5 NFL Teams That Won the 2026 Offseason — And 5 That Made Huge Mistakes… Do You Agree?
There’s still plenty of time between now and Week 1 for NFL teams to further bolster their rosters through the draft, trade, and free agency this offseason. But if the regular season started today? Let’s just say certain teams and players would be a lot more prepared and excited than others. With that, let’s dive into five early winners of the 2026 NFL offseason and the five biggest losers. Which NFL teams had a great and not-so-great offseason? Winner: Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys helmet (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images) It feels weird putting the Cowboys under “winner”, since Jerry Jones usually loves self-sabotage in the NFL offseason. But credit where it’s due — the man has aced his offseason performance thus far. His first big move was re-signing star running back Javonte Williams to a team-friendly three-year deal worth $24 million. And though a long-term extension with George Pickens is still the desired outcome, keeping him under club control via the non-exclusive franchise tag will work for now. Dallas simply couldn’t lose him, no matter what. With the Green Bay Packers looking to clear cap space, they unloaded star edge rusher Rashan Gary to the Cowboys. It only cost Jerry a fourth-round pick. That’s a heckuva price for a player who’s logged at least 7.5 sacks in four of the last five seasons. Now, Dallas’ new-look defensive line features Gary, Quinnen, and Williams. That’s a nice way to start rebuilding your pass rush in the post-Micah Parsons era. Finally, Jones bolstered Dallas’ lousy defense by signing former Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson and ex-Los Angeles Rams corner Cobie Durant. Durant was an underrated part of the Rams’ secondary last season, recording three picks and seven pass breakups. Over four seasons, he’s only allowed a 55.1 completion percentage and 74.3 passer rating when targeted. Dallas kept its explosive offense intact, and Jones added three difference-makers to fix a putrid defense. All of this before the NFL Draft. Yep, the Cowboys are mega winners, ladies and gentlemen. Loser: Maxx CrosbyMaxx Crosby. Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images After the Las Vegas Raiders slipped to the bottom of the standings and wasted another year of Maxx Crosby’s prime, it looked like the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end was ready for a fresh start. Before the new league year officially commenced, the Raiders and Baltimore Ravens reached an agreement on a blockbuster trade. The Raiders would send Crosby to Baltimore for two first-round picks. All Crosby had to do was pass a physical, and the deal would be done. But in a stunning turn of events, the Ravens decided to nix the trade after Crosby failed his physical. While one might deem Baltimore a loser here, they at least found a safe plan B by signing former Cincinnati Bengals star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency. Crosby is the real loser here. His trade value has diminished. Now he awkwardly returns to a rebuilding team that nicely admitted they’d be happy to move on from him. And did we mention that the Raiders are a bottom-feeder club and will only continue wasting his prime years? You somewhat feel for Crosby. Then again, it was his choice to sign that long-term extension in 2025. Winner: Wide ReceiversIndianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) leaves the field Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, after losing a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. You don’t even have to be a superstar wide receiver in today’s NFL to get paid handsomely. So, football parents out there, raise your kids to be wide receivers. Mkay? After a career year that saw him catch 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns, Alec Pierce got paid elite receiver-level NFL money from the Indianapolis Colts this offseason. He was given a four-year extension worth $114 million, which is remarkably generous for a player with a single 1K season on his resume. Wan’Dale Robinson also notched his first 1K season for the New York Giants last year. The Tennessee Titans also overpaid him generously, giving the speedster a four-year deal worth $70 million. That includes $38 million in guarantees. Romeo Doubs has never hit 800 yards in a season. He got four years and $68 million from the New England Patriots. $39 mil is guaranteed. Even the three-year, $51 million extension Rashid Shaheed got from the Seattle Seahawks was rather lavish. But hey, good things come to those who play a big role in a Super Bowl championship-winning season. Despite turning 33 and coming off an injury-riddled season, Mike Evans got a three-year, $42.4 million deal from the San Francisco 49ers. Even Jalen Nailor, he of 1,066 career receiving yards in four seasons, got $35 million over three years from the Las Vegas Raiders. Like we said: Raise your kids to be wide receivers. Loser: Green Bay PackersDec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A Green Bay Packers helmet sits ready before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Despite playing in football’s toughest division, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst didn’t at all seem motivated to bolster a roster that was exposed big time after Micah Parsons’ season-ending injury. You’d think the humiliating meltdown and loss to the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round would motivate Gutekunst to be ultra-aggressive, too. But nope. They lost 40 percent of their starting o-line with Elgton Jenkins getting cut and Rasheed Walker leaving in free agency. Their No. 2 receiver, Romeo Doubs, left for the Patriots. Veteran cornerback Nate Hobbs was cut in a cap-saving move, with no replacement to be seen yet. Their once-potent front seven lost Quay Walker and Rashan Gary, who have since moved to the Raiders and Cowboys, respectively. The Packers’ biggest move in free agency was signing past-his-prime defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a two-year deal. No, he doesn’t make up for all the talent Green Bay lost. Meanwhile, all of their division rivals made big-time moves to bolster their Super Bowl chances. Does anyone know if Gutekunst has just been napping through the offseason? If so, someone better wake him up. Winner: Baltimore RavensJan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A view of Baltimore Ravens players’ helmets on a heated bench against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Say what you want about how the Ravens went about nixing the Maxx Crosby trade. But if you can save two first-round picks and land the best pass-rusher available in free agency, you do that every day of the week. Signing one of the league’s premier defensive players in Trey Hendrickson — a four-year deal worth $112 million — is a win to begin with. It’s a double-whammy since they signed him away from the bitter AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals. Losing star center Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders in free agency hurts, yes. But they were never going to overpay him. And the Ravens always excel at replacing departed veterans through the draft. The Bengals lost their best defensive player and don’t have a replacement lined up. The Cleveland Browns downgraded at o-line and didn’t add any QB competition for Shedeur Sanders. The Steelers signed Jamel Dean and Rico Dowdle and traded for Michael Pittman Jr., yes. But their best QB plan is bringing back a washed-up Aaron Rodgers. I don’t think the Ravens are scared of their arch rivals right now. While the Ravens bolstered their roster this NFL offseason, the Bengals and Browns mostly stood pat. The Steelers have a ton of question marks until Rodgers makes his decision. At this time, the AFC North path is wide-open with few obstacles for Baltimore. Loser: Tampa Bay BuccaneersNov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmets against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019, one would have expected the Bucs to quickly get aggressive in free agency. Or not. The first big blow was franchise legend Mike Evans stunningly leaving to sign with the San Francisco 49ers. Lavonte David, the backbone of the Bucs’ defense and locker room since 2012, retired. Top cornerback Jamel Dean left for Pittsburgh in free agency. GM Jason Licht’s biggest move was signing Kenneth Gainwell, who’s more of a luxury as the No. 2 RB behind Bucky Irving. After owning the NFC South for five years, there’s a real shot of the Bucs finishing fourth in the division next season. Winner: Carolina PanthersDec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers helmet rests on the bench against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Panthers exceeded expectations big time in 2025, claiming the NFC South division crown, albeit with an 8-9 record. But it was nonetheless impressive that they were that close to beating a much better Los Angeles Rams team in the Wild Card Round. GM Dan Morgan wasted no time looking to upgrade an up-and-coming roster. His first big move was signing veteran defensive end Jaelan Phillips to a four-year contract worth $120 million. Make no mistake, it’s a big overpay. But Carolina had the cash to spend. And when healthy, Phillips is capable of pushing for double-digit sacks. He immediately slots in as the Panthers’ new No. 1 pass-rusher. Morgan didn’t stop there. Coming off a career year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd signed a bargain three-year deal worth $42 million. Now the Panthers’ front seven has two game-wrecking studs to help veteran defensive tackle, Derrick Brown. Speaking of bargain deals, the Panthers bolstered their o-line by snagging former Green Bay offensive tackle Rasheed Walker on a one-year deal for just $4 million. Some tidy work by the reigning NFC South champions, who have taken major steps forward to go from the best in a worst division to being ready to compete with the conference’s big boys. Loser: The AFC South If not for a season-ending injury to Daniel Jones laste in the year, the AFC South might have sent three teams to the playoffs. Still, considering how terrible this division has been for the better part of the last decade, sending the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans to the playoffs was no joke. But man, is it hard to be excited about anything that the AFC South clubs have done in the NFL offseason. After winning the AFC South with a 13-4 record, the Jaguars’ biggest move in free agency was…signing backup running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.! The Jags lost Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd and three-time 1,000-yard rusher Travis Etienne Jr. in free agency. How does that make them better again? The Colts overpaid to keep Alec Pierce, then gave away standout receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers for pennies. Even the two-year, $88 million extension for Daniel Jones is a head-scratcher. Why not make him play on the franchise tag to prove last year was no fluke? The o-line lost star offensive lineman Braden Smith in free agency. Reliable edge rusher Kwity Paye also bolted. And Indy hasn’t done a whole lot of anything to fill the voids left by Smith, Paye, and Pittman. The Texans signed Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller to bolster their o-line. But they still need two more quality starters there. And CJ Stroud still needs a couple of more pass-catchers to complement Nico Collins. The Titans gave Wan’Dale Robinson top receiver money at $72 million. $103 million combined to two “average” corners in Cordale Flott and Alontae Taylor? Interesting choice. $24 million over three years to a backup tight end in Daniel Bellinger. Huh? If someone knows what the AFC South teams are trying to do here, we’d appreciate it. At this time, all four of them just made a ton of head-scratching moves instead of really improving their rosters for playoff runs. Winner: Los Angeles RamsJan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams helmet on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images If there was one weakness in the 2025 NFC runner-ups, it was the secondary. Truth be told, the pass defense has been a weak link since the Rams traded Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins in 2023. GM Les Snead made not one, but two blockbuster deals to address the matter. His first was acquiring All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie in a blockbuster trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. In return, the Rams have up the No. 29 pick, 2026 fifth and sixth-round selections, and a 2027 third-rounder. McDuffie then signed a four-year, $124 million extension. So a team that was a couple of plays away from reaching the Super Bowl just added a top-five cornerback to an already-elite defense. But no, Snead wasn’t done there. In free agency, he signed another Chiefs cornerback, Jaylen Watson, to a three-year contract worth $51 million. Heckuva deal for a corner who’s allowed a passer rating of under 80 in consecutive seasons…and only one touchdown in coverage during that period. So, one of the NFL’s top heavyweights may now boast the league’s best cornerback tandem in 2026. Take a bow, Mr. Snead. Loser: QBs On New TeamsDec 21, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images It’s hard to find a real winner among the notable NFL quarterbacks who changed teams in the offseason. Like, very, very hard. The big fish of the QB free agent class, Malik Willis, signed a three-year deal with the Miami Dolphins worth $67.5 million. That was before the Dolphins traded away their superstar wide receiver, Jaylen Waddle, to the Denver Broncos. With Waddle and Tyreek Hill gone, Willis’ top receivers at this time are Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Tutu Atwell. Good luck with that. Kyler Murray is in a good spot after signing with the Minnesota Vikings. But also, maybe he should have gone somewhere that would promise him the QB1 job? Not sure Minny is ready to give up on JJ McCarthy just yet. Ditto for new Atlanta Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa. You really think he’s gonna beat out Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job? Tua should have signed with a more desperate team like the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, or Arizona Cardinals. After a disastrous one-year stint with the Raiders, Geno Smith was traded back to the Jets. Color us skeptical that a 36-year-old QB will revive his career on football’s most dysfunctional organization. Justin Fields might be happy about getting traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. But he might get what? One or two starts if Patrick Mahomes isn’t ready to play? Then it’s back to holding the clipboard. Not exactly the ideal position to revive his career.
