One roster move each NFC team should make during the 2026 NFL offseason

• Trade Kyler Murray.

From the moment Murray signed his new deal, it seemed like a marriage doomed to fail. While new head coach Mike LaFleur will have a significant say in the QB’s future in Arizona, now is the time to move on. Between injuries and inconsistent play, Murray has struggled to get the Cards over the hump. The offense’s jump in production once Jacoby Brissett took over last season was telling. Given the uninspiring free-agent market, questions about the depth of the incoming rookie class, and the need around the NFL for signal-callers, there should be a trade market for Murray. If Geno Smith earned a third-round pick, Murray could bring back at least that much to the rebuilding Cardinals. Trading him early in the offseason would trigger only a $17.9 million dead-money hit -- a pittance compared to what some clubs have paid to get out from under a QB contract.  

• Fill the tight end need.

Kevin Stefanski has always valued tight ends in his offense. With Kyle Pitts headed toward free agency (along with Teagan Quitoriano and Feleipe Franks), the Falcons must restock the crew to run the type of offense Stefanski prefers. Pitts’ free-agent foray will be interesting after an up-and-down career. Will he get paid as an athletic pass-catching target with skyrocketing potential? Or will suitors view the end of his rookie contract as more of a mirage than a show of future production? Given Pitts' sub-par blocking skills, even if the Falcons retain the former No. 4 overall pick, Stefanski and OC Tommy Rees could use a more traditional dual-threat tight end to help fill out the room. Free agent David Njoku is a name that will likely be connected to Atlanta, given his familiarity with the offense.

• Find some pass-rush aid.

The Panthers ranked tied for 28th with 30 sacks in 2025 while generating a league-low 148 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats. Rookie Nic Scourton had a nice first season, leading the club with 31 pressures and five sacks (tied with DT Derrick Brown). The Panthers need additional pocket-collapsers in 2026. General manager Dan Morgan has gone on the record multiple times in stating that he wants to upgrade the pass rush. We know he was in on Milton Williams last offseason before the DT picked New England. Morgan should fish in the free-agent pool and a deep edge draft class to overhaul the crew.

• Bolster the interior D-line.

With their top safeties hitting free agency, that’s a position Ryan Poles will also deal with, but bulking up the interior of the D-line is a must this year after the Bears got pushed around for stretches in 2025. Chicago allowed 134.5 rush yards per game and a 44% success rate on carries, both in the bottom 10. Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings (a free agent) all struggled to plug gaps. Getting Shemar Turner (torn ACL) back will help, but adding beef inside is necessary for the defense to improve in 2026.

• Add a bona fide pass rusher.

The Cowboys' defense has needs everywhere, but a true one-on-one winner who can disrupt off the edge is No. 1 in my book. Dallas might point to the aggregate last season, noting it generated 219 pressures -- tied for 12th-most in the NFL, per NGS -- but the lack of a singular difference-maker who forced offenses to scheme against him was glaring. Jadeveon Clowney led Dallas with 38 QB pressures. No other edge defender had more than 28. Clowney’s 18.4% pressure rate was stellar, but he also disappeared at times. Oh, and he’s a free agent. With significant draft capital, the Cowboys must add a playmaker in the ilk of Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence or DeMarcus Ware to take strides forward in 2026.

• Improve the offensive line.

I won’t argue if you want to put "Find another edge rusher" in this spot. For me, however, the offensive line sits as the biggest concern -- at least if the Lions aim to get back to their smashing offense that fell silent in big spots in 2025. Swing tackle Dan Skipper already retired. Left tackle Taylor Decker could be on the way out. Youngsters drafted by Brad Holmes have yet to pat out, including 2024 fourth-rounder Giovanni Manu. Graham Glasgow struggled at center following Frank Ragnow’s retirement. We’ll see if Tate Ratledge moves to the pivot in Year 2, following the Ragnow path. Regardless, adding a veteran lineman on the interior and at tackle is critical for Detroit to get back on track under new coordinator Drew Petzing.

• Prioritize defensive tackle.

The Packers' interior collapsed once Devonte Wyatt suffered a season-ending injury, allowing offenses to gash them up the middle. The issue was further highlighted when Micah Parsons went down. Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks were far too inconsistent to be counted on as every-down players. The Packers need to add size inside, even with Wyatt returning. With Jonathan Gannon, who doesn’t blitz much, taking over as the DC, pressure from the interior, where Green Bay struggled, should also be a priority this offseason.

• Address the cornerback position.

The Rams' secondary was exploited down the stretch, including the 346-yard output by Sam Darnold in the NFC Championship Game. Los Angeles dealt with questions at corner for much of the season, with Emmanuel Forbes and Darious Williams taking turns getting picked on. Add in Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon (IR) and Roger McCreary heading toward free agency, and corner is an obvious need in L.A.

• Add a veteran QB.

Despite Kevin O’Connell’s persistent support for J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings can’t head into 2026 without a legit veteran to challenge the third-year pro for the job. The former first-round pick has struggled mightily through two seasons, missing 24 games due to multiple injuries. Even when he was healthy, McCarthy was scattershot, completing just 57.6 percent of his passes, sometimes missing by yards, not inches. Unable to keep Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones from leaving last year, Minnesota must bring in a veteran who can, at the very least, push McCarthy for the job -- if not outright take it. Potentially bringing back Kirk Cousins, who could be released from Atlanta before free agency, makes a lot of sense for both sides. Cousins played well enough down the stretch and his fit in KOC’s system is obvious.

• Add another offensive playmaker.

The Rashid Shaheed trade was logical for the Saints, but it makes adding another weapon for Tyler Shough a necessity this offseason. Chris Olave is a stud and deserves an extension this offseason, but he mostly flew solo missions following the Shaheed trade. Devaughn Vele earned 293 yards in 13 games, second-most of players to finish the season in the Saints WR room. Adding a young running back would help the offense, but for Shough to take the next step, the Saints should acquire another wideout -- one with speed to replace Shaheed, preferably.

• Upgrade the corner spot.

To get the most out of new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s aggressive-style defense, the Giants must get better corner play. With Cordale Flott set to hit free agency, the need in the secondary is magnified. Flott generated a -0.15 EPA per target in 2025, tops on New York’s struggling defense -- the rest of the unit was in the positive. To take advantage of their pass rush, the Giants need corners who can make life more difficult on receivers off the snap.

• Keep Jaelan Phillips in Philly.

GM Howie Roseman has several big decisions to make this offseason as we head to free agency. Keeping Phillips from leaving town is No. 1 in my book. From the moment the pass rusher arrived in Philadelphia, the defense hit another level. In Week 10 onward, Phillips led the Eagles with 34 QB pressures after the unit had struggled to get after the passer consistently while dealing with injuries. Philly would have to replace that production regardless, so keeping a player Roseman knows fits Vic Fangio's scheme should be the priority, particularly given past misses (see: Bryce Huff). If you chose to make finding a long-term replacement for Lane Johnson your top priority, I understand.

• Add depth to the WR room. 

Anyone else fatigued discussing the 49ers' pass-rush needs for the past four months? In this exercise, let’s flip to the other side of the ball, where things are looking rather thin in the wideout room heading into the offseason. Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore are all headed to free agency. Brandon Aiyuk is sayonara. That leaves Ricky Pearsall, who has missed 14 games in two seasons, Demarcus Robinson and little-used Jordan Watkins atop the receiver depth chart. Bringing back one or more of their free agents feels likely, but adding another wideout to the mix is a must after the Aiyuk debacle.

• Extend Kenneth Walker III.

K9 earned his payday, helping spearhead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. After generating 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 regular-season carries, while splitting time with Zach Charbonnet, Walker has mashed in the postseason, showing he can thrive as a lead back. In his final five games, including the playoffs, he’s generated 610 scrimmage yards and five TDs, including three tilts with at least 97 yards rushing. Walker has curtailed some of the negative plays that highlighted his first three campaigns, averaging 4.6 yards per tote in the regular season under Klink Kubiak, who is expected to the be Raiders' next head coach.

• Add a coverage linebacker.

The Bucs' defensive issues up the middle were evident as the linebacking crew struggled. Lavonte David is a free agent and could ride off into the sunset, coming off a down campaign at 36 years old. SirVocea Dennis struggled mightily in coverage, getting picked on repeatedly. The two Bucs starting linebackers combined to allow 106 catches for 1,052 yards in 2025, per Next Gen Stats. Adding a coverage linebacker is critical for Todd Bowles’ defense in 2026.

• Get younger at edge rusher.

An aging Commanders defense must get younger and faster in 2026. An inability to consistently pressure the QB off the edge had a cascading effect on Dan Quinn’s defense. It’s notable that Dorance Armstrong finished tied for second on the team with 5.5 sacks and fourth with 25 QB pressures (per NGS). He played just seven games. The depth simply wasn’t there. Thirty-year-old Jake Martin, an impending free agent, led Washington with 44 QB pressures, and 36-year-old Von Miller had nine sacks. The Commanders must add youth and explosiveness up front.