While it may not have all of the exciting on-the-field action, the offseason is where rosters get built, jobs are won, and destinies are written. Unfortunately for the fans, not every move that their favorite NFL team makes pans out. In fact, some end up becoming a complete disaster.
Let’s see if we can take a look forward and project out what every NFL team’s biggest mistake of the 2024 offseason was!
What are the biggest mistakes for each NFL team this offseason?
Arizona Cardinals: Signing RT Jonah Williams
The Arizona Cardinals hoped to solidify their offensive line by signing Jonah Williams, but they might have driven off with a lemon.
Williams had his ups and downs in Cincinnati—and with Kyler Murray’s durability concerns, that is… erhm, well, concerning.
The Cards needed a more reliable presence on the line. Unfortunately, Williams doesn’t inspire confidence in that regard.
Atlanta Falcons: Letting Jeff Okudah Walk
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Letting Jeff Okudah walk will likely prove to be a misstep for the Falcons.
Sure, Okudah was inconsistent at times for this NFL team last year, but that was tightly tied to injury. When he was healthy, he showed flashes of being high impact—and he fit nicely alongside A.J. Terrell.
The Falcons are now banking on a group of corners who have either been inconsistent or unproven. Kevin King and Antonio Hamilton don’t exactly scream stability, and the Falcons might find themselves regretting not giving Okudah another shot—especially if their secondary struggles.
Baltimore Ravens: Losing Edge Jadeveon Clowney
Letting Jadeveon Clowney walk might be a decision that haunts the Ravens in 2024. Clowney was a game-changer for Baltimore last season, tying his career-high with 9.5 sacks and playing a key role in making the Ravens’ defense one of the league’s best.
His ability to generate pressure was invaluable, and losing him could create a void that’s hard to fill. The Ravens might find themselves missing his presence, especially when they face off against the AFC’s top offenses, like Kansas City, where they will need to get after the QB.
Buffalo Bills: Trading Stefon Diggs
Diggs wasn’t just another receiver—he was the heartbeat of Buffalo’s passing game and Josh Allen’s most trusted weapon. I mean, he was instrumental in Allen’s development…
Without Diggs, Allen might have never turned into the quarterback we know him to be today.
Replacing a player of Diggs’ caliber with the likes of Curtis Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling isn’t exactly a recipe for improvement. In fact, it wouldn’t be a shock if this trade marks the beginning of a downward spiral for Buffalo.
Carolina Panthers: Signing G Damien Lewis
The Panthers spent big to bolster their offensive line with the acquisition of Robert Hunt, which made sense, but signing Damien Lewis to a four-year, $53 million deal could be a costly mistake.
While Lewis has shown flashes of potential, they have been too few and far between… and frankly, the Panthers might have overpaid for his services.
If he doesn’t live up to the price tag, this move could set the Panthers back in their quest to build a reliable offense.
Chicago Bears: Overpaying Kevin Byard
The Bears got a lot of press for an impressive offseason, but the decision to overpay for Kevin Byard might come back to bite them. Byard, who is now 31, struggled last season and showed signs that his best days might be behind him.
Despite his All-Pro pedigree, the Bears are taking a big gamble by investing $15 million in an NFL player who could be on the decline for a young team trying to turn the corner.
Cincinnati Bengals: Letting DJ Reader Walk
Letting DJ Reader walk could be a decision the Bengals regret for a long time. Reader was a cornerstone of Cincinnati’s defense, anchoring the middle and shutting down opposing running games. Without him, the Bengals could see a significant drop in their ability to stop the run—an area that’s crucial in a division as physical as the AFC North. Replacing a player like Reader is no easy task, and his absence will likely be felt more than the Bengals thought.
Cleveland Browns: Trading for Jerry Jeudy
The Browns’ trade for Jerry Jeudy might look flashy on paper, buying low on a former first-round talent, but it could end up being a major error.
Simply put, Jeudy is more of a gamble than a guaranteed upgrade. With Amari Cooper already in the fold and younger receivers like Elijah Moore and David Bell showing promise, the Browns didn’t need to take a flier on Jeudy.
Especially considering the turbulent nature of the Browns offense with Deshaun Watson under center… The Jerry Jeudy reclamation project definitely needs more stability around it to be a success.
Dallas Cowboys: Signing Ezekiel Elliott Back
The Cowboys re-signing Ezekiel Elliott feels like a move more driven by nostalgia than strategy.
While Zeke was once the heart and soul of Dallas’ offense, his production has been on a steady decline over the past few seasons—and, really, he looked like a shell of himself in New England last year.
The Cowboys should be focusing on developing younger, more dynamic players, but instead, they’ve tied themselves to an NFL running back whose best days are likely behind him with this team.
Denver Broncos: Drafting Bo Nix
Drafting Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick was a bold but highly questionable move for the Broncos.
Nix wasn’t projected to go this high, and his college career was synonymous with inconsistency.
With so many other needs on the roster, using such a high pick on a quarterback who may require significant development feels like a terrible move. But I guess Sean Payton doesn’t care about the long-term risks because he knows he’ll be out of town if they miss on this one!
Detroit Lions: Signing EDGE Marcus Davenport
While Detroit needed to add more pass-rushing help alongside Aidan Hutchinson, I don’t know that Marcus Davenport is the guy. He may have a lot of the prerequisite physical tools, but the former Saints first-round pick has never quite put it all together.
If he can’t produce at a high level in Detroit, this move could leave the Lions back in the market for pass-rushing talent.
Green Bay Packers: Acquiring Josh Jacobs
Green Bay’s choice to bring in Josh Jacobs to replace Aaron Jones seems liable to backfire.
Jacobs may be a former rushing champion, but he comes with significant wear and tear from his time in Las Vegas. The Packers had an opportunity to develop younger, fresher talent in the backfield, but instead, they chose to invest in a player who might be closer to the back nine of his career than his prime. If Jacobs doesn’t hold up under the workload and really elevate the offense, Green Bay could find themselves regretting this decision, especially as they look to build around a new era with Jordan Love at the helm.
Houston Texans: Signing Joe Mixon
The Texans’ decision to bring in Joe Mixon is, to put it bluntly, a head-scratcher. While Mixon has had moments of brilliance, his time in Cincinnati was plagued by injuries and subpar performances.
Houston’s offense is ready to win now and just needs reliability and steady production—not a player who’s just as likely to disappear as he is to dominate.
Indianapolis Colts: Signing DT Raekwon Davis
Raekwon Davis, coming over from the Dolphins, wasn’t the splash Colts fans were hoping for.
He has been serviceable but far from a game-changer. Indianapolis might find that Davis doesn’t quite bring the impact they were hoping for, making this a potentially forgettable addition.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Signing Mitch Morse
While there was a time that Mitch Morse was a force to be reckoned with in Western New York, he had arguably his worst year as a pro in 2023, allowing 28 hurries and 31 pressures, both of which were season highs in his nine-year career.
Jacksonville was in the market for an upgrade at center, but Morse’s recent performance for his previous NFL team suggests this could be a big swing-and-a-miss.
Kansas City Chiefs: Trading L’Jarius Sneed
L’Jarius Sneed was a key piece of Kansas City’s secondary—and bigger picture, its top-notch defense in 2023, providing versatility and playmaking ability. With him gone, Kansas City will be relying on unproven players to step up in a secondary that will need to perform at an elite level to key pace in a competitive AFC.
Las Vegas Raiders: Ignoring Quarterback Purgatory
The Raiders’ decision to roll the dice with their current quarterback situation is baffling.
Obviously, they made the right choice parting ways with Jimmy Garoppolo, but bringing in Gardner Minshew to complement Aidan O’Connell’s is a suspect approach and will likely lead to another season of quarterback instability, which, as we’ve seen in the past, rarely bodes well for the Silver and Black.
Los Angeles Chargers: Replacing Gerald Everett with Will Dissly
Replacing Gerald Everett with Will Dissly will definitely limit the Chargers’ offensive potential. Dissly is a solid blocker, but he doesn’t offer the same versatility or receiving threat that Everett brought to the table.
This move might end up being a step back for an offense that’s looking to stay explosive under its new head coach, Jim Harbaugh.
Los Angeles Rams: Signing Darious Williams
At his size and age, it is rather surprising to see how much the Los Angeles Rams invested in Darious Williams to play the opposite of Tre’Davious White. Three years for $22.5 million is quite a sum!
Especially considering Williams’s schematic fit… or lack thereof!
Miami Dolphins: Signing Jordyn Brooks
Jordyn Brooks is a solid run defender, but in today’s pass-happy NFL, you need linebackers who can do it all—especially in coverage.
Unfortunately, Brooks has been exposed repeatedly when asked to cover, giving up over 1,000 yards in coverage just a couple of seasons ago. With NFL teams like the Jets, Bills, and Chiefs in the AFC, who should have elite passing games, Brooks could become a glaring liability.
Minnesota Vikings: Letting Kirk Cousins Walk
Cousins may not have been flashy, but he’s been remarkably consistent, providing the Vikings with solid quarterback play year in and year out—and bringing them to the brink of serious Super Bowl contention.
Without him, Minnesota is venturing into the unknown—actually… It is worse than the unknown… It is Sam Darnold, who has a roster that was extremely competitive last year.
That should mix like oil and water.
New England Patriots: Drafting Drake Maye
Drake Maye has the physical tools and upside to become a franchise quarterback, but, frankly, so do a lot of signal callers.
The big concern is that he’s also raw and could require significant development—and the Patriots have an abysmal offense—that isn’t exactly conducive to growth.
New Orleans Saints: Signing Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Cedrick Wilson is a capable player, but he doesn’t bring anything particularly new or game-changing to the table. With $5.75 million committed to him over the next two years, it isn’t a huge risk, but the Saints could have better allocated that cap space.
New York Giants: Failing to Resign Saquon Barkley
Barkley has been the engine of the Giants’ offense since they drafted him and his ability to create explosive plays is something that can’t be easily replaced.
Without him, the Giants are betting on a committee approach, which isn’t likely going to result in the same 50-yard tears that Barkley was known for.
New York Jets: Trading for Haasan Reddick
Well, this one backfired in a fashion that can only be described as pure Jets…
The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end was acquired from the Eagles in April, and a trade was formally requested halfway through August in the midst of a contentious holdout.
Even if New York does manage to retain Reddick, it’s not exactly how you wanted to kick off the season if you are the Jets!
Philadelphia Eagles: Retaining Nick Sirianni
The Eagles chose continuity with the decision to keep Nick Sirianni in the City of Brotherly Love, but there’s reason to wonder if that was the right call.
Despite his early success, there have been rumblings about disconnects within this NFL team, particularly between Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. In a city like Philadelphia, where the margin for error with fans and the media is razor-thin, any signs of internal strife could lead to a season unraveling quickly.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Trading Diontae Johnson
Sure, the Steelers received cornerback Donte Jackson and a pick swap in the trade, which helps bolster their secondary, but losing Johnson could leave a significant void. The Steelers’ passing game was already in flux and might suffer even more without Johnson’s route-running precision and ability to make tough catches in critical moments.
San Francisco 49ers: Drafting WR Ricky Pearsall
This was a head-scratcher for many… Pearsall has some interesting attributes, but it felt like there were better overall talents still on the board—both at wide receiver—and on the defensive side of the ball, which many would argue was a bigger need for the Niners.
Seattle Seahawks: Releasing Quandre Diggs
The Seahawks made a tough decision to release Quandre Diggs for cap purposes, and it’s one that will have ripple effects throughout their secondary.
Diggs has been a steady, reliable presence in Seattle’s defensive backfield, and his ability to play multiple roles will be sorely missed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Over-Investing in Baker Mayfield
The Bucs are betting big that Mayfield can be the guy—and as much as I’d like to see him succeed, well, it feels like we’ve seen this story before. He’s had more highs and lows than most could stomach—and it will be interesting to see how long Tampa Bay can stay patient on that rollercoaster.
Tennessee Titans: Firing Mike Vrabel
I don’t know what the Titans were doing with this one… Vrabel was the heart and soul of Tennessee’s tough, physical identity, and his leadership was a big reason for this NFL team’s recent turnaround. Replacing him is no small task, and there is a high risk that the new regime will falter early and often be in his shadow.
Washington Commanders: Hiring Dan Quinn as Head Coach
Quinn has had success as a defensive coordinator before, but his track record as a head coach is far less impressive.
He is inheriting a Commanders roster that still has plenty of holes and a fanbase desperate for a turnaround, which will result in immense pressure to deliver results quickly. If Washington stumbles out of the gate or fails to show significant improvement, Quinn’s hiring could quickly come under fire.
Also Read: 10 BEST Free Agents In The NFL You Forgot Are Still Available To Sign With Teams
