The 2025 NFL season will be here in the blink of an eye.
Free agency is in the books, the 2025 NFL Draft is complete, most teams’ rookie classes have been signed. That means it’s time for teams around the league to come back together and take the field for voluntary offseason team activity workouts (OTAs). The teams with new head coaches — the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots, the New Orleans and the New York Jets — began their OTA workouts last week.
Now, the NFL’s other 25 teams can suit up and take the field this week to kick off their OTA sessions. Here, we’ll focus on the NFC’s 16 teams and one thing for each of those teams to keep an eye on as they evaluate their squads ahead of training camp. Some teams have clearly obvious situations to monitor like the Minnesota Vikings and 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy taking the keys to the sports car that is their offensive ecosystem. Others, like the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles, have smaller things to focus on like how their youth in their secondary will jell after an exodus of veterans this offseason.
One thing to watch: 2025 second-round cornerback Will Johnson and how he moves
Michigan All-American cornerback Will Johnson was CBS Sports’ top-ranked cornerback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he fell to the Arizona Cardinals in the second round with the 47th overall pick. The reason for that happening was a reported knee issue that could impact his NFL longevity. Johnson also missed seven games in 2024 with the Wolverines thanks to toe and shoulder injuries. A hamstring injury also prevented him from participating in Michigan’s Pro Day in the spring.
If he’s on the field and moving well, Johnson can ball. He surrendered the second-lowest passer rating when targeted (31.0) in college football throughout his three-season career from 2022-24. If Arizona is getting that player and not the injury-prone guy, head coach Jonathan Gannon’s defense could become fierce in a hurry.
One thing to watch: Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and if he can show that there’s no reason for the team to keep Kirk Cousins
The Falcons signing 36-year-old quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million in guarantees and then drafting 2023 Heisman runner-up quarterback Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft was a curious allotment of assets to one position. Yes, quarterback is the most valuable position in football, but it was confusing to see such big commitments made to two players at a position in which only one can be on the field at a time.
Cousins looked every bit like someone in his mid-thirties coming off an Achilles tear as his inability to fully step into throws and lack of mobility led to him co-leading the NFL in interceptions with 16 last season. Penix came in at the end of the year to start Atlanta’s final three games, and he threw for the eighth-most passing yards in the league from Weeks 16-18 (737). He also threw the same amount of touchdowns (three) as interceptions (three).
Last offseason, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was tasked with building an offense that was tailored to mask Cousins’ deficiencies in the mobility department. That’s why the Falcons had the NFL’s lowest play-action pass rate (7.6%) by a wide margin: the Dallas Cowboys were the next lowest team with an 11.1% rate. This offseason, Robinson can reinvolve the play-action pass in all forms, which should further showcase fellow first-round picks at running back (Bijan Robinson), wide receiver (Drake London) and tight end (Kyle Pitts).
If Penix can come out looking polished and smooth early in OTAs, perhaps Atlanta becomes more willing to deal Cousins to a quarterback-starved team. Should their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers fall through, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be making a call to Atlanta about Cousins’ availability.
One thing to watch: How well is quarterback Bryce Young connecting with eighth overall pick wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan
Young, the 2023 NFL Draft’s first overall pick, appeared to turn a corner in 2024. He returned from his midseason benching last season with improved ball security, producing 20 total touchdowns to just eight turnovers in his final 10 games of 2024, four of which were wins. That’s a positive juxtaposition from his first 18 games when he produced 12 touchdowns to 19 turnovers and only two wins.
Naturally, the Panthers sought to empower their quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft with the selection of the draft’s top pure wide receiver prospect in Arizona All-American Tetairoa McMillan. He led the nation in both receiving yards (3,423, an Arizona program record) and catches of 20 or more air yards (35) during his three-year Wildcats career.
|
Receptions |
213 |
5th |
|
Receptions of 20+ air yards |
35 |
1st |
|
Receiving yards |
3,423* |
1st |
|
Receiving TD |
26 |
T-3rd |
* Arizona program record
Watching Young’s and McMillan’s chemistry develop is a key storyline to follow because how quickly they can jell could make or break the Panthers’ 2025 season.
One thing to watch: Quarterback Caleb Williams in his first offseason under new head coach Ben Johnson
Williams’ rookie season was mostly a wasted year of development. Sure getting plenty of NFL reps helped Williams mature as a player, but he also struggled mightily as well. He was the league’s most sacked quarterback after absorbing 68 of them last season, which is tied for the third-most taken in a single-season ever. Some of that was on the offensive line, but much of the blame is Williams’ too: his average time to throw of 3.13 seconds was the fourth-longest in the entire NFL in 2024.
New Bears head coach Ben Johnson comes down to Chicago after his Detroit Lions offense from 2022-2024 led the league in scoring offense (29.0 points per game since 2022). Seeing if he can coax Williams into getting the ball out faster, taking his checkdown when it’s available and throwing the ball away, aka playing the position smarter, will certainly be something to keep an eye on.
One thing to watch: How will Dallas’ secondary look?
Quarterback Dak Prescott was the 2023 NFL MVP runner up the last time he was fully healthy, and he looked strong at the start of Cowboys OTAs last week. However, plenty of uncertainty remains at the cornerback position.
Longtime, steady and versatile veteran Joudan Lewis is a Jacksonville Jaguar after inking a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million guaranteed in free agency this offseason. All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs’ availability is up in the air after he underwent a second significant knee surgery in as many years: ACL repair for a Week 3 practice injury in 2023 and a procedure for a chondral tissue graft in January that will help replace damaged cartilage joints in his knee. The Cowboys’ expectation for Diggs is that he will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list.
Cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., Dallas’ third-round pick out of East Carolina, will most likely also start training camp on the PUP list after tearing his ACL in practice last fall. He was viewed as a potential first-round talent, if not for that injury. Caelen Carson, a 2024 fifth-round pick, returns after a shoulder injury limited his up-and-down rookie year to six games. New Cowboys cornerback Kaiir Elam, a 2022 first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills who came over to Dallas in a trade this offseason, has impressed early.
How the Cowboys’ cornerback rotation shakes out outside of 2023 first-team All-Pro DaRon Bland will be something to monitor.
One thing to watch: The offense’s cohesion under new offensive coordinator John Morton
Ben Johnson is now the coach of the Chicago Bears, and Lions coach Dan Campbell opted to replace the departed offensive coordinator internally. He promoted John Morton, Johnson’s passing game coordinator, to the OC role this offseason. Morton has only been an NFL OC for one season, and it was in Sam Darnold’s rookie year with the New York Jets in 2018. New York produced the league’s 23rd-ranked scoring offense (20.8 points per game), and then-head coach Todd Bowles’ entire staff was fired after a 4-12 campaign in 2018.
Yes, Morton has been with the Lions during Johnson’s entire tenure since 2022, but it will be interesting to see if Detroit’s offensive approach and method of attack will be maintained or tweaked under new management.
One thing to watch: The battle for play time at the wide receiver position
The Packers have, by design, maintained a young and deep wide receiver room for quarterback Jordan Love since he took over for the departed Aaron Rodgers in 2023. That room got even more crowded this offseason after general manager Brian Gutekunst drafted Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round (23rd overall) and TCU wide receiver Savion Williams in the third round (87th overall). Golden’s 4.29 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine was the fastest of any receiver in the 2025 draft class, and he co-led the SEC in receiving touchdowns (nine in 2024).
Williams is an athletic Swiss Army knife: he measured in at 6-4, 222 pounds, ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at the combine and lined up at wide receiver, running back and Wildcat quarterback for the Horned Frogs in 2024. Watching how head coach Matt LaFleur opts to dole out their snaps alongside mainstays like Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks will be something to keep an eye on.
One thing to watch: How quarterback J.J. McCarthy looks
The Vikings traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to select McCarthy 10th overall, and then he tore his meniscus last preseason. That opened the door for veteran journeyman Sam Darnold to take the reins, and he produced the first Pro Bowl season of his seven-year NFL career.
Minnesota possesses perhaps the best offensive ecosystem in the NFL with Pro Bowlers at running back (Aaron Jones), wide receiver (Justin Jefferson), tight end (T.J. Hockenson), center (Ryan Kelly) and right tackle (Brian O’Neill). That list doesn’t include young first-round talents at wide receiver (Jordan Addison) and guard (Donovan Jackson). Plus, head coach and offensive play caller Kevin O’Connell is the reigning NFL Coach of the Year. How healthy will McCarthy look, especially after being robbed of crucial developmental reps as a rookie because of his injury? The Vikings are all in on McCarthy, so it’s critical he shows he might have what it takes to be a reliable NFL starter.
One thing to watch: The quarterback competition
The Saints were stunned by quarterback Derek Carr’s offseason retirement that was triggered by a lingering shoulder injury. The team went 0-7 in the games Carr missed because of injury last season, and New Orleans has the same quarterback room it had last season with the exception of 2025 second round pick Tyler Shough.
Shough struggled with injuries in college, which is why the 25-year-old started just 32 games in seven collegiate seasons. Given the Saints’ perpetual state of salary cap purgatory, the only notable offensive additions New Orleans has made this offseason is signing the soon-to-be 32-year-old Brandin Cooks and drafting Texas All-American offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. ninth overall. Will Shough provide hope in a hopeless place, or will the Saints need to hop on the quarterback carousel again in 2025?
One thing to watch: The quarterback snaps distribution between Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart
The Giants have made it clear that veteran Russell Wilson will enter the 2025 season as the starting quarterback. However, is Wilson vulnerable to falling prey to losing his starting job to a rookie in the same way he took then-Seattle Seahawks free agent signee Matt Flynn’s job back in 2012? Jaxson Dart will likely start the year on the bench, but could college football’s yards per pass attempt leader (10.8) in 2024 make Wilson sweat in OTAs and training camp? Now is the time to monitor the first-team offense snaps at the quarterback position in New York.
One thing to watch: The young secondary
Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is now a Houston Texan, and six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay is now a Pittsburgh Steeler. That means the training wheels are now off for second-year cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo and 2025 second-round pick safety Andrew Mukuba out of Texas.
Their adjustment to starting roles in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme will be something to monitor throughout the offseason.
One thing to watch: Running back Christian McCaffrey’s OTA participation
In 2023, three-time Pro Bowl running back McCaffrey was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year, and the 49ers reached overtime of the Super Bowl before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2024, McCaffrey played four games while dealing with bilateral Achilles tendonitis and a PCL injury in his knee, and the 49ers went 6-11. Those 11 losses were tied for the second by a team in the season after a Super Bowl loss ever.
How much the soon-to-be 29-year-old running back participates in OTAs and how he looks will be something to watch because San Francisco’s 2025 hopes may rest on his banged up body.
One thing to watch: New quarterback Sam Darnold outside the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive oasis
Darnold was in the perfect situation with the Vikings. Now, he’s on a Seahawks team that had massive offensive line issues in 2024. Seattle allowed a 39.4% quarterback pressure rate in 2024, the third-highest in the league last season. Darnold melts when pressured: he was pressured 49 times combined in Week 18 at the Detroit Lions and in a wild card round loss at the Los Angeles Rams, and the Vikings were blown out twice as a result.
Yes, Darnold can’t get hit in practice, but it will be interesting to see how he acclimates to becoming the Seahawks quarterback with rookie 18th overall pick Grey Zabel at one guard spot next to two other youngsters at center (third-year lineman Olusegun Oluwatimi) and at the other guard spot (second-year lineman Christian Hayes). It’s possible to track quarterback pressures and sacks in non-contact drills.
One thing to watch: Quarterback Baker Mayfield under another new offensive coordinator
Mayfield has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons with the Buccaneers in both 2023 and 2024. Both of those seasons have been under different offensive coordinators in 2023 (now-Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales) and in 2024 (now-Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen).
Now, Mayfield is set to enter his eighth NFL season while playing for his eighth different NFL offensive coordinator in Josh Grizzard, who was Coen’s passing game coordinator last season. Grizzard has never been a coordinator at either the college or NFL level until now, so seeing if Mayfield can maintain his high-level rhythm and play with him calling the plays will be something to note this offseason.
One thing to watch: Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s usage of new wide receiver Deebo Samuel and how he looks
Samuel’s value has taken a hit. Washington was able to acquire him for a fifth-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in a salary dump this offseason following a 2024 campaign in which he averaged a career-low 53.7 yards from scrimmage per game. He’s still on a contender, joining the 2024 NFC runner up and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels.
How he looks in Kingsbury’s attack will be intriguing to watch. There was a prevailing sentiment that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was uniquely positioned to maximize Samuel’s unique talents for many years. He is the only player in the Super Bowl era with at least 4,500 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his first six seasons in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). Samuel also leads all wide receivers in yards after catch (3,084) and yards after catch per reception (9.2) since entering the league in 2019.
Will Kingsbury utilize him traditionally, or in a more dual threat capacity with Samuel now 29-years-old and entering his seventh NFL season? OTAs could be the first chance to observe such details.