• Super Bowl champion Chiefs at the top: The Chiefs released Frank Clark and lost both starting offensive tackles in Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie. However, their signings of tackle Jawaan Taylor and edge Charles Omenihu can mitigate those losses.
• San Francisco 49ers coming for No. 1: The team lost a number of players on defense, including CB Emmanuel Moseley and DI Hassan Ridgeway, but the signing of star DI Javon Hargrave will help reduce the impact.
• Lonely at the bottom for the quarterback-less Colts: The Colts' free agency moves were a bit disappointing: They signed a kicker to the largest free-agent contract at the position in NFL history when they have much more pressing issues.
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
The first wave of free agency has come and gone. The Bengals, Browns, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings and Seahawks emerged as early offseason winners, while the Cardinals, Ravens, Packers and Raiders all have ground to catch up as we head into April.
You can see free agency grades for all 32 teams here.
Next up is the 2023 NFL Draft, a golden opportunity for franchises to add young talent and build for the future. With that, we wanted to look at where all 32 NFL teams stand before draft season really gets going.
We’ll evaluate the league's teams by looking at the players they had at the end of the 2022 season, who they lost and gained in free agency and the remaining salary cap space available to them should they wish to add any final touches to their roster before the season kicks off.
Still catching up from the free-agency frenzy? Take a look at the winners and losers in terms of PFF WAR gained and lost, as well as every team's biggest needs ahead of the draft. You can check out the final NFL power rankings from the 2022 season here.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
• Biggest loss (PFF WAR): S Juan Thornhill, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Biggest gain (PFF WAR): ED Charles Omenihu
The Chiefs released Frank Clark and lost both starting offensive tackles in Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie. However, their signings of tackle Jawaan Taylor and ED Charles Omenihu mitigate those losses.
Taylor has become one of the better pass protectors on the right side across the NFL, ranking top-15 in pass-blocking grade (76.7) and pressure rate allowed (5.2%) among tackles on true pass sets in 2022.
2. San Francisco 49ers
• Biggest loss: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
• Biggest gain: QB Sam Darnold
The biggest question for the 49ers is who their starting quarterback will be. The team lost several players on defense, including CB Emmanuel Moseley and DI Hassan Ridgeway, but the signing of star DI Javon Hargrave will help reduce the impact.
Hargrave has earned back-to-back 90.0-plus pass-rush grades and put up the first double-digit sack season of his career in 2022, so it’s not surprising the 30-year-old cashed in at such a high level.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
• Biggest loss: LB T.J. Edwards
• Biggest gain: QB Marcus Mariota
The Eagles' free-agency moves resulted in a lot of dead cap — the second-most in the league, to be exact.
While replacing running back Miles Sanders with Rashaad Penny is not exactly a like-for-like swap, Penny is a good fit for Philadephia and appears set to feast on early downs as a strong downhill runner. Among running backs with at least 100 carries from 2021 to 2022, Penny’s 6.2 yards per carry and 4.4 yards after contact per attempt both lead the NFL, and his 0.23 missed tackles forced per carry ranks 11th.
The loss of safety Marcus Epps will be felt in terms of run defense, but they have a solid safety group to make up for it.
4. Buffalo Bills
• Biggest loss: LB Tremaine Edmunds
The loss of Tremaine Edmunds is significant for the defense, but the team was able to retain safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Matt Milano to provide some stability. Poyer has been remarkably durable in the latter half of his career, logging around 1,000 snaps in five straight seasons before finally missing some time and playing through various ailments in 2022.
They’ve boosted their offensive line by signing tackle Connor Mcgovern, who was very good as a pass-blocker for the Cowboys this past year, recording a 76.6 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowing only 23 pressures.
However, their other free agency moves have been fairly lackluster.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
• Biggest loss: S Jessie Bates III
• Biggest gain: T Orlando Brown Jr.
The Bengals made another splash to protect QB Joe Burrow this year, signing Orlando Brown Jr. to a four-year, $64,092,000 contract. While the league has clearly made a statement that they don’t view Brown as an elite left tackle, Cincinnati gets great value on a very good player — Brown has five straight seasons with a pass-block grade of 73.5 or better and has played over 1,000 snaps in four straight years.
However, they also lost two starting safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, leaving Nick Scott (54.2 PFF grade in 2022) and Daxton Hill (56.0) penciled in as the top two safeties on the depth chart.
Still, Cincinnati has made smart decisions in terms of the salary cap, as the team has the least dead cap in the league.
6. Dallas Cowboys
• Biggest loss: TE Dalton Schultz
• Biggest gain: CB Stephon Gilmore
The Cowboys now have an elite cornerback to pair with Trevon Diggs, as they signed Stephon Gilmore in free agency. Gilmore has been one of the best cornerbacks in football since moving to the New England Patriots in 2017, and he reconfirmed that with an impressive showing for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 after playing just 304 snaps with the Carolina Panthers in 2021. Since 2017, his 92.8 PFF coverage grade is the highest among all cornerbacks to play at least 1,000 snaps.
Despite losing running back Ezekiel Elliot and tight end Dalton Schultz, they don’t have a lot of dead cap.
7. Los Angeles Chargers
• Biggest loss: LB Drue Tranquill
• Biggest gain: LB Eric Kendricks
The Chargers didn’t make many moves during free agency, which may have been a smart move on their part. They have the second-least dead cap in the league.
The addition of linebacker Eric Kendricks will improve their struggling run defense. Schematically, Kendricks will likely take over Drue Tranquill’s role and start at inside linebacker alongside Kenneth Murray. Given that he wore the green dot in Minnesota, that could also be a factor for the Chargers here, given that Derwin James stopped calling plays midseason and gave it to Tranquill. Kendricks is also a much better run defender and could help the Chargers fix a long-standing issue on their defense.
8. Minnesota Vikings
• Biggest loss: CB Patrick Peterson
• Biggest gain: CB Byron Murphy Jr.
The Vikings brought in tight end Josh Oliver, who will help when it comes to operating more effectively out of 12 personnel. Oliver’s 74.6 run-blocking grade in 2022 ranked second among tight ends with at least 100 run-blocking snaps on the season.
They also signed an elite edge defender in Marcus Davenport, who has put up a 17.8% pass-rush win rate and 13.9% pressure percentage — both top-20 marks among edge defenders — since entering the league in 2018. He's also earned a very respectable 82.1 run-defense grade for his career, which ranks 16th over the span.
Davenport has five straight campaigns grading above 70.0, but injuries have been his biggest issue.
9. Baltimore Ravens
• Biggest gain: G John Simpson
The Ravens didn’t sign many new players in free agency, and their losses were fairly significant, as safety Chuck Clark, defensive end Calais Campbell and guard Ben Powers are top-ranked players at their positions.
This ranking may change dramatically if Lamar Jackson joins another team.
10. Miami Dolphins
• Biggest loss: TE Mike Gesicki
• Biggest gain: CB Jalen Ramsey
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker David Long will immediately contribute to the Dolphins' defense. Ramsey has the highest PFF grade, highest PFF coverage grade and highest PFF run-defense grade among all cornerbacks since 2016, and only four linebackers earned a better PFF run-defense grade than Long in 2022.
With head coach Mike McDaniel and QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami might be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC East.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Biggest loss: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
• Biggest gain: QB Baker Mayfield
The Buccaneers need a new quarterback to take over from the now-retired Tom Brady, but will Baker Mayfield be the solution? Between 2018 and 2020, Mayfield’s 87.5 PFF grade was the ninth-best at the position, but it’s been so long since then that it’s fair to wonder whether he can get his career back on track as a starting quarterback. The absence of guard Shaq Mason won’t help him adjust, either.
The Buccaneers have the most dead cap — the most money allocated to released players — which is also not great.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars
• Biggest loss: ED Arden Key
The Jaguars didn’t make any significant moves in free agency and lost one of their best edge rushers in Arden Key. Key’s 14.6% pressure percentage over the last two seasons is a top-20 mark among all players regardless of position.
13. Detroit Lions
• Biggest loss: S DeShon Elliott
• Biggest gain: CB Cameron Sutton
The Lions looked to add veterans to their young team, especially on defense, signing cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
Compare running backs Jamaal Williams and David Montgomery in the graphic below — Montgomery performed better than expected in terms of rushing yards; he will be a good fit for the Lions and may even be an upgrade.
14. New York Giants
• Biggest gain: LB Bobby Okereke
The Giants adding tight end Darren Waller is a risky move — he’s been injury prone but could have a significant impact. While injuries have limited Waller over the past two seasons, he is one of the top tight ends in football when he is at his best. Between 2019 and 2020, George Kittle and Travis Kelce were the only tight ends to best Waller's 91.2 PFF receiving grade.
The Giants' losses in free agency were fairly minimal.
15. Seattle Seahawks
• Biggest loss: LB Cody Barton
The Seahawks made some great defensive signings to replace aging players and have plenty of cap space left as a result.
The signing of defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones will improve their pass-rushing ability. He will be just 26 years old for the 2023 season and is coming off back-to-back seasons with pass-rush grades above 65.0 and at least 40 quarterback pressures. Seattle was more multiple up front in 2022, mixing in more odd fronts, which is what Jones is used to.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
• Biggest loss: CB Cameron Sutton
• Biggest gain: CB Patrick Peterson
The Steelers boosted their defense and offensive line in free agency. Signing a veteran like Patrick Peterson brings stability to their cornerback room, as the veteran allowed just 43 receptions for 534 yards in 2022, recording five interceptions and a career-high nine pass breakups over the course of the year.
After losing a starting guard in James Daniels, they brought in an excellent replacement in Isaac Seumalo, who earned a career-high 75.2 overall grade in 2022 and put up his third straight 77.0-plus pass-blocking grade.
17. New York Jets
• Biggest loss: QB Mike White
• Biggest gain: WR Allen Lazard
Even if the Jets don’t sign Aaron Rodgers, they’ll still be in relatively good shape. The team has a well-rounded roster and almost made the playoffs despite rotating between Zach Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco at the game's most important position in 2022.
They also improved their defense by adding safety Chuck Clark, who has graded above 66.0 in each of the past four seasons.
18. Green Bay Packers
• Biggest loss: WR Allen Lazard
• Biggest gain: S Tarvarius Moore
The Packers have not made many moves during free agency, but they are close to losing their starting quarterback and receiving corps. As a result, they have the fourth-most cap space of any team in the league, which they could use to replace these players.
19. Washington Commanders
• Biggest loss: S Bobby McCain
• Biggest gain: QB Jacoby Brissett
The Commanders added a decent starting tackle in Andrew Wylie during free agency and an upgrade at quarterback in Jacoby Brissett. Wylie has produced just one sub-60.0 PFF grade through five seasons in the NFL, and Brissett averaged 7.1 yards per attempt on a 9.5-yard average depth of target, attacking downfield but still keeping his turnover-worthy play rate at just 3.1% on the 2022 season.
However, they have the least cap space available of any team in the league.
20. New England Patriots
• Biggest loss: WR Jakobi Meyers
• Biggest gain: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
The loss of wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who was 30th in WAR among wideouts in 2022, was offset by the signing of Smith-Schuster, who was 35th in the same metric. The real question now is whether JuJu will be as productive as Meyers was in 2022.
It still remains to be seen whether Mac Jones will live up to his potential and use weapons like Smith-Schuster and Gesicki. The Patriots also added tackle Riley Reiff to their offensive line.
21. Cleveland Browns
• Biggest loss: QB Jacoby Brissett
• Biggest gain: S Juan Thornhill
Deshaun Watson’s abilities will now be put to the test.
The Browns shored up their defense by adding safety Juan Thornhill, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and edge Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to a unit that already has Myles Garrett. This defense may be a force.
22. Las Vegas Raiders
• Biggest loss: QB Derek Carr
• Biggest gain: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
With a new quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and a new receiver in Jakobi Meyers, will the Raiders be able to put together an above-average offense? Looking at the graphic below, Garoppolo had a lower turnover-worthy play rate than Carr and was similar in big-time throw rate.
23. Tennessee Titans
• Biggest loss: LB David Long
• Biggest gain: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, ED Arden Key
The Titans signed tackle Andre Dillard, who may have potential but hasn’t really played enough snaps to truly prove himself. Despite having a top-10 defense already, the additions of Arden Key and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will only improve the unit.
24. New Orleans Saints
• Biggest loss: QB Andy Dalton
• Biggest gain: QB Derek Carr
The Saints are changing it up at quarterback, signing Derek Carr and releasing Andy Dalton. Carr is definitely an upgrade, but he is an expensive upgrade at that. He signed a four-year $150 million contract while Dalton signed for the Panthers for two years, $11 million.
Signing running back Jamaal Williams in the absence of Alvin Kamara is not an upgrade, but he has the potential to produce. A consistently solid running back since entering the league as a fourth-round pick out of BYU in 2017, Williams has produced a PFF grade above 60.0 in all six seasons in the league, and a grade above 70.0 in three of the six.
Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders is a force to be reckoned with and will replace David Onyemata on the defensive line. Saunders is built like a tree trunk at 6 feet and 324 pounds but if you put on his tape, you’ll see a guy who rarely gives up in pursuit of the ball carrier and brings a lot of energy on his limited snaps.
25. Carolina Panthers
• Biggest loss: QB Sam Darnold
• Biggest gain: QB Andy Dalton
Losing D.J. Moore to the Bears will not help the Panthers' rebuild. However, adding solid options at tight end in Hayden Hurst and running back in Miles Sanders may help.
From 199 catchable targets since entering the league, Hurst has just five drops and has earned a PFF drop grade above 80.0 in all five seasons. Sanders is coming off a season in which he put up 1,271 yards — at 4.9 yards per carry — with 11 touchdowns.
26. Chicago Bears
• Biggest loss: RB David Montgomery
• Biggest gain: WR D.J. Moore
The Bears have made some solid moves in free agency and still have the most salary cap available of any team.
Their defense struggled in 2022, so adding two solid linebackers in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards may help fix that. Further, defensive tackles Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker are huge upgrades to their defensive line.
They’ve also shored up their offensive line to protect Fields by signing guard Nate Davis.
27. Atlanta Falcons
• Biggest loss: QB Marcus Mariota
• Biggest gain: S Jessie Bates III
The Falcons signed one of the best safeties in the league in Jessie Bates III. His 72.6 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons ranks 30th among safeties, but when you factor in the impressive 2020 season, his three-year PFF coverage grade of 90.5 trails only Kevin Byard of the Tennessee Titans and Marcus Williams of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Falcons' safety room finished 26th in the league in PFF grade last season, so this is a much-needed upgrade.
28. Denver Broncos
• Biggest loss: C Graham Glasgow
• Biggest gain: QB Jarrett Stidham
The signing of guard Ben Powers increases the offensive line's pass-blocking talent level by a large margin, and the addition of tackle Mike McGlinchey will make an impact in the running game.
The Broncos defense replaced Dre’Mont Jones with Zach Allen at a cheaper rate. Allen hasn’t played a full season but has performed at a high level.
29. Los Angeles Rams
• Biggest loss: CB Jalen Ramsey
• Biggest gain: TE Hunter Long
The Rams have struggled this offseason, and the loss of cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a big one for them. Their only addition was tight end Hunter Long, who played only 94 snaps last season.
30. Arizona Cardinals
• Biggest loss: DI Zach Allen or CB Byron Murphy Jr.
• Biggest gain: LB Kyzir White
The Cardinals lost more than they gained this offseason. They lost key defensive players in defensive end Zach Allen, cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and edge Markus Golden.
With the jury still out on QB Kyler Murray, the Cardinals cannot afford to perform poorly defensively. Their one addition in linebacker Kyzir White was positive, as he has earned five straight 60.0-plus coverage grades.
31. Houston Texans
• Biggest loss: TE Jordan Akins
The Texans made some decent moves in free agency. They added receivers in Robert Woods, Dalton Schultz and Andrew Beck and proven running backs in Devin Singletary and Mike Boone.
They also added to their offensive line by signing guard Shaq Mason.
Their defense was elevated by the signing of one of the best safeties in the league in Jimmie Ward. The Texans' defense was graded 31st in the league last season, so they need all the help they can get.
32. Indianapolis Colts
• Biggest loss: CB Stephon Gilmore
• Biggest gain: QB Gardner Minshew
The Colts free agency moves were a bit disappointing: They signed a kicker to the largest free-agent contract at the position in NFL history when they have much more pressing issues. They lost key players on defense — cornerback Stephon Gilmore and linebacker Bobby Okereke — but added edge Samson Ebukam. Ebukam was on a talented 49ers defense and will produce for the Colts.
With the Colts' starting quarterback job up for grabs between Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger — or maybe someone from the 2023 draft class — it’s not a promising look for the season.
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