The 10 Teams That Improved the Most This NFL Offseason

The 2023 season can’t come soon enough for the franchises that made the biggest roster upgrades over the past few months.

With free agency and the draft in the rearview mirror, it’s a perfect time to assess which teams improved the most this offseason.

Some teams aced the draft, but the ones that will make the most noise throughout the 2023 NFL season are those that had a good mix of veteran and rookie additions.

Every team is on a different path, with some in the midst of a rebuild project, while others are fighting to get over the postseason hump. Steps forward can’t be taken without productive offseason moves during free agency and the draft.

Here are the 10 most improved teams from the entire NFL offseason.

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10. Cleveland Browns

Key veteran additions: WR Elijah Moore, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, S Juan Thornhill

Key draft additions: WR Cedric Tillman, DT Siaki Ika, OT Dawand Jones

Analysis: The Browns made a handful of under-the-radar moves to address concerns on both sides of the trenches. Tomlinson and Ika will be tasked with improving Cleveland’s run defense, while Jones will give the team flexibility as the swing tackle (with the possibility of pushing for a starting spot). Quarterback Deshaun Watson, who had six subpar performances during his first season in Cleveland, could establish a passing rhythm with the arrivals of Moore and Tillman. The Browns’ additions didn’t generate headlines, but they might make them playoffs contenders this season.

9. Miami Dolphins

Key veteran additions: WR Chosen Anderson, LB David Long Jr., CB Jalen Ramsey

Key draft additions: CB Cam Smith, RB Devon Achane

Analysis: With Ramsey as the centerpiece of the offseason, the Dolphins went from a wild-card team to a strong contender in a loaded AFC East. Long is an ideal playmaker for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Smith, a second-round pick, adds depth to a stacked secondary with Ramsey, Xavien Howard and Jevon Holland. If this secondary excels, it might be enough for the Dolphins to win their conference, which features a gantlet of star quarterbacks. Achane, a third-round pick, will give Miami’s impressive offense another speedy playmaker—he ran a blazing 4.32 seconds during the 40-yard dash at the combine. 

8. Chicago Bears

Key veteran additions: RB D’Onta Foreman, WR DJ Moore, TE Robert Tonyan, OG Nate Davis, ILB T.J. Edwards, ILB Tremaine Edmunds

Key draft additions: OT Darnell Wright, DT Gervon Dexter Sr., CB Tyrique Stevenson, DT Zacch Pickens

Analysis: The Bears’ lengthy list of offseason additions will likely lift them from the bottom of the NFL power rankings to a promising team during Year 2 of GM Ryan Poles’s rebuild project in Chicago. Quarterback Justin Fields will get a fighting chance to prove he’s the real deal with Moore (a legitimate No. 1 wideout), Davis (a 6'3", 316-pound interior lineman), and Wright (the team’s first-round selection who plays with an edge on the field). Bears coach Matt Eberflus and his defense will also get a chance to compete with free-agency headliners Edmunds and Edwards. 

7. Atlanta Falcons

Key veteran additions: WR Mack Hollins, TE Jonnu Smith, DE Calais Campbell, DT David Onyemata, LB Kaden Elliss, OLB Bud Dupree, S Jessie Bates III, CB Jeff Okudah

Key draft additions: RB Bijan Robinson, OG Matthew Bergeron

Analysis: The Falcons had a well-executed offseason plan, improving the defense first through free agency before giving the offense a splash with the first-round selection of Robinson, a versatile weapon who has received comparisons to Saquon Barkley. After generating only 21 total sacks last season, the Falcons bolstered the defensive front with Campbell, Onyemata, Elliss and Dupree. Atlanta also provided help for cornerback A.J. Terrell with the additions of Bates and Okudah. The Falcons will be fun offensively and pesky defensively, but that might not be enough to compete for a postseason appearance if second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder doesn’t deliver. 

6. Carolina Panthers

Key veteran additions: RB Miles Sanders, WR Adam Thielen, WR DJ Chark, TE Hayden Hurst, DT Shy Tuttle, S Vonn Bell

Key draft additions: QB Bryce Young, WR Jonathan Mingo, DE DJ Johnson

Analysis: The Panthers got the nod over the Falcons because they upgraded at quarterback with Young, who rose to be the No. 1 pick in the draft thanks to his ability to be a quick processor and dynamic playmaker away from the pocket. The offseason additions lacked star power outside of Young, but the Panthers added a handful of quality starters across the roster. Sanders might not be a top-five running back and Thielen might be a step slower, but they’ll still make life easier for Young. Taking a glance at Carolina’s starting depth chart, it might be the best team in the NFC South.

5. Houston Texans

Key veteran additions: RB Devin Singletary, WR Robert Woods, WR Noah Brown, TE Dalton Schultz, DT Sheldon Rankins, S Jimmie Ward

Key draft additions: QB C.J. Stroud, DE Will Anderson Jr., C Juice Scruggs, WR Tank Dell

The Texans came up from the No. 12 pick to select Anderson at No. 3.  :: Thomas Shea/USA TODAY Sports

Analysis: After three consecutive seasons of four wins or fewer, the Texans had the most room for improvement this year. They finally took steps forward in their rebuilding process, securing two of the top three draft picks to select Stroud and Anderson. Many have knocked the Texans for relinquishing a 2024 first-round pick to the Cardinals to select Anderson—but the second Houston drafted Stroud, it needed to go all in on helping the rookie QB succeed and not worry about future draft picks. If Anderson produces at a high level, that means the Texans’ defense will have improved, which will also benefit Stroud with complementary football. Without having to worry about potentially losing his job to Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, Stroud could have a memorable rookie season with a pass-catching crew of Schultz, Woods, Brown and Dell (a third-round pick). 

4. New York Giants

Key veteran additions: WR Parris Campbell, TE Darren Waller, DL A’Shawn Robinson, ILB Bobby Okereke

Key draft additions: CB Deonte Banks, C John Michael Schmitz, WR Jalin Hyatt

Analysis: New York rewarded quarterback Daniel Jones with a massive contract extension followed by much-needed upgrades at the skill positions. The Giants can now deploy a competitive track and field relay team, with new downfield threats Campbell and Hyatt to go with Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson. But Jones will benefit the most with Waller as his new starting tight end. The defense will also be better with the addition of Okereke, a savvy playmaker, and Banks, the promising first-round pick who might develop into a standout No. 1 outside cornerback. 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

Key veteran additions: WR Allen Robinson, OG Isaac Seumalo, CB Patrick Peterson

Key draft additions: OT Broderick Jones, CB Joey Porter Jr., DT Keeanu Benton, TE Darnell Washington

Analysis: It won’t be a surprise if the Steelers post double-digit wins in 2023, judging from their offseason moves—and because Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record in 15 seasons as coach. The Steelers improved Kenny Pickett’s offensive line with Seumalo and first-round pick Jones. And perhaps Robinson will have a bounce-back season playing alongside Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Washington could be a steal for the Steelers as a third-round pick, and even if he doesn’t reach his upside, he’ll probably have a safe floor as a 6'7" red zone target and stout blocker. Peterson and Porter Jr., on the other hand, will fill needs in the secondary to give a stacked defense more playmakers.

2. New York Jets

Key veteran additions: QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Allen Lazard, WR Mecole Hardman, WR Randall Cobb, DT Quinton Jefferson, S Chuck Clark

Key draft additions: DE Will McDonald IV, C Joe Tippmann, OT Carter Warren

Analysis: Rodgers’s arrival turned the Jets into Super Bowl contenders, but the team probably could have done more to help their middle-aged quarterback. They waited until the fourth round to address their tackle concerns, eventually selecting Warren. And the new group of receivers (Lazard, Hardman and Cobb) appears underwhelming. McDonald might have been a reach as the No. 15 pick, but coach Robert Saleh needed another pass rusher. Rodgers and a talented 2022 draft class might make the Jets AFC East champions, but they can go only so far in the postseason if the offensive line struggles. 

1. Seattle Seahawks

Key veteran additions: C Evan Brown, DL Dre’Mont Jones, IDL Jarran Reed, ILB Bobby Wagner

Key draft additions: CB Devon Witherspoon, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DE Derick Hall, RB Zach Charbonnet, OG Anthony Bradford

Analysis: After a terrific offseason, the Seahawks have closed the gap on the 49ers in the NFC West; they might be the third best team in the conference, at least on paper. Seattle’s two first-round picks, Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon, will give Geno Smith a third quality target alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and form a standout cornerback duo with Tariq Woolen, respectively. Also, the arrival of Jones and the return of Wagner and Reed fill holes on the defensive side. It’s time to take the Seahawks seriously in the NFC, especially as the Lions’ offseason hype train is taking a hit, thanks to Jameson Williams’s suspension for violating the NFL's gambling policy and some head-scratching first-round picks. The Cowboys have a case to be considered at the top of the conference behind the Eagles and 49ers, but they might not be that much better with veteran additions Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore.