The 2025 NFL Season is slowly but surely approaching. Let's look at each team's biggest X-factor for this season.
Most teams in the NFL do have reason for optimism in the 2025 season - this league is oozing with parity, and most games are competitive. There is a pretty large 'middle class' in today's NFL, and many of these times can go either way.
We've identified the biggest X-factor for all 32 teams for the 2025 season. Let's dive into those here.
Biggest X-factor for all 32 teams for 2025
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens - Will Lamar Jackson continue to stay healthy?
Lamar Jackson has played in 33 of 34 regular season games over the last two seasons, so he has been able to avoid the injury bug. In 2021 and 2022, he played in 12 games in each season, so that's kind of when the injury concerns started.
Jackson is only set to enter his age-28 season, so he's still young, but can he keep it up and stay on the field for another full year? If not, the Ravens just aren't going to be contending for anything.
Cincinnati Bengals - What kind of defense will the Bengals field?
We all know how good the offense is - it's arguably the best in the NFL, but it's the defense that's the major wild card here. If the Bengals defense is just average, this team is going to win 10 or more games and compete for the AFC title, but if it's at the same level is was back in 2024, their season is already over.
Pittsburgh Steelers - The QB room
I guess I could just say 'Aaron Rodgers' for this one, as the Pittsburgh Steelers QB room is a massive wild card and will make or break their 2025season.
Cleveland Browns - See above
Maybe the most diverse and dysfunctional QB room in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns themselves probably have no idea what to expect from this room in the 2025 NFL Season. Will the rookies see the field? What's the deal with Kenny Pickett? Will Joe Flacco start? So. Many. Questions!
AFC South
Houston Texans - Offensive line additions/subtractions in the offseason
The Houston Texans overhauled their offensive line in the 2025 NFL Offseason. If they made the right moves, this team could vault to contender status.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Liam Coen
Will the offensive whiz be able to lead this team on the right path and finally figure out how to get the most out of Trevor Lawrence? A ton of pressure is on Liam Coen.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Richardson year three leap?
I am not at all buying into the year three hype for Anthony Richardson, but I guess he could take a leap until he doesn't. His performance will be the deciding factor for the Colts 2025 season.
Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward's ceiling as a rookie
The Tennessee Titans won't be any good in 2025, but the ceiling of a rookie Cam Ward can really make their season interesting.
AFC East
New York Jets - Aaron Glenn's ability as an NFL head coach
The New York Jets aren't going to compete for much this year because of their QB situation and because of them having a brand-new coaching staff, but Aaron Glenn's ability, in general, to be an NFL-caliber head coach could be the difference in the New York Jets perhaps winning nine games or four games in the 2025 season.
Miami Dolphins - Tua Tagovailoa's health
This has been the biggest X-factor for the Miami Dolphins nearly every season. Tua Tagovailoa has never ended the season with a losing record; when he's on the field, the Miami Dolphins win, and they also make the playoffs. If their QB can stay on the field for all 17 games, Miami could be a frisky Wild Card team and make things very interesting in the AFC.
Buffalo Bills - Defensive additions
The Buffalo Bills made a ton of defensive additions in the 2025 NFL Offseason to try and get over the hump, as there really wasn't much more to do on offense. It'll only be a matter of time before we see if the additions GM Brandon Beane made were the right ones, but the Bills really didn't have much else on their to-do list.
New England Patriots - Josh McDaniels and the aggressive offensive moves
The New England Patriots brought back Josh McDaniels as its offensive coordinator and also made a ton of moves along the offensive line. These were done to try and get the most out of Drake Maye, obviously. Maye, McDaniels, and the OL are going to be the main focus of the 2025 New England Patriots.
AFC West
Denver Broncos - Offensive additions being enough for Bo Nix?
The Denver Broncos added RJ Harvey, Evan Engram, and Pat Bryant this offseason to bolster the offense, and may have also signed JK Dobbins. He is visiting Denver on Thursday and has not signed at the moment of this being typed. Will these additions be enough for Bo Nix and the offense to take a leap?
Kansas City Chiefs - Rashee Rice's return
Rashee Rice had WR1 all over him before a brutal knee injury, so we'll see if Rice, still young, can get back to his old form, as the Kansas City Chiefs desperately need to find some stability with their playmakers on offense.
Los Angeles Chargers - Justin Herbert
What is the deal with Justin Herbert? He has been a B+ his entire career. Will 2025 be any different? Can he help the Chargers compete for the AFC West title? Will LA go further than the Wild Card Round? A lot of this hinges on Herbert.
Las Vegas Raiders - Geno Smith, Ashton Jeanty, and Pete Carroll
These were the three major additions for the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2025 NFL Offseason. The Raiders are in the best division in the NFL and may have a ceiling of nine wins, but I guess crazier things have happened...
NFC North
Detroit Lions - New offensive and defensive coordinators
The Detroit Lions lost Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson to head coaching jobs this offseason, so the team could be in line to regress. It'll be interesting to see if new coordinators John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard will be the right choices to fill those voids.
Green Bay Packers - Jordan Love; can he play better?
We've seen Jordan Love turn into a franchise QB, but I and many others are wanting more. Can be become an unquestionably elite player? Can he elevate to being one of the best QBs in the NFL? That's the biggest question for the Packers in 2025.
Minnesota Vikings - What kind of QB will JJ McCarthy be?
One thing I will say is that the ceiling of JJ McCarthy, whatever that is, will be reached in Minnesota, as the Vikings simply know what they are doing on offense, but it remains to be seen what kind of QB and how good the youngster can become.
Chicago Bears - Overhauled offensive line and Ben Johnson
These were the main moves for the Chicago Bears this offseason and are going to make or break their season. The OL needed help, and the franchise had to 'get with the times' on the offensive side of the ball.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons - Michael Penix Jr's year two performance
Michael Penix Jr has a ton of viable weapons and a very good offensive line at his disposal - can be make the most of it in a crucial second year in the NFL?
Carolina Panthers - Dave Canales
Dave Canales has worked his magic with both Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, and did seem to squeeze something out of Bryce Young in 2024. Can he help push Young over the edge and turn him into a franchise QB in 2025?
New Orleans Saints - Tyler Shough
I suppose Tyler Shough will be the starting QB of the New Orleans Saints, and many people were debating on just how good of a prospect he was during the 2025 NFL Draft process. He's quite old for a rookie and did play a lot of college football, so he might be the most 'pro ready' rookie, but he also might be maxed out as well.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The entire roster
What is the deal with the Buccaneers? Are they going to become anything more than a good football team? Can they get up into contention in 2025?
NFC East
New York Giants - Does Russell Wilson have any magic left?
The answer is probably no, but I guess we could be wrong. If Wilson can be efficient enough, the New York Giants might be able to scrape together nine wins, but it's not likely. You have to wonder how long it will be before Jaxson Dart perhaps sees the field.
Dallas Cowboys - Going from Mike McCarthy to Brian Schottenheimer
This was a questionable decision at the time - will the Dallas Cowboys regret going from a future Hall of Fame head coach to a brand-new one? Only time will tell.
Philadelphia Eagles - Yet another offensive coordinator change
The Philadelphia Eagles keep losing their offensive coordinators to head coaching jobs, as they had Kellen Moore for just one season. Jalen Hurts isn't a very good quarterback, so the coordinator change could put some bumps in the road for the offense.
Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels' ability to take a sophomore leap
The Washington Commanders went about as far as an NFL team could go in the 2024 NFL Season. Does Jayden Daniels have the ability to make a leap as a sophomore? Can he perhaps vault into MVP contention?
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers - Roster health
The San Francisco 49ers 'down' years in the Kyle Shanahan era all seem to be due to the roster health. Simply put, if the Niners can stay healthy and keep their key players on the field, they'll be among the better teams in the NFL.
Los Angeles Rams - Matthew Stafford, how much time does he have left?
He is slowly creeping up to 40 years old - when will Matthew Stafford meet Father Time? Does he have another couple of years in him?
Seattle Seahawks - What version of Sam Darnold will they get?
Sam Darnold broke out and put the NFL on notice in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, but that was also a nearly-perfect structural situation. The Seattle Seahawks don't have close to what the Vikings had in 2024, so the version of Sam Darnold that the team gets is up in the air.
Arizona Cardinals - Offseason DL additions
The weakest part of their roster was the defensive line, and they seemed to fix that in the 2025 NFL Offseason, but what if the additions just aren't the right ones? What if Dalvin Tomlinson and Josh Sweat don't play well? What if Walter Nolen ends up being a huge bust? These questions need to be answered...