Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs, remain at the top despite losing both starting offensive tackles, Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie, and releasing Frank Clark. However, their acquisitions of tackle Jawaan Taylor and edge Charles Omenihu can help mitigate these losses.
The San Francisco 49ers are poised to challenge the Chiefs for the No. 1 spot, despite losing several key defensive players, such as CB Emmanuel Moseley and DI Hassan Ridgeway. The addition of star DI Javon Hargrave should help offset the impact of these losses.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Colts, who are currently without a starting quarterback, find themselves at the bottom. Their free agency moves have been underwhelming, highlighted by the signing of a kicker to the largest free-agent contract at the position in NFL history, despite having more pressing needs to address.
The initial flurry of free agency moves has concluded, with the Bengals, Browns, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, and Seahawks emerging as early winners of the offseason. However, the Cardinals, Ravens, Packers, and Raiders still have work to do as we enter April.
If you want to see how each team fared in free agency, you can check out their grades here. Now, attention shifts to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, where teams can acquire promising young talent to build for the future.
Before the draft gets underway, let’s take a closer look at where all 32 NFL teams stand. We will evaluate each team based on their roster at the end of the 2022 season, their gains and losses in free agency, and the remaining salary cap space that they can use to further improve their rosters before the start of the new season.
If you need to catch up on the free agency frenzy, you can see who gained or lost the most PFF WAR and each team’s most significant needs heading into the draft. For a refresher on the final power rankings from the 2022 season, you can view them here.
1: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- Biggest loss (PFF WAR): S Juan Thornhill, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Biggest gain (PFF WAR): ED Charles Omenihu
The Chiefs released Frank Clark and lost both starting offensive tackles, Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie. However, they were able to mitigate these losses by signing tackle Jawaan Taylor and ED Charles Omenihu.
Taylor has established himself as one of the top pass protectors on the right side of the NFL. He ranked in the top-15 in pass-blocking grade (76.7) and pressure rate allowed (5.2%) among tackles on true pass sets in 2022.
2: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
- Biggest loss: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
- Biggest gain: QB Sam Darnold
The biggest question for the 49ers is who their starting quarterback will be. The team lost several players on defense, including CB Emmanuel Moseley and DI Hassan Ridgeway, but the signing of star DI Javon Hargrave will help mitigate the impact of those losses.
Hargrave has earned back-to-back 90.0-plus pass-rush grades and achieved the first double-digit sack season of his career in 2022, making it no surprise that the 30-year-old received a lucrative contract.
3: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
- Biggest loss: LB T.J. Edwards
- Biggest gain: QB Marcus Mariota
The Eagles’ free agency moves resulted in a significant amount of dead cap, the second-most in the league.
While the replacement of running back Miles Sanders with Rashaad Penny is not a like-for-like swap, Penny fits well in Philadelphia and is expected to excel on early downs as a strong downhill runner. Among running backs with at least 100 carries from 2021 to 2022, Penny’s 6.2 yards per carry and 4.4 yards after contact per attempt lead the NFL, and his 0.23 missed tackles forced per carry ranks 11th.
The loss of safety Marcus Epps will be felt in terms of run defense, but they have a solid safety group to compensate for it.
4: BUFFALO BILLS
- Biggest loss: LB Tremaine Edmunds
- Biggest gain: Damien Harris
The loss of Tremaine Edmunds is significant for the defense, but the team was able to retain safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Matt Milano to provide some stability. Poyer has been remarkably durable in the latter half of his career, logging around 1,000 snaps in five straight seasons before finally missing some time and playing through various ailments in 2022.
They’ve bolstered their offensive line by signing tackle Connor McGovern, who was excellent as a pass-blocker for the Cowboys last year, earning a 76.6 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowing only 23 pressures.
However, their other free agency moves have been relatively unremarkable.
5: CINCINNATI BENGALS
- Biggest gain: T Orlando Brown Jr.
- Biggest loss: S Jessie Bates III
To bolster their offensive line and protect QB Joe Burrow, the Bengals signed T Orlando Brown Jr. to a four-year, $64,092,000 contract. While Brown may not be considered an elite left tackle, he is a very good player who has earned a pass-block grade of 73.5 or better for five straight seasons and has played over 1,000 snaps in four straight years. However, the Bengals lost two starting safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, leaving Nick Scott and Daxton Hill as the top two safeties on the depth chart. Despite the loss, the Bengals have made smart salary cap decisions and have the least dead cap in the league.
6: DALLAS COWBOYS
- Biggest gain: CB Stephon Gilmore
- Biggest loss: TE Dalton Schultz
The Cowboys signed CB Stephon Gilmore to pair with Trevon Diggs, adding an elite cornerback to their roster. Gilmore has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league since 2017, with the highest PFF coverage grade among all cornerbacks to play at least 1,000 snaps. Despite losing running back Ezekiel Elliot and tight end Dalton Schultz, the Cowboys have minimal dead cap.
7: LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
- Biggest gain: LB Eric Kendricks
- Biggest loss: LB Drue Tranquill
The Chargers didn’t make many moves in free agency but signing LB Eric Kendricks was a significant move. He is expected to take over Drue Tranquill’s role and start at inside linebacker alongside Kenneth Murray, providing an upgrade to their struggling run defense. Kendricks is also a much better run defender and could help the Chargers fix a long-standing issue on their defense. The Chargers have the second-least dead cap in the league.
8: MINNESOTA VIKINGS
- Biggest gain: TE Josh Oliver, DE Marcus Davenport
- Biggest loss: CB Patrick Peterson
The Vikings added TE Josh Oliver to help improve their effectiveness in 12 personnel, while DE Marcus Davenport, an elite edge defender, will bolster their pass rush and run defense. Despite being plagued by injuries, Davenport has five straight seasons with a grade above 70.0. The Vikings have also lost CB Patrick Peterson.
9: BALTIMORE RAVENS
- Biggest gain: G John Simpson
- Biggest loss: G Ben Powers, S Chuck Clark, DE Calais Campbell
The Ravens didn’t make significant moves in free agency, and their losses were substantial, as S Chuck Clark, DE Calais Campbell, and G Ben Powers were top-ranked players at their positions. They did, however, sign G John Simpson. This ranking may change if QB Lamar Jackson leaves the team.
10: MIAMI DOLPHINS
- Key departure: TE Mike Gesicki
- Key addition: CB Jalen Ramsey
The Dolphins defense is set to benefit immediately from the acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker David Long. Ramsey has earned the highest PFF grade, highest PFF coverage grade and highest PFF run-defense grade among all cornerbacks since 2016, and Long ranks among the top five linebackers with the best PFF run-defense grade in 2022. With head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Miami could become a strong contender in the AFC East.
11: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
- Key departure: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
- Key addition: QB Baker Mayfield
The Buccaneers need a new quarterback to take over the position after Tom Brady’s retirement, but is Baker Mayfield the solution? While Mayfield’s 87.5 PFF grade between 2018 and 2020 ranked ninth among all quarterbacks, it has been a while since he played at that level, raising concerns about whether he can regain his form as a starting quarterback. Moreover, the absence of guard Shaq Mason may further impede his transition. Additionally, the Buccaneers have the highest dead cap in the league, which is a concerning issue.
12: JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
- Key departure: ED Arden Key
- Key addition: G Blake Hance
The Jaguars did not make significant moves in free agency and lost one of their top edge rushers, Arden Key. Key’s 14.6% pressure percentage in the last two seasons places him among the top 20 players in terms of pressure percentage, regardless of position.
13: DETROIT LIONS
- Key departure: S DeShon Elliott
- Key addition: CB Cameron Sutton
The Lions aimed to bolster their young team by adding veterans to their defense, signing cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, as well as safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Comparing running backs Jamaal Williams and David Montgomery in the graphic below, Montgomery exceeded expectations in terms of rushing yards. He should be a good fit for the Lions and may even represent an upgrade.
14: NEW YORK GIANTS
- Biggest loss: S Julian Love
- Biggest gain: LB Bobby Okereke
The Giants’ addition of tight end Darren Waller is a risk due to his injury history, but he could have a big impact if healthy. Waller is one of the top tight ends in the league when at his best. The Giants had minimal losses in free agency.
15: SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
- Biggest loss: LB Cody Barton
- Biggest gain: S Julian Love
The Seahawks made some great signings to replace aging players and have plenty of cap space left. The addition of defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones will improve their pass-rushing ability.
16: PITTSBURGH STEELERS
- Biggest loss: CB Cameron Sutton
- Biggest gain: CB Patrick Peterson
The Steelers improved their defense and offensive line in free agency. The addition of veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson brings stability to their cornerback room. They also brought in a great replacement for James Daniels in Isaac Seumalo.
17: NEW YORK JETS
- Biggest loss: QB Mike White
- Biggest gain: WR Allen Lazard
The Jets have a well-rounded roster and improved their defense with the addition of safety Chuck Clark. They almost made the playoffs despite rotating quarterbacks in 2022.
18: GREEN BAY PACKERS
- Biggest loss: WR Allen Lazard
- Biggest gain: S Tarvarius Moore
The Packers have the fourth-most cap space in the league, which they could use to replace their starting quarterback and receiving corps.
19: WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
- Biggest loss: S Bobby McCain
- Biggest gain: QB Jacoby Brissett
The Commanders added an upgrade at quarterback in Jacoby Brissett, but have the least cap space in the league. They also added a decent starting tackle in Andrew Wylie.
20: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
- Biggest loss: WR Jakobi Meyers
- Biggest gain: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
The Patriots added JuJu Smith-Schuster, but it remains to be seen if he will be as productive as Jakobi Meyers. They also added tackle Riley Reiff to their offensive line.
21: CLEVELAND BROWNS
- Biggest loss: QB Jacoby Brissett
- Biggest gain: S Juan Thornhill
The Browns improved their defense with the additions of safety Juan Thornhill, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, and edge Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.
22: LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
- Biggest loss: QB Derek Carr
- Biggest gain: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
With a new quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and a new receiver in Jakobi Meyers, the Raiders hope to have an above-average offense. Garoppolo had a lower turnover-worthy play rate than Carr and a similar big-time throw rate.
23: TENNESSEE TITANS
- Biggest loss: LB David Long
- Biggest gain: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, ED Arden Key
The Titans signed tackle Andre Dillard, who may have potential but hasn’t really played enough snaps to truly prove himself. Despite having a top-10 defense already, the additions of Arden Key and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will only improve the unit.
24: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
- Biggest loss: QB Andy Dalton
- Biggest gain: QB Derek Carr
The Saints are changing it up at quarterback, signing Derek Carr and releasing Andy Dalton. Carr is definitely an upgrade, but he is an expensive upgrade at that. He signed a four-year $150 million contract while Dalton signed for the Panthers for two years, $11 million.
Signing running back Jamaal Williams in the absence of Alvin Kamara is not an upgrade, but he has the potential to produce. A consistently solid running back since entering the league as a fourth-round pick out of BYU in 2017, Williams has produced a PFF grade above 60.0 in all six seasons in the league, and a grade above 70.0 in three of the six.
Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders is a force to be reckoned with and will replace David Onyemata on the defensive line. Saunders is built like a tree trunk at 6 feet and 324 pounds but if you put on his tape, you’ll see a guy who rarely gives up in pursuit of the ball carrier and brings a lot of energy on his limited snaps.
25: CAROLINA PANTHERS
- Biggest loss: QB Sam Darnold
- Biggest gain: QB Andy Dalton
Losing D.J. Moore to the Bears will not help the Panthers’ rebuild. However, adding solid options at tight end in Hayden Hurst and running back in Miles Sanders may help.
From 199 catchable targets since entering the league, Hurst has just five drops and has earned a PFF drop grade above 80.0 in all five seasons. Sanders is coming off a season in which he put up 1,271 yards — at 4.9 yards per carry — with 11 touchdowns.
26: CHICAGO BEARS
- Biggest loss: RB David Montgomery
- Biggest gain: WR D.J. Moore
The Bears have made some solid moves in free agency and still have the most salary cap available of any team.
Their defense struggled in 2022, so adding two solid linebackers in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards may help fix that. Further, defensive tackles Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker are huge upgrades to their defensive line.
They’ve also shored up their offensive line to protect Fields by signing guard Nate Davis.
27: ATLANTA FALCONS
- Biggest loss: QB Marcus Mariota
- Biggest gain: S Jessie Bates III
The Falcons signed one of the best safeties in the league in Jessie Bates III. His 72.6 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons ranks 30th among safeties, but when you factor in the impressive 2020 season, his three-year PFF coverage grade of 90.5 trails only Kevin Byard of the Tennessee Titans and Marcus Williams of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Falcons’ safety room finished 26th in the league in PFF grade last season, so this is a much-needed upgrade.
28: DENVER BRONCOS
- Biggest loss: C Graham Glasgow
- Biggest gain: QB Jarrett Stidham
The signing of guard Ben Powers increases the offensive line’s pass-blocking talent level by a large margin, and the addition of tackle Mike McGlinchey will make an impact in the running game.
The Broncos defense replaced Dre’Mont Jones with Zach Allen at a cheaper rate. Allen hasn’t played a full season but has performed at a high level.
29: LOS ANGELES RAMS
- Biggest loss: CB Jalen Ramsey
- Biggest gain: TE Hunter Long
The Rams have struggled this offseason, and the loss of cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a big one for them. Their only addition was tight end Hunter Long, who played only 94 snaps last season.
30: ARIZONA CARDINALS
- Biggest loss: DI Zach Allen or CB Byron Murphy Jr.
- Biggest gain: LB Kyzir White
The Cardinals lost more than they gained this offseason. They lost key defensive players in defensive end Zach Allen, cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and edge Markus Golden.
With the jury still out on QB Kyler Murray, the Cardinals cannot afford to perform poorly defensively. Their one addition in linebacker Kyzir White was positive, as he has earned five straight 60.0-plus coverage grades.
31: HOUSTON TEXANS
- Biggest loss: TE Jordan Akins
- Biggest gain: S Jimmie Ward
The Texans made some decent moves in free agency. They added receivers in Robert Woods, Dalton Schultz and Andrew Beck and proven running backs in Devin Singletary and Mike Boone.
They also added to their offensive line by signing guard Shaq Mason.
Their defense was elevated by the signing of one of the best safeties in the league in Jimmie Ward. The Texans’ defense was graded 31st in the league last season, so they need all the help they can get.
32: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- Biggest loss: CB Stephon Gilmore
- Biggest gain: QB Gardner Minshew
The Colts free agency moves were a bit disappointing: They signed a kicker to the largest free-agent contract at the position in NFL history when they have much more pressing issues. They lost key players on defense — cornerback Stephon Gilmore and linebacker Bobby Okereke — but added edge Samson Ebukam. Ebukam was on a talented 49ers defense and will produce for the Colts.
With the Colts’ starting quarterback job up for grabs between Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger — or maybe someone from the 2023 draft class — it’s not a promising look for the season.
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