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2025 NFL offseason: Bills must get help for Josh Allen, plus one thing every other team needs to do

football player throwing footballWhile the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for the Super Bowl, 30 other NFL teams are preparing to get there next season. Several teams have filled their head coaching vacancies and are assembling their staffs while other teams are in the process of improving their coordinators and clearing cap space for a massive salary cap increase.

As the offseason approaches, this is what each team needs to improve upon over the next few months. This doesn’t have to be just in free agency or the draft either:

Arizona Cardinals

Find an elite pass rusher: The Cardinals defense made considerable improvements this season, yet was 25th in the league in pressure rate (30.1%), despite being 14th in sack rate (7.1%). Arizona had only one player that had five sacks or more (Zaven Collins), so a difference maker could turn this defense from good to elite.

Atlanta Falcons

Improve the pass defense: The Falcons allowed 34 passing touchdowns this season, second most in the NFL (only the Panthers allowed more). Opposing quarterbacks had a 100.2 passer rating targeting Atlanta. Perhaps Jeff Ulbrich can turn things around, but they need more help next to Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell.

Baltimore Ravens

Be better at situational football: There isn’t much the Ravens can improve at this point, as they already have one of the most talented teams in the NFL. They have 16 turnovers in nine playoff games, including three in the divisional round playoff loss to the Bills. Lamar Jackson has seven interceptions and four fumbles in his playoff career. There is some luck involved, but the Ravens have to be better at protecting the football in January.

Buffalo Bills

Get more help for Josh Allen: The Bills could use a boost at wide receiver, especially with Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins set to become free agents. Khalil Shakir is very good, but the Bills need another outside threat to go with him. Wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bills reload at that position in the draft or sign a veteran wideout early in free agency.

Carolina Panthers

Receivers for Bryce Young: The Panthers have one of the best route runners in the game in Adam Thielen and a promising young player in Xavier Legette. They need more outside help for Young, who finally looked like a franchise quarterback after returning from being benched. They need to improve at a lot of positions, but Young’s development is still the top priority.

Chicago Bears

Offensive line for Caleb Williams: Williams held on to the ball too long and was indecisive at times in his rookie season, but that’s due to being pressured on 35.4% of his dropbacks and sacked 10.7% of the time. Williams has been sacked 7+ times in four different games and was sacked 68 times total on the season (second-most since the merger). If Williams is to succeed in the NFL, the pass protection must be better. The Bears have to invest in the offensive line this offseason.

Cincinnati Bengals

Start faster: Slow starts are the reason why the Bengals have missed the playoffs in each of the past two years. The Bengals are a combined 2-5 in September over the past two seasons and the slow starts have led to needing help to get into the postseason come January. Just being .500 when September ends would be massive for this team.

Cleveland Browns

Find a quarterback: The Browns appear ready to move on from Deshaun Watson and need someone to help Kevin Stefanski retain his job during a period which the team looks to be rebuilding. They likely are targeting a quarterback to develop with the No. 2 pick.

Dallas Cowboys

Fix the defense: Dan Quinn was sorely missed this season, and it was evident watching the Cowboys defense. Dallas was 10th in points allowed per possession (1.75) and ninth in yards allowed per possession (28.5) in Quinn’s final season, yet fell to 29th (2.40) and 17th (31.4) this past season — the main culprit of their record falling from 12-5 to 7-9. They need to improve in all facets on that side of the ball.

Denver Broncos

Extend Nik Bonitto: The Broncos have one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in Bonitto, who was a second-team All-Pro in his third year. He had 13.5 sacks and 57 pressures in his breakout season, and just turned 25. The Broncos have a franchise cornerstone in Bonitto.

Detroit Lions

Keep the defense healthy: The Lions have one of the most talented teams in the NFL, but they had 13 starters on injured reserve — six on defense — this season. That wasn’t the reason Detroit lost in the divisional round, but the Lions were clearly affected by the injuries. Getting some extra help at cornerback wouldn’t hurt either.