16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest offseason addition: OL Graham Barton
Biggest offseason loss: Offensive coordinator Dave Canales
The 2024 offseason was about continuity for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and rightfully so. In the first year of the post-Tom Brady era, the Buccaneers won the NFC South and wound up beating the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs. Baker Mayfield experienced a career resurgence and was rewarded with a $100 million contract from the Bucs.
The only asterisk next to what has otherwise been a tremendous offseason for the Buccaneers is the loss of offensive coordinator Dave Canales. Canales obviously played a huge role in Mayfield’s return to prominence just as he did previously with Geno Smith and the Seahawks. The Bucs tried to keep some form of continuity for Mayfield by bringing in Liam Coen, who worked with Mayfield in Los Angeles for a brief time, but we’re in a wait-and-see mode with this team.
I still think this is one of the best rosters in the league top to bottom.
15. Cleveland Browns
Biggest offseason addition: WR Jerry Jeudy
Biggest offseason loss: QB Joe Flacco
The Cleveland Browns have a loaded roster on both sides of the ball. They have enviable depth on the defensive front and one of the best overall defensive units in the league.
The one thing I can’t get past with this Browns team is Deshaun Watson. If Watson was even a top-16 quarterback in the league right now, I would probably put this Browns team no lower than 8th overall. The problem is, Watson hasn’t been that good of a quarterback since 2020. Even when he played in 2020, the Texans were terrible.
Watson has appeared in 12 games since 2020. He’s going to be the reason this Browns team either contends or is a massive disappointment. We saw Joe Flacco lead this team to the playoffs down the stretch last season but the Browns need a return on the Watson investment STAT.