Whatever happens in the offseason ultimately doesn't matter if your NFL team can go out there and figure out a way to put things together on the field. But all we have to evaluate at this point is what teams have done on paper, and some have been better at moving things around on paper than others.
In fact, some teams have taken a downright embarrassing approach to the offseason in 2025, and a trio of NFL teams, in particular, need to be called out for it.
Whether or not these teams will be badly affected on the field remains to be seen, but if these particular teams struggle in 2025, don't say we didn't tell you so, and you can point back directly to their incompetence in the offseason as a reason why things went bad.
3 NFL teams that have had embarrassing offseasons in 2025
1. New Orleans Saints have been spending with zero direction
The New Orleans Saints have been spending a ton of money with absolutely no direction as of late. Why is this particular team paying Alvin Kamara an extension instead of trading him for assets they could use to build the roster? Why are they going out and spending big money on Justin Reid at safety?
Why are the Saints giving a huge contract extension to Chase Young?
This feels very much like a team that should be in the discovery phase with some young players, and yet they are paying established veterans. It just feels like they're buying first-class tickets aboard the Titanic at this rate.
Not to mention, they completely fumbled the situation with Derek Carr and the quarterback position overall. It felt like the Saints did a last-minute crash course on quarterbacks in the incoming rookie class, convinced themselves of a couple guys, and then settled on the oldest rookie coming in this year.
We'll see how it goes for the Saints in 2025 but I'd guess they're more likely to be sellers at the trade deadline than competitive in the NFC South.
2. Cleveland Browns and the QB situation from your nightmares
If you root for an NFL team, having a quarterback situation like the Cleveland Browns is an absolute nightmare. And yes, you could make the joke that the nightmare is stretching over 25 years long at this point, dating back to the selection of Tim Couch with the #1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Browns fans are nothing if not long-suffering, and this offseason has almost been too on-brand for them.
The Browns brought in Joe Flacco at the age of 40. They brought in former Steelers 1st-round bust Kenny Pickett. One might joke that the Browns actually brought in a couple of Super Bowl champs at the quarterback position.
The situation in the NFL Draft was equally if not more embarrassing for Cleveland. They took Dillon Gabriel in the 3rd round, which is fine, but everyone was wondering at that point why Shedeur Sanders was still on the board. The Browns apparently decided to end whatever blackballing was going on between the NFL and teams not drafting Deion's kid, and they did so in the 5th round.
Sanders might honestly be their best quarterback, but his draft status indicates he'd be lucky to have a job by the end of camp.
At least Myles Garrett will be along for this miserable ride after the Browns paid him a truckload of cash to stick around instead of trading him to the highest bidder.
3. Cincinnati Bengals bungling every situation possible defensively
I was on board with the Bengals paying their offensive weapons whatever they wanted. Great for them. They are keeping the core of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and even Mike Gesicki in tact. That will carry them in 2025.
Well, it will have to. The Bengals' offense will have no choice but to score 40 points a game this year as the team has completely alienated defensive star Trey Hendrickson, one of the only good things going for them on that side of the ball. Hendrickson has been neglected as the Bengals have been handing out big paychecks, and he's proceeding accordingly with his business.
The worst situation in Cincinnati right now, however, might be the situation with first-round defensive end Shemar Stewart, who gave one of the most unhinged locker room interviews you'll ever see from an unsigned 1st-round pick and then proceeded to leave mandatory minicamp entirely. The Bengals are trying to get some exit clauses with the guaranteed money in his contract, and he isn't having it.
The defensive side of the ball for Cincinnati has gotten considerably worse, especially if they don't get Hendrickson back in the fold. As of right now, the Bengals have completely whiffed on addressing the one horrendous area of their team last season: The defense.