Each NFL Division's Biggest 2025 Offseason Winner

The NFL playoff picture changes every year, and that turnover starts in the offseason. Last year's division basement dwellers could become playoff contenders through trades, free agency and the draft. 

Several teams took big swings at established veterans and top rookie prospects to fill roster holes this offseason. Some of those moves will pay off in the win column.

Based on coaching hirings, free-agent signings and draft hauls, we've crowned the offseason winner of each division. These clubs will make the biggest leap among their in-division rivals.

None of these teams made the playoffs last year, but some will in 2025.

AFC East: New England Patriots

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Patriots QB Drake Maye

The New England Patriots started the offseason with a bang. They hired Mike Vrabel, who played for them and won multiple Super Bowls, as their new head coach.

Vrabel went 54-45 as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans and led them to the playoffs in three of his first four seasons.

Teams that land marquee names in free agency aren't always offseason winners. However, it's hard not to like the Patriots' acquisitions on defense this year.

New England upgraded its defense at every level, signing defensive tackle Milton Williams, linebacker Robert Spillane, edge-rusher Harold Landry III, who played under Vrabel in Tennessee, and cornerback Carlton Davis III.

Most importantly, the Patriots bolstered the supporting cast around second-year quarterback Drake Maye. They signed right tackle Morgan Moses in free agency and then selected left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick in the draft. 

Maye has a new lead wide receiver in Stefon Diggs, who is on track to play in the season opener after tearing his ACL last October, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Mack Hollins can also be a reliable secondary target in the passing game. He caught 57 passes for 690 yards and four touchdowns under offensive play-caller Josh McDaniels with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.

Maye can also throw short passes to big-play rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who averaged 11.1 yards per reception at Ohio State. 

The Patriots' coaching staff and roster upgrades should result in a push for a playoff spot in 2025.

AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals

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Bengals WRs Ja'Marr Chase (left) and Tee Higgins (right)

Entering the offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals had to focus on contractual issues with their star players and address their 25th-ranked scoring and total defense from last year. They checked boxes on both fronts.

Cincinnati signed wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to massive extensions. Though the front office is still working through negotiations with edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson, The Athletic's Dianna Russini said she's "getting really good vibes" that the club will try to get a deal done with him.

The Bengals also brought back a familiar face to lead their defense. They hired Al Golden, who served as their linebackers coach between 2020 and 2021 before he became Notre Dame's defensive coordinator.

Golden's familiarity with linebacker Logan Wilson and Hendrickson could help him to get off to a strong start in a new role with the Bengals.

Though Sam Hubbard retired, rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart will have a chance to make an immediate impact. Despite his modest collegiate sack numbers, he's a rare athlete with tremendous upside and is capable of bolstering Cincinnati's pass rush.

If the Bengals re-sign Hendrickson, they have the best chance to challenge the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North crown.

AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars

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Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

Regardless of how you feel about Liam Coen's way of leaving his offensive coordinator job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to become the Jacksonville Jaguars' new head coach, no one can deny that he's a bright offensive mind.

As the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator, Coen helped quarterback Baker Mayfield post career highs in passing yards (4,500), touchdown passes (41) and completion rate (71.4 percent) last year. On his watch, Tampa Bay fielded a top-five rushing offense for the first time since 2015.

If Coen has a similar effect on quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' ground game, this team will be back in the playoff picture.

First-time general manager James Gladstone took a big swing that could pay dividends on both sides of the ball, trading up for two-way collegiate standout and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

Gladstone said Hunter will get a "heavy dose on offense," but don't be surprised if he's on the field with the defense in nickel and dime packages. At Colorado last year, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also recorded 11 pass breakups and four interceptions.    

With Coen calling the offensive plays and Hunter's ability to play on both sides of the ball, the Jaguars will be one of the most intriguing (and potentially dynamic) teams to watch this year.

AFC West: Las Vegas Raiders

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Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty

The Las Vegas Raiders wasted little time in an attempt to close the wide gap between them and their division rivals. They acquired Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, a massive upgrade from last year's starting quarterback trio of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder.

Smith had a career resurgence in Seattle, winning the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year award and making the NFC Pro Bowl in two of the last three seasons. Though he's 34 and a short-term starter in Las Vegas, the 13th-year veteran should be able to perform at an optimal level in a new chapter with head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

In Seattle, Smith had his best years under Carroll and his staff. Since his last pro stint, Kelly has evolved as a play-caller, leaning on the ground game as the backbone of his offense. He can complement Smith and the passing game with a heavy dose of rookie running back Ashton Jeanty on the ground.

Jeanty, the 2024 Heisman runner-up, will influence teams to load the box, creating favorable one-on-one matchups for pass-catchers on the perimeter.

With All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers and Jeanty as his primary playmakers, Kelly can turn the Raiders' dismal offense into a must-watch unit. 

Collectively, the Raiders' coaching staff is the best group they've had in a while. They needed to hire coaches with strong resumes, and the team's brain trust hit it out of the park with Carroll and Kelly. 

NFC East: New York Giants

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Giants EDGE Abdul Carter (left) and QB Jaxson Dart (right)

Prognosticators linked the New York Giants either to quarterbacks or one of the top prospects available at other positions with the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft. Big Blue added both in the first round.

The Giants selected edge-rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall selection. Draft analysts listed him as a potential top pick after his standout junior campaign at Penn State. He recorded 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks last year. 

New York didn't have a need on the edge with two-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns and 2022 first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux at the position. But with Carter in the fold, Big Blue should have a top pass-rushing unit.

When you factor in the addition of cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, the Giants could field one of the stingiest defenses this year.

Later in the first round, Big Blue moved up for Jaxson Dart. Russell Wilson is primed to start this season, but Dart could be the franchise's quarterback of the future.

This offseason, general manager Joe Schoen put the Giants on track to be competitive in the short term and possibly in the long term.

NFC North: Chicago Bears

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Bears QB Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson, one of the league's top offensive play-callers, as their head coach. In doing so, they also weakened the division-leading Detroit Lions, who fielded a top-five scoring offense with Johnson calling the plays for the last three years.

In free agency, the Bears spent money and resources to mold the offense in Johnson's vision. They completely transformed the interior of the offensive line, signing Drew Dalman and trading for two-time All-Pro Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.

With a revamped offensive line, Johnson can carry over some of the principles of his top-six rushing offense from Detroit to Chicago. D'Andre Swift could have his best year in a system he knows from his time in Detroit.

Quarterback Caleb Williams will benefit from a strong ground attack, though he should see growth as a passer. 

In the first two rounds of the draft, Chicago selected tight end Colston Loveland, offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and wide receiver Luther Burden III. 

Johnson can call plays out of 11 personnel with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Burden on the field, or use two-tight end sets featuring Cole Kmet and Loveland. Bleacher Report's Brandon Thorn believes Trapilo could be the biggest steal of the draft.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen can elevate the Bears' 13th-ranked scoring defense into the top 10. As the New Orleans Saints' play-caller, he fielded a top-nine scoring unit in four of the last five years.  

Even in a division with three double-digit-win teams from the previous season, Chicago can find a way to make the playoffs this year.

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons

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Falcons LB/EDGE Jalon Walker (left) and EDGE James Pearce Jr. (right)

Based on the Atlanta Falcons' moves between free agency and the draft, they seemingly went into the offseason with a primary motive: improve the pass rush.

In free agency, the Falcons signed Morgan Fox and Leonard Floyd. 

Growing up and playing college football at Georgia, Floyd will enjoy a homecoming in his first year with the Falcons. Beyond the feel-good backstory, he's a consistent playmaker on the edge, having logged at least 8.5 sacks and 21 pressures in five consecutive seasons.

Fox is an underrated interior defender. In his last three years with the Los Angeles Chargers, he registered 80 tackles, 17 for loss, and 15.5 sacks. The 30-year-old will make notable contributions in a rotational role.

In the first round of the draft, Atlanta double-dipped on edge-rushers. It took Jalon Walker with the No. 15 overall pick and then traded up to No. 26 for James Pearce Jr. 

Walker is a hybrid defender who played edge-rusher and off-ball linebacker at Georgia. The Falcons can move him across the front seven. Over the last two years at Tennessee, Pearce showcased his explosiveness as a pure pass-rusher. The duo can transform the Falcons defense into a unit that gives quarterbacks nightmares.

NFC West: Arizona Cardinals

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Cardinals CB Will Johnson

In a subtle way, the Arizona Cardinals have made the most strides in the NFC West. Defensive-minded head coach Jonathan Gannon should be excited about the team's offseason haul. 

In free agency, Arizona signed Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, two big bodies to plug the middle. They will strengthen the club's 20th-ranked run defense from last year. 

The Cardinals also inked edge-rusher Josh Sweat to a four-year deal. He'll reunite with Gannon, who coached him for two seasons in Philadelphia. Since his 2021 Pro Bowl campaign, Sweat is averaging about eight sacks per season. He's going to be Arizona's top pass-rusher.

Cornerback Will Johnson fell to the second round of the draft because teams were concerned with his knee. He may be the biggest steal in this year's class. 

After recording 10 pass breakups, nine interceptions and three pick-sixes at Michigan and falling out of the first round, Johnson is motivated to show that teams made a big mistake passing on him.

In 2024, the Cardinals fielded a top-12 scoring offense. Now, they have the playmakers to field a top-10 scoring defense. 

College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

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