Ranking the 5 Worst NFL Rosters After Early 2025 NFL Free Agency

Every NFL team has made offseason moves to improve, though in some cases, these transactions aren't enough to address roster voids adequately.

Also, teams lost quality talent via free agency, trades and cap-space-related cuts, which can create issues in other areas.

While examining and ranking the five worst rosters, we'll give a reality check to teams that have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks.

Our rankings factored in remaining roster holes, questionable free-agent signings and the difficulty of addressing pressing depth-chart concerns between now and the 2025 draft in late April.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

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Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.

Biggest needs: Interior offensive lineman, defensive tackle, wide receiver

The Jacksonville Jaguars' new regime showed everyone what it thought about the roster when they parted ways with several players. Typically, incoming general managers and coaching staffs turn over the roster, but this team needed a shakeup after a 4-13 season.

New head coach Liam Coen has the task of helping quarterback Trevor Lawrence get back into Pro Bowl form. Lawrence threw for 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 60.6 percent completion rate in 10 games last season.

The Jaguars must figure out their offensive line to keep Lawrence upright and strengthen the ground game. Jacksonville signed Patrick Mekari, who started more than eight games in two out of six seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, and Robert Hainsey, who lost the starting job at center to Graham Barton with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.

In addition to question marks on the interior of the offensive line, Anton Harrison needs to show improvement as a run-blocker at right tackle.

Jacksonville released tight end Evan Engram, one of Lawrence's primary targets in the passing game in recent years. It also traded wideout Christian Kirk, leaving second-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as the team's most reliable perimeter playmaker.

Defensively, the Jaguars have decent playmakers on all three levels and two high-end pass-rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.

However, Jacksonville should look to beef up the interior of its defensive line after finishing 25th in rushing yards allowed last season.

The Jaguars need major upgrades at positions close to the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and at receiver.

4. New York Giants

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Giants QB Jameis Winston

Biggest needs: Quarterback, guard, interior defensive lineman

According to The Athletic's Jeff Howe, the New York Giants signed Jameis Winston to a two-year, $8 million deal. Winston is an upgrade over Tommy DeVito, but he won't preclude Big Blue from taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft.

Last season with the Cleveland Browns, Winston threw for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 61.1 percent completion rate in 12 games (seven starts). At this point in his career, he's a bridge-gap option and spot starter with an alarming interception rate of 4.1 percent or higher over the last three seasons.

The Giants saw immediate returns from wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. in their first year as pros, but they will go only so far with one of the league's worst quarterback situations.

Early in free agency, New York added two defensive starters in safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo. Defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris can also carve out a decent role playing at least 60 percent of the snaps. Those moves gave the club a decent boost in the rankings. 

3. New England Patriots

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Patriots QB Drake Maye

Biggest needs: Offensive tackle, interior offensive lineman, wide receiver

One of the most active teams in free agency, the New England Patriots needed an influx of talent following a 3-14 season. The Patriots signed defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis III, edge-rusher Harold Landry, and linebacker Robert Spillane to deals that averaged more than $11 million annually. 

With those additions, New England will improve significantly on the defensive side of the ball. 

However, the Patriots still have one of the worst offensive personnel groups, so they're ranked lower than the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants.

Quarterback Drake Maye flashed potential in his rookie campaign with a pass-catching group that lacked explosive playmaking ability. The Patriots still have an uninspiring receiving group two weeks into free agency. They added Mack Hollins, who's been a No. 3 or 4 option at best with his former teams.

New England signed right tackle Morgan Moses to shore up the offensive line. At 34, he's missed six contests over the last two years after starting in every game between 2015 and 2022.

The Patriots defense keeps them out of the top two spots, but they need to invest most of their draft picks into an offense that scored the third-fewest points and racked up the second-fewest yards last season.

2. Tennessee Titans

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Titans QB Will Levis

Biggest needs: Quarterback, wide receiver, edge

The Tennessee Titans signed safety Xavier Woods, linebacker Cody Barton, guard Kevin Zeitler and Dre'Mont Jones, who has played multiple positions in six seasons.

Though the Titans addressed pressing needs with those additions, they made a questionable investment in left tackle Dan Moore Jr., signing him to a four-year, $82 million contract.

Last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Moore allowed 12 sacks, the most among 141 qualifying offensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus. If he continues to struggle in pass protection, Cam Ward, turnover-prone Will Levis or whoever starts at quarterback for the Titans should keep his head on swivel. Tennessee whiffed with that signing.

The Titans released Harold Landry, their sack leader from the previous campaign. Landry has recorded at least nine sacks in three consecutive seasons. They also lost their 2024 touchdown leader wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to the Miami Dolphins in free agency.

With the No. 1 pick, the Titans can draft Ward, Abdul Carter or trade back for Tetairoa McMillan to address one of their biggest needs, but they must hit on several draft picks (or make some trade deals) to field a balanced roster in the upcoming season.

Tennessee's decision to cut Landry and sign Moore pushes this roster to the No. 2 spot.

1. Carolina Panthers

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Panthers WR Adam Thielen

Biggest needs: Wide receiver, safety, edge

The Carolina Panthers are eighth in the draft order but No. 1 in the worst roster rankings because they have significant offensive and defensive issues and didn't do enough in free agency to find solutions.

As Bryce Young prepares for a crucial third season, his best wide receiver is 34-year-old Adam Thielen, who led the team with modest numbers in receiving yards (615) and touchdown receptions (five) last season. None of the Panthers pass-catchers recorded more than 49 receptions. 

Like the New England Patriots, the Panthers don't have a standout lead receiver who can consistently make big plays. Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker still have much to prove going into their second season. Perhaps Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle provide an offensive boost on the ground.

Unlike the Patriots, the Panthers didn't add significant upgrades for a defense that allowed the most points (in NFL history) and yards last season. The Tennessee Titans added three probable starters in free agency.

The Panthers signed nose tackle Bobby Brown III, edge-rusher Patrick Jones II, safety Tre'Von Moehrig, and Tershawn Wharton, who has mostly played in a reserve role with the Kansas City Chiefs for five seasons.

Moehrig may be a slight upgrade over Xavier Woods, though the Panthers made him the fifth highest-paid safety in average annual salary and need another starting safety alongside him.

Carolina will regret giving Wharton a three-year, $45 million deal if he doesn't blossom in a starting role. Brown hasn't played more than 42 percent of snaps in a single season, so he may have a limited impact on the interior. Jones has upside, but like Wharton, he's primarily been a backup defender.

Carolina entered the offseason with major voids to address, and the front office made minimal effort to fill those holes with difference-makers, even with a lot of cap space.

The Panthers need to do some wheeling and dealing and hit home runs in the 2025 draft to make strides next season.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.