Ranking each NFC team's offseason within its division

With free agency mostly over and the hiring cycle for coaches apparently completed, it's time to assess the offseasons of NFL teams prior to the April 25-27 draft in Detroit.

Some teams have vastly improved (Commanders, Rams) while others (Cowboys, Saints) are treading water or have taken a step back.

As determined by Yardbarker NFL writers, here is a ranking of each NFC team's offseason within its division. (2023 record is in parentheses.)

NFC East

1. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-13) | After a needed housecleaning of the coaching staff, Washington used its considerable cap space to bolster its roster with talented, proven players. Veterans such as defensive end Dorance Armstrong and linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner can only help the team’s 32nd-ranked defense, while center Tyler Biadasz and running back Austin Ekeler should improve the league’s 24th-ranked offense.

2. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-6) | As usual, general manager Howie Roseman kept busy during the offseason, spending big money to add running back Saquon Barkley ($37.7M) and linebacker Bryce Huff ($51M) and retain offensive lineman Landon Dickerson ($84M) and Jordan Mailata ($66M). Of course, the loss of defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and center Jason Kelce to retirement will hurt, as should missing the 13.5 sacks per season that new Jet Haason Reddick provided in two years with Philadelphia.

3. NEW YORK GIANTS (6-11) | With quarterback Daniel Jones’ $47.8M cap hit hanging over the team’s head in 2024, the Giants did what they could by adding right guard Jon Runyan Jr. and running back Devin Singletary. Dealing second- and fifth-round picks for two-time Pro Bowl edge-rusher Brian Burns was clearly the team’s best move, but he may not be enough to make up for the loss of defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.

4. DALLAS COWBOYS (12-5) | Forget analytics, this offseason was all about semantics for the Cowboys, whose owner Jerry Jones is trying to redefine the phrase “all-in.” Even with an extra $30.6M in additional cap space available for all NFL teams, second-tier free-agent linebacker Eric Kendricks and cornerback Jourdan Lewis were about all the team could afford. Meanwhile, standouts such as center Tyler Biadasz (Commanders) and left tackle Tyron Smith (Jets) signed elsewhere.

NFC West

1. LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-7) | The Rams were a 10-win playoff team in 2023 with one very obvious flaw: the secondary. While losing DT Aaron Donald, a future Hall of Famer, to retirement will hurt, the Rams made tremendous strides in their secondary by adding potential new starters in cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams and safety Kamren Curl.

2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (12-5) | The 49ers needed to improve the depth on their defensive line, so unsurprisingly they were extremely active in attacking that in free agency with the additions of Leonard Floyd, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jordan Elliott and Maliek Collins. That is an almost entirely revamped line around returning starters Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave.

3. ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-13) | The Cardinals did a solid job upgrading both of their lines by adding offensive tackle Jonah Williams to help protect QB Kyler Murray and beefing up their defensive line with Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols. The big issue still remains, however: Who is Murray going to throw to at wide receiver, a black hole for production recently?

4. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (9-8) | Other than making a big head-coaching change (former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald replacing Pete Carroll), it has been a mostly quiet offseason for the Seahawks. They have addressed depth, but Seattle hasn't added impact talent to a team that has settled into consistent mediocrity.

NFC North

1. GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-8) | Along with hiring aggressive DC Jeff Hafley, the Packers addressed their biggest need by signing the best free-agent safety available, Xavier McKinney, and bolstering the offense by swapping 29-year-old RB Aaron Jones for the younger, healthier Josh Jacobs, who's 26. Meanwhile, GM Brian Gutekunst has improved the team with $14.6 million in cap left over and an estimated $71 million for 2025, which should come in handy with an extension for QB Jordan Love looming.

2. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-10) | The Vikings have had a strong offseason, replacing Danielle Hunter with Jonathan Greenard, shoring up their linebacking corps with Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel and upgrading the running back position by signing former rival Aaron Jones. Meanwhile, they also traded for an extra first-round pick (No. 23), which, paired with their own pick (No. 11), could be used to move up to select one of the top QB prospects available.

3. DETROIT LIONS (12-5) | The Lions have been active, beefing up the league's 23rd-ranked defense with veteran additions, including DT D.J. Reader, DE Marcus Davenport and CBs Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis. Also, they secured the offensive line by extending guard Graham Glasgow and adding Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler to replace Jonah Jackson. With the draft approaching, the big moves for GM Brad Holmes are probably in the rearview, but there aren’t many holes to speak of except for depth at wideout, OL and DB.

4. CHICAGO BEARS (7-10) | Locking up CB Jaylon Johnson was a home run for the Bears, and the addition of veteran wideout Keenan Allen for a fourth-rounder will help a rookie quarterback. However, they may have overpaid at two non-premium positions (RB D'Andre Swift and safety Kevin Byard) and miscalculated the trade market for Justin Fields, snaring only a conditional 2025 sixth-rounder from the Steelers in return. (It upgrades to a fourth-rounder if he plays 51 percent of the snaps in 2024.)

NFC South

1. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (9-8) | The Bucs retained their own coveted free agents (QB Baker Mayfield, WR Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr.) and re-signed safety Jordan Whitehead, who spent his first four seasons in Tampa Bay before playing for the Jets from 2022-23. The team lost offensive coordinator Dave Canales to the division rival Carolina, where he is the head coach, but made up for it by hiring Liam Coen, a promising young play-caller who worked under Rams head Sean McVay during the 2022 season.

2. ATLANTA FALCONS (7-10) | QB Kirk Cousins might never lead the Falcons to a Super Bowl, but at the very least he raises the floor for the team in 2024. The Falcons also improved their coaching staff, moving on from ineffective HC Arthur Smith and hiring Raheem Morris, who brought trendy offensive coordinator Zac Robinson along with him from Los Angeles.

3. CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-15) | The Brian Burns mess aside (the DE is now with Giants), Carolina has had a strong offseason. It shored up the interior of its offensive line with the signings of Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, added a weapon for quarterback Bryce Young with the trade for WR Diontae Johnson and ensured indispensable defensive tackle Derrick Brown is around for the long haul by signing him to a four-year, $96 million contract extension. 

4. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-8) | The Saints’ major free-agency acquisition, DE Chase Young, might not be available for the start of the season after undergoing offseason neck surgery. The addition of former 49ers pass-game specialist Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator is promising, but retaining Dennis Allen as head coach (career record of 24-46) suggests the change at offensive play-caller is nothing more than window dressing.