NFL teams couldn’t wait until free agency opened to address their roster holes.
We’ve already seen two trades involving the Texans this week and there was a rare player-for-player swap between the Jets and Titans last week. But, except for a couple of announcements about imminent releases (Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray), we still haven’t seen official movement from the quarterbacks.
Expect many quarterbacks to be on the move in the coming weeks. There are at least seven teams that we counted as having a critical need at the position.
With that said, here are the biggest roster holes for every team to fill ahead of free agency, which begins Monday with the legal tampering period.
The Cardinals won’t be in the worst position without Kyler Murray because Jacoby Brissett had plenty of success last season filling in for him. However, Brissett is more of a short-term option and could also be a trade chip. Arizona’s best QB scenario for 2026 could be keeping Brissett and having him compete with a young quarterback with long-term potential.
Expect new coach Mike LaFleur to tinker with the starting offensive line, with left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. being the lone cornerstone piece on the unit. The prior coaching regime did a solid job of building out the defense, but Arizona could still use another reliable edge rusher on the opposite side of Josh Sweat.
The Falcons could be in desperate need of edge-rusher help depending on what happens with James Pearce Jr.’s legal issues. It’s going to be very difficult for the team to justify keeping him on the roster. Atlanta is going to need vast improvements from its other 2025 first-round pick, Jalon Walker.
The lack of depth at wide receiver isn’t as dire as it was heading into 2025 after the breakout season from tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., who recently received the franchise tag. Still, it would be wise for Atlanta to find more dependable wide receivers, especially after star wideout Drake London missed five games last season.
It’s become apparent that Lamar Jackson needs a wide receiver who can get open quickly. While Zay Flowers is a talented playmaker, he’s better suited as a downfield target. Adding a player who can move the chains would go a long way for this offense, considering that Jackson isn’t relying on his legs as much, to avoid taking hits. Also, it’s not a given that tight end Isaiah Likely will be back next season, as he’s a pending free agent.
Baltimore has a few concerns on the defensive front, including Nnamdi Madubuike’s potential retirement after sustaining a significant neck injury last season. Additionally, the Ravens have struggled to develop their recent draft picks on the edge. Perhaps new coach Jesse Minter can change that.
Biggest needs: WR, edge, CB, S
GM Brandon Beane is in the midst of another offseason filled with wide receiver questions. Last year’s playoff run essentially ended with Josh Allen’s failed pass to Brandin Cooks, who joined Buffalo midway through the season. It’s time the Bills find a star No. 1 wide receiver, one capable of making necessary clutch plays.
It’s a bit strange listing cornerback and safety as needs for this team, given that the Bills allowed a league-best 156.9 passing yards per game last season. But coach Sean McDermott won’t be back to guide this secondary, and there could be a few starting openings depending on what happens with free agency.
The Panthers could have a sizable hole at center if Cade Mays leaves in free agency. It’s going to be critical for Carolina to put together a stout offensive line in order for Bryce Young to continue to build on the improvements he showed in his third season.
But this team has bigger issues on the defensive side. The Panthers still haven’t found a star edge rusher since trading Brian Burns to the Giants two years ago. Also, this defensive unit needs more sideline-to-sideline playmakers. On the bright side, this defense showed vast improvements last year under the guidance of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
In one season, coach Ben Johnson fixed the pressing needs on the offensive line and provided Caleb Williams with an abundance of weapons. Now, Johnson needs to help defensive coordinator Dennis Allen improve his side of the football.
Montez Sweat turns 30 in September and he’s the lone star player on Chicago’s defensive front. There’s also a possibility the team will trade linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who might not have been a scheme fit for Allen. The Bears need a flux of defensive talent to keep pace with Williams and his high-scoring offense.
Biggest needs: OL, edge, LB, S
The Bengals have arguably the best offensive trio in the league with quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But this offensive trio may also have the worst supporting case in the NFL.
The offensive line continues to allow Burrow to take hits at an alarming rate. To make matters worse, the defense has been littered with problems for years and now there’s a strong chance edge rusher Trey Hendrickson will find a new home in free agency. Cincinnati will need 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart to take significant steps in his development after a disastrous rookie season.
GM Andrew Berry was asked at the combine last week who the starting quarterback will be this season, between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. Berry said it was way too early to announce a starter—Dillon Gabriel could also be in the mix for the job. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if none of the signal-callers on the current roster are the Week 1 starter.
Cleveland doesn’t have a surefire franchise quarterback based on what we’ve seen from these three QBs in recent memory. As for another concern, Jerry Jeudy’s impressive 2024 performances didn’t continue last season. But the biggest holes for this team could be on the offensive line. The Browns addressed that in a big way earlier this week with the trade for guard Tytus Howard.
The Micah Parsons trade will continue to be a topic for Jerry Jones until he lands a star edge rusher who can replicate the kind of production Parsons took with him to Green Bay. Last year, the Cowboys had an uneven team with a high-scoring offense and a lackluster defense.
But Dallas also needs to address the lack of depth in the back end of the defense. The Cowboys could be banking on a breakout season from 2025 third-round cornerback Shavon Revel Jr.
Denver’s lack of a running game was exposed with Bo Nix’s absence in the AFC championship game loss against the Patriots. Nix’s mobility kept defenses guessing, despite the growing pains from running back RJ Harvey, who was asked to play more in his rookie season after the season-ending injury to J.K. Dobbins. If Dobbins leaves in free agency, the Broncos are going to need to find competition for Harvey, last year’s second-round pick.
Depth isn’t a problem at wide receiver, but the Broncos are missing a game-changing playmaker. Courtland Sutton might be better suited for the No. 2 wideout positions, and it remains to be seen whether Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin can contribute at a high level consistently.
For the first time in a long time, the Lions have critical concerns along the offensive line. Center was an issue throughout the 2025 due to the abrupt retirement of Frank Ragnow. Detroit added a center option in Juice Scruggs in the trade that sent David Montgomery to Houston.
Left tackle Taylor Decker recently announced he’s returning for an 11th NFL season, but the team should look to get younger at the position. The needs on the defensive side are familiar, with Aidan Hutchinson again needing help on the defensive front while the secondary continues to be a problem.
If the Packers don’t re-sign pending free agent Rasheed Walker, they’re going to need to add another tackle for a potential competition on the left side. It probably wouldn’t be wise to just hand the job to Jordan Morgan, who hasn’t found his footing since being taken in the first round in 2024.
Micah Parsons’s late-season injury exposed this team's lack of depth at edge rusher. There’s also the possibility that the team makes Rashan Gary a cap casualty. However, the biggest need might be at cornerback, with the team missing a true No. 1 outside corner.
The Texans are rebuilding their offensive line for the second time in as many years. Last year, they traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington. On Monday, Houston sent offensive guard Tytus Howard to Cleveland and Juice Scruggs to Detroit.
This offensive line is unrecognizable compared to the one that protected C.J. Stroud in 2024. But the Texans have struggled to improve the unit since starting the drastic makeover last season. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Stroud has failed to play up to expectations since the shuffling on the offensive line began.
The Colts must feel confident that Daniel Jones will make a speedy recovery from his significant Achilles injury after giving Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade and then slapping the transition tag on Jones.
Regardless of what happens with Jones’s rehab timeline, it would be smart for Indianapolis to add insurance at quarterback after being forced to call Philip Rivers out of retirement last season. Wide receiver could also be an issue if the team is unable to lock up Alec Pierce before the start of free agency.
The Jaguars could have some concerns on the offensive side if they don’t re-sign running back Travis Etienne Jr. and if they decide to shop wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. But it’s tough seeing Jacksonville giving up on Thomas after one rough season and Etienne had plenty of success in coach Liam Coen’s scheme.
The real needs are on the defensive side. The Jaguars need youth in the interior of the defensive line, and linebacker could be a problem if Devin Lloyd leaves in free agency. Additionally, it was obvious last year that the team wasn’t pleased with the cornerback room after the midseason trade that sent Tyson Campbell to Cleveland and Greg Newsome II to Jacksonville. Newsome is another top in-house free agent.
Biggest needs: OL, RB, edge, CB
This is the second consecutive offseason that the Chiefs are in need of offensive line help. Kansas City has plans to release right tackle Jawaan Taylor and there’s a vacancy at left guard.
However, Jaylon Moore, last year’s free-agent addition, could slide into the right tackle position. Overall, this unit could be in good shape if left tackle Josh Simmons plays more than he did in his rookie season, after only appearing in eight games in 2025. It would also benefit Patrick Mahomes if the running back options improve this season. And there’s now a critical need at cornerback after the Chiefs traded Trent McDuffie to the Rams on Wednesday.
Biggest needs: WR, OL, LB, CB
