The 2025 offseason continues to impress with quality player trades and free agent signings
Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) takes the field for warms up for a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
As usual, the NFL offseason is quite a busy time of the year. We are just a month removed from the Super Bowl and yet, there is a lot of excitement for the new season to get underway come September. One of the biggest parts of the offseason is the player trades and free-agent movement that shakes up the league each year as teams battle with contract extensions, retirements, and salary cap compliances, along with a lot more.
With the first wave of free agency all but over, it is worth taking a look at some of the key acquisitions for teams and what to expect from the newest members on the roster. While this offseason has been rather quiet at the quarterback position, the wide receivers have made a flurry of moves giving a new dimension to the offense of several teams.
Top Player Moves in the 2025 Offseason
Some of the top offensive players to have landed with different franchises this year are quarterbacks Justin Fields, Geno Smith, and Sam Darnold, wide receivers Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf, Davante Adams, and DeAndre Hopkins as well as offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, and running back Najee Harris.
On the defensive side of the ball, the big-name moves are cornerbacks Darius Slay, and Charvarius Ward, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and linebackers Dre Greenlaw and Joey Bosa.
Justin Fields – Pittsburgh Steelers to New York Jets
Quarterback Justin Fields made the move to the New York Jets after playing the 2024 season with the Steelers. Initially, backup to Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh, Fields got the chance to start the first 6 games of the year as Russell went down due to injury. Grabbing his opportunity, Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 record in 6 games. With a two-year, $40 million contract, Fields has the opportunity to restart his career and prove that he belongs in this league.
Geno Smith – Seattle Seahawks to Las Vegas Raiders
After 6 seasons with the Seahawks, Geno Smith was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders where he will once again link up with his former head coach Pete Carroll. Smith has had winning seasons in each of the last three years but managed to get the Seahawks in the playoffs just once in 2022.
Lack of overall success forced Seattle to rebuild and in doing so they traded away Smith along with wide receiver DK Metcalf while releasing WR2 Tyler Lockett. Wide receiver Jakobi Myers and tight end Brock Bowers will be the two main targets for Smith in Vegas unless we see more roster changes.
Sam Darnold – Minnesota Vikings to Seattle Seahawks
Out went Geno Smith and in came Sam Darnold in Seattle. Darnold had a career resurrection last season with the Vikings thriving under Kevin O’Connell’s system and quality playmakers such as Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison.
The hope for Seattle will be that Darnold can produce on a similar level with Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading the receivers room. Moreover, the Seahawks have also added veteran receiver Cooper Kupp to the roster which should be a big bonus for Darnold.
Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams to Seattle Seahawks
Speaking of Cooper Kupp, the Los Angeles Rams parted ways with their long-time receiver after 8 seasons. Kupp was released due to his production reducing on account of injuries over the past couple of seasons. He now joins another NFC West team where he will play under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald.
While Cupp is no longer the dominant force he once was, he is still a valuable addition providing experience and leadership to the locker room. The Super Bowl LVI MVP is still a threat when healthy, which is what Seattle will bank on once the season gets underway.
Deebo Samuel – San Francisco 49ers to Washington Commanders
The San Francisco 49ers negotiation process with Deebo Samuel from the 2024 offseason all but guaranteed that the wide receiver would be on a different team in 2025. The 49ers traded Samuel to the Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick (147 overall) in the upcoming draft.
Samuel now joins a Commanders’ team that is on the rise led by second-year starter and last season’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. Under Dann Quinn, the Commanders had an incredible year turning around a 4-13 record in 2023 to a 12-5 one and making it to the NFC Championship game.
Samuel will join the likes of wide receiver Terry McLaurin and tight end Zach Ertz in an offensive system that has the ability to flourish with Daniels running point.
DK Metcalf – Seattle Seahawks to Pittsburgh Steelers
Following the Seahawks’ decision to release Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf also requested a trade. Seattle sent him to the Steelers where he will now form a potent wide receiver duo with George Pickens. The main problem in Pittsburgh at the moment is their quarterback position with no real quality on the roster to make use of the talent on hand.
Davante Adams – New York Jets to Los Angeles Rams
The New York Jets’ or rather Aaron Rodgers’ experiment to bring Davante Adams to the Big Apple failed miserably last season and now neither of them is a Jet anymore. Adams has found a new home in Los Angeles with the Rams where he will team up with rising star Puka Nacua imparting valuable knowledge and leadership. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is still playing at a decent level and his partnership with Adams will be one to watch.
DeAndre Hopkins – Kansas City Chiefs to Baltimore Ravens
Last season DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Chiefs where he almost won a ring. As a free agent in 2025, Hopkins decided to sign with the Ravens where he will bolster the receiving room led by Zay Flowers. The Ravens are very close to making a run to the Super Bowl with quality players such as Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Mark Andrews. Hopkins is not the receiver he once was, but if nothing, he will add valuable insights and experience as well as provide a good third-down option.
Najee Harris – Pittsburgh Steelers to Los Angeles Chargers
Running back Najee Harris has signed a one-year deal with the Chargers after 4 seasons in Pittsburgh. Harris will bring consistency to LA as he has eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yards in each of his four seasons with the Steelers. The past couple of years have also seen him average around 4 yards per carry which is a decent number. Harris will slot into the roster as the team’s number-one running back.
Laremy Tunsil – Houston Texans to Washington Commanders
Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil played six seasons with the Houston Texans before they traded him to the Commanders in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick. Tunsil is a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the best at his position, however, the Texans found it difficult to keep him on the roster owing to his high salary. The Commanders have received quite a talent and he should be a great addition to their O-line.
Also Read: 5x Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins Has Joined the Baltimore Ravens!
Darius Slay – Philadelphia Eagles to Pittsburgh Steelers
Fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Eagles, cornerback Darius Slay signed a one-year deal with the Steelers for the 2025 season. Pittsburgh is a dominant defensive unit with quality all around and the addition of Slay will only help to make it better. The secondary now has Slay teaming up with Joey Porter Jr. and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick forming a talented trio.
Charvarius Ward – San Francisco 49ers to Indianapolis Colts
In their bid to possibly pay big money to quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers have cleared their roster with many talented stars, including cornerback Charvarius Ward. The Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs back in 2019 will provide some much-needed experience for the Colts this season.
C.J. Gardner Johnson – Philadelphia Eagles to Houston Texans
Safety C.J. Gardner Johnson thought he was being fooled when he got a call from Eagles’ general manager Howie Roseman informing him of the decision to trade him. However, the 27-year-old has just won a ring and will now provide value to the Houston Texans secondary teaming up with the likes of Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter at the corner positions.
Dre Greenlaw – San Francisco 49ers to Denver Broncos
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw could yet be another casualty of the impending Brock Purdy contract in San Francisco. Greenlaw is one of the top linebackers in the league especially when healthy and the Broncos have added an important piece to their already dominant defense.
Joey Bosa – Los Angeles Chargers to Buffalo Bills
Linebacker Joey Bosa is a major hindrance on defense when he is healthy. The problem with the older Bosa is he has missed several games in the past three seasons limiting his dominance on the field. The Chargers were most probably going to move on from him this season, so this decision doesn’t come as a big surprise.
What may be somewhat of a surprise is the fact that he has landed in Buffalo despite multiple reports linking him to the 49ers to play alongside younger brother Nick. Nevertheless, Bosa has found a team capable of reaching the Super Bowl with reigning MVP Josh Allen leading the offense. The Bills will be hoping that Bosa regains his form and remains healthy as the 29-year-old still has the spark to disrupt games when on song.
Read More: What Can Joey Bosa Offer the Buffalo Bills Sign on the Newly Signed One-Year Prove-It Deal?
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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!
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