The commendable 14-3 record in the regular season for the football team was prematurely ended with the score of 31-9 against the Detroit Lions in the 18th week, and a further 27-9 defeat against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round. Sam Darnold, the team’s quarterback, took a steep downturn after an impressive 35 touchdowns in the team’s first 16 games, failing to score in the games against the Lions and Rams.
The team’s defense had shown substantial improvement in the year 2024, despite most of the secondary lineup preparing to enter free agency. An absence of an internal pass rush compelled coach Brian Flores to innovate and utilize blitzing often, though this strategy left noticeable gaps in the passing game exploited by skillful offensive players and strategists.
The coaching staff is also a subject of ongoing discussions. Several football teams are showing interest in potential interviews with members of the team’s staff. This could potentially bring about ideological shifts in the team’s strategies for the new year of 2025.
However, things aren’t all gloomy. The team is slated to step into the free agency with the sixth-largest availability of cap space. The offseason of 2024 was an extraordinary period for the team adding several impactful free agents, who had crucial roles in the triumphant 14-3 season.
The possibility of replicating such success could potentially provide a robust foundation for further achievements in the year 2025. The timelines for some key activities include: The period of February 18 through March 4 at 4:00 pm EST is reserved for NFL teams to assign franchise or transition tags on players.
February 27 through March 2 are the dates planned for the NFL Combine, with the negotiation period for NFL free agents scheduled for March 10-12. The signing of free agents by teams is allowed beginning from March 12 at 4:00 p.m. EST. The deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets has been set for April 18.
The 2025 NFL Draft is set to take place from April 24 to April 26, while the final call for clubs to exercise the fifth-year options on first-round draft picks from the 2022 NFL Draft has been set for May 1. Players who have received a franchise tag have until July 15 to agree to extensions.
The team’s defensive playbook has seen significant enhancements in the past two seasons. Their strategic leap is reflected in the team ranking 5th in scoring defense in 2024, a massive advancement from a lowly 28th just two seasons prior.
For such a progression, the credit is given to the head coach attracting interest for head coaching positions. With a promising defensive tackle and a younger, more diverse group of cornerbacks in the wings, the defense could achieve greater consistency and effectively counter offenses targeting the center field in the future seasons.
Key players like Sam Darnold a quarterback, Aaron Jones a running back, Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum safeties, along with Shaq Griffin, Stephon Gilmore, and Byron Murphy Jr. as cornerbacks have played important roles in the team. Not to forget the guard Ed Ingram, who has also been pivotal for the team.
The team might contemplate finding a new placement for Ed Ingram, who was the 59th pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Ingram’s playing streak was abruptly halted in the 10th week when Dalton Risner replaced him after the first 41 games of his career. Despite the team acknowledging the need to strengthen the interior offensive line, there remains a possibility of the team considering a trade for Ingram to bolster their draft capital ahead of the forthcoming draft in April.
The team’s key requirements include an improved running back, guard, interior defensive line, cornerback, and safety. With a guaranteed first-round (24th overall) and two potential fifth-round picks, one of which they acquired from the Browns via the Za’Darius Smith trade, the upcoming draft could prove to be a strategic opportunity for the team to fine-tune their lineup.