NFL · 7 months ago

The Top 15 Losers from Week 1 of 2025 NFL Free Agency

Grant White

Host · Writer

New Orleans Saints
Not a whole lot went right for the New Orleans Saints last season. The Saints went 5-12, ranking as one of the worst defenses in the league and barely getting by on offense. Their solution was to stand pat and hope things work out with the same players next season.

Chase Young and Juwan Johnson were rewarded for their resurgent campaigns, but those players alone can't keep the Saints afloat. There are rumors that the team is looking to move on from Derek Carr, but his 5-5 record last season and 14-13 record with the Saints aren't the most significant issues they need to address.

New Orleans has an aging roster and a stunning lack of playmakers to help them return to glory. Move over Carolina Panthers, there's a new basement dweller in the NFC South.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers had one job this offseason: get a starting quarterback. A few days into free agency, they're in a much worse spot than they were last week. The shallow pool of available quarterbacks has been depleted, and the Steelers are left wondering if either of the remaining options will come to the Steel City. Sure, the Steelers added DK Metcalf, but they have no one to throw him the ball.
Dallas Cowboys
Losing has been so ingrained in the Dallas Cowboys' culture that they have given up any semblance of trying. Presumably, the Cowboys are going after Ashton Jeanty in the NFL Draft, which doesn't explain why they would sign two underperforming running backs to their roster. More concerningly, Dallas has yet to resign perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Micah Parsons. A coaching change was the least of the Cowboys' problems.
Aaron Rodgers
Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers has lampooned himself. At this point in his career, Rodgers is just looking for a team to enjoy long walks on the beach with. But unfortunately, he's spent the past 20 years of his career ostracizing virtually everyone he's played with. One day, maybe he'll find that team he's been longing for.
San Francisco 49ers
One losing season, and the San Francisco 49ers burn everything to the ground. San Francisco's offensive line has been depleted. They traded away one of their key offensive contributors, Deebo Samuel, and are effectively starting from scratch on defense. Oh, and they still haven't inked Brock Purdy to a contract. Maybe the Niners are playing the long game, but it comes at the expense of results in the short term.
Seattle Seahawks
The 49ers aren't the only NFC West team that decided to make wholesale changes for the worse this offseason. The Seattle Seahawks put all their eggs in the Sam Darnold basket while moving on from their top two receivers. Don't worry; the team got older on defense. Demarcus Lawrence will be 33-years-old when the next season starts, which is normally the age when players reverse the natural decline in their underlying metrics.
Aging Wide Receivers
It's been a tepid start to the offseason for aging wide receivers, leaving several prominent free agents out in the cold. Teams have finally caught on to the inevitable regression that hits past age 30. Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper, and Keenan Allen are just a few of the free agents still looking for a landing spot.
Aging Secondary Defenders
Worse than aging wide receivers, several notable secondary defenders are still looking for deals. Mike Hilton has spent eight years keeping opposing receivers in check but remains unsigned through the first week. Likewise, Harrison Smith, Stephon Gilmore, and Justin Simmons are hoping that someone reaches out with a contract offer before the NFL Draft.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson experienced a brief renaissance with the Steelers before his stock began to tumble. Heading into his age 37 season, there are fewer franchises willing to take a shot with Wilson under center. Nevertheless, several quarterback needy teams remain, and it's likely just a matter of time before Wilson lands on a roster. If Daniel Jones can do it, Wilson will eventually get his shot.
Offensive Linemen
There's a clear line in the sand when it comes to offensive linemen. The top tier guys are getting handsome raises, while average contributors are left unsigned. At this point, the unsigned players will likely have to wait until after the draft. This year's crop features a deep class of top-end offensive linemen that come at a much cheaper cost.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons' downfall began around this time last year. The Falcons decided to ink Kirk Cousins to an almost fully guaranteed contract and then drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the draft. They're left with two starting quarterbacks on their roster, with Cousins counting $40 million toward a cap hit. Surely, that money could be better used to address their longstanding pass rush issues, but the Falcons are standing pat with Cousins.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns have been losers for so long that people just naturally assume at this point. But the Browns' underwhelming foray into the 2025 offseason needs to be said out loud.

Cleveland solved its quarterback problem for next season by trading for Kenny Pickett. Deshaun Watson is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season, meaning Pickett is their solution under center. After demanding to be traded this offseason, Myles Garrett agreed to tolerate playing in Cleveland for $40 million a season.

Unless the Browns can somehow draft an entirely new roster in Green Bay, it will be another long season in Cleveland.
C.J. Stroud
The Houston Texans' offensive line wasn't great last season. They gave up the third-most sacks in the league, and quarterback C.J. Stroud was constantly under pressure. Their solution was to trade away their best offensive lineman and bring in some replacement-level players.

Granted, Cam Robinson should fare well at left tackle, but Ed Ingram and Laken Tomlinson do nothing to shore up the offensive line. Likewise, Jerome Carvin has spent his entire NFL career on practice rosters and was brought in as a backup center.

The Texans' offensive line has seemingly gotten worse this offseason, and it will come at Stroud's expense next season.
Indianapolis Colts
Kudos to the Indianapolis Colts for rebuilding their secondary in free agency. The Colts made several big moves for prominent players, addressing significant areas of concern. However, that was far from the only issue last season. Neglecting the other areas of need has left the Colts in a bad position heading into the draft.

Assuredly, Indianapolis needs an upgrade at tight end. Similarly, their linebacker corps and edge rushers were among the least productive in 2024. Finally, Daniel Jones is the Colts' insurance policy for the underperforming Anthony Richardson. If Richardson continues to struggle, it's hard to imagine Daniel Jones picking up the slack and leading this team to victory.

Maybe it's a scheme thing, but keeping Shane Steichen on as head coach without addressing any of the other glaring needs leaves Indianapolis in a bad spot heading into next season.
Eagles Defense
We knew this would be an offseason of change for the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly on defense. Surely, the moves they made leave them in a worse position heading into next season.

Philadelphia prioritized Zack Baun in free agency, letting Josh Sweat and Milton Williams walk. Moreover, the Eagles traded away C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cut ties with Darius Slay. Effectively, two of their biggest areas of strength last season look worse after the first week of free agency.

Baun needs to recapture his All-Pro form, but that won't come close to accounting for the lost production upfront. Considering that he was able to transform this defense last season, maybe we should give Nick Sirianni the benefit of the doubt. Still, it seems that the Eagles will be working at a deficit heading into next year.
New Orleans Saints
Not a whole lot went right for the New Orleans Saints last season. The Saints went 5-12, ranking as one of the worst defenses in the league and barely getting by on offense. Their solution was to stand pat and hope things work out with the same players next season.

Chase Young and Juwan Johnson were rewarded for their resurgent campaigns, but those players alone can't keep the Saints afloat. There are rumors that the team is looking to move on from Derek Carr, but his 5-5 record last season and 14-13 record with the Saints aren't the most significant issues they need to address.

New Orleans has an aging roster and a stunning lack of playmakers to help them return to glory. Move over Carolina Panthers, there's a new basement dweller in the NFC South.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers had one job this offseason: get a starting quarterback. A few days into free agency, they're in a much worse spot than they were last week. The shallow pool of available quarterbacks has been depleted, and the Steelers are left wondering if either of the remaining options will come to the Steel City. Sure, the Steelers added DK Metcalf, but they have no one to throw him the ball.

The Top 15 Losers from Week 1 of 2025 NFL Free Agency

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