7 Teams With Most Work to Do in 2025 NFL Draft After Early Free Agency

Are you panicking? If you're a fan of any of the NFL teams we're about to mention, you sure are. 

These are the teams that have left themselves plenty of work to do based on the early stages of free agency. 

But keep in mind offseasons are rarely won in March. Not only is there plenty still to come in free agency, but the draft is also arguably the most critical team-building event on the annual NFL calendar. 

These teams have significant work to do come April 24-26.

New York Jets

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Darren Mougey

Sure, the New York Jets splurged on Justin Fields, but if they're going to make the move work, they need to surround him with plenty of weapons and support.

Gone are Davante Adams and Morgan Moses, with no replacements coming through the door thus far in free agency. 

That leaves Gang Green in a tough spot, as this was a bottom-10 scoring offense last year and looks no better off at the moment. 

At the very least, that No. 7 overall pick has to hit quickly, or the Jets need to trade back and land an offensive lineman and a pass-catcher, both of whom can make Day 1 impacts.

However, they also need at least one more prime front-end defender, but they don't have any extra picks until Round 5. 

The margin for error is tiny for new general manager Darren Mougey.

Baltimore Ravens

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Ronnie Stanley is back for the Baltimore Ravens and they have added DeAndre Hopkins, but that otherwise has left them with little room to maneuver as the AFC's elite catches up to them. 

Guard Patrick Mekari is gone, as are defenders Brandon Stephens, Malik Harrison and Chris Board. And now, they're pretty much out of salary-cap space while faced with the need for upgrades elsewhere along the offensive line and reinforcements on defense. 

The Ravens have just six picks (two compensatory) in the first five rounds and none in the top 25. If they can't make the most of that with early-impact contributors, they will be faced with an even stiffer challenge from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the AFC North in 2025.

San Francisco 49ers

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The 49ers bled like nobody else this week. 

Gone are veterans Deebo Samuel, Javon Hargrave, Kyle Juszczyk, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward, Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins and Aaron Banks, with pass-catchers Demarcus Robinson and Luke Farrell representing the only somewhat significant additions. 

That's a nightmare for a team that struggled mightily in 2024 and now has even less coverage in case the injury bug returns in 2025. 

The good news is they hold the 11th overall pick and have been awarded four compensatory selections. 

To keep up with the Joneses in the NFC contenders circle, and to stave off the still-relevant Rams and emerging Cardinals within the division, the 49ers will need to immediately bolster all three levels of the defense as well as a deteriorating offensive line on Day 1 and 2. 

It's a tall task for a franchise that appears to be on the decline.  

Kansas City Chiefs

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Brett Veach

The Chiefs have actually done about as well as anyone could have expected considering how many expiring contracts they had to deal with in what has become an annual exodus from a team that has a lot of money tied up in veteran centerpieces. 

They brought in veteran Jaylon Moore at left tackle, added experienced cornerback Kristian Fulton and kept Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and Marquise Brown. That said, DeAndre Hopkins and Justin Watson weren't retained in the receiving corps, stellar safety Justin Reid got away, and they traded away Joe Thuney. 

With practically no cap space, there's a chance we still see some subtractions between now and training camp. 

The only legit additions will come via a draft that does at least have them selecting three times in the top 66 and four times total on Days 1 and 2. With those, the trenches need major work, as does the defense in general. And the receiving corps.

Boy, the Chiefs have their work cut out for them as the Broncos and Chargers evolve in an increasingly competitive AFC West.

Cleveland Browns

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Browns GM Andrew Berry

The good news is Myles Garrett is staying put, but that now puts tremendous pressure on the Browns to capitalize on a window with one of the best defensive players of this era.

And cap-strapped Cleveland re-upped the six-time Pro Bowler to a record-breaking deal while remaining pretty much idle elsewhere. 

Jedrick Wills Jr. may be done in Cleveland. Ditto for Nick Chubb. 

In order to somehow improve in a tough AFC North, the Browns must nail this draft. That likely means landing and hitting on quarterback Cam Ward from Miami at the top, and finding early-impact talent with all or most of their three Day 2 selections. 

Otherwise, there’s a good chance 2025 will be another wasted season for this franchise and its superstar pass-rusher.

Indianapolis Colts

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Maybe Daniel Jones pushes or even supplants Anthony Richardson, but either quarterback will likely be in trouble if the Colts can't find more support throughout the offense in the draft. 

While the franchise went out and added Jones as an insurance policy under center and bolstered a weak secondary with the additions of Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum, it has failed to land a safety valve in the pass-catching corps while seeing the line get worse with the departures of Will Fries and Ryan Kelly. 

And it's not as though the Colts are in the driver's seat in the draft, with just one mid-round pick per round and nothing extra. In that case, they will almost certainly have to go heavy on offense, and they need a receiver or tight end in Round 1 who can step in and ball right away. 

Otherwise, what's the point in investing in young quarterbacks such as Jones and Richardson?

Seattle Seahawks

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Seahawks GM John Schneider

I figured maybe the Seattle Seahawks were throwing in the towel for 2025 when DK Metcalf and Geno Smith were jettisoned soon after Tyler Lockett's departure, but then they handed more than $100 million to Sam Darnold and spent decent money to bring back veteran defenders Jarren Reed and Ernest Jones IV. 

So, I guess they're going for it? 

If so, a defensively-solid team needs more talent around Darnold, who can't lean on only Jaxon Smith-Njigba all season and will need better protection than Smith often had.

The Seahawks do still have money to spend, but the pickings are becoming slim. They were awarded compensation picks in Rounds 4 and 5 of the draft, which should help GM John Schneider. 

If Seattle does not come away from that with potential starters at receiver and guard, it's hard to see the team competing in 2025.