We are nearly two months removed from the confetti raining down in Allegiant Stadium when football was last played. However, that doesn’t mean the weeks since haven’t been filled with entertainment for NFL fans.
Free agency has become its own season in all sports, the NFL is no exception. The 2024 rendition saw plenty of chaos, with a number of marquee names on the move.
This annual exercise from me is a way to see which teams got better and worse throughout this process. I want to start on an optimistic note and see which teams improved from the end of last season.
Last year, I tabbed three teams as “offseason winners”, and the results reflected fairly well.The Lions were one of my offseason champions and it led to an NFC Championship appearance. Their NFC North counterpart in Chicago also made my list. The Bears didn’t see the playoffs, however they did jump from three wins to seven, so progress was made.
As for the Panthers? We don’t speak of them.
So who am I banking my reputation on improving this season?
Pittsburgh Steelers
In vintage Steeler fashion, Pittsburgh managed to squeak into the postseason despite an unwatchable brand of football. Many including myself wondered if the Steelers would be complacent with being a fringe wild card team, fortunately for Yinzers everywhere that wasn’t the case.
Pittsburgh had one of the worst quarterback rooms in football last year and it cleaned house this spring. There was contentious debate whether Russell Wilson or Justin Fields would be the next signal caller in Western Pennsylvania.
Turns out the answer was both of them, GM Omar Khan acquired Wilson and Fields and only had to give up a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick.
Wilson showed he was still solid in 2023 and is a minimal cap hit while Fields has improved over his first three seasons and is still on a rookie deal.
Whether it’s the Super Bowl winning veteran or the promising 2021 first round pick, the Steelers will get a noticeable upgrade at the most important position surrounded by a quality roster.
Pittsburgh also improved an already strong defense by acquiring Patrick Queen from Baltimore and trading for Donte Jackson. Queen joins a linebacker core that already boasts T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Jackson provides a solid complement to Joey Porter Jr. at corner.
The AFC is stacked in particular the AFC North, however Pittsburgh put itself in position to win its first playoff game since 2016.
Houston Texans
Houston went from a laughing stock to a legit Super Bowl contender within 24 months, thanks in large part to DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud.
With Stroud along with many other key pieces still on rookie contracts, the Texans had plenty of cap space to play with once free agency opened.
They didn’t let that money go to waste and acquired multiple blue chip talents. The headliner came earlier this week with Houston bringing in Stefon Diggs for just a 2025 second-rounder in return.
Diggs joins Nico Collins and Tank Dell to form the best receiving trio in football.
The AFC South champs didn’t stop there, and added Danielle Hunter to bolster their pass rush.
Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. will give quarterbacks a handful as Stroud and the offense do their part.
Bill Polian had the same idea with the 2000s Colts, have an elite offense and two dominant edge rushers to protect the lead the offense gave them.
Houston also signed Joe Mixon to complete one of the scariest offenses in the National Football League.
As it stands now, the Texans appear to be the biggest threat in the AFC to the Chiefs’ three-peat ambitions.
Chicago Bears
The Bears are the only team to make this list two offseasons in a row. While their biggest move of the offseason won’t happen until late April, a certain USC quarterback will have plenty to work with as a rookie.
Like the Texans, Chicago had plenty of cap space to work with and used some of the money to retain a rising star at corner in Jaylon Johnson.
Kevin Byard will join the Bears’ secondary and look to give Caleb Williams a better defense than he ever had in college (which isn’t saying much).
As for Williams’ weapons, how does Keenan Allen sound? Ryan Poles brought in a Pro Bowl WR for the second offseason in a row and the duo of Allen and D.J. Moore makes the Bears intriguing to say the least.
The addition of D’Andre Swift will also help the Bears offense thrive as a complete unit. I should also mention Gerald Everett joining Cole Kmet gives Chicago weapons at all its skill positions.
While many Bears fans are sour towards this offseason because of the Justin Fields trade, they will forgive any grievances with the franchise sooner rather than later.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have quietly been building a formidable roster to begin the Brian Callahan-era. It’s the end of an era in Nashville, with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry departing after some good, but disappointing seasons with the Titans.
Tennessee brought in Tony Pollard as a younger replacement for King Henry, and paid a pretty penny to poach Calvin Ridley from a division rival.
While the Ridley contract is a bit steep, having Will Levis on a rookie deal gives you the luxury to throw money around.
Lloyd Cushenberry at center will help further improve a struggling line and drafting Joe Alt would be the icing on the cake.
Defensively, the Titans traded for L’Jarius Sneed who was a key part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run. Fellow corner Chidobe Awuzie and linebacker Kenneth Murray further help this unit improve in a division full of talented young QBs.
Carolina was my sleeper last season and we all know how that turned out. Hopefully I don’t jinx Tennessee but I could see them as a sneaky wild card team if Levis develops.
Atlanta Falcons
Wait, there is legitimate reason to be optimistic about the Falcons? I’m as surprised as any of you are but yes, the Falcons look like they can make it to playoff football for the first time since 2017.
Quarterback has been a revolving door of below average since Matt Ryan left town. Enter Kirk Cousins on a humble four year deal worth $180 million.
On the surface, signing a soon to be 36-year old coming off of a torn achilles to a long term deal isn’t ideal. However, Cousins’ contract gives Atlanta the ability to move on and only take a $25 million and $12 million dead cap hit over his final two years, which won’t be hugely detrimental with the cap going up every year.
Cousins was playing the best ball of his career before getting hurt in 2023 and now has a top five line and plenty of weapons.
Two of those weapons will be Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore, who the Falcons brought in to join the likes of Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
The NFC South is incredibly winnable and Atlanta will challenge Tampa for the division crown.