• Highest return rates: From 2021 to 2022, the Los Angeles Rams had the highest return rate at 86.8%. Next were the Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions at 81%.
• Lowest return rates: The Chicago Bears (34%), Las Vegas Raiders at (41%) and Atlanta Falcons (45%) had the lowest return rates over that same stretch.
• By division: Looking at roster retention by division since 2020, the NFC West had the highest average rate of return (72%), while the AFC South and NFC North had the lowest average rate of return (63%).
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Roster turnover is a big deal in the NFL. If a team can maintain a solid roster despite the ebb and flow of the modern game, they will enter the season on the right track.
With the excitement of free agency and the draft now behind us, it's the perfect time to look at which NFL teams have had the most roster turnover over the past three seasons.
The above graphic shows the percentage of players that returned to the same team year over year.
From 2021 to 2022, the Los Angeles Rams had the highest return rate at 86.8%. Next were the Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions at 81%. The Chicago Bears (34%), Las Vegas Raiders at (41%) and Atlanta Falcons (45%) had the lowest return rates.
Looking at roster retention by division since 2020, the NFC West had the highest average rate of return at 72%, while the AFC South and the NFC North had the lowest average rate of return at 63%. If we go by conference, the NFC has a slight edge, returning 67% of players to their teams on average. The AFC is slightly below, at 66%.
Is there a relationship between return rate and success in the following season?
An initial study shows that there is not a strong correlation between the two variables, likely because we're not accounting for the quality of returning or departing players or the strength of schedule.
This is something we can explore in greater detail in future articles.
The Rankings (2020, 2021, 2022)
| NFL Player Return Rate Rankings (2020-2022) | |
| Team | Average Player Return Rate |
| Arizona Cardinals | 74.21% |
| Buffalo Bills | 74.21% |
| Los Angeles Rams | 74.21% |
| New Orleans Saints | 73.58% |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 73.58% |
| Tennessee Titans | 72.33% |
| San Francisco 49ers | 71.07% |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 70.44% |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 70.44% |
| Baltimore Ravens | 69.81% |
| Dallas Cowboys | 69.81% |
| Green Bay Packers | 69.81% |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 69.18% |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 68.55% |
| Washington Commanders | 68.55% |
| Denver Broncos | 67.92% |
| Seattle Seahawks | 67.92% |
| Detroit Lions | 67.30% |
| Cleveland Browns | 66.04% |
| Indianapolis Colts | 66.04% |
| New England Patriots | 66.04% |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 64.15% |
| Minnesota Vikings | 62.26% |
| Miami Dolphins | 61.64% |
| New York Jets | 61.64% |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 59.12% |
| New York Giants | 57.86% |
| Atlanta Falcons | 56.60% |
| Carolina Panthers | 56.60% |
| Houston Texans | 56.60% |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 56.60% |
| Chicago Bears | 52.20% |
2020
| NFL Player Return Rate Rankings (2020) | |
| Team | Player Return Rate |
| San Francisco 49ers | 77.36% |
| Houston Texans | 75.47% |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 75.47% |
| Atlanta Falcons | 73.58% |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 73.58% |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 73.58% |
| Tennessee Titans | 73.58% |
| Minnesota Vikings | 71.70% |
| Buffalo Bills | 69.81% |
| New Orleans Saints | 69.81% |
| Baltimore Ravens | 67.92% |
| Green Bay Packers | 67.92% |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 67.92% |
| Detroit Lions | 66.04% |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 66.04% |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 66.04% |
| Arizona Cardinals | 64.15% |
| New England Patriots | 64.15% |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 62.26% |
| Indianapolis Colts | 62.26% |
| Los Angeles Rams | 62.26% |
| Denver Broncos | 60.38% |
| New York Jets | 60.38% |
| Seattle Seahawks | 60.38% |
| Dallas Cowboys | 58.49% |
| Chicago Bears | 56.60% |
| Cleveland Browns | 56.60% |
| Washington Commanders | 56.60% |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 54.72% |
| Miami Dolphins | 54.72% |
| New York Giants | 45.28% |
| Carolina Panthers | 43.40% |
2021
| NFL Player Return Rate Rankings (2021) | |
| Team | Player Return Rate |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 84.91% |
| Buffalo Bills | 83.02% |
| Cleveland Browns | 81.13% |
| Seattle Seahawks | 79.25% |
| Arizona Cardinals | 77.36% |
| Los Angeles Rams | 73.58% |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 73.58% |
| Dallas Cowboys | 71.70% |
| Green Bay Packers | 71.70% |
| Indianapolis Colts | 71.70% |
| Miami Dolphins | 71.70% |
| New Orleans Saints | 71.70% |
| Baltimore Ravens | 69.81% |
| San Francisco 49ers | 69.81% |
| Tennessee Titans | 69.81% |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 67.92% |
| Denver Broncos | 67.92% |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 67.92% |
| New York Giants | 67.92% |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 67.92% |
| Washington Commanders | 67.92% |
| Chicago Bears | 66.04% |
| New England Patriots | 66.04% |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 64.15% |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 64.15% |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 62.26% |
| Carolina Panthers | 60.38% |
| New York Jets | 56.60% |
| Detroit Lions | 54.72% |
| Minnesota Vikings | 54.72% |
| Atlanta Falcons | 50.94% |
| Houston Texans | 35.85% |
2022
| NFL Player Return Rate Rankings (2022) | |
| Team | Player Return Rate |
| Los Angeles Rams | 86.79% |
| Arizona Cardinals | 81.13% |
| Detroit Lions | 81.13% |
| Washington Commanders | 81.13% |
| Dallas Cowboys | 79.25% |
| New Orleans Saints | 79.25% |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 75.47% |
| Denver Broncos | 75.47% |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 73.58% |
| Tennessee Titans | 73.58% |
| Baltimore Ravens | 71.70% |
| Buffalo Bills | 69.81% |
| Green Bay Packers | 69.81% |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 69.81% |
| New England Patriots | 67.92% |
| New York Jets | 67.92% |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 67.92% |
| Carolina Panthers | 66.04% |
| San Francisco 49ers | 66.04% |
| Indianapolis Colts | 64.15% |
| Seattle Seahawks | 64.15% |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 62.26% |
| Cleveland Browns | 60.38% |
| Minnesota Vikings | 60.38% |
| New York Giants | 60.38% |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 60.38% |
| Houston Texans | 58.49% |
| Miami Dolphins | 58.49% |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 52.83% |
| Atlanta Falcons | 45.28% |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 41.51% |
| Chicago Bears | 33.96% |
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