The NFL offseason's heavy lifting is complete. And while the excitement of player movement generally gives most fans reason to believe their team's improved, we know that can't be the case for everyone.
So, who actually got better over the last few months?
The Patriots were our big winners of the 2025 NFL Draft, with coach Mike Vrabel's first rookie class earning an A+ in my instant grades. The early theme: getting Drake Maye the help he needs. Campbell, Henderson, and Williams should each be immediate impact starters, while Wilson can be expected to push for the first-team center job sooner rather than later.
New England also did some excellent work on the defensive side on Day 3, as Farmer, Woodson, and Swinson each improve depth at important spots and offer some potential starter upside down the road. The spectacular draft haul comes on the heels of an incredibly aggressive offseason on the free-agent market.
Diggs gives Maye a legitimate No. 1 passing target, and Moses is a solid option to bolster the right tackle position opposite Campbell in the short term. A series of big-money deals on defense, highlighted by Williams' splash signing, provide key upgrades at all levels of the field. Though it's generally a good idea to show some restraint in free agency, it's hard to argue against overhauling a barren roster when the Pats had so much money to spend. And they still have more than $60 million in cap space to roll over to next year.
There's probably some patience required here, as AFC competition remains fierce, but this organization will be back on the rise soon. Eight wins could be on the table if the new coaching staff and an improved supporting cast can help Maye build on flashes of brilliance he showed as a rookie.
While this exercise mostly focuses on rosters, the case for the Bears has to start with the new coaching staff. I have no idea what Ben Johnson will be like as a head coach, and hotshot coordinators have failed spectacularly before, but the upgrade in offensive play-calling after a run of Luke Getsy and Shane Waldron can't be overstated.
The Bears knew they'd have an opportunity to hit the ground running after stealing Johnson away from the Lions, and an aggressive offseason has put them in a position to do so. A trio of veteran additions completely overhauled a disastrous interior offensive line. Turning that unit into a strength will go a long way toward helping Caleb Williams bounce back from a frustrating rookie year. And that was only the beginning for this offense.
Doubling up on playmakers with their first two draft picks should give Johnson the firepower he needs to put together a legitimately scary passing game. Loveland is a dynamic tight end who could have a Sam LaPorta-like impact from Day 1 in Chicago, and Burden is a dangerous after-the-catch weapon who can also stretch the field. Ideally, the Bears would have added a lead back to push D'Andre Swift down the depth chart, but perhaps there's still an opportunity for such a move in free agency (Nick Chubb) or on the trade market (Breece Hall).
Chicago also got better on defense. Jarrett and Odeyingbo were solid free-agent pickups on the defensive line, and Turner is a powerful interior rusher who has future starter potential. The incoming talent across the board will make the Bears a popular playoff pick, and it's tough to not hop aboard that hype train. They've got everything they need to make some noise right away.
Minnesota had a big decision to make with quarterback Sam Darnold heading into free agency. The conservative move, as odd as it sounds, would have been to pay up. Even with J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings, it's easy enough to justify running it back after a 14-win season. The Vikings, to their credit, weren't going to pass on the rare opportunity to build around a quarterback on a rookie deal.
Letting Darnold hit the open market and get $33.5 million per year in Seattle allowed Minnesota to reinvest in other areas of the roster. Fries and Kelly are massive upgrades for an interior offensive line that was a weak link down the stretch. Left guard was the only remaining question mark heading into the draft and a first-round investment in Jackson rounds out a group that - along with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill at tackle - suddenly has the makings of a top-tier offensive line.
That's how you set your young quarterback up for success. With a stout front five, a stacked group of playmakers, and one of the league's best offensive minds running the show, McCarthy will have every opportunity to keep this unit running as well as it did under Darnold. And the ceiling may be a lot higher.
Things are also looking up on the defensive side, as Allen and Hargrave offer a substantial boost of interior rush talent to take advantage of the matchups created by Brian Flores' schematic genius. The Vikings are building their roster as well as any team in football right now. Matching last year's regular-season win total may be a tall task, but it shouldn't be the goal, anyway. Improvements in the trenches are going to make this team better when it matters most.
No team made a more significant veteran quarterback addition than the Raiders. Smith, 34, likely isn't going to be a long-term solution, but he offers legitimate top-12 upside right now. The substantial upgrade over Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell, along with the move to bolster the receiving corps with Bech in the second round, could spark a major turnaround for this passing attack in a single offseason.
The run game may be in for a similar glow-up. Schematic issues and a replacement-level backfield saw the Raiders offense post minus-0.21 EPA per rush last season, tied for the fourth-worst mark since 2000, according to TruMedia. Chip Kelly taking over at offensive coordinator should give Las Vegas a far more creative approach. Although there will always be some pushback when it comes to taking running backs in the top 10, Jeanty's worth the investment to lead the charge. The Heisman Trophy runner-up should immediately establish himself as one of the league's most talented backs.
There are still some key areas of concern with this roster, including a cornerback room short on proven talent. Unless there's a Jalen Ramsey or Jaire Alexander trade in the cards, a lot will be asked of their young defensive backs. Any shortcomings in that regard will be regularly exposed against a gauntlet of AFC powerhouse offenses.
With that in mind, a playoff push is probably still a long shot here. But the Raiders are going to compete, and the offensive improvements alone could open the door for something in the neighborhood of eight wins. No matter the final result, though, fans should be encouraged about finally having a leadership group that makes sound decisions. It's been a long time coming.
Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen should consider themselves fortunate the Giants seem desperate to avoid being a team constantly turning over its staff. New York got considerably worse in each of the two years that followed a surprise 2022 playoff appearance, with last season's trainwreck 3-14 finish feeling a lot like rock bottom.
It may only be a matter of time before change is in order, as it seems like a long shot this staff gets the Giants back into contention, especially considering the difficulty of this year's schedule. But the pieces added throughout the offseason should both raise the floor in the short term and create some semblance of future excitement.
Carter and Alexander stepping in alongside Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux give New York one of the league's most explosive pass-rush groups. And with Holland and Adebo upgrading major problem spots on the back end, the defense is expected to take a step forward.
Wilson isn't the most exciting addition at this point in his career, but he's certainly better than everyone the Giants have had at QB over the last three years. His ability to push the ball down the field is great news for sophomore star Malik Nabers, and don't sleep on Wilson's ability to unlock Darius Slayton. And then there's Dart. The Ole Miss product is a true home-run swing, as he's got a long way to go in terms of processing and decision-making. But he's absolutely worth a shot, and the chance he becomes a starter down the road finally provides some hope.
Honorable mentions
The Broncos were a pleasant surprise last year, as rookie Bo Nix led the way to 10 wins and the team's first playoff appearance since 2015. Their productive offseason allows for the possibility they'll be even better this fall.
A defense that led the league in EPA/play landed a pair of impact starters in free agency, with Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga providing notable upgrades in the back seven. And the first-round draft addition of Jahdae Barron, a steal at No. 20 overall, gives Denver one of the league's most talented young cornerback groups.
Offensively, Nix should benefit from the addition of three playmakers. Evan Engram, one season removed from a 114-catch showing in Jacksonville, can be something of a chess piece for Sean Payton at tight end. While the value of taking RJ Harvey in the second round can be debated, he and third-round receiver Pat Bryant should be excellent fits in this offense. The draft capital spent at clear positions of need suggests both will push for key roles immediately.
It wasn't the best start to the offseason in Dallas, with a bizarre coaching search leading to the uninspiring promotion of Brian Schottenheimer. Early roster moves, including trading for Kaiir Elam and Kenneth Murray, gave the impression the disappointment might only continue from there. But that's not quite how it played out in the end.
Tyler Booker was probably a reach at No. 12, but there's little doubt the powerhouse Alabama guard can be a force in bolstering the offensive line. Dallas also made up for any perceived lack of value by scooping up Donovan Ezeiruaku and Shavon Revel on Day 2. Both are exciting defensive prospects who'd deservedly been getting some Round 1 buzz heading into the draft.
Then there's the George Pickens trade. The former Steelers wideout is a bit of a one-dimensional target, but his ability to dominate in the contested-catch game on the boundary could make him the perfect complement for CeeDee Lamb in the slot. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders aren't the answer at running back, so it'd be nice to see the Cowboys stay aggressive in search of an upgrade in the coming months. Either way, they got better. And with Dak Prescott getting healthy, it seems like the football world may be underestimating the potential of America's Team to bounce back.
Carolina entered the offseason with two major needs: a new weapon for Bryce Young, and all the talent they could get on defense. Check and check.
Many expected the Panthers to focus on the front seven with the No. 8 overall pick, but Tetairoa McMillan was evidently too good to pass up in that spot. His ability to win above the rim and make plays after the catch should help Young take his game to another level after an encouraging second half last year.
Doubling up on pass-rushers was a smart move on Day 2, as Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen should provide plenty of juice on the edge. A defense-heavy free-agent haul was more solid than spectacular, but the floor's been raised with a number of starters added to the mix. Most notably, Tre'Von Moehrig provides a do-it-all skill set that should go a long way toward cleaning up some issues on the back end. The Panthers are slowly but surely headed in the right direction.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.
