NFL power rankings: Who's having best offseason so far? Vikings' Kyler Murray signing might not be the elixir it seems

The Arizona Cardinals had no backup plan at quarterback this offseason. They had a choice: Make it work with Kyler Murray, or take a $54.7 million dead cap hit just to be rid of him forever, without any idea who would play quarterback.

The Cardinals chose the $54.7 million dead cap hit.

Yes, Murray came cheap to the Minnesota Vikings, on the veteran minimum because the Cardinals are still paying for him. But there was a reason the Cardinals moved on. And that move, signing Murray, has been celebrated as the highlight of the Vikings' offseason.

And, the truth is, taking on a quarterback who was run out by a perennially terrible Cardinals team (again, at a massive expense) really is the highlight of the Vikings' offseason. And even that addition was a massive admission that they are on the verge of throwing in the towel on J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick of the 2024 draft, after 10 career starts. Hard to see that as something positive.

The Vikings shouldn't be excited about too much else though. It has been a rough few months.

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Minnesota spent just $19.1 million in free agency to date, second-lowest in the NFL according to Spotrac, with the big addition being cornerback James Pierre at a modest $8 million over two years. Meanwhile, defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave and receiver Jalen Nailor got big deals to leave. Allen and Hargrave were cut because of salary-cap reasons as the Vikings clean out some bad deals. Top pass rusher Jonathan Greenard was also subject of trade rumors, though maybe the Vikings will hang onto him after dumping others.

They're also working with an interim general manager, Rob Brzezinski, after dragging their feet on firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah until nearly a month into the offseason.They did hold onto defensive coordinator Brian Flores despite some head-coaching interviews, which is one of the few unquestionable positives of the offseason.

There is some odd optimism about Murray after he washed out in Arizona after seven unsatisfying seasons. There is a chance he pulls a Sam Darnold and comes alive under coach Kevin O'Connell. But that's blind faith not based on his resume, but draft pedigree. Almost every optimistic take about Murray includes the mention that the Vikings aren't paying him anything. That's fine, but also telling.

The offseason has been good to some teams. Just not the Vikings, and a few others. Here are the power rankings assessing how each team's offseason has gone to date:

32. Minnesota Vikings

From 14 wins in 2024 to 9-8 last season to a bad offseason, the Vikings seem to be in free fall. Kyler Murray better be as good for Minnesota as some believe he will be.

31. Atlanta Falcons

The legal problems with 2025 first-round pick James Pearce Jr. affects the ranking, especially when the Rams have the Falcons' 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft due to the trade to draft Pierce. Grabbing Tua Tagovailoa for the veteran minimum was fine, but that wouldn't have been necessary if Michael Penix Jr. was healthy and established, and he's neither. The Falcons didn't sign anyone for more than $10 million total and the two $9 million players were a kicker and punter (Nick Folk and Jake Bailey). They'll help but it's hard to get too excited. The good news is Kevin Stefanski was a good head coaching hire after the team fired Raheem Morris, but that was about the last bit of good news.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars were the quietest team in free agency, signing two players for a total of $16.5 million, the lowest totals in the NFL this offseason according to Spotrac. After a strong 2025 season, a quiet offseason doesn't help maintain momentum especially when players like linebacker Devin Lloyd, running back Travis Etienne Jr. and cornerback Greg Newsome left. The Jaguars are still in good shape overall but it's a little surprising they did almost nothing to improve.

29. Green Bay Packers

Eight players got deals worth more than $63 million to change teams, and two were players who left the Packers: receiver Romeo Doubs and quarterback Malik Willis. Willis was never going to be re-signed but Green Bay hasn't reasonably replaced him. The Packers traded edge rusher Rashan Gary, which might have been prudent but harms the defense right now. Perhaps grabbing defensive tackle Javon Hargrave after he was cut by Minnesota softens the blow. The Packers still have a very good roster but it didn't get better. The Packers also lost defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who took Miami's head coaching job, and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who stepped down. Jonathan Gannon was a solid hire to replace Hafley. The Packers also saw Jon-Eric Sullivan, a valuable member of the front office, take the GM job with the Dolphins. There were a lot of losses.

The Packers lost QB Malik Willis, among plenty of other players this offseason. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)Patrick McDermott via Getty Images28. New York Jets

Aaron Glenn turning over nearly the entire coaching staff is how the offseason started. Not great. Most of the Jets' moves were short-term fixes that won't get them into playoff contention, but maybe save Glenn's job for another year? It's not like Geno Smith is fixing the Jets' offense. Franchise tagging Breece Hall was fine, but a running back on a terrible offense is usually wasted. The defense got some veteran upgrades and trading edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II for massive defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat seems like a smart move. There weren't many other moves that should get Jets fans excited.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This will be remembered as the offseason the Mike Evans and Lavonte David era ended. Evans left for the 49ers and David retired. The Buccaneers won't be able to get away from the rumors that Evans left because of Todd Bowles, who enters this season on a hot seat. Losing cornerback Jamel Dean hurts the defense. Linebacker Alex Anzalone and running back Kenneth Gainwell got paid, but they're just replacing players who left. It was a step back.

26. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers rank so low because what could have been. They had the cap space, coming off a playoff season, to make a lot of noise. Signing center Tyler Biadasz and blocking tight end Charlie Kolar was fine but not what optimistic fans had in mind. They also lost edge rusher Odafe Oweh and guard Zion Johnson, two highly paid free agents. And let's not underrate masterful defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaving to take Baltimore's head coaching job. This hasn't gone well at all.

25. Philadelphia Eagles

The salary cap has caught up to the Eagles a bit. They barely spent this offseason while seeing edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, linebacker Nakobe Dean and safety Reed Blankenship sign elsewhere, which hurts the defense. Cornerback Riq Woolen was the big signing, but he has a lot of questions after wearing out his welcome in Seattle. The A.J. Brown situation is still out there too, though not trading him wouldn't be the worst outcome if the Eagles can mend fences.

24. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals seemed to be the least attractive destination for head coaching candidates, but got Mike LaFleur from the Rams. They lost safety Jalen Thompson off a defense that couldn't afford to lose talent. Guard Isaac Seumalo and running back Tyler Allgeier were two good value signings, which helps. They probably won't miss Kyler Murray, but who will be the quarterback? This wasn't pretty.

23. Miami Dolphins

The magic act of signing Malik Willis after cutting Tua Tagovailoa and incurring a $99 million dead cap hit saved Miami from being 32nd. Willis signed a perfectly reasonable three-year, $67.5 million deal that allows the Dolphins to get out quickly if the gamble doesn't work. But Miami traded or lost Tagovailoa, receiver Jaylen Waddle, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, edge rusher Bradley Chubb, receiver Tyreek Hill, and guards James Daniels and Cole Strange among the many who won't be on the roster anymore. This is what a rebuild looks like, though Willis provides hope for the future.

22. Houston Texans

If Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller fix the offensive line, move the Texans way up. That needs to be proven, however. Trading away Tytus Howard opened up a hole, though obviously Houston was done with him. The trade for David Montgomery is fine, but a running back without a decent line isn't going to solve many problems. It's not a terrible offseason, but doing more for the offensive line would have been nice.

21. Baltimore Ravens

Going back to the start of the offseason, is Jesse Minter an upgrade over John Harbaugh at head coach? Maybe, but those are big shoes to fill. Minter's staff is young and interesting though. Adding Trey Handrickson, after the absolute mess of the Maxx Crosby trade being called off, is probably smarter than sending two first-rounders for Crosby, but let's not ignore that the Ravens also lost five players that got at least $8 million per year elsewhere, led by center Tyler Linderbaum. This is a solid organization and they never seem to be bothered losing players in free agency, but this was a strange offseason.

20. Kansas City Chiefs

It's fine to like what the Chiefs got back in a trade for Trent McDuffie, but Kansas City just lost a former All-Pro corner. They also lost corner Jaylen Watson and safety Bryan Cook. That's a lot to lose from the secondary, though adding safety Alohi Gilman helps offset it. Travis Kelce is back, but we might find that was more of a sentimental move than one that transforms the offense. Trading for Justin Fields is just a reminder that Patrick Mahomes has to prove he'll be back from a torn ACL. Adding Kenneth Walker III does give Kansas City a needed, dynamic player at running back for the first time in a while though.

19. Indianapolis Colts

On the surface, retaining Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones should push the Colts higher. But Pierce signed a $116 million deal that was shockingly large, and it led to the Colts giving Michael Pittman Jr. away to the Steelers in a trade. Jones' two-year, $88 million deal would be fine if he was healthy, but he's not as he comes off a torn Achilles. Micheal Clemons and Arden Key help on the defensive line, but they lost defensive lineman Kwity Paye, offensive lineman Braden Smith and safety Nick Cross. It's hard to look at the roster and say it's better, though the offseason would have been much worse losing Pierce or Jones.

18. Seattle Seahawks

Signing Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a record deal was the biggest move of the offseason. They also retained Rashid Shaheed, and we saw Shaheed's playmaking in Seattle after a midseason trade. Losing Kenneth Walker III is a sentimental blow after he won Super Bowl MVP, but resisting paying him when they thought the price got too high was something a smart organization does. Losing Boye Mafe and Coby Bryant off the defense could be bigger blows. The Seahawks probably should be ranked lower, especially losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, but this is a blind endorsement of the Super Bowl champs figuring it out.

17. Chicago Bears

The surprising retirement of center Drew Dalman affects the grade. That could end up being a much bigger problem than we are acknowledging. Other than that, the Bears did well in a trade for D.J. Moore, who had disappeared in the offense. Going from Tremaine Edmunds to Devin Bush is an upgrade at linebacker. Safety Coby Bryant is an underrated addition. We just have to see how the Dalman retirement affects them.

16. New Orleans Saints

The Saints didn't go wild this offseason, as usual, but made smart additions in running back Travis Etienne Jr. and guard David Edwards. That keeps the momentum going on offense. Losing cornerback Alontae Taylor wasn't great, but adding linebacker Kaden Elliss will be good for the defense. Overall, a totally reasonable offseason.

15. Buffalo Bills

If you think D.J. Moore will revert to his 2023 form with Josh Allen, the offseason is already a success. But the price the Bills paid for Moore in the trade, and Moore's significant drop in production the past two seasons, means there should be some skepticism. Losing guard David Edwards doesn't help the line, though retaining center Connor McGovern helps. Signing edge rusher Bradley Chubb could turn out to be what makes or breaks this offseason, along with the Moore trade. We'll also have to see if swapping out Sean McDermott for his offensive coordinator Joe Brady at head coach was the right move, or just one made after an emotional playoff loss.

14. Detroit Lions

The Lions aren't able to make huge additions with all the star contracts on the books. But they added Cade Mays, Larry Borom and Juice Scruggs to the offensive line on reasonable deals. Trading David Montgomery and adding Isiah Pacheco at running back is a downgrade, but it's not that bad and saved money. The Lions seemed to do fine hiring Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator, though we'll see. It was a decent offseason considering the restraints.

13. Cleveland Browns

It's hard to get too excited for a team's offseason when their quarterback plan is another season of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders (or even Deshaun Watson), though it is prudent to wait until 2027. And the Browns remade their offensive line, acquiring Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson, Teven Jenkins and Elgton Jenkins. That's hard to do and Cleveland pulled it off.

12. New England Patriots

For a second straight offseason, the Patriots made significant additions in free agency. Romeo Doubs comes aboard at receiver, though the Patriots did cut Stefon Diggs. Alijah Vera-Tucker is a huge addition on the offensive line if he's healthy, Dre'Mont Jones helps the defensive line and safety Kevin Byard is still at a high level. There were a couple losses in free agency but New England should be pleased.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers acted like they wouldn't be waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision, yet here we are. That hurts their ranking, because it's another offseason of not knowing what they're doing at quarterback (and the preferred plan being a 43-year-old quarterback who was average last season). Otherwise, the Steelers should be happy. Michael Pittman Jr. came over on a dump trade by Indianapolis; Pittsburgh added a solid receiver practically for free. Jamel Dean was the best cornerback on the market and Pittsburgh got him too. Rico Dowdle was an interesting add at running back. And now, they wait for Rodgers.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

It's hard to be the team that lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency and still land in the top 10. But the Bengals did fine to sign Boye Mafe to replace Hendrickson, and then got defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Bryan Cook for two huge defensive additions. The Bengals might be much better on defense, even without Hendrickson.

9. Dallas Cowboys

There's a chance the George Pickens situation goes really bad, especially considering how other receivers got paid when he's stuck with the franchise tag for now. But if we assume Pickens is back and happy, adding safety Jalen Thompson in free agency and edge defender Rashan Gary on a reasonable trade helps the defense. The offense will be fine. And the hire of defensive coordinator Christian Parker from the Eagles has a lot of promise too.

8. Washington Commanders

The offseason started with upheaval. Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt were out as offensive and defensive coordinators, and David Blough and Darante Jones were brought in. Things got more promising after that, with the Commanders making a huge (and expensive) splash on pass rusher Odafe Oweh, then also adding tight end Chig Okonkwo, linebacker Leo Chenal, defensive lineman Tim Settle, cornerback Amik Robertson, safety Nick Cross and edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson. That's a huge haul for a roster that needed it.

7. San Francisco 49ers

Mike Evans is risky because he'll be 33 years old, but if he's close to his vintage self it's a really exciting fit for Kyle Shanahan's offense. The 49ers did well to add some other value free agents and traded for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, a much-needed upgrade on the line. Raheem Morris was a fine replacement for Robert Saleh at defensive coordinator. Also, just getting healthier will help. Maybe the Trent Williams situation won't work out as the 49ers seem to think it will, and that uncertainty should drop them in these rankings, but overall San Francisco did well.

6. New York Giants

John Harbaugh was the rare future Hall of Fame coach who was available and the Giants landed him. After years of suffering Ben McAdoo, Joe Judge and Brian Daboll, that alone was a big win. The Giants lost some high-priced free agents but also brought in tight end Isaiah Likely, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and cornerback Greg Newsome II while re-signing right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. Harbaugh alone, and the culture changes he brings, makes this an exciting offseason.

5. Carolina Panthers

Jaelan Phillips is a good player, but it's hard to get over the $120 million cost over four years. There's an injury history too with Phillips, who has yet to post more than 8.5 sacks in a season. Still, it's the type of impact player the Panthers needed. As is Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd. They pounced on left tackle Rasheed Walker when his market wasn't that strong, signing him to a shockingly low one-year, $4 million deal. The Panthers' offseason is off to a good start.

4. Denver Broncos

The Broncos might have been 25 spots lower after a week of free agency. But they made perhaps the most impactful move of the offseason after sitting out of the first phase of free agency, trading for Jaylen Waddle. Waddle is 27 years old and has three 1,000-yard seasons, and also led the NFL in yards per catch his second season. That move cost the Broncos, but picks in the 2026 NFL Draft might not be as valuable as most years. It was the exact move Denver needed, and their boldness deserves credit.

3. Tennessee Titans

There can be some skepticism about all the Titans' personnel moves. They hired Robert Saleh to be their head coach and Brian Daboll to be their offensive coordinator - both good hires - and spent a lot of money on former Jets and Giants players who Saleh and Daboll coached. Were those the best players, or just the most comfortable ones because Saleh and Daboll coached them? Regardless, the Titans needed talent and spent $319,492,500 on 20 contracts, most in the NFL according to Spotrac. The defense will be completely different. Cam Ward got some help too. Saleh might be an outstanding hire. It was a step forward for a franchise that has fallen on hard times.

2. Los Angeles Rams

The offseason got off to a great start when Matthew Stafford announced, as he was awarded NFL MVP, that he was returning for the 2026 season. Losing offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to the Arizona head coaching job was a setback, but they did retain suddenly hot quarterbacks coach (and new OC) Nathan Scheelhaase. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula is back too. Then the Rams greatly improved their lone massive weakness, trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson. The Rams solidified themselves as the Super Bowl favorite.

1. Las Vegas Raiders

Last year, the rebuilding Raiders inexplicably hired the oldest coach in NFL history and traded a valuable third-round pick for a 35-year-old quarterback. It wasn't even surprising because the Raiders have been meandering in incompetence for decades. This offseason, there was actually a viable plan. The Raiders hired hot offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be their head coach, the kind of promising hire that a terrible organization probably shouldn't have been able to land. Then they signed a bunch of good players, most notably center Tyler Linderbaum, to hugely expensive contracts but deals that aren't going to be problems down the line. The Maxx Crosby trade might have been best for the Raiders long term, but ultimately, the Ravens backing out meant that Las Vegas kept one of the best defensive players in the NFL. And the entire offseason revolves around the impending arrival of Fernando Mendoza, the Indiana quarterback who will be the first pick of the NFL Draft. There's finally some hope for the Raiders.