We're just over a couple of weeks away from the 2025 NFL Draft, when all eyes will turn to the future stars about to enter the league. That means this is a great time to look at how the offseason has played out so far, and which questions all teams need to be contemplating as they move toward selecting college talent. Some franchises will go into this draft desperately needing to hit home runs. Others already have tackled a majority of their priorities -- either by signing free agents or giving new contracts to current players -- and have the luxury of selecting the best available prospects when the draft kicks off in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
This version of The First Read won't focus totally on the draft, despite the whirlwind of growing hype. This is Part 1 of what we like to call Roster Reset, and it's going to be centered around the AFC teams. (Check out the NFC here.) The goal is to look at one looming question facing every franchise as the draft approaches.
Here's what stood out the most, from this perspective. (Navigate to your team by clicking to their division below.)
AFC EAST
BURNING QUESTION: What's going to happen with James Cook?
The Bills have been throwing a lot of money around this offseason, giving new deals to quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver Khalil Shakir, defensive end Gregory Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford. Unfortunately for Cook, there don't seem to be any signs he'll be joining that group in the near future. Bills general manager Brandon Beane told reporters at the recent Annual League Meeting that "at this point, we're onto the draft ... I don't see us doing any deals anytime soon." Beane also indicated the players who did sign deals "were more on the same page with" the franchise. It's no secret that Cook has sought an average annual salary of $15 million (and recently put his Buffalo home on the market, which did not exactly create the impression that talks were going swimmingly). Only Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million per year) and San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey ($19 million) -- the two most recent rushing champs and winners of the Offensive Player of the Year award -- have deals with a higher average salary than that, which is likely the sticking point. Cook has been a brilliant piece in the Buffalo offense, producing two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and proving to be a dangerous pass-catcher. The problem is, the draft is flush with running back talent, and the Bills have Cook on his rookie deal for one more season, with the option to franchise-tag him after that. In other words, believe Beane. A resolution on this situation will take some time.
BURNING QUESTION: What does life without Terron Armstead look like?
The standout left tackle retired over the weekend, ending a 12-year career that included five Pro Bowl nods and one second-team All-Pro honor. It's hard enough to find left tackles in this league; losing one who boasted those types of credentials and was a huge locker-room presence can make life difficult on play-callers and QBs. The Dolphins have been operating with a plan, though. 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul is already on hand to succeed Armstead. The team also came into this offseason with the mindset that Armstead more than likely would not return. Of course, there is a big difference between having a plan and executing it. The Kansas City Chiefs learned that last season, when they used a second-round pick on Kingsley Suamataia, gave him the left tackle job and then watched him fail so miserably that he's now hoping to stick at left guard. The Dolphins must get this right for obvious reasons, including the safety of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. His concussion history is well-documented, and it's scary to ponder what things might be like for him if left tackle becomes a problem area next season.
BURNING QUESTION: Will Josh McDaniels take Drake Maye to the next level?
Bringing McDaniels back for his third go-around as the Patriots' offensive coordinator was a good move for New England and especially Maye. McDaniels' two tries in the head-coaching chair ended in disaster (he went 11-17 with the Broncos and 9-16 with the Raiders), but put him in charge of an offense and let him run wild with a smart, talented quarterback, and that's truly a different story. McDaniels was there when Tom Brady ascended from championship-winning game manager to future G.O.A.T. status. Maye is much younger and more physically talented than Brady was when McDaniels first took Brady on. McDaniels already has told local media that he's "smitten" with Maye after spending time with the quarterback earlier this offseason. And what's not to like? Maye displayed the potential that made him the third overall pick in last year's draft -- completing 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while also rushing for 421 yards -- on a team that severely lacked talent. The Patriots still need to add more weapons for Maye, but McDaniels previously built an offense that thrived without an abundance of star receivers. Yes, he had Tom Brady then. Chances are good that he'll make Maye better, too.
BURNING QUESTION: Can Justin Fields turn around his career in New York?
The Jets clearly are banking on the answer being yes. GM Darren Mougey didn't hold back when he met with reporters at last week's Annual League Meeting, telling the crowd that "we believe Justin is the starter. We believe in Justin. We believe we can win with Justin." Those are bold words to utter about a quarterback who is on his third team in three seasons and carries a 14-30 win-loss record, but Mougey's faith also is understandable. There weren't many quarterback options for the Jets to pursue in free agency, and they might not be in position to land one of the two best quarterbacks in this draft class (Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders). Now they must put their trust in Fields, who signed a two-year, $40 million deal in March. The contract alone tells you this is more experiment than investment. The Jets hired the defensive-minded Aaron Glenn as head coach, so you had better believe they will try to win on that side of the football. That means winning the battle for turnover margin and time of possession and running far more than they did when Aaron Rodgers was operating under center. To be honest, it's not likely that the Jets will unlock Fields in ways the Bears and Steelers couldn't. However, the former first-round pick is competent enough to buy them time until they find the franchise quarterback they really want to embrace.
AFC NORTH
BURNING QUESTION: What are the Ravens going to do about Derrick Henry's contract?
Henry is entering the last year of a two-year, $16 million deal, and he clearly outperformed his contractual value in 2024, when all he did was log the best campaign ever by a running back 30 years or older (1,921 yards on the ground, with 18 total touchdowns). If not for Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley, Henry likely would've ended up as the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year. Henry should actually be thankful for Barkley when it comes to a different matter, though: The Eagles quickly moved to raise Barkley's pay after he helped them win a Super Bowl, increasing his average annual salary from $12.58 million to $20.6 million. Like Henry, Barkley had a seismic impact on his franchise in his first season with a new team in 2024. Of course, the concern with Henry is that he's not Barkley. He's older (Henry is 31; Barkley is 28) and has logged more carries (2,355 to 1,546). However, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta raved about Henry while speaking to media at the NFL Scouting Combine, suggesting he's not willing to place his star in the same category that many people put running backs. Said DeCosta: "I think they're looked at as probably replaceable by some people, but if you have a great one, if you have a historic one, you can't replace those guys. They impact the game in many different ways, and they create nightmares for defenses." We'll see what that means for Henry's bank account in the coming months. He was arguably the biggest bargain in the league last season, and that certainly needs to change.
BURNING QUESTION: What's going to happen with Trey Hendrickson?
Just as with James Cook in Buffalo, it's always important to start with this important note before diving into a discussion about a player disgruntled with his contract: Hendrickson's current deal doesn't expire until after the 2025 season. That relatively distant deadline makes it hard to believe this process is going to play out quickly. The reigning NFL sacks leader (17.5) has made it clear he wants a new deal. The Bengals opened the offseason by saying they wanted to get deals done with all three of their payday-seeking stars, and they achieved that goal with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Hendrickson's status remains a far more complex issue. The team has allowed him to pursue a trade, but the saga recently took a more publicly contentious turn, with Hendrickson expressing disappointment in the way the team has communicated with him. The edge rusher market also has exploded in the past month, with new deals for Cleveland's Myles Garrett ($40 million average salary) and Las Vegas' Maxx Crosby ($35.5 million average salary) presumably pushing Hendrickson's asking price higher. Add in the fact that Hendrickson turns 31 in December, and you can see the conundrum here. The Bengals are well within their rights to not pay mega dollars to a player in his 30s. That's also why a trade seems like the likeliest way out of this.
BURNING QUESTION: What's the plan at quarterback?
This is something that won't be clarified until we move deeper into training camp. This much we do know: Deshaun Watson isn't a viable option after he re-injured the Achilles tendon he tore last year. The Browns did acquire Kenny Pickett from the Eagles via trade, and they reportedly buy into the possibility the 2022 Steelers first-round pick can resuscitate his career, which jibes with head coach Kevin Stefanski's recent praise for the QB. There's also been speculation about the Browns trading for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins (who played in Minnesota when Stefanski was the Vikings' offensive coordinator) or simply using the No. 2 overall pick in the draft to select the best available quarterback (most likely Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, if Cam Ward is taken first overall). The bottom line here is the Browns have to do something, and it needs to be bold. They have been floundering at quarterback for most of the past two and a half decades, and it's hard to believe Pickett -- who has a career TD-to-INT ratio of 15:14 -- is going to titillate the local fans if he ends up as the Day 1 starter. At the very least, somebody else who can play in a pinch and compete for the job has to be in the building. It feels like the Browns will either draft a quarterback or acquire another veteran down the line.
BURNING QUESTION: Is Aaron Rodgers going to be their quarterback?
The Steelers have been waiting on Rodgers to make a decision. According to owner Art Rooney II, who spoke to reporters at last week's Annual League Meeting, they've seen enough to remain patient while the star quarterback decides what he's going to do next. Rooney said the team keeps hearing Rodgers is "headed in our direction," and it certainly didn't hurt that Rodgers worked out with new Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf in Los Angeles last week. If the 41-year-old was thinking about retirement, he surely wouldn't have devoted time to something like that. The question, of course, is obvious: What's the hold-up? Is Rodgers waiting to make a decision until after the draft, in the event Pittsburgh takes a quarterback high? The notion that he was looking to go elsewhere has less merit today, because his best apparent options have either signed other quarterbacks (like the Giants) or revealed that they're not interested in him (like the Vikings). Look, the Steelers wouldn't have come this far in the process without some strong belief that Rodgers could be had. The safe bet is he ends up in Pittsburgh at some point in the next few weeks.
AFC SOUTH
BURNING QUESTION: Is the offensive line going to improve?
It had better. That’s the overriding sentiment all around Houston after that unit played a prominent role in an underwhelming year that began with legitimate championship aspirations. The Texans allowed 54 sacks last season, tied for third-most in the NFL. Quarterback C.J. Stroud went from playing with comfort and confidence as the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 to literally running for his life in some games. Houston’s response to that disaster has been both swift and profound. GM Nick Caserio traded away Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and guard Kenyon Green (a former first-round pick) while also releasing guard Shaq Mason. To fill those voids, Caserio signed three free agents (guard Laken Tomlinson and offensive tackles Cam Robinson and Trent Brown) and traded with the Vikings for guard Ed Ingram. This is what is called throwing numbers at a problem. The Texans have the luxury of returning Tytus Howard to his natural position of offensive tackle after he moved to guard to help with last year’s chaos. They also have the draft coming up, and that is deeper at the interior line positions, which is where this team was weakest in 2024. The Texans look like they’re moving in the right direction. It might take some time to see how all these new faces come together, but it hopefully can’t be worse than last season.
BURNING QUESTION: Is this the end of the road for Anthony Richardson?
It doesn’t look great for him. The Colts signed Daniel Jones to a one-year deal to compete with Richardson for the starting job next season. Colts GM Chris Ballard said the competition will make everybody better, which seems like another way of saying his third-year quarterback had better step up. That would be a fair approach, because it would be understandable for the Colts to have concerns about how a quarterback selected fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft is going to fare after two disappointing seasons. Richardson missed 13 games with injuries as a rookie and then was benched in Weeks 9 and 10 of last season. His career completion percentage sits at 50.6 percent. He also has thrown 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in 15 total NFL games. This is why Jones, who fell to third on the Giants' depth chart before being released by New York last season, is considered a real option for Indianapolis. If Jones can just be steady, that could be enough to keep Richardson on the bench for good.
BURNING QUESTION: What will they do with the fifth overall pick?
With Trevor Lawrence installed under center, the Jaguars are one of only two teams drafting in the top five who don’t need a quarterback (the other being New England). That puts them in position to land a prospect who can immediately impact the franchise, but the best non-quarterbacks -- Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver-cornerback Travis Hunter -- seem likely to be snapped up by the time they are on the clock at No. 5. The Jaguars need a more disruptive presence on the interior of their defensive line, which is why Michigan’s Mason Graham has been so often linked to them in mock drafts. He’s a relentless, high-motor player with great agility and tremendous leadership skills. Jacksonville also has offensive-line needs that could be addressed at this spot, and running back could be an interesting option, with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty considered a strong prospect. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen developed a top-five offense in Tampa Bay last season, largely because of the emergence of rookie running back Bucky Irving -- who, for what it's worth, was a fourth-round pick. In the end, Graham feels like the safest choice here. The Jaguars have used a lot of draft capital on defensive linemen in recent seasons. Graham could be final piece to turn that unit into a true force.
BURNING QUESTION: Is the top overall pick in the draft a done deal?
The Titans made a noteworthy move at the Colorado showcase, cancelling a private workout with quarterback Shedeur Sanders. As much as team brass praised the way Sanders handled himself during the workout, they also apparently didn’t see the point in scrutinizing him further on their own time. One obvious conclusion to draw is that Tennessee is ready to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick. Ward has long been considered the better prospect of the two. The only real question was whether Tennessee felt comfortable taking a quarterback that high, especially because neither player is believed to be on the same level as the top quarterback prospects in last year’s class. It seems the Titans already have decided that they’re not worried about those optics. They need to find a new quarterback, and Ward looks like the top option for them.
AFC WEST
BURNING QUESTION: Can Sean Payton find the perfect running back for his offense?
Alvin Kamara became a star with Payton in New Orleans because Kamara could thrive both as a ball-carrier and receiver in a position Payton dubbed "The Joker." In his two years with the Broncos so far, Payton has not fielded a back like that -- but this might be the year he finds one. The draft is stocked with several promising prospects at the position. The Broncos made some daring free-agent acquisitions, signing productive players who’ve battled injuries, like tight end Evan Engram (who, it should be noted, Payton sees as a candidate to fill that "Joker" role), linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga. But they did not bring in a veteran running back to compete with Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estimé. Right now, Payton doesn’t have a player on his roster who ran for more than 496 yards last season (McLaughlin). It’s very likely that he finds his next stud runner in this year’s draft.
BURNING QUESTION: Have they solved the problem at left tackle?
That’s a question that won’t be answered until we start watching real football games again. The Chiefs obviously had major issues at left tackle last season -- they started three different players at that position before moving left guard Joe Thuney to that spot in Week 15 -- but it’s hard to know what that position will look like come fall. The Chiefs' most obvious option, free-agent signee Jaylon Moore, only started 12 games in his four seasons as a backup left tackle in San Francisco. Kingsley Suamataia, the 2024 second-round pick who started last season at left tackle, is now competing at left guard. Of course, the trade that sent Thuney to Chicago also means there is no insurance plan in place if left tackle becomes a Dumpster fire once again. By the way, this doesn’t mean the Chiefs can’t improve at that spot. It’s just that there isn’t a whole lot to bet on at this stage of the offseason.
BURNING QUESTION: Who’s going to be Pete Carroll’s bell cow back?
Anybody who’s followed Carroll’s career as a head coach knows three things will never change: 1) his unbridled enthusiasm, 2) his relentless chomping of chewing gum and 3) his desire to utilize a punishing running game as part of his offensive attack. He built Seattle into a powerhouse in the 2010s with Marshawn Lynch carrying the load, then relied on an assortment of other runners in later years, including Kenneth Walker III. The Raiders, on the other hand, currently don’t have anybody on their roster who has the look of a lead back at this stage. They signed Raheem Mostert, but he’s entering his age-33 season and coming off a campaign in Miami in which he averaged 3.3 yards per carry. The two backs who saw action for Las Vegas last year -- Sincere McCormick and Zamir White -- both battled injuries and wound up on injured reserve. It’s important to note once again that this draft is deep at running back. It would be surprising to not see the Raiders grab one for Carroll.
BURNING QUESTION: Are more weapons coming on offense?
There was no mystery about what the Chargers offense needed at the end of last season. As much as head coach Jim Harbaugh raved about quarterback Justin Herbert, there simply weren’t enough weapons on that side of the ball to consistently scare defenses. The Chargers have made a few moves to address that problem, signing running back Najee Harris, wide receiver Mike Williams and tight end Tyler Conklin -- but more help needs to be coming through the draft. The Chargers still need more difference-makers at receiver, as Ladd McConkey is the only player who fits that description at the moment. It’s good to see Williams back in a place where he spent his first seven pro seasons, but he’s also injury-prone and coming off a campaign in which he totaled 21 catches while splitting time between two different teams (the Jets and Steelers). The Chargers also could benefit from a tight end with the ability to be a downfield threat, which is why it’s hard to see Harbaugh passing on his former player at Michigan, Colston Loveland, if he’s available when the Bolts select with the 22nd overall pick. The Chargers made a lot of smart moves in Year 1 of the Harbaugh era. They’ll need to keep doing that to continue that momentum in Year 2.
