Windy City Gridiron
With the bulk of the NFL’s acquisition period behind us, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the five most improved teams through yet another busy offseason
The offseason is always a time of hope for most of the NFL’s 32 fan bases. For some, this is when the season’s struggles before turn into a better future. All but one franchise on this list experienced a change at head coach, but all had plenty of cap flexibility and high picks in April’s draft. With teams going worst to first every year, could one of these five teams be the next to do it?
Hope springs eternal when games aren’t being played, and that’s part of what makes the other 7 months of the league year so much fun. While we still have a few months until regular season games will be played, here are five teams with the best offseasons on paper and are primed for a turnaround in 2025.
Quarterback Bryce Young’s rookie season was a disaster. After giving up the future No. 1 overall pick in 2024, receiver DJ Moore, and two second-round picks, it seemed like the Panthers had made a significant mistake that they wouldn’t be able to survive. After being benched early last season, Young’s final stretch of the season provided plenty of hope for Carolina heading into the offseason. They went from an easy win to a team nobody wanted to face down the stretch.
Receiver and improving the defensive line were top priorities heading into the offseason, and they could do that. The Jones, Wharton, and Brown additions will complement the high-round selections of Scourton and Umanmielen. Add in Moehrig and Ransom on the back end, and that should be enough to help get the Panthers’ defense closer to league average. Offensively, they retained Adam Thielen while adding McMillan at No. 8 overall. Dowdle should complement Chubba Hubbard well in the backfield. Assuming the Panthers’ offensive line can stay healthy, the offense has a quality ceiling.
Although this is still a flawed roster, head coach Dave Canales showed this team was in good hands over the final eight games of last season. In a division with multiple deeply flawed teams, there’s reason to believe that a (tied for) worst-to-first finish is not out of the question. Especially if Young takes the next step in Year 3, this season will likely come down to how much the defense can improve. Still, with more offensive firepower and a better year from Xavier Leggette, there’s no reason Carolina can’t be close to, or above .500 in 2025.
