• Eagles poised to make another deep run after stellar offseason: The team's offseason was about retaining talent and minimizing the losses following their Super Bowl appearance, and they did even better than anticipated.
• Bengals attack pressing needs: Acquiring Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency and then Myles Murphy and secondary help in the draft made for an excellent offseason.
• 49ers docked for questionable draft: The addition of Javon Hargrave to an already dominant defense saves the team from a very poor offseason grade.
Estimated Reading Time: 22 mins
Free agency is over and the 2023 NFL Draft is in the books, and while there are still important moves to be made (e.g., the Chiefs picking up Donovan Smith or the Browns trading for Za’Darius Smith), the majority of the roster-building portion of the NFL offseason is already over.
With that in mind, let’s grade how each team has fared. PFF’s post-draft guide has a full breakdown of every team as part of your PFF+ subscription, and the grades for this article are taken from there.
JUMP TO A TEAM:
ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CIN | CHI | CLE | DEN | DAL | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Arizona Cardinals
Offseason Grade: B
A new regime in Arizona went about things in a very different way to the old one, and though free agency was a little low on star power or impact signings, the Cardinals made up for it with an excellent draft.
They exploited Houston’s desperation to trade back in the draft and still picked up the player they wanted all along (Paris Johnson Jr.) while acquiring a first-round pick next year as part of the deal. The next three picks they had, on Day 2, should each contribute, and quarterback Clayton Tune has been among the most accurate passers in the nation over the past couple of years. Arizona may not see the biggest impact from this offseason in 2023, but they set themselves up for the future as well as any franchise.
Atlanta Falcons
Offseason Grade: B+
The Falcons attacked free agency hard this offseason, adding a slew of players who will start and help to overhaul a defense bereft of talent last season. Big-money contracts were handed out to safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle David Onyemata, among others, but they also took advantage of a trade to acquire former No. 3 overall pick Jeffrey Okudah. After a disappointing start to his career, Okudah posted a 78.5 PFF grade last season and is still just 24 years old.
In the draft, the Falcons grabbed running back Bijan Robinson in the first round, making a clear statement of intent with the league’s most run-heavy offense. Their next three selections should all make either significant contributions or provide much-needed injury contingency, with slot cornerback Clark Phillips III a potential steal in the fourth round.
Baltimore Ravens
Offseason Grade: B
Baltimore’s offseason gets a bump by me for “winning” their negotiations with Lamar Jackson at every step. They drew a line in the sand, refused to replicate the fully guaranteed contract Deshaun Watson received and dared Jackson to find the deal anywhere else. That didn't happen, and then they waited until another quarterback got signed and used that contract to finalize Jackson's deal.
Adding Odell Beckham Jr. is an interesting move, albeit a pricey one, but gives Baltimore needed receiver help. The draft continued that trend with Zay Flowers a nice fit even if the first round was higher than I would have personally drafted him. Andrew Vorhees along the offensive line is a steal in Round 7, but otherwise this draft felt some way short of Baltimore’s usual standard.
Buffalo Bills
Offseason Grade: B
Buffalo's offseason included losing significant members of the team, such as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Though that’s a downgrade on the field, it’s smart roster construction to avoid paying the kind of contract Edmunds received from Chicago. Connor McGovern can provide nice competition along the offensive line, and if the team can keep Deonte Harty healthy at receiver, he can provide an electric threat to an already elite offense.
O’Cyrus Torrence in the second round was a player regularly linked to the Bills in the first round, and they were able to pick him having already added Dalton Kincaid — an elite talent at tight end. For that sequence alone, Buffalo had an excellent draft.
Carolina Panthers
Offseason Grade: B+
The Panthers deserve credit for aggressively attacking the quarterback position. After being patient the past couple of years, they had enough and traded the No. 9 overall pick to Chicago to control the draft with the first selection. The price was very steep, but it meant they came out of the draft with Bryce Young, the top quarterback available and a player who was often talked about as having generational talent if he just stood 6-foot-2 instead of 5-foot-10.
Replacing D.J. Moore with a collection of veterans and the draft was likely as good as the Panthers could do, while Andy Dalton is a solid mentor for Young even if the talk of him actually starting the season is likely just offseason coach speak. Chandler Zavala in the fourth round of the draft is a player who could easily wind up starting games for Carolina at guard, and a really nice pick in a draft that contained just five selections after their trade.
Chicago Bears
Offseason Grade: A-
Chicago’s offseason evaluation begins with the decision to commit to Justin Fields going forward and not replace him with a rookie quarterback at the top of the draft. Doing so enabled the Bears to trade down to No. 9 overall and acquire a No. 1 receiver for Fields in the process (D.J. Moore). Their approach to talent this offseason seems to have involved some significant appetite for risk, but the potential payoff is huge.
In free agency, they invested heavily in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and made a much more modest signing of perennial overachiever T.J. Edwards. In the draft, Darnell Wright has a highlight reel of crushing blocks but one of the worst run-blocking profiles of any top pick in recent memory. Interior defensive linemen Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens each has physical tools but didn't display impact play in college. Chicago did mitigate risk well with contingency plans at several spots, so overall this was a big jump for a roster that had been torn down a year ago.
Cincinnati Bengals
Offseason Grade: A
Cincinnati securing the services of Orlando Brown Jr. at tackle was both unexpected and excellent opportunistic work. Brown has five straight seasons with a PFF pass-blocking grade of at least 74.4 and helps further solidify the Bengals' offensive line. Cody Ford adds depth to the group, as well, while the gamble that Irv Smith Jr. can remain healthy is an excellent buy-low gamble.
Their draft was an excellent one also, with Myles Murphy bringing elite tools and flashes of play at an area of the draft where that skill set is typically gone. Cornerback D.J. Turner, safety Jordan Battle, receiver Charlie Jones and running back Chase Brown all future-proof areas of the roster without needing to be pressed into full-time roles right away.
Cleveland Browns
Offseason Grade: A
Cleveland’s offseason was all about rebuilding a defensive line that could no longer survive with Myles Garrett on his own. Free agency brought interior help in Dalvin Tomlinson as well as edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and then a trade for Za’Darius Smith. That’s adding 146 pressures to the line from last year through just three additions.
In the draft, the line continued to get reinforced with nose tackle Siaki Ika and edge rusher Isaiah McGuire. Halting the slide of Ohio State offensive linemen Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler gives this draft a huge potential payoff, while receiver Cedric Tillman should feature in a rebuilt receiving corps, with Elijah Moore also brought over in the offseason. This was an offseason that can propel the Browns back to contending in the division if Deshaun Watson bounces back to his best play.
Dallas Cowboys
Offseason Grade: B-
The biggest moves the Cowboys have made were trades for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Both players showed in 2022 that they are still capable of high-level play, and each will have less responsibility to be the best player on their respective units given Dallas' talented roster.
The Cowboys' draft was solid, if unspectacular. Mazi Smith should provide some much-needed strength on the interior of their defensive line — a weakness for years now. He finished 2022 with 27 run stops, the sixth most in the draft class at his position. Second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker should also contribute plenty at tight end early in his career.
Denver Broncos
Offseason Grade: A-
Denver’s biggest offseason move was hiring head coach Sean Payton to right the shipwreck that was the 2022 Broncos. The move actually cost Denver a first-round pick, so it can very fairly be viewed as part of their offseason process. Payton clearly focused heavily on the ground game, adding multiple veteran offensive linemen in free agency and spending heavily to do so.
In the draft, Denver made solid picks given their situation. Marvin Mims has a chance to make an impact at receiver, but his arrival likely signals the impending departure of a wideout already on the roster.
Detroit Lions
Offseason Grade: A-
The Lions have had an exceptional offseason. They set about free agency filling all of their biggest holes on the roster, buying the team the flexibility to draft the best player available and not have to chase needs. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley and Cameron Sutton could all see the majority of snaps in the secondary, while David Montgomery can carry the load at running back and Graham Glasgow provides valuable interior stability on the offensive line.
Their draft was a curious run of low-value positions, but it’s hard to dislike the players they drafted. Jahmyr Gibbs is the most difficult pick to endorse from an opportunity-cost standpoint, but the Lions brought in some excellent players. Quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round is an outstanding roll of the dice in a way it would not have been in the first round.
Green Bay Packers
Offseason Grade: B-
The Packers decided this offseason to rip the Band-Aid off and move on from Aaron Rodgers. Whether that’s a good plan remains to be seen, but they deserve credit for winning the game of chicken with the New York Jets and extracting a major haul for a player who had publicly announced he wanted to play for the Jets.
In the draft, they repeatedly attacked the same few positions with multiple selections. That was true for the defensive line (Lukas Van Ness, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks), receiver (Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Grant DuBose) and tight end (Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft), and the Packers will expect somebody at each spot to make an immediate impact.
Houston Texans
Offseason Grade: B
Once again, Houston made a lot of free-agent moves this offseason, but it remains as difficult as ever to discern a pattern to the volume. With so many additions, there are some that look very good — Shaq Mason via trade, Jimmie Ward in the secondary, Robert Woods as a reclamation project at receiver — but the process seemed to be missed a focused swing.
The Texans' draft will live or die by the fortunes of C.J. Stroud at quarterback, but trading a first-rounder next year to move back up to select Will Anderson Jr. is difficult to defend from a process standpoint. Receiver Tank Dell has electric playmaking skills and slid to the third round because he weighs just 165 pounds. He led the nation over the past two seasons in open targets and could be a figuratively huge addition.
Indianapolis Colts
Offseason Grade: A-
Samson Ebukam adds yet more talent to an already good defensive front, but the Colts' offseason was all about the draft. Anthony Richardson represents a swing for the fences at the quarterback position after several seasons of the team trying to play it safe with veterans. Richardson pairs with a new head coach who understands how to tap into quarterback rushing, having just done so in Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts.
The Colts also picked 12 times and made a continuous push to target super athletes with their selections. Blake Freeland at tackle and Adetomiwa Adebawore on the defensive line were among the best athletes in the draft but need polish to make an impact in the NFL. Josh Downs could add a valuable missing skill set to the receiver room given his quickness and production in college.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Offseason Grade: B-
Free agency was quiet for Jacksonville. On the other hand, the reinstatement of receiver Calvin Ridley has the potential to be a huge move for the Jaguars after they traded for him a season ago. D’Ernest Johnson enjoyed success in Cleveland in spot duty and is a solid complement to Travis Etienne in the backfield.
In the draft, Jacksonville added a starting tackle in Anton Harrison in the first round. Beyond that, they secured several players who should carve out significant roles. Penn State receiver Parker Washington had just three drops last season and an elite contested catch rate of 71.4% while working primarily from the slot.
Kansas City Chiefs
Offseason Grade: B
The Chiefs elected to let Orlando Brown Jr. walk and replace him with Jawaan Taylor at a huge cost of $20 million a year. Taylor, who has only ever played right tackle, was initially supposed to play on the left side, but the team has since signed Donovan Smith and will likely keep Taylor on the right side, where he has been an excellent pass blocker. Charles Omenihu, safety Mike Edwards and linebacker Drue Tranquill are solid additions who can all play extensively in 2023.
In the draft, the Chiefs weren’t flashy with their first pick but elsewhere targeted some fascinating projects. Rashee Rice had enigmatic tape at SMU and now goes to Andy Reid to see what he can become at the NFL level, while Wanya Morris represents the third project tackle the team has drafted in recent years.
Las Vegas Raiders
Offseason Grade: C+
After Derek Carr‘s Raiders tenure ended unceremoniously last season, the team needed a new plan at quarterback. Settling on Jimmy Garoppolo as the answer felt like a very underwhelming resolution, particularly when it was followed up by avoiding a quarterback in the draft until the fourth round.
Jakobi Meyers gives them a strong receiving corps, but they did trade away Darren Waller to the Giants before filling that space with Michael Mayer in the draft. Between free agency and the draft, the Raiders were one of the most active teams in the league; it’s just not immediately clear that they got a whole lot better in the process.
Los Angeles Chargers
Offseason Grade: A-
It was a very quiet free agency for the Chargers. Still, the addition of Eric Kendricks is a shrewd move that upgrades the team immediately and, perhaps, has a knock-on effect if he can help the team's young linebackers, Kenneth Murray and rookie draft pick Daiyan Henley, along as well.
In the draft, the Chargers didn’t do anything spectacular but added several solid players who should contribute. Quentin Johnston brings big-play and after-the-catch ability to an offense that has been missing that over the past couple of years. His work at the catch point has been suspect, but he has the size and frame to be a force in that area.
Los Angeles Rams
Offseason Grade: B
The Rams' biggest move in free agency was trading away cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and not for a giant haul in return. That left the team with a difficult draft needing a lot of contributors despite no first-round selection. They ended up drafting 14 times, and several of those players should see playing time. Steve Avila could be a Day 1 starting guard, while Byron Young and Kobie Turner should both feature plenty on the defensive line right away. Edge rusher Nick Hampton, receiver Puka Nacua and cornerback Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson could all see snaps sooner rather than later, and the team also took a gamble on quarterback Stetson Bennett, who has consistently exceeded expectations throughout his career and is coming off back-to-back national championships.
Miami Dolphins
Offseason Grade: B+
The Dolphins continue to load up in the arms race that is the AFC. Adding Jalen Ramsey via trade gives them a potentially fearsome secondary that was only enhanced with Cam Smith, their first draft selection. DeShon Elliott at safety also helps reinforce that area, while the addition of Mike White at quarterback upgrades the insurance policy for Tua Tagovailoa at the same time as hurting a division opponent. For a team with just four selections in the draft, their first two should contribute, with running back Devon Achane bringing yet more speed (4.32 40-yard dash) to an already blazing-fast offense.
Minnesota Vikings
Offseason Grade: B+
It was more of the same for the Vikings. They are certainly pushing to get younger, and cheaper, but not necessarily better. They traded Za’Darius Smith to get his contract off the books, but that leaves 78 pressures to find from last season. Marcus Davenport will have a chance to step into that role after coming over from New Orleans. He has never exceeded 51 pressures in a single season.
First-round pick Jordan Addison should find success early opposite Justin Jefferson, and the opportunity is there for Mekhi Blackmon to start at cornerback if he carries his college play into his first NFL preseason. DeWayne McBride was one of the best value picks of Day 3 and could have an early workload if the team elects to move on from Dalvin Cook before the season starts.
New England Patriots
Offseason Grade: B+
New England lost Jakobi Meyers in free agency but replaced him with JuJu Smith-Schuster, as well as added reinforcements in the shape of tight end Mike Gesicki, running back James Robinson and some offensive line depth. It wasn’t a monster spending spree, but it likely made the team better.
The draft saw them swing for home runs with their first two selections, grabbing incredible physical tools on defense in need of some coaching in cornerback Christian Gonzalez and defensive lineman Keion White. The rest of the draft felt like stocking depth along the offensive line and in the receiver and cornerback rooms.
New Orleans Saints
Offseason Grade: C+
Derek Carr to the Saints was a logical move that made sense for both parties. The Saints can contend in a weak division and conference without needing to rebuild, and Carr is valuable to a team that doesn’t need him to go toe to toe with the best quarterbacks in the game weekly. New Orleans hemorrhaged talent in free agency and didn’t restock it as aggressively as they often do because of the Carr signing. That put a lot of pressure on their draft.
In Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey, their first two picks were spent on defensive linemen, and they will need both to play a lot as rookies. The rest of their draft was intriguing, with A.T. Perry a potential steal at receiver late in the draft and Jake Haener a quarterback prospect who many people loved as a player with the potential to buck the odds in the fourth round.
New York Giants
Offseason Grade: A
New York’s offseason has to begin with the contract they gave to Daniel Jones. Rather than use the franchise tag, the Giants handed Jones a new deal — a substantial risk given his NFL career to date, but one that freed up salary cap space to spend elsewhere. Tight end Darren Waller was a nice gamble that took some of that cap flexibility, and it can’t be overlooked that it allowed them to tag Saquon Barkley instead. But overall, their veteran additions didn’t take great advantage of that cap flexibility.
In the draft, The Giants saw the first two rounds unfold in an ideal way. In the first round, they selected Deonte Banks at cornerback before securing a player in the second (center John Michael Schmitz) who many had been expecting them to draft a round higher. Receiver Jalin Hyatt in the third round is another selection that brings a lot of upside, giving the Giants an elite first two days of the draft.
New York Jets
Offseason Grade: B
On the one hand, Aaron Rodgers is the kind of upgrade at quarterback you can only dream of, light years better than any alternative the Jets could have pursued. On the other hand, the trade they had to agree to in order to secure his services seems to reflect that. Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman and Randall Cobb were veteran receiver additions designed to make Rodgers happy, while Elijah Moore was traded away to Cleveland to make room. Wes Schweitzer can start along the offensive line if needed and helps give them some depth there.
In the draft, Will McDonald IV was seen as a reach by most but has elite potential in Robert Saleh’s defense. He recorded a 16.8% pass-rush win rate last season despite lining up in a more interior spot that doesn’t suit his skill set on almost half of his snaps. Joe Tippmann could start from Day 1 at center or guard, and the rest of the draft featured more depth additions.
Philadelphia Eagles
Offseason Grade: A
The veteran portion of Philadelphia’s offseason was about retaining talent and minimizing the losses following their Super Bowl appearance. After looking like they were going to lose one and then the other of James Bradberry and Darius Slay, they somehow retained both — as well as Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham along the defensive line. There were losses, but by and large they are at spots the Eagles had already future-proofed a season ago.
In the draft, the Eagles worked magic and emerged from the first round with both Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, elite defensive linemen on Georgia’s formidable defense. Their next three picks — offensive lineman Tyler Steen, safety Sydney Brown and cornerback Kelee Ringo — could all contribute early and future-proof positions for 2024 and beyond, at worst. The Eagles had another outstanding offseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Offseason Grade: A
Pittsburgh made several low-key additions in free agency that should help the team significantly from a season ago. Isaac Seumalo has earned PFF pass-blocking grades of at least 77.4 over the past three seasons, while cornerback Patrick Peterson and linebacker Cole Holcomb should both be upgrades. Adding Allen Robinson II for almost nothing in exchange is a huge low-risk, high-reward proposition.
Pittsburgh’s draft was arguably the best in the entire league. Joey Porter Jr. was a natural fit, and they selected him in the second round, not the first, having already secured tackle Broderick Jones. Keeanu Benton should make an impact along the defensive line immediately, and as much as Darnell Washington may have always been overrated as a fringe first-round prospect at tight end, he is a steal at Pick 93 in the third round.
San Francisco 49ers
Offseason Grade: C
The addition of Javon Hargrave to an already dominant defense is the only thing saving this from a very bad offseason grade. Hargrave accounted for 57 total pressures last season for the Eagles, more than double any 49ers interior lineman. Clelin Ferrell is a far more quietly solid addition to the defensive front, and Sam Darnold could easily end up starting at quarterback if Brock Purdy’s elbow doesn’t heal quickly enough.
In the draft, it’s difficult to argue that anything the 49ers did was the result of good process. They reached relative to the PFF and consensus big boards at most picks and drafted a kicker in the third round.
Seattle Seahawks
Offseason Grade: A
Seattle deserves credit for finding the fairway in terms of a middle-class quarterback contract with Geno Smith after his exceptional 2022 season. They struck the balance between rewarding and retaining Smith but also not overcommitting to a player who could easily regress hard in the future.
Defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones and defensive back Julian Love were good additions, but the real magic happened in the draft. With their top two picks, the Seahawks drafted the consensus No. 1 cornerback and No. 1 receiver in Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, respectively. Running back Zach Charbonnet in the second round raised eyebrows given they already have Kenneth Walker III, but now the team has one of the best backfields in football.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offseason Grade: B+
Tampa Bay’s offseason has been surprisingly good, except the answer at the most important position in the game seems to be to allow Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask to battle it out for the starting spot post-Tom Brady. Mayfield played for two different teams last season and earned an awful 50.5 PFF grade between the two stops. Matt Feiler, Greg Gaines and Ryan Neal are nice, low-cost additions in free agency, and the Buccaneers' draft was a very good one.
Calijah Kancey was arguably a top-10 player in this draft, and they were able to get him at No.19 overall. Their Day 2 selections should both contribute, and on Day 3 they acquired players big on potential or intriguing traits, such as speedster receiver Trey Palmer and incredibly productive edge rusher Jose Ramirez.
Tennessee Titans
Offseason Grade: B
The Titans finished last season with the worst offensive line in the NFL, so they needed to attack it in every way over the offseason. They committed significant money to Andre Dillard — a former first-round pick — but Dillard’s career thus far has been underwhelming despite his playing under one of the best offensive line coaches in the league in Philadelphia. He has allowed five sacks and 45 total pressures on a little more than 400 pass-blocking snaps in the NFL.
Peter Skoronski was one of the best prospects in the draft, and Tennessee secured Will Levis in the second round. If Levis can produce in the NFL, this draft was a home run. Even if he can’t, it was good process to take the chance on him after his slide on Day 1.
Washington Commanders
Offseason Grade: B
Washington seemed to determine early in the process that they were comfortable with Sam Howell as the starter at quarterback in 2023. Offensive coordinator candidates were prepared for that eventuality, and their free-agent addition of Jacoby Brissett did little to change it. Brissett, in fact, is the perfect quarterback addition if that is indeed the case — a capable backup or alternative, but nobody’s “Plan A.”
Andrew Wylie and Cameron Dantzler were solid and quiet depth pieces, which brings us to the draft. Emmanuel Forbes was a surprise pick, but Forbes has elite tape and his only question mark is weight (172 pounds at his pro day). Forbes finished 2022 with an 87.2 PFF grade and should start from Day 1. Safety Jartavius Martin and center Ricky Stromberg likely each start early as well, but both were significant reaches relative to the PFF and consensus big boards.
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