The offseason is here, and this one should be a doozy.
There will be no shortage of stories dominating the never-ending football news cycle, with a few teams primed to spend, some interesting quarterback situations, and trade candidates already generating buzz. Here are 10 storylines that will define the next few months.
What do the Bengals do?
Joe Burrow hasn't been shy about putting pressure on the Bengals. The way the quarterback sees it, the team shouldn't think twice about extending receiver Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson while also getting Ja'Marr Chase the extension he deserves. It's tough to argue.
But fitting it all together is going to require some creativity from the front office. Burrow recently (and strategically) praised the way the Super Bowl champion Eagles have been "paying everybody" to keep a talented roster together. For the Bengals, that would likely require some sizeable signing bonuses to spread out cap commitments. That might be a tough sell for an ownership group that has historically stuck to pay-as-you-go contract structures.
The Chase extension is inevitable. Is there a world where Cincinnati could navigate re-signing or using the franchise tag on Higgins after giving his running mate upwards of $35 million per year? How can the Bengals improve the roster if Higgins walks and Hendrickson holds firm on last year's trade request? More importantly, how would Burrow take it?
Garrett's trade request
Myles Garrett made it clear he wants out of Cleveland. The Browns reportedly have no intention of granting his trade request. This one could get ugly.
If Garrett digs in, the team might have to consider trade options. The face of the franchise being so transparent about his desire to be elsewhere isn't good for anyone, and the Browns could kickstart a rebuild with the draft picks they'd get in return.
Garrett wants a chance to compete for a Super Bowl. Still a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate at 29, his presence could conceivably push a contender over the top. Several teams selecting at the end of the first round should be willing to part with their pick, but don't sleep on some of the teams drafting higher. Players like this don't become available very often.
Parsons contract talks
Micah Parsons' contract should be straightforward enough. Arguably the NFL's premier edge rusher at just 26, he's in a position to top Nick Bosa's market-setting $34-million annual average. Then again, this is the Cowboys we're talking about. It's never as easy as it should be.
Dallas let contract talks with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb drag on far longer than they should have. Both signed in the end, but at least one of the delays seemingly resulted in the Cowboys overpaying. Prescott got $60 million per season, $5 million per year clear of Burrow, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence.
Perhaps the Cowboys learned their lesson, but they also don't have a lot of flexibility. Prescott and Lamb are scheduled to account for more than $120 million against the cap in 2025. Does Parsons hold out if a deal isn't in place by training camp? NFL Network reported last week that the team has at least kicked around the idea of a trade internally. If it gets to that point, suitors will be lining up with a boatload of premium picks.
Draft QBs
Quarterback landing spots will always be the top story of draft weekend. That's usually because at least one or two potential franchise passers are available. This year could be interesting for entirely different reasons.
Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders will have a chance to be stars in the NFL, but most evaluators probably would have had both outside the top four quarterbacks if they had been part of the 2024 draft.
Do the teams desperate for a quarterback at the top of this year's draft throw caution to the wind and take a swing anyway? It's not the worst idea, given the potential payoff, but passing on elite talents at other positions might be a mistake. Don't be surprised if teams such as the Titans and Browns, among others, go the veteran QB route to avoid forcing a draft move when the value might not line up.
Darnold decision
For a while, it seemed as if Darnold was trending toward a big-money extension. You don't mess with success, and the veteran quarterback led the way to 14 wins. Then the last two games happened.
Darnold's play fell off a cliff against Detroit in the prime-time regular-season finale when the Vikings fell short in their bid for the No. 1 seed. He couldn't get anything going in a wild-card loss to the Rams, either. Re-signing him for something in the range of $40 million per year now feels fraught - especially with 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings.
Someone else will almost surely pay that price if Darnold gets to free agency. The Vikings could also opt for the bold move, hitting him with the franchise tag in hopes of finding a trade partner. Either way, there's going to be a significant market for his services. The totality of Darnold's season, even if it came in a dream situation for a QB, will have teams open to the idea that his resurrection is a sign of things to come.
Cousins for cheap?
Kirk Cousins' late-season benching in Atlanta is an ominous sign for his career. Don't write him off just yet, though.
Cousins revealed after last season that he was playing through shoulder and elbow injuries from Week 10 onward. If that's true, his seventh-ranked standing in EPA/dropback over the first nine weeks of the season, according to TruMedia, becomes far more interesting. Could a healthy Cousins - another year removed from his Achilles tear - recapture that form?
Any team in need of a quarterback should be eager to find out. If the Falcons eat his fully guaranteed $27.5 million by releasing him, any other team could have the 36-year-old for the veteran minimum. An outside chance at steady quarterback play on such a minimal investment could be a steal. The Browns, whose cap is shackled by Deshaun Watson's albatross contract, should be all over this. And they aren't alone.
Stafford's future
Rumblings about Matthew Stafford being available for trade are slowly picking up. It's tough to imagine either side is eyeing such an outcome, but it wouldn't be the first time business got in the way of an otherwise strong relationship.
Stafford is going to need a new contract. While the Rams will do their best to reach common ground, they'll likely show some restraint when it comes to opening the vault for the 37-year-old quarterback. The long process of last year's contract talks, which resulted in a one-year Band-Aid solution, signals the team's thinking.
Potentially getting a first-round pick for Stafford, and turning around to sign someone like Darnold in free agency, could be a logical way to start building around the young core drafted over the past two years. The Steelers stand out as an interesting option among potential trade suitors. Also desperate for a receiver, they could even entice Stafford by offering to bring Cooper Kupp with him.
Commanders all in?
A rookie quarterback taking the league by storm has a way of accelerating a team's timeline. Can Washington make the most of the short window it has before Jayden Daniels needs to be paid?
The Commanders head into the offseason with a projected $75 million in salary cap space, more than 29 other teams. Some of that will need to be spent on retaining their free agents, but they should also be extremely active at bringing in new players.
The rapid 2024 turnaround means Washington can now sell free agents on the opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl. A splashy signing such as Higgins at receiver, or even a trade for Garrett, should be on the table. The Commanders know the time is now.
A Patriots spending spree
The Patriots figure to be heavy hitters this offseason. Much like the Commanders, they've got a clear window to build a contender with Drake Maye looking like the real deal on a rookie contract. Unlike the Commanders, they have a lot further to climb.
Fortunately for the Patriots, they enter the offseason with a league-best $119 million in cap space.
New head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff can put that financial flexibility to use in free agency and on the trade market, where stars with bloated salaries are often available for little more than late-round pick swaps. Does that make the Patriots a logical fit for receivers such as Kupp or Deebo Samuel? Look for a few recognizable names to be connected to New England as the rebuild kicks into high gear.
Bears overhauling OL
The Bears have a chance to reset their trajectory in one offseason. Landing Ben Johnson as head coach - along with a strong staff that includes Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator - was the most important step. Now, it's time to go to work on the offensive line.
Chicago has all the cap space it needs to make two impact signings up front. Chiefs Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith should be the top priority. The Ravens' Ronnie Stanley should also be considered as a meaningful upgrade at left tackle. Why not both? The Bears will have more than $60 million in cap space at their disposal.
Solidifying that group with some aggressive moves and solid draft choices would go a long way toward creating a foundation for Johnson's offense. Quarterback Caleb Williams showed some flashes while taking a beating as a rookie. An improved scheme and protection unit will give him a chance to break out as a sophomore and put the Bears in playoff contention right away.
