Much of the 2025 offseason is in the rearview mirror, with a majority of top free agents off the market and the draft complete. However, there are still pressing matters for each team to address before the '25 NFL season kicks off on Sept. 4.
Kevin Patra identifies the top remaining offseason priority for each AFC team below. Check back on Friday for his top remaining priorities for each NFC squad.
Top priority: Hand out more contract extensions.
The Ravens rightfully reworked Derrick Henry's contract earlier this month. Now it's time for the front office to hand out a few more extensions ahead of the regular season. The Baltimore brass has already acknowledged there have been talks about renegotiating Lamar Jackson's deal. Why wait another 10 months when getting it done early would be beneficial? The fifth-year option on Kyle Hamilton gives the club time, but the cost will only go up for the most versatile safety in the NFL. Tyler Linderbaum is headed to free agency next year after the team did not pick up his fifth-year option, which would have made him the highest-paid center in the NFL. That decision creates urgency to lock down the pivot long-term.
Top priority: Resolve James Cook's situation.
We could discuss the WR corps for the 10,000th time. We could discuss how Joey Bosa was unable to make it to June before suffering another injury and its implications for the pass rush. However, the situation looming over the entire offseason is Cook's desire for a new contract and the team's reluctance, at least so far, to hand out a big-money deal to a player who was on the field for less than half the offensive snaps last season. Buffalo might prefer a committee, but Cook brings a tackle-breaking, elusive element to the table -- even if the coaching staff seems to forget about him for stretches. Cook is the only Bill skipping voluntary OTAs. GM Brandon Beane has said he expects Cook to be there when it counts. That's easy to say before summer break. What comes of it in training camp will be revealing for a player who seeks long-term security after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Top priority: Find a solution to the Trey Hendrickson standoff.
Both sides appear to have dug in. Hendrickson has been seeking a new deal for more than a year. The Bengals seem to have no inclination to meet his desires. Things are already contentious. No trade partner willing to pay Hendrickson and ship Cincy assets has materialized. Unless something tips the scales, this could be the most intense game of chicken we've seen in a while. The pass rusher is a vital cog in a defense that underperformed last year. A team that must get off to a good start can't afford to have its best pass rusher on the sideline after going 1-11 in Weeks 1-2 in six seasons under Zac Taylor.
Top priority: Pick a QB1.
John Madden famously said that if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. I'd love to know what the Hall of Famer would say about the quartet set to compete in Cleveland. This is well-plowed ground at this stage, but it's by far the most interesting thing happening in Berea. Unless one of the middle-round rookies blows the coaching staff out of the water, the competition could go on for a while. Who wins when no one knows who the starter is? Kevin Stefanski needs to pick a horse and ride him into the regular season. At the very least, he should narrow down the rotation heading into camp.
Top priority: Extend Nik Bonitto.
The Broncos did yeoman's work filling holes on the roster this offseason. If they can keep everyone healthy, this is a team that can threaten the big dogs in the AFC. Now GM George Paton can turn to locking down Bonitto long-term. The Pro Bowler is coming off a career year with 13.5 sacks, 48 tackles and a pick-six. The former second-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Bonitto has improved each season, and he's an underrated dynamo off the edge. Extending him now could save Denver money next year, with the franchise tag projected to be worth more than $28 million.
Top priority: Pick a starting five on the offensive line.
GM Nick Caserio churned through the offensive line, trading away his best blocker, Laremy Tunsil, and moving on from some disappointments this offseason. The depth is certainly better than last year. Now, it's up to the coaching staff to decide on the best mixture. Cam Robinson is a fine veteran left tackle but he’s also penalty-prone. Ed Ingram bottomed out in Minnesota, but perhaps a change of scenery could be good for him. Laken Tomlinson is a trusty vet who can stay healthy, but there isn't much upside. What role will second-rounder Aireontae Ersery play? We know that it takes time for offensive lines to jell. The longer they play together, the better. With so many new faces, it's on head coach DeMeco Ryans, offensive coordinator Nick Caley and the rest of the staff to establish the starting five and let them grow together.
Top priority: Find a winner in the QB battle.
The competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones continues to garner plenty of attention in Indy this offseason. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, hasn't played well enough to lock down the gig. His draft status and raw talent give him one more shot at keeping the starting job. The mere presence of the former Giants first-rounder puts heat on Richardson. Jones isn't a franchise-altering option, but he does give Shane Steichen a viable choice should Richardson tank -- at least Jones has been to the playoffs. The Colts are hoping pressure finally turns Richardson into a diamond. If it doesn’t, Indy could decide to see what Jones can do.
Top priority: Sort things out at running back.
Travis Etienne is atop the depth chart, but his efficiency has sunk in the past couple of campaigns. Tank Bigsby showed some flashes last year, but he was inconsistent and coughed the ball up. Fourth-round pick Bhayshul Tuten is the wild card, with blazing speed, excellent wiggle in space and home-run ability -- but he too, has a fumbling issue. Tuten also adds a dimension to the passing game. Last year in Tampa, Liam Coen helped turn another fourth-round pick, Bucky Irving, into one of the best backs in the NFL. Could Tuten get that same treatment in Jacksonville? Will Etienne keep the starting gig, and if so, can he hold it? Will it be a true committee?
Top priority: Determine the left side of the offensive line.
Lose a Super Bowl, revamp the O-line. It's GM Brett Veach's MO. After trading Joe Thuney, the Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore, a former swing tackle in San Francisco with 793 career snaps, per Next Gen Stats. Kingsley Suamataia, a 2024 second-rounder who struggled at tackle last year, moves to left guard to battle former undrafted free agent Mike Caliendo. Then there is 2025 first-rounder Josh Simmons, who could usurp Moore for the starting left tackle role if healthy in his return from a torn patellar tendon. In an ideal world, Simmons is ready to go and Suamataia seamlessly moves inside to replace Thuney, one of the best guards of his generation. Regardless of how things shake out, the Chiefs are poised to be young on the left side of Patrick Mahomes' offensive line.
Top priority: Establish Chip Kelly's offense.
We know it won't be the run-and-gun that was Kelly’s calling card when he first entered the NFL 12 years ago, but the actual nature of his offense in Las Vegas is mostly unknown. Geno Smith wasn't willing to provide hints before OTAs. We know one of the QB's best attributes is diagnosing at the line of scrimmage, so we can presume Kelly won't take that away. We also know that Pete Carroll loves to pound the rock. We can assume Kelly's run-first offense will motor through Ashton Jeanty. But how will Kelly ensure Brock Bowers gets involved? How will rookie Jack Bech look? Will Jakobi Meyers move around or stick to the slot? We won't know the real answers until training camp and the preseason, but how Kelly will devise his offense after returning to the league is an underrated storyline.
Top priority: Sign Rashawn Slater to a contract extension.
GM Joe Hortiz said after the draft that the team was continuing to talk about a new contract with Slater; yet, a month later, the deal still is not done. There is time before the season, and these negotiations often linger into training camp, but it should be a priority for L.A. Slater was reportedly not in attendance to start OTAs. Slater is one of the best offensive tackles in the game, good in both the pass and run game. Jim Harbaugh wants to build through the trenches. Extending Slater, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, is paramount to achieving that goal. It might take making him the highest-paid tackle in the NFL -- or at least top three -- but ensuring their bookend tackles are together for years is vital for Harbaugh's club to continue pushing forward in the AFC West.
Top priority: Add a veteran CB (after trading Jalen Ramsey).
It's all but a formality that the Dolphins will part ways with Ramsey. Presumably, they're waiting until after June 1 for salary cap purposes. With the veteran on his way out of Miami, the Dolphins are young at corner. Artie Burns, signed this offseason, is the elder statesman at 30 years old. Kader Kohou and Storm Duck are in line for prominent roles. The Dolphins are still waiting for 2023 second-rounder Cam Smith to live up to his draft status. Miami has reportedly checked in on 25-year-old Asante Samuel Jr., a free agent. Veterans like Stephon Gilmore, Rasul Douglas and Shaquill Griffin also remain free agents.
Top priority: Boost the edge rush.
The Patriots pass rush struggled to make a dent last season, ranking last in the league with 28 sacks. New England added big-money Milton Williams on the inside, but the edge remains somewhat of a question mark. Harold Landry is entering his age-29 season and is on the downslope of his career. Keion White tied for the team lead in sacks last year, with five. Anfernee Jennings, K'Lavon Chaisson, Truman Jones, fifth-rounder Bradyn Swinson and undrafted rookie Elijah Ponder round out the crew. Unless the Trey Hendrickson trade dam bursts open, there aren't big-time difference-makers available. But adding a proven veteran could give the Patriots rush more potency. Jadeveon Clowney began his career with Mike Vrabel in Houston. Clowney also played for the head coach and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams in Tennessee in 2020. A reunion in Foxborough could make sense.
Top priority: Extend Garrett Wilson.
The new regime has overhauled the roster, getting younger in the process. GM Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn can make a statement to the locker room that they're planning on keeping the core intact by extending Wilson. After three consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns, Wilson has proven he's QB-proof, producing at a high level even with average or poor play from the Jets’ passers. We don't know what Tanner Engstrand's offense will look like with Justin Fields under center, but it's safe to assume Wilson will be force-fed the ball. With the wideout under contract for the next two years, New York could put an extension off, but the price is likely to only go up in the long run. Teams don't always love handing out contracts with two years left on a player’s current deal, but doing so in this situation would be a strong signal by the new brass that they plan to do things differently when it comes to their cornerstones.
Top priority: Get Aaron Rodgers into town.
For the past month-plus, all indications point to Rodgers spinning the pigskin in Pittsburgh in 2025. And yet, the situation continues to linger, with the 41-year-old quarterback remaining a free agent. The four-time MVP is a flawed product at this point of his career, but he would still represent an on-field upgrade over Russell Wilson. At this stage, the Steelers would be up the Allegheny without a paddle if Rodgers spurns them. Mason Rudolph is fine for a game or three, but I wouldn’t count on him as a full-season starter. Starting sixth-rounder Will Howard out of the gate would be wild. Maybe they could trade for someone like Kirk Cousins? The options aren't pretty.
Top priority: Bring Cam Ward up to speed.
Brian Callahan has said the right things about making the No. 1 overall pick earn it. Competition is always good for an NFL locker room. But we don't have to pretend this isn't Ward's job. Will Levis proved last year that he's not the answer in Tennessee. Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle are camp arms. Ward was the clear-cut No. 1 QB in the 2025 draft class based on his big-play ability and talent when things break down. The question is whether he can become a station-to-station passer under Callahan. Can he limit the negative plays and consistently make the right decisions? Getting the rookie immersed in the offense is the top priority heading into the season. The future of the rebuild depends on Ward being the next stud passer in the NFL.
