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Ranking Every NFL Offense After the 2025 Draft
The NFL has evolved into an offense-driven league. As a result, each and every organization must be driven to upgrade their offense every offseason.
A roster and many coaching staffs don't remain static from year to year. Instead, changes occur. Tweaks to the lineup are necessary thanks to free agency, trades and the draft. Over the course of just a few months, a unit's capabilities can drastically differ.
The Miami Dolphins fielded the league's best offense during the 2023 campaign. They fell to 18th the following season. Conversely, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense found itself in the league's bottom 10 two seasons ago. Baker Mayfield and Co. ranked third last year.
As each group takes shape, Bleacher Report assesses where it currently resides among the league's landscape now that the draft is three weeks removed and rookie minicamps have already begun.
32. New Orleans Saints
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Kellen Moore has a tall task in front of him as the latest head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Moore, who previously served as the offensive coordinator for the reigning Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, enters a situation where the Saints' quarterback situation is unsettled, the offensive line is in flux and running back Alvin Kamara is getting older coupled with an injury history.
After Derek Carr's retirement, the Saints turn to second-round rookie Tyler Shough or sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler. Though Shough is more likely to win the job. Yes, the the first-year signal-caller has the physical tools to play at a high level, but the soon-to-be 26-year-old rookie has an extensive injury history himself after starting only one full year at the collegiate level.
The top-10 draft selection of Kelvin Banks Jr. basically serves as a chance to right two previous first-round wrongs the Saints made along their offensive line with Trevor Penning and Taliese Fuaga. Banks isn't guaranteed to help up at left tackle, either. Some had him projected as a guard.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers
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As of now, the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a starting quarterback. Even if Aaron Rodgers eventually commits to play for the organization, an argument can be made that the Steelers will still be searching for a starting quarterback. But he has to make that commitment first.
Beyond a vacant quarterback spot, the Steelers offense continued to take two steps forward and one-and-half steps back this offseason.
Pittsburgh made a huge splash by trading for two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf only to subsequently move last year's leading receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.
Najee Harris left in free agency after four straight 1,000-yard campaigns. The Steelers responded by drafting Iowa's Kaleb Johnson in the second round.
Last year's first-round draft pick, Troy Fautanu, is expected back in the lineup after an injury ruined his rookie season. With Dan Moore Jr. leaving in free agency, Broderick Jones will transition from right to left tackle after a disappointing sophomore campaign.
The Steelers weren't good on offense last year. Currently, they're not significantly better in any area.
30. Tennessee Titans
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The Tennessee Titans are slowly trending in the right direction, starting at the quarterback position.
Cam Ward's selection with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft finally gives the organization a focal point in which to build the roster.
"He has a presence about him," wide receiver Chimere Dike told reporters when asked about Ward after Tennessee's first rookie minicamp. "He's a really good leader. He does it the right way . . . He has that confidence for the work he puts in."
A rookie quarterback is going to suffer through some struggles, of course. They all do to varying degrees. Tennessee helped Ward by bringing in veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett, three rookie targets in Dike, Elic Ayomanor and Gunnar Helm and solidifying the offensive line by signing left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and flipping JC Latham to his more natural spot on the right side.
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29. New York Jets
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The New York Jets must figure out who they want to be. With Justin Fields given a clear runway as the starting quarterback, the path should be obvious. But everyone needs to see the Jets commit to a run-based offense.
Fields is a true playmaker behind center. He's not always the most efficient passer. However, his athleticism allows an offense to do different things compared to other quarterbacks.
With a loaded backfield that includes Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, the Jets have the talent to feature a ground-and-pound scheme, especially with an offensive line that now looks complete after Armand Membou's selection with this year's seventh overall draft pick.
As long as Fields can get the ball to wide receiver Garrett Wilson with some regularity, this unit has surprising upside. It falls upon the quarterback to prove he can be the caliber of starter he always saw himself as.
28. New York Giants
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A waiting game will ensue with this year's New York Giants. Everyone will be waiting to see when the organization decides its time to start first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart since it's obvious that veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston are nothing more than placeholders.
“Three coaches on staff (head coach Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney) that have been part of the development of two pretty good quarterbacks in the league right now (Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen)," Giants general manager Joe Schoen said during an interview on Up and Adams, "and when they are convicted on a player and the scouting staff is convicted on a player, typically you have the best chance for success in those situations.”
Interestingly, neither of those aforementioned quarterbacks opened their rookie seasons as starters. Allen didn't take long to get into the lineup, while Mahomes happened much later in the process.
With Malik Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. as a young skill position performers to build around Dart, the Giants may be wasting time by waiting too long to insert this year's 25th overall pick into the lineup.
27. Cleveland Browns
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The Cleveland Browns offense looking drastically different in 2025 compared to the previous season is an understatement.
Quarterback Jameis Winston. Gone.
Running back Nick Chubb. Gone.
Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. Gone.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore. Gone.
Offensive coordinator Kenny Dorsey. Gone.
Deshaun Watson. Hurt (and unlikely to ever play for the team again).
Those names are simply the headliners and don't encompass every contributor who's no longer with the Browns.
At this juncture, head coach/play-caller Kevin Stefanski needs a hard reset and re-establish some kind of identity for his offense. It'll likely come in the form of the run game after Cleveland added Ohio State's Quinshon Judkins and Tennessee's Dylan Sampson in the draft' second and fourth rounds, respectively.
All the while, the Browns will hope a quality quarterback emerges from the quartet of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
26. New England Patriots
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The New England Patriots may have fielded the league's worst overall group of skill position performers last season, but they're ahead on points because the organization clearly found its franchise quarterback in Drake Maye after drafting him with the third overall pick last year.
From there, the Patriots did their best to build around the quarterback this offseason and did an admirable job.
Four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs and third-round rookie Kyle Williams will significantly improve the team's options in the passing game.
TreVeyon Henderson, whom the Patriots chose in the second round, should become the squad's featured back in short order.
Up front, the team added veterans Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury to secure right tackle and center, respectively. To top everything off, the Patriots drafted Maye's personal bodyguard by selecting left tackle Will Campbell with this year's fourth overall pick.
This Patriots offense has room for improvement, but it has the potential to easily surpass last season's 31st-ranked performance.
25. Carolina Panthers
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Bryce Young has experienced the highs and lows of being an NFL quarterback. Head coach Dave Canales benched the 2023 No. 1 overall pick by Week 3 of the '24 campaign. If not for a thumb injury to veteran Andy Dalton, Young may have never returned to the starting lineup. He did and started to show glimpses of what made him a top pick in the first place.
To be fair, the Panthers did lean heavily on the run game, specifically Chuba Hubbard, upon Young's reinsertion to the lineup. However, the quarterback showed enough to provide hope again. So much so, Carolina continued to build around Young this offseason.
The selection of Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with this year's eighth overall pick was the most notable move. The 6'4", 212-pound McMillan creates a ripple effect among the Panthers' wide receiver corps. The group is now deeper because players like Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette are pushed down a notch, thus improving depth and the amount of options at Young's disposal.
Obviously, McMillan needs to be a consistent presence as a No. 1 target for this to work. Also, Young must showed continued improvement. If those two things happen, the Panthers can be a dangerous opponent.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
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The time for Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence to shine is now. No more excuses. No more reasons why he just needs a little more time. The Jaguars already committed long term to the 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick. The weapons are around him, too.
Fortune favors the bold, or so the saying goes. Well, the Jaguars were bold in trading up to this year's second overall pick to acquire the most unique talent in recent history. Travis Hunter immediately steps into the Jaguars' lineup as an elite target to play opposite Brian Thomas Jr.
"Hunter is an explosive athlete who will vertically threaten defensive backs early in reps," Bleacher Report scout Dame Parson said. "This [past] season, he has added more nuance and detail to his release package at the line of scrimmage when facing press alignment. Hunter mixes up the pacing and speeds of his releases to keep defensive backs on their toes. He has developed the release package to defeat soft-press, off-man and zone coverage drops efficiently.
"Also, Hunter has an innate feel for space after the catch and visually identifies closing defenders with elusiveness and agility to force missed tackles. His change-of-direction and stop-start ability are sudden in the open field."
Hunter's skill set should pair will with the blazing Thomas, who led all rookies and finished third overall last season with 1,282 receiving yards.
23. Seattle Seahawks
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At this juncture, the Seattle Seahawks offense feels somewhat makeshift.
Granted, it's understandable the organization wanting to move on from the likes of quarterback Geno Smith and wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. After all, the team has been mostly mediocre the last four seasons and missed the postseason during three of those campaigns.
The organization is moving forward with Mike Macdonald's vision, and Pete Carroll is no longer with the franchise at all.
The investment in quarterback Sam Darnold makes sense on paper, even if he feels like a heavy regression candidate after last year's outstanding performance, especially with his late-season collapse. The Seahawks did bring in Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator to feature a similar scheme to the one the Minnesota Vikings ran.
Darnold may not regress to his previous bust status, but it'll likely be hard to repeat last season's success. Plus, he'll need to adjust to playing with wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Kupp, in particular, has missed significant in each of the last three seasons due to injury.
22. Las Vegas Raiders
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The Las Vegas Raiders experienced arguably the most productive, yet weirdest offseason imaginable, at least when it comes to reshaping the franchise.
The organization now has Tom Brady as an influential voice in the decision-making process. From there, the team hired the oldest head coach in NFL history with the 73-year-old Pete Carroll taking the reins. While everyone else was trying to figure out if this year's quarterback class was worth taking a first-round flier, the Raiders swerved and decided to acquire Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks. Oh, Chip Kelly joined the organization as its new offensive coordinator as well.
Smith is a massive upgrade at quarterback, though everyone can quibble over his actual standing among the league's hierarchy. This year's fifth overall draft pick, running back Ashton Jeanty, gives the team an identity. Rookie wide receiver Jack Bech should be an instant contributor. Brock Bowers is arguably the best tight end in the game already.
After finishing bottom six in total offense last season, the Raiders are making moves.
21. Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings experience some slippage despite having one of the league's best offensive play-callers in Kevin O'Connell and elite weapons, because quarterback J.J. McCarthy remains untested.
The Vikings traded up to acquire McCarthy with last year's 10th overall draft pick. Unfortunately, the first-round signal-caller suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, which ended his rookie season before it could actually begin.
With Sam Darnold leaving in free agency to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, McCarthy now can step into the starting lineup. If the sophomore signal-caller performs well, the Vikings will be difficult to slow.
The organization clearly viewed their offensive interior as a weakness. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah attacked the problem and brought in veteran center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries before using the team's first-round draft pick to select Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson.
A stronger offensive line, coupled with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson and Aaron Jones Sr. at the skill positions, form a superb supporting cast for McCarthy to shine.
20. Indianapolis Colts
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The Indianapolis Colts have all the pieces in place to be field an explosive offense, depending on how quarterback Anthony Richardson develops. Richardson doesn't need to be anything special as a passer; he simply needs to become more efficient. If he doesn't, maybe Daniel Jones provides what the squad needs. Then, the Colts could easily surpass this ranking.
Even last season when Richardson was benched and veteran Joe Flacco floundered, Shane Steichen still had his offense ranked among the league's Top 13. Amazing, right?
Despite a shaky quarterback situation, Indianapolis still has significant talent at the skill positions and a rock solid offensive line. Running back Jonathan Taylor is counted among the league's best ball-carriers. Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce form an effective wide receiver trio. The Colts used this year's 14th overall pick to add a versatile weapon in Tyler Warren.
The offensive line is where a couple hits occurred, with center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries leaving in free agency to join the Minnesota Vikings. But Indianapolis did prepare for the moment with last year's draft selections of Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves, who are expected to fill those spots.
19. Denver Broncos
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The Denver Broncos offense sits in the same exact slot in which it finished last season, because the organization didn't make any major changes on that side of the ball.
Bo Nix should experience some incremental growth in Year 2 as the squad's starting quarterback. The team did draft running back R.J. Harvey and wide receiver Pat Bryant in the second and third rounds, respectively. Though both selections were generally viewed as reaches.
Veteran tight end Evan Engram has joined the cast. However, the soon-to-be 31-year-old did suffer through a couple of injuries last season. Whether he returns to 2023 form, when he caught over 100 passes, has yet to be seen.
Basically, the Broncos offseason centered on one principle: Head coach Sean Payton knows what he's doing. His track record certainly speaks for itself. Even so, Denver's lineup doesn't look all that dangerous when compared to others around the league.
Peak Drew Brees, Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham aren't walking through that door.
18. Miami Dolphins
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Two seasons ago, the Miami Dolphins fielded the NFL's best offense. Last year, they weren't even ranked among the top half of the league.
What was the biggest difference? Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played in all 17 games during the 2023 campaign, whereas he missed six last season due to another concussion.
As explosive as the Dolphins offense can be, Tagovailoa being protected is of the utmost important. Unfortunately, Miami's offensive line is a work in progress.
Center Aaron Brewer and right tackle Austin Jackson remain in place. James Daniels signed in free agency to hold down one guard spot. The team invested second-round picks in back-to-back drafts to secure the services of Patrick Paul and Jonah Savaiinaea as the final two pieces of the puzzle.
Terron Armstead's retirement didn't help matters. Now, the Dolphins are moving into the season with two unproven blockers and suspect depth. Miami can still put up yards, but the performance of its front five should be watched very closely.
17. Arizona Cardinals
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For the Arizona Cardinals offense to truly get off the ground and rise above this standing, the coaching staff must do a much better job of getting Marvin Harrison Jr. the ball during his second season.
Harrison was one of the best draft prospects regardless of position in recent memory. He invoked the name of Calvin Johnson as the best wide receiver prospect over the last 15 years. Yet fellow rookies Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Brock Bowers and even Ladd McConkey easily surpassed Harrison when it came to first-year impacts.
In 17 appearances, quarterback Kyler Murray targeted last year's fourth overall pick six on fewer times on nine different occasions. Harrison disappeared for long stretches of games.
"Coming in with the expectations that typically only get put on quarterbacks in the top three, I understand the expectation," head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters in January. "He was a premier player for us. He's going to continue to be a premier player for us and he hasn't hit his ceiling yet."
A little more creativity within Arizona's offensive scheme can make life easier on Harrison and go a long way to unlocking his full potential, thus helping Murray, too.
16. Houston Texans
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Which version of the Houston Texans will everyone see this fall?
Will C.J. Stroud get back on track and look like a top-five quarterback, or will the entire offense fail to crack the league's top 20 again? The former seems more likely than the latter, especially after the Texans' numerous offseason moves.
In order to offset Stefon Diggs' departure and Tank Dell's devastating injury history, the Texans signed Christian Kirk as a free agent, then drafted Iowa State's Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the second and third rounds, respectively.
Up front, general manager Nick Caserio traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders. While the move can be viewed as a net loss, the team did bring in veteran free agents Cam Robinson, Laken Tomlinson, Ed Ingram and Trent Brown before drafting Minnesota's Aireontae Ersery in the second round.
Houston also replaced offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik with Nick Caley, who spent the last two years working with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams' coaching staff.
15. Philadelphia Eagles
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The dreaded Super Bowl hangover seems inevitable for the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly for running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley set an NFL record last season with 2,504 combined rushing yards between the regular season and playoffs. He also had 482 touches throughout the championship-winning campaign. The Eagles rewarded Barkley with a two-year contract extension with $41.2 million in new money.
Historically, running backs are known to take a step back the season after a 400-touch season. While the drop-off may not be dramatic, the Eagles will try to protect Barkley and probably pull back on his workload to some degree, hence the flier general manager Howie Roseman took when bringing in AJ Dillon, who missed the entirety of the 2024 season with a neck injury.
As for the rest of the offense, it remains intact, except the free-agent loss of right guard Mekhi Becton. Tyler Steen and Kenyon Green will compete to fill that opening.
Philadelphia's offense still has AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith on the outside, but this team has always been about dominating in the trenches and physically outmuscling opponents, which doesn't necessarily lead to huge offensive statistics.
14. Los Angeles Chargers
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Jim Harbaugh's vision of the Los Angeles Chargers offense is taking shape in his second year as the team's head coach.
Harbaugh believes in a ground-and-pound approach and controlling the line of scrimmage. J.K. Dobbins did a better-than-expected job last season. The Chargers run game will look drastically different and much more physical after the free-agent addition of Najee Harris and first-round selection of North Carolina's Omarion Hampton.
While that one-two punch will consistently deliver body blows, the franchise didn't stop there to make sure it's more powerful at the point of attack. Los Angeles also signed the 6'8", 363-pound Mekhi Becton to play right guard alongside tackle Joe Alt.
Once the 6'4" Mike Williams and near 6'3" Tre Harris are added to the mix at wide receiver, quarterback Justin Herbert has the chance to piece together his best professional season and take full advantage of the Chargers' new identity.
13. Los Angeles Rams
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The Los Angeles Rams are a rolling year-by-year process as long as the 37-year-old Matthew Stafford remains the starting quarterback.
"And when he felt good with the way the season ended, and obviously we were all ecstatic about him wanting to continue to play and play at a high level," head coach Sean McVay told reporters in March. "Now it's just figuring out the semantics of, all right, there's no way to put an actual value on what he means, but what does it look like to be able to fit it for the landscape of our football team, where we're at, knowing how many years you want to play, and what does that look like for the short and for the long term?"
The majority of the Rams offense remains intact, though the team substituted Cooper Kupp, who the organization released in March, for Davante Adams.
“What [Adams has] been able to do in the league kind of speaks for itself, but then getting to be around him personally every day, working with him, throwing to him, just seeing the kind of professional that he is, he fits right in,” Stafford said during an interview on NFL Network (via Sportskeeda).
As long as those veterans remain healthy and productive, head coach/offensive play-caller Sean McVay can work his wizardry.
12. Atlanta Falcons
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The Atlanta Falcons will go whichever way that second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. takes them.
The Falcons organization has invested heavily in its offensive skill positions over the last half-decade, but poor quarterback play mitigated the top-10 additions of running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.
Atlanta's front office had a plan. It was going to pay Kirk Cousins top dollar in free agency to join the team, then double-down by selecting Penix with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
By the end of the '24 season, Cousins had been benched and Penix was in the lineup. Now, Penix has to orchestrate the offense with all of the talent found around him. He'll have to do so while operating under/behind a new center, with Ryan Neuzil expected to take over for Drew Dalman, who left in free agency to join the Chicago Bears.
The new battery could be the difference in the Falcons finally make a real run at an NFC South title or maintaining the franchise's mid status.
11. Dallas Cowboys
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Quarterback Dak Prescott may have benefited more than any other other player this offseason thanks to the Dallas Cowboys' acquisitions.
The recent trade for George Pickens finally gives the Cowboys a legitimate WR2 after CeeDee Lamb led the NFL in targets over the last two seasons.
Dallas also features an all-new backfield with veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, as well as rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. This quartet gives the Cowboys far more depth and variance among their ball-carriers than a year ago when Rico Dowdle managed 1,079 rushing yards and no one else on the roster could muster more than 226.
Zack Martin's retirement certainly stings as a shoo-in Hall of Fame blocker. However, this year's 12th overall pick, Tyler Booker, should fit in nicely among the squad's front five. Furthermore, improvement should be seen from second-year left tackle Tyler Guyton and center Cooper Beebe.
Lastly, Prescott needs to stay healthy after finding his way to injured reserve last season with a hamstring that required surgery. With Prescott in this reworked lineup, the Cowboys can cook.
10. Chicago Bears
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The Chicago Bears have an opportunity to make the biggest leap this season compared to their performance last year.
In 2024, the Bears finished dead last in total offense. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick knew the type of situation he was entering and didn't want anything to do with it, according to an excerpt from Seth Wickersham's upcoming book, American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback.
To be fair, Williams was right, with previous head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron being fired mid-season.
Ben Johnson's hire as the new head coach has to be a breath of fresh air for a franchise suffocating from all the previous missteps at the game's most important position. His scheme and play-calling alone should allow the Bears to make a significant jump. Williams' maturation under a well-regarded coach will allow the offense to take another step. From there, an improved roster should be enough to push the Bears into the top-10 range.
Chicago's additions along the offensive line should make a drastic difference after Williams was sacked more than any other quarterback. The inclusions of Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson and second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo are massive upgrades.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
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At this point, no one can deny Patrick Mahomes' greatness. The same can be said of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and tight end Travis Kelce. All three of them will leisurely stroll into the Pro Football Hall of Fame shortly after their respective careers end.
Despite those acknowledgements, the Chiefs weren't a top-10 offense last season. In fact, the unit has experienced a downward trend for three straight campaigns. Injuries played their part in 2024.
The real concern remains among the offensive line, which became blatantly obvious during Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs will go into the '24 season with a completely unproven left side.
Jaylon Moore signed in free agency, but he's never been a full-time starter. The 27-year-old veteran has 12 starts in his four-year career. The team traded stalwart left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears, with expectations of Mike Caliendo or Kingsley Suamataia taking the reins. Finally, Kansas City drafted Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons in the first round. Though he's coming off a season-ending patellar tendon injury.
Mahomes is magic. The Chiefs will score points. The offensive line remains a sore spot until the group proves it isn't.
8. Green Bay Packers
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The Green Bay Packers have built a strong, young offensive core. At this point, general manager Brian Gutekunst is merely tinkering to make it slightly better.
Technically, the group slid a few slots on these rankings compared to last year's top-five offensive finish. The team's standing has less to do with it and more about a couple other squads better positioned to ascend.
Green Bay did add two significant pieces to the lineup.
First, the organization spent big to acquire Aaron Banks. His $77 million contract was the second largest among available interior blockers. Banks will slide into left guard, which will move Elgton Jenkins over the ball and upgrade at center.
The team also did the near-unthinkable by drafting a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002. Matthew Golden adds an explosive target to Jordan Love's repertoire.
"You want to make sure that you're giving Matt [LaFleur] the flexibility to attack all different levels of the field, and I think a guy like Golden does that," Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan said. "He's [got] speed, he can get vertical, he can beat you underneath, and he's got tremendous ball skills and hands."
7. Washington Commanders
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Jayden Daniels turned out to be everything the Washington Commanders had hope he could be when the organization drafted the quarterback with last year's No. 2 overall pick. In a bit of smart business, the Commanders spent this offseason adding significant talent around the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Two major offseason acquisitions can change the complexion of Washington's offense and elevate even higher than this ranking.
Washington traded a fifth-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Deebo Samuel, who will add a play-making presence to the Commanders' group of wide receivers.
"That's kind of what's fun about it, adding new people in, the nice part about when you do trade for somebody or in the draft as well, you find these unique things that a player has, and man, does he have them," head coach Dan Quinn told reporters. "Kliff [Kingsbury] and Brian [Johnson] and the guys have certainly been up extra late in the offseason of finding unique ways to get the ball into that man's hand."
Also, five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil joined the squad in a trade from the Houston Texans. Tunsil immediately solidifies the entire offensive line as Washington's new anchor at a premium position.
The time for Washington to strike is now, while Daniels remains on his rookie contract.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
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The Cincinnati Bengals have gone all in with their offense. Well, sort of.
Between quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals organization has nearly $500 million (total contractual worth) invested in just those three individuals.
Cincinnati expects to be a high-flying passing offense, and its more than capable of doing so, as long as those mentioned stay healthy. In fact, the Bengals ranked No. 1 in that category last season.
A caveat does exist with this particular unit. The offensive line remains subpar. Year after year, the Bengals have looked to address their front five yet failed to reach the point where they fielded a solid group.
Last year's performance ranked 30th overall, according to Pro Football Focus. An argument can be made the team then downgraded at right guard by releasing Alex Cappa, with Cody Ford expected to replace him.
As exciting as the Bengals offense is, the foundation remains shaky. An upright Burrow places him in the MVP conversation. A constantly pressured and harassed Burrow tends to end up on the injured list.
5. Detroit Lions
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The Detroit Lions aren't significantly worse from a roster perspective to drop outside of the top two, as they finished last season, to the edge of the top five. However, Ben Johnson's defection to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears can't be diminished.
Johnson has been viewed as an elite play-caller over the last three seasons. The Lions finished no worse than fourth in total offense during that stretch. Now, he's gone. John Morton steps into the role after serving as the Denver Broncos' passing game coordinator during the last two seasons.
Morton called plays at the NFL level exactly once. Those 2017 New York Jets finished among the league's bottom five in total offense.
Obviously, the Lions roster today is far superior to the one that Morton previously led. So, he gets the benefit of the doubt. Initially, the new coordinator can lean on an elite offensive line and veteran quarterback in Jared Goff. At the same time, a slight step back isn't out of the question as Goff and his crew become accustomed to the rhythm of a new play-caller.
4. Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills reside in the same place they always do: Let Josh Allen shoulder the offense and see what happens.
Allen is a premier talent, as one of the league's top three quarterbacks. He's a true franchise option, in that he elevates the play of those around him.
In truth, not much about the Bills offense beyond Allen scares opposing defenses.
Khalil Shakir is a rock-solid target, who understands coverages and how to create separation. Running back James Cook is quite talented, but he hasn't been asked to regularly carry the ball 15 or more times per game. Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid are young targets with upside. They both need to show more, though. The offensive line is quite good but not dominant like the league's best units.
All in all, Allen makes the Bills go, maybe more so than any other quarterback respective to his offense. Based on that alone, Buffalo finds itself in the league's top-five units.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had significant issues to address on defense during the NFL draft, yet general manager Jason Licht decided to build on a strength with the first-round selection of Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka. The Bucs' wide receiver room is outrageously talented and quarterback Baker Mayfield has only gotten better each year with the team.
"[Egbuka] was super-high on our board," Licht told reporters. "You know, top-10 on our board, kind of stood out like a sore thumb."
Licht added, "Adding another great receiver—Todd [Bowles] has said all along... a good offense can help a defense. It's about scoring points, and it's exciting to add him to the mix."
Egbuka alongside Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and the returning Chris Godwin should form a devastating quartet and allow Mayfield to improve upon last year's career-highs in complete percentage (71.4), passing yardage (4,500) and touchdowns (41).
The Bucs were forced to make a change at offensive coordinator again. At this point, it's old hat for Mayfield and Co. after doing so during the previous two seasons—which ended up with those play-callers becoming NFL head coaches. New play-caller Josh Grizzard served as the squad's passing game coordinator last season.
2. San Francisco 49ers
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The San Francisco 49ers have to be excited about their offense this year based purely on improved health.
Running back Christian McCaffrey, quarterback Brock Purdy, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, tight end George Kittle and left tackle Trent Williams all missed games last season because of injuries. Despite all of the unit's biggest names being dinged at one point or another, San Francisco still finished fourth overall in total offense.
The ability to consistently field an effective and productive offense serves as a testament to head coach/play-caller Kyle Shanahan and how good he is at devising his scheme.
Granted, Deebo Samuel is no longer with the Niners after being traded to the Washington Commanders. However, McCaffrey playing more than four games after dealing with Achilles tendonitis and a torn PCL, as well as first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall being with the team for a full offseason, more than makes up and surpasses that loss.
The Niners may not be as explosive as other offenses. No unit is better prepared or coached, though.
1. Baltimore Ravens
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Some may view this selection as a chalk pick, because the Baltimore Ravens finished No. 1 in total offense a year ago. A team hasn't finished No. 1 in back-to-back seasons since the Drew Brees-led New Orleans Saints did so during the 2008 and '09 campaigns.
The only significant loss the Ravens offense endured this offseason was at left guard after Patrick Mekari signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent. Even with Mekari's loss, the right side of Baltimore's offensive line should make a leap with guard Daniel Faalele and right tackle Roger Rosengarten establishing themselves last season and getting to play their first full season together at those respective spots.
Otherwise, this group, including the offensive coaching staff, remains intact. Plus, the Ravens added veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the mix.
Even if the two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and a 31-year-old Derrick Henry regress to a degree, they have room to spare and still be the league's best offense. Last season, the Ravens posted a 37.2 percent DVOA, according to FTN's Aaron Schatz. The Buffalo Bills, with 2024 MVP Josh Allen, finished second at 28.4 percent.
There's no reason to think the Ravens are going to take a significant step back offensively this fall unless injuries hit.
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