receiver Malik Nabers (170 targets, 109 receptions, 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns) and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (192 carries for 839 yards and five touchdowns plus 38 receptions for 284 yards and a receiving score).

However, the team still has a massive hole at the quarterback position. The final season of Daniel Jones ended with 8 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 10 starts and an unceremonious cut. Drew Lock (6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in eight games) and Tommy DeVito (247 yards in three games) didn’t fare much better.

Unfortunately, a late-season win knocked the Giants out of contention for a top-two selection, putting them at the mercy of Tennessee and Cleveland if they want a rookie signal caller.

New York will likely grab a veteran on the free agent market in case they don’t get Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders with the third pick. For their sake, they need to get it right this time.

Philadelphia Eagles

Re-Sign (or Upgrade) Mekhi Becton

The Eagles have very few holes on offense and almost nobody is set to hit free agency. However, one surprising starter, right guard Mekhi Becton, is set to hit free agency after a successful season in Philadelphia.

Becton found a home on the interior offensive line in 2024, finishing the season with a 72.6 PFF grade, 72.0 run-blocking grade and 62.5 pass-blocking grade. He allowed just three sacks and 28 pressures on 476 protection snaps. More importantly, he stayed relatively healthy, playing 16 games.

The veteran offensive lineman earned a second contract with the Eagles. The team also has 2023 third-round pick Tyler Steen waiting in the wings or could seek to upgrade Becton if his price tag doesn’t outweigh his risk. Either way, adding (or retaining) one of their starting offensive linemen is essential to this team continuing to build into the top team in the NFC.

San Francisco 49ers

Find Another Impact Offensive Lineman

The 49ers are set at quarterback with Brock Purdy. The team will also be able to weather the storm of Brandon Aiyuk’s return from an ACL injury thanks to strong play down the stretch from Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings. A healthy season from Christian McCaffrey would be ideal, but the team saw that the run game could stay afloat with Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the backfield.

The one area where this group could always improve is the offensive line. Trent Williams struggled with injuries in 2024, and his backup (Jaylon Moore) is set to hit free agency. The team did hit on Dominick Puni in the 2024 NFL Draft (80.5 PFF grade) but could stand to upgrade any of the other positions.

San Francisco still has plenty of weapons across their skill positions, but building up the offensive line could help this team get back in the win column in 2025.

Seattle Seahawks

Fortify the Interior Offensive Line

The Seahawks tried to upgrade their offensive line in 2024, adding veterans Laken Tomlinson and Connor Williams on the interior. Unfortunately, the results didn’t change much.

Tomlinson performed admirably (62.1 PFF grade) and Williams abruptly retired halfway through the season. That left Seattle with just one player (left tackle Charles Cross) who finished with a PFF grade above 65.0. The result was Geno Smith being sacked 36 times and pressured on 253 dropbacks.

Seattle needs to get their offense on track so they can take advantage of DK Metcalf’s big-play ability down the field and that will begin by bolstering their interior offensive line. The team could also explore upgrading the right tackle position after Abraham Lucas struggled with injuries again in 2024.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Add Another Receiving Weapon

The Buccaneers exceeded expectations on offense after watching former offensive coordinator Dave Canales leave the team. New coordinator Liam Coen was able to keep the passing attack on track while also boosting the run game thanks to rookie Bucky Irving.

It is even more impressive that Tampa Bay was able to sustain its passing offense after losing Chris Godwin just seven games into the season to an ankle injury. Godwin was thriving in the offense (50 receptions for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns). The veteran is set to hit free agency in 2025.

Tampa Bay still has Mike Evans and got strong production from rookie Jalen McMillan (37 receptions for 461 yards and 8 touchdowns) down the stretch of the season. However, this passing attack could use an additional weapon assuming Godwin hits the open market this offseason.

In a perfect world, the Buccaneers will retain Coen as the offensive coordinator to help take this offense to the next level. Adding another receiving weapon can only benefit Baker Mayfield as he continues his resurgence.

Washington Commanders

Find a Complement to Terry McLaurin

The surprise of the NFC was the Washington Commanders. The team spent money in free agency to upgrade their offensive line with former role players, but it appears they nailed their quarterback pick with rookie Jayden Daniels. Daniels completed 69% of his passes for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He also added 148 carries for 891 yards and six touchdowns.

His stats (and the team’s general performance) are even more impressive considering what Daniels was working with in the passing attack.

The fact that Washington performed as well as they did with this supporting cast is a testament to how special Jayden Daniels is under center. More importantly, the fact that his supporting cast looks the way they do means the team has more than enough cap space this offseason ($89 million) to take this offense to the next level.

Washington got a feel for their potential with Jayden Daniels under center in 2024. Now it is time to build up this offense