We’re looking at all NFL team’s free agent moves (in and out) and their NFL Draft to see who got better and by how much -- setting the tone for analyzing them for the upcoming season for FF purposes and for betting evaluations on team over/unders, etc.
We had Grok list all the moves and we show them first and then Ross and I (RC) weigh in on what we see with all the roster moves -- how they affect 2025 only. And ultimately we pick a winner.
We’ll do two matchups per day, within each division seeded from the 2024 final standings, for 16 days...then we’ll take the 16 winners and accelerate the matchups after that and advance the best ‘offseason’ moves teams through to the ‘Super Bowl’, declaring a final winner.
Chicago Bears 2025 Free Agency Losses:
OT Larry Borom (Miami Dolphins)
LB Jack Sanborn (Dallas Cowboys)
OL Teven Jenkins (Cleveland Browns)
DE Jacob Martin (Washington Commanders)
LS Patrick Scales (Free Agent)
S Kevin Byard (Free Agent)
WR Velus Jones Jr. (Free Agent)
Chicago Bears 2025 Free Agency Signings/Additions:
WR Olamide Zaccheaus (1 year, $2.5M, $1M guaranteed)
C Drew Dalman (3 years, $42M, $28M guaranteed)
OL Joe Thuney (Acquired via trade, 1 year, $16M, $16M guaranteed)
TE Durham Smythe (1 year, $2M, $0.5M guaranteed)
OL Jonah Jackson (Acquired via trade, contract not disclosed)
DT Dayo Odeyingbo (3 years, $30M, $15M guaranteed)
DT Grady Jarrett (2 years, $20M, $10M guaranteed)
LB Olasunkanmi Ogbongbemiga (2 years, $5M, $2M guaranteed)
CB Josh Blackwell (2 years, $6M, $3M guaranteed)
CB Nick McCloud (1 year, $1.5M, $0.5M guaranteed)
Chicago Bears 2025 Rookie Draft Picks and Undrafted Free Agents:
TE Colston Loveland (1st Round, No. 10)
WR Luther Burden III (2nd Round, No. 39)
OT Ozzy Trapilo (2nd Round, No. 56)
DT Shemar Turner (2nd Round, No. 62)
LB Ruben Hyppolite II (4th Round, No. 132)
CB Zah Frazier (5th Round, No. 169)
G Luke Newman (6th Round, No. 195)
RB Kyle Monangai (7th Round, No. 233)
S Major Burns (UDFA)
LB Power Echols (UDFA)
WR JP Richardson (UDFA)
K Jonathan Kim (UDFA)
WR Jahdae Walker (UDFA)
LS Luke Elkin (UDFA)
DE Xavier Carlton (UDFA)
DL Gio Paez (UDFA, minicamp invite)
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Arizona Cardinals 2025 Free Agency Losses:
DT Roy Lopez (Detroit Lions)
WR Zay Jones (Free Agent)
OLB Dennis Gardeck (Free Agent)
CB Antonio Hamilton Sr. (Free Agent)
LB Kyzir White (Free Agent)
OL Trystan Colon (Free Agent)
K Matt Prater (Free Agent)
Arizona Cardinals 2025 Free Agency Signings/Additions:
QB Jacoby Brissett (2 years, $14M, $7M guaranteed)
WR Zay Jones (1 year, $4.5M, $2M guaranteed)
G Will Brown (2 years, $10M, $5M guaranteed)
DL L.J. Collier (1 year, $3M, $1.5M guaranteed)
DL Justin Jones (3 years, $30M, $15M guaranteed)
DL Dalvin Tomlinson (2 years, $20M, $10M guaranteed)
DL Calais Campbell (1 year, $5M, $2M guaranteed)
DL Josh Sweat (3 years, $36M, $18M guaranteed)
Arizona Cardinals 2025 Rookie Draft Picks and Undrafted Free Agents:
DT Walter Nolen (1st Round, No. 16)
CB Will Johnson (2nd Round, No. 47)
DE Jordan Burch (3rd Round, No. 78)
LB Cody Simon (4th Round, No. 115)
CB Denzel Burke (5th Round, No. 174)
G Hayden Conner (6th Round, No. 211)
S Kitan Crawford (7th Round, No. 225)
OT Josh Fryar (UDFA)
OT Valentin Senn (UDFA)
TE Oscar Cardenas (UDFA)
WR Quincy Skinner Jr. (UDFA)
DL Simeon Barrow Jr. (UDFA)
DB Daryl Porter Jr. (UDFA)
Ross Jacobs’ analysis...
Arizona Cardinals Off-season Grade: B
Arizona lost a few decent players in free agency, but the additions of Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Baron Browning more than make up for that along with several other depth moves.
They clearly had their sights set on improving the front seven and continued to add to it in the draft with Walter Nolen and Jordan Burch. Nolen certainly wasn't my favorite player in this class, but I do see the potential. He's athletic and was very productive in the SEC. That's usually a good formula. It wouldn't surprise me though if Burch ended up the better player. He's a freak athlete at 6'4"/280 with the ability to bend and play any spot up and down the line. They also nabbed Will Johnson in the 2nd round and if he gets a clean bill of health he'll be an absolute steal.
No one addition really stands out as amazing, but all together Arizona has really added some good players to their defense. They are one to keep an eye on in 2025.
Chicago Bears Off-season Grade: A
I could quibble about the age and contracts of some of the free agents they signed/traded for, but there's no arguing the Bears got significantly better this off-season. In the span of a few days they fixed the interior of the offensive line, the most important thing they could have done. Why other teams don't get this aggressive to solve problems I'll never know. Now this doesn't mean Chicago suddenly has a great line, but it's at least respectable.
In the draft they added several more impact players in Loveland, Burden, Trapilo, and Frazier. That's a couple of excellent weapons for Caleb Williams along with a good starting left tackle and a very interesting corner prospect. Heck, Shemar Turner might turn into something at defensive tackle. He's certainly athletic enough. Again I don't love how high they took Loveland, but it's inarguable that he's a good player and adds something to the team.
Winner: Chicago Bears
This is close. The Bears added heavily to their offense with 3 new starters on the offensive line during free agency, a tight end, receiver, and tackle in the draft. The Cardinals mirrored that on the defensive line with 3 new starters in free agency, a defensive tackle, a corner, and an end in the draft. The tiebreaker for me is that 4 of the Cardinals new additions all play defensive tackle. There are only so many snaps to go around. All of the Bears’ new additions can come in and contribute heavily right away.
RC’s analysis...
Arizona offseason comments:
Minor losses in free agency...nothing too impactful lost. But they did add defensive talent in free agency -- they had money, and they spent it. Maybe not spent well, but spent...and some talent brought in. They overpaid for Josh Sweat and Dalvin Tomlinson and Akeem Davis-Gaither and Baron Browning and Justin Jones -- but those guys help 2025, which is what we’re here to judge. Head coaches who were former defensive coordinators...this is what happens...money thrown out the window on pass rushers and others.
And then what did they do in the draft, after spending all their money of defense in free agency? Why...they drafted almost all defense! Of course!! If Walter Nolen flops and Will Johnson can’t ‘get right’ then this current Cardinals regime is in danger of getting on the hot seat by midseason. But if those two prospects hit their potential+ and if Jordan Burch comes through, then Arizona has a top defensive group about to pop in 2025.
About $150M in contracts to ‘name’ defensive players and then used six of 7 draft picks on defense.
Chicago offseason comments:
The Bears killed it in free agency...losing little-to-nothing but then signing and trading for offensive line strength, which is SO key and the thing most every team should be doing, but don’t. 2-3 impact offensive linemen added. That alone makes this a top 1-5 offseason. But they also added Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo at DT...another critical position to bolster. Beautiful job in free agency and trade.
In the draft, they were solid...several useful players, future starters and contributors. The Bears got markedly better this offseason...but if they don’t fix Caleb, it won’t play out as genius as it really is.
RC’s WINNER: Chicago Bears
I agree with Ross -- this is close, both did well (thus they are this far in the tournament) but Arizona did their work clustered up on all defense and D-Line. Whereas Chicago spread out their moves at more variety of positions but focused on THREE most important position (besides elite QB) -- the O-Line.
The way you win in the NFL...after elite QB...is O-Line.
*Officially Moving on in the Tournament* Chicago moves on to the Super Bowl of this series.
