This NFL offseason has already been one of the most wild offseasons in recent memory. Who would have thought John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin would leave their respective organizations in the span of seven days while Philip Rivers was interviewed for the Buffalo Bills head coaching job after starting three games for the Indianapolis Colts as a 44-year-old grandfather? See? It sounds like a fever dream.
Now that the Super Bowl is in the rearview mirror with the Seattle Seahawks dominating the New England Patriots, the real offseason begins. And if the coaching carousel was any indication, we are in for some league-altering surprises in the coming months. Which superstars could leave their teams in free agency, and who could be traded this offseason? What major contracts are coming down the line, and are there some rule changes we could see in the near future?
Below, we will break down 10 crazy 2025 NFL offseason predictions. Let’s start with a massive trade.
1. Buffalo Bills trade for Justin Jefferson
Joe Brady’s name popped up on NFL radars in 2019, when he served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU. The undefeated Tigers had a historical season, which was powered by the play of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. Now, he’s the head coach of the Bills, and this offseason, Buffalo makes an aggressive move to pair its new coach with a friend of his — sending the Minnesota Vikings a package of picks for Jefferson.
“He’s already been doing a phenomenal job behind the scenes,” Jefferson told USA TODAY recently about coach Brady. “He’s a great guy, he’s a great coach. Having him as my offensive coordinator my 2019 year, we had so much fun together just building and working on our craft. I feel like he was mostly the reason why I got picked first round. He’s the reason why my hands got better, why a lot of things occurred during that season, so I’m just proud of him to go from the Saints to LSU and now he’s back in the league and now he’s about to be a head coach…”
Why would Buffalo choose now to take a big swing at receiver? After all, Brandon Beane hasn’t been this aggressive before. Realize that the Bills front office is under just as much pressure as Brady to prove that the firing of Sean McDermott wasn’t a mistake. It’s about winning right now for the Bills, and what they will do is lean into Brady’s vision for the offense. Yes, Brady oversaw the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL this past season, but his background is passing the ball.
Jefferson is coming off his worst NFL season, as he set career lows in receiving yards (1,048) and receiving touchdowns (2). We all know he’s one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His career 90.2 receiving yards per game ranks No. 2 in NFL history, and his 7,432 receiving yards through five seasons were the most in NFL history. Imagine a talent like Jefferson teaming up with a quarterback like Josh Allen.
2. NFL makes major change to defensive pass interference
Famously, a defensive pass interference penalty downfield leads to a first down for the offense at the spot of the foul. For offensive pass interference, its a loss of 10 yards. This year, the NFL will make a shocking change to the rule book, turning pass interference further than 10 yards down the field a 15-yard penalty and a first down, like college football.
No more of these 30-yard pass interference calls that can completely shift the trajectory of a game — such as we saw in overtime of the Bills’ loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round.
The way defensive pass interference is called currently, you have to wonder if officials are less likely to call pass interference on a Hail Mary or a deep shot that included some contact. With this change, a call like that won’t drastically alter the game.
3. Falcons make Bijan Robinson highest-paid RB in NFL history
The Atlanta Falcons’ offseason to-do list is headlined by the quarterback position and what to do with tight end Kyle Pitts. However, don’t forget that running back Bijan Robinson is also eligible for a contract extension. The former No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is coming off a career year in which he rushed for 1,478 yards and seven touchdowns, and caught 79 passes for 820 yards and four touchdowns. Our prediction is that Robinson signs a multi-year extension building off the final year of his rookie deal that’s worth a little over $20 million per year, and makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
This will happen for a couple of reasons. One, there’s a new power structure in place that includes Matt Ryan, Ian Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski. Ryan is on record saying that Robinson is one of the best players in the league, then Stefanski understands how important the ground game is from his days with Nick Chubb. In Stefanski’s first season with the Cleveland Browns in 2020, the Browns averaged 148.4 rushing yards per game, which ranked No. 3 in the NFL. Cleveland went 11-5 and won its first playoff game since 1994 that season.
Another reason the Falcons do this now is because negotiations will go easier if they can beat Jahmyr Gibbs and the Detroit Lions to the punch. Both players have an argument to overtake Saquon Barkley atop the RB AAV board.
Robinson’s 2,298 scrimmage yards in 2025 led the NFL, and set a Falcons franchise record. He surpassed Christian McCaffrey in recording the most scrimmage yards by a player age 23 or younger in NFL history (5,648), and is a dynamic threat whether Robinson is running the ball or catching it. The Falcons understand this, and commit to building around him on offense.
4. Falcons release Kirk Cousins, then sign him again
Here’s a wild prediction. The Falcons are expected to release Kirk Cousins in the near future after restructuring his contract, but you know he believes he’s still a legitimate starter at 37-years-old. Cousins did help Atlanta end the season on a four-game win streak, but is there a team out there that will want to make him QB1?
Cousins will have the opportunity to choose his next landing spot, and his old friend in the Minnesota Vikings will be in consideration. However, Cousins’ best chance to start immediately may be with … the Falcons.
Not only are the Falcons familiar with Cousins, but so is new coach Kevin Stefanski. Michael Penix Jr. is recovering from the third torn ACL of his football career, and it’s unknown if he will be ready for the season opener. The former No. 8 overall pick is 4-8 as a starter, and lost his last four starts in 2025. Cousins on the other hand is 12-10.
Atlanta has to get out of the four-year, $180 million contract it gave Cousins prior to the 2024 season, but in a shocking turn of events, he comes right back on a cheaper deal.
5. The fourth-and-15 onside kick alternative is finally adopted
It’s not a major storyline, but the NFL’s change to the kickoff is working. Maybe you hate it, but 74.5% of kicks were returned this year, up from 32.8%. Now, a change is coming to combat the lack of recovered onside kicks.
The NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent, mentioned earlier this year that owners should consider some potential onside kick alternative this offseason — or as he put it, “Revisit some of those things that may be out of the ordinary.” One of these unordinary options is the fourth-and-15.
NFL owners have discussed this before. A team trailing late in the fourth quarter could attempt a fourth-and-long to retain possession instead of trying an onside kick. Former Broncos general manager John Elway proposed the fourth-and-15 alternative years ago, and the Philadelphia Eagles previously recommended a fourth-and-20 from the 25-yard line. The UFL put this proposal into action, eliminating onside kicks and instead allowing teams to play out a fourth-and-12 from its own 28-yard line to keep possession.
The NFL believes a fourth-and-12 isn’t long enough, so they opt to allow a trailing team to try a fourth-and-15 from their own 25-yard line.
6. George Pickens is traded to the Broncos
The Dallas Cowboys made a great trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers last May, acquiring George Pickens in a deal that included Day 2 and Day 3 picks. In a contract year, he put up career numbers across the board, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. It earned him Second Team All-Pro honors, and his first Pro Bowl appearance. Pickens’ 1,429 receiving yards ranked third in the NFL, and were the fourth-most recorded in a single season in Cowboys franchise history. He’s due for a massive contract this offseason as one of the top free agents available.
Jerry Jones and Co. didn’t learn from the Micah Parsons saga, as we predict another dramatic standoff is in store for Dallas this offseason. Pickens will be hit with the franchise tag, as fans lament the reported lack of communication between the two camps. Pickens requests a trade as the public spectacle intensifies. That’s when the Broncos swoop in and give the Cowboys a second-round pick for the wideout, then sign Pickens to a multi-year extension that pays him an average of $31 million per year. Bo Nix needs upgraded weaponry if the Broncos want to reach that next level. Pickens is that big-play weapon Broncos fans have been praying for.
7. Tennessee makes draft history
There are some talented defensive backs in this incoming class, and two from Knoxville could go pretty high. Our prediction is that cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood are both selected in the top 15 of the 2026 NFL Draft, making the University of Tennessee the first school in the common draft era (since 1967) to have two cornerbacks selected in the top 15. We’ve seen corners and safeties from the same school selected in the top 15, such as Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker in 2017, but never two cornerbacks.
While McCoy and Hood are both Vols, they actually have never played together. McCoy sat out the 2025 season with a torn ACL, but was named First Team All-SEC in 2024 after recording four interceptions and nine passes defensed. He is currently CBS Sports’ No. 9 overall player in this class, and No. 1 cornerback. Hood on the other hand was a Colorado transfer that was named Second Team All-SEC in 2025. He was the only SEC player to record a pick six and return a fumble for a touchdown last year, and the only SEC player to record four tackles for loss and eight passes defensed.
8. Brandon Aiyuk joins the Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are undergoing a change in offensive philosophy in swapping Greg Roman for Mike McDaniel at coordinator. It’s clear that the Chargers need to upgrade the depth on the offensive line, but they could be in the market for a new weapon, too.
Following his release from the San Francisco 49ers, Aiyuk will sign with the Chargers to help Justin Herbert reach that next level. Aiyuk turns 28 in March, and missed all of last season as he recovered from the torn ACL suffered in October 2024. It’s worrisome that the 49ers had to void the remaining guarantees on the four-year, $120 million extension Aiyuk signed in 2024 after he ghosted the franchise, but now, he’s motivated to resurrect his career and show everyone he’s still an elite wideout.
Back in 2023, Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns as the 49ers made it all the way to Super Bowl LVIII. He had seven 100-yard games, and averaged 3.1 yards per route run — the third-best rate in the NFL behind Tyreek Hill and Nico Collins (min. 400 routes). Aiyuk caught 14 of 20 passes thrown both outside the numbers and with 15 or more air yards, which was the best rate (70%) of any player in the last four seasons. In L.A., Aiyuk finds an offense ready to take off.
9. Kliff Kingsbury leaves Rams for Seahawks
After failing to secure a head-coaching gig or offensive coordinator job this offseason, Kliff Kingsbury is set to join the Los Angeles Rams’ coaching staff, per ESPN. Or is he? Klint Kubiak is leaving the Seahawks to become the next head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, which means the offensive coordinator job is open in Seattle. Our bold prediction is that Kingsbury leaves the Rams for their NFC West rival.
Kingsbury spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders before the two sides “mutually agreed to part ways.” In 2024, Washington shocked the NFL world by going 12-5 thanks to a historic rookie season from Jayden Daniels. Kingsbury’s unit ranked No. 7 in total offense, and No. 5 in scoring offense. However, the Commanders took a massive step backwards in 2025, finishing 5-12 and ranked 22nd in both total offense and scoring offense. Now, he will have the opportunity to oversee the offensive side of the ball for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
10. Travis Kelce retires (then unretires)
The 2025 season did not end the way Travis Kelce or the Kansas City Chiefs wanted, but Kelce’s contract is finished, and he will decide to hang up the cleats at 36-years-old.
Kelce has solidified himself as one of the best tight ends in NFL history, and ranks third all-time in receptions (1,080), receiving yards (13,002) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (82) at his position. He’s also a postseason legend, as his 2,078 yards receiving in the playoffs rank second behind Jerry Rice, as do his 20 receiving touchdowns.
Kelce is often compared to Rob Gronkowski when pundits debate the best tight ends of the modern era. He will have another thing in common with Gronk, as Kelce ends up coming out of retirement in August after a visit to the team facility during training camp. He is encouraged by Patrick Mahomes’ recovery, who will be on track to start in the season opener after tearing his ACL in December, and opts to play one more season.
Add Comment