NFL's Top 5 Most Improved Position Groups Before Training Camp

For the majority of NFL teams and their fans, the offseason is the biggest highlight of the seasonal calendar. Free-agent signings, draft picks and trades generate excitement and hope before the reality of the regular season (and possibly postseason) occurs.

Currently, the league is in its down period after mandatory minicamps with training camp on the horizon. Indeed, rookies will report to the Los Angeles Chargers in less than a week, as the first team to do so this year.

This particular point in time is when everything remains calm and perfect. Every organization's plan is still in place, and no one has received the proverbial punch in the mouth that changes their trajectory. Injuries are going to happen, and some players will thrive while others disappoint.

On paper, though, five teams did more than others to help fill rosters significantly this offseason. These moves alone are enough to gin up excitement with expectations of drastic improvement.

5. Arizona Cardinals' Defensive Front

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Josh Sweat

The Arizona Cardinals knew they had to upgrade their defensive front a year ago. They tried to do so, but the effort wasn't good enough.

In 2024, they signed Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols in free agency before drafting Darius Robinson with the second of two first-round draft picks. It was a start.

This offseason, Arizona got even more serious about fashioning its front to fit Jonathan Gannon's preferred defensive approach.

Unsurprisingly, the Cardinals targeted one of the top two free-agent defensive lineman from the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, where Gannon previously coached. Josh Sweat signed a four-year, $76.4 million contract to become Arizona's top pass-rusher. He produced 33 sacks over the last four seasons (not including the postseason).

The middle of the defense is where general manager Monti Ossenfort spent the majority of his concentration, though.

Veterans Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell signed as well. the former is still very good at the point of attack, while the latter's return to the desert provides the Cardinals with significant experience and veteran leadership.

The biggest addition came during the draft where the Cardinals chose defensive tackle Walter Nolen with this year's 16th overall pick. He presents immense upside as a potential game-wrecking interior defender.

"Just his quickness. I love his quickness and his pass-rush," Tomlinson said when asked about what he's seen from Nolen so far. "... He's just fluid. It comes natural to him. ... He's just a natural, good defensive tackle. The sky is the limit for him."

Arizona also drafted Oregon's Jordan Burch, who has inside-out versatility, in this year's third round.

Sweat, Tomlinson, Campbell, Nolen and Burch, while retaining Jones, Nichols, Robinson and Zaven Collins, give the Cardinals' front a significant boost in talent and quality depth.

4. Los Angeles Chargers' Running Backs

AP Photo/Carrie Giordano

Omarion Hampton

Jim Harbaugh prefers a ground-and-pound physical approach to his offenses. A year ago, the Los Angeles Chargers didn't have a true workhorse to make that happen. Now, they may have two.

JK Dobbins did an excellent job, particularly early in the 2024 season. He eclipsed the 900-yard mark. But the same thing happened that always happens with the 26-year-old: Injuries limited his effectiveness. This time, he dealt with an MCL sprain and landed on injured reserve for a stint.

With Dobbins entering free agency this offseason, the Chargers decided to go in another direction.

First, they signed Najee Harris to a one-year, $9.5 million free-agent contract. He may not be the most explosive or dynamic runner, but he's reliable. The 2021 first-round draft pick ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four NFL seasons.

Harris alone is an upgrade, even if it's viewed as marginal. The Chargers didn't stop there, though. They doubled down at running back with the first-round selection of Omarion Hampton, who has the physical tools to be a star within the offense.

"You know what I like about him the best? He's really put together," Harbaugh told The Pat McAfee Show when asked about the 221-pound rookie back. "He is trained ... he looks NFL-ready. I love how he hits a hole. I know that personality because I've seen it on tape from him."

The Chargers are gearing up, and they know exactly who they want to be offensively.

"We know they're going to run the ball, so I'm loving it," Hampton said. "I'm excited, we got me and Najee [Harris], a dominant duo backfield.

"I'm excited to learn from him, I'm excited to get out there. We got a good offensive line, a good quarterback. I feel like we're building something special here."

3. Indianapolis Colts' Secondary

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

Camryn Bynum

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard believed—some might say arrogantly so—his squad would be just fine with the young talent he previously accumulated in the secondary.

Some components were. Nick Cross and Jaylon Jones, for example. Others, such as JuJu Brents and Julian Blackmon, didn't. The Colts finished among the league's bottom seven in pass defense a season ago, which was down from 16th a year prior.

They didn't have the personnel, coaching or scheme to be successful when defending opposing aerial attacks. This offseason's upgrades include both talent on the field and coaching.

Ballard understands this season is critical for the organization's future. Another down performance likely signals his departure, along with head coach Shane Steichen. As a result, the GM did what he normally doesn't during the offseason: He spent in free agency.

The Colts brought in safety Camryn Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward, making them both the highest-paid free agents at their respective positions (in total contractual worth).

Bynum should be an automatic upgrade over Blackmon, who saw his missed tackles dramatically increase last season. Ward, meanwhile, brings something drastically different after the Colts previously utilized an outdated and overly simplistic zone coverage approach.

"[Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo] said he's going to let me travel with the best receivers," Ward told reporters. "So, he's going to let me press. He's going to let me do my thing—be physical, be aggressive and just be me. Be that guy that they pay me to be."

Anarumo's hire after the dismissal of Gus Bradley is a major change of pace. Yes, the Cincinnati Bengals fired Anarumo after a defensive downturn in 2024, but his previous team still finished better than the Colts in pass defense. Furthermore, he was viewed as a top defensive mind, which elicited head coaching interviews.

Lastly, the Colts drafted Justin Walley out of Minnesota in this year's third round, and he should see significant playing time as a rookie.

2. Las Vegas Raiders' Quarterbacks

AP Photo/David Becker

Geno Smith

The Las Vegas Raiders entered last season with the league's worst quarterback room. To the surprise of no one, they couldn't establish any consistency from the game's most important position, with Aidan O'Connell, Gardner Minshew II and Desmond Ridder all starting at one point or another.

Two of the three are no longer with the team, while O'Connell is positioned better as a backup option.

Meanwhile, the Raiders looked at the landscape and realized free agency and the draft both lacked a strong QB market, so they made the smartest possible move they could by trading for veteran Geno Smith.

"He's great. Geno is literally like a second coach," offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden. "When you're in that room with him and [quarterbacks coach] Greg Olson, there [are] a lot of ideas going around.

"His football acumen is really off the charts, and it's impressive to be around him."

Since reemerging as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, Smith completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 12,229 yards, 71 touchdowns and 35 interceptions over the last three seasons. He went to two Pro Bowls and even won the NFL Comeback Player the Year award after the 2021 campaign.

The Raiders only gave up a late third-round draft pick in this year's class to acquire the 34-year-old.

The Las Vegas offense may run through Ashton Jeanty after the team invested this year's sixth overall pick in the ball-carrier, but Smith can provide legitimate leadership and balance. The Raiders won't need the quarterback to sling the ball all over the yard, but they now have a reliable and confident option behind center to actually compete in the AFC.

The sixth-round selection of Cam Miller shouldn't be overlooked, either. He's a national championship-winning quarterback at the FCS level, with traits that present some upside in Kelly's offensive scheme.

1. Chicago Bears' Offensive Line

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Joe Thuney

Last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Caleb Williams, was sacked more than any other NFL quarterback during the 2024 campaign.

Some of the blame falls on the a young signal-caller feeling his way through a rookie campaign, but the Chicago Bears front office also understood the offensive line roster required significant upgrades.

General manager Ryan Poles went to work and did an exceptional job upgrading the unit's overall talent.

On the first day of the new league year, the Bears completed trades for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, who is the key to this group as a four-time Super Bowl winner and the veteran leader of the new-look unit.

"We are excited to secure Joe as a member of our team moving forward," head coach Ben Johnson said after the three-time Pro Bowler signed a two-year, $35 million contract extension. "As we build our culture through hard work and belief, Joe will be an integral piece to the growth and development of our football team."

Jackson's inclusion is important on a different level. His first four seasons were spent with the Detroit Lions, when Johnson was on staff, including a stint as offensive coordinator during the lineman's final two with the organization. Jackson can help with the implementation of the offensive scheme.

A day after Thuney and Jackson joined the roster, Chicago signed Drew Dalman as a free agent, making him the highest-paid center on this year's market. He started 40 games over the last three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.

Finally, Poles created competition at left tackle with the second-round selection of Boston College's Ozzy Trapilo. Braxton Jones has been reliable as the Bears' blindside protector during his first three seasons, but he's coming off a broken ankle he suffered in December and the rookie may prove to be an upgrade.

An increased comfort level in the pocket should be huge for Williams, allowing him to develop and reach his full potential.