With the vast majority of major offseason moves in the books, I'm taking a look at the voids left by player movement since the door to free agency swung open in mid-March. Here are some of the player departures that will have the biggest impact on their former teams during the 2025 NFL season.
FORMER TEAM: PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Wilson and Fields left Pittsburgh for New York this offseason. Meanwhile, it’s still not clear if Aaron Rodgers will play for the Steelers in 2025. Mason Rudolph is their QB1 as it stands right now, with sixth-round pick Will Howard as the backup, and if Rodgers doesn’t hop on board at some point, the team’s ceiling will be limited with only the front office to blame for putting the club in such a precarious position under center. Sure, neither Wilson nor Fields propelled the Steelers toward their ultimate goal in 2024, but their departures have left Pittsburgh with uncertainty at quarterback.
FORMER TEAM: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs’ offensive line was the weak point that ultimately led to their downfall in Super Bowl LIX, but they might not have even reached that point had Thuney not kicked out to left tackle late in the season to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside. Thuney’s departure seemed inevitable because of cap constraints, and while Kansas City addressed the left tackle spot by signing Jaylon Moore and drafting Josh Simmons, the O-line remains a big question mark, especially with Mike Caliendo -- the 114th-ranked guard out of 136 last season, per Pro Football Focus -- competing with Kingsley Suamataia -- the 136rd-ranked tackle out of 140 in 2024, per PFF -- at left guard. We’ll learn in 2025 just how valuable Thuney was to the Chiefs’ offense.
FORMER TEAM: LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
I know Bosa was limited to 28 games over the past three seasons due to injuries. Still, removing one half of the Chargers’ fearsome edge-rushing duo takes some of the bite out of the defense. Khalil Mack remains, but the team also lost veteran Morgan Fox. Replacing that production will fall largely on the shoulders of Tuli Tuipulotu, a third-year player who has yet to start more than 11 games in a season. If the Chargers can extract some legitimate production from rookies Kyle Kennard (edge rusher) and Jamaree Caldwell (defensive lineman), that should lessen the blow.
FORMER TEAM: DALLAS COWBOYS
Amid a disappointing 2024 campaign for the Cowboys, Dowdle emerged as a legitimate weapon, averaging 4.6 yards per carry on his way to a 1,000-yard season. Instead of retaining Dowdle, who will turn 27 years old in June, Dallas let him walk to the Panthers. The Cowboys are set to replace him with a combination of former Bronco Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders (who faded over the last two seasons in Carolina) and fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue, which doesn’t exactly move the needle for a team needing consistent production from its backfield.
As for Martin, any time a team loses a future Hall of Famer to retirement, they know it will be very difficult to replace him. Martin was a model of consistency and toughness. Players like him don’t grow on trees. Dallas deserves credit for attempting to replace Martin with vicious Alabama blocker Tyler Booker, taking a first-round swing to address a glaring need. Still, replacing a legend is no small task.
FORMER TEAM: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Gardner-Johnson has not played for the same team in consecutive years since 2020-2021, when he was on his rookie deal with the Saints, but he helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl last season in his second stint with the team. Fresh off a championship, Philadelphia traded him to the Texans with budgetary concerns in mind. Moves like that one can help the Eagles remain competitive, but such deals only work if the replacements produce. Enter Texas product Andrew Mukuba -- a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft -- who might be asked to step in and fill the void right away. It will be no easy task, even on a talented defense. Meanwhile, Gardner-Johnson will aim to follow up a career-best season with a stellar campaign as a member of the Texans, where he’s joining one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
FORMER TEAM: WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Fowler was a tremendous value last season, racking up a team-high 10.5 sacks for Dan Quinn’s defense while playing on a one-year deal for less than $5 million. Fowler was due for a raise and received one from the Cowboys this offseason, while Washington is hoping Dorance Armstrong can step up in his second year with the team after signing a three-year, $33 million deal last offseason. If Armstrong can produce like Fowler did, the change won’t matter much, but Armstrong has never cracked double-digit sacks in his seven-year career.
FORMER TEAM: DETROIT LIONS
The Lions felt the impact of Davis’ absence when they lost him to a broken jaw late in the 2024 season, an injury that preceded their upset loss to Washington in the Divisional Round. Davis is now in New England, where he cashed in on a three-year, $60 million deal after feeling like he settled for less when he re-signed with the Buccaneers in 2022. Detroit is replacing him with one of my favorite corners, former Jet D.J. Reed. I’m not as concerned about a talent dropoff at the position as I am about the quality of the Lions’ depth. They did add former Eagle Avonte Maddox as a backup, which could prove to be crucial down the stretch.
FORMER TEAM: MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Darnold put together a career year with the Vikings, leading them to a memorable 14-3 campaign that ended in postseason disappointment. This offseason he signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with Seattle, where, ideally, he’ll replace Geno Smith and serve as a good fit in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s system. Minnesota was content to hand the keys to the offense to 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy, who has seen NFL snaps in only one preseason game. It’s a huge risk to take, but if they’re going to capitalize on a first-round investment, the Vikings have to throw McCarthy into the fire before long. They’re doing so in 2025, placing the fate of their upcoming season on the shoulders of a quarterback who is essentially a rookie in terms of playing experience. The pressure is on.
FORMER TEAM: ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta lost last season’s fourth-best center (per PFF), with Dalman leaving for the Bears in free agency. Signs point to the Falcons replacing him with Ryan Neuzil, who spent half of last season filling in for the injured Dalman but didn’t perform at the same level. With Michael Penix Jr. entering his first full season as the team’s starting quarterback, having a reliable center becomes even more important. Neuzil will need to improve to flirt with Dalman’s consistency, and playing center comes with important responsibilities. Like others on this list, the pressure -- and the spotlight -- will be on Neuzil early. He has yet to sign his restricted free agent tender, but it sounds like it’s just a matter of time before he puts pen to paper.
FORMER TEAM: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
With Carr announcing his retirement earlier this month, New Orleans appears set to hand the starting job to one of their young quarterbacks heading into the 2025 season. Second-round pick Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are currently the top competitors for the role. Carr’s retirement immediately lowered the ceiling for the Saints and increased the level of difficulty for first-year head coach Kellen Moore, who has a puzzle to solve under center.
FORMER TEAM: MIAMI DOLPHINS
It's never easy to replace a five-time Pro Bowl left tackle, but that's the world the Dolphins are living in right now following Armstead’s retirement. He was the third-best tackle in the NFL last season, per PFF. Patrick Paul, a second-round pick in 2024, is expected to step in for Armstead, adding some uncertainty to a team that is already floating in uneasy waters after a disappointing 2024 season. With multiple offensive linemen, including Armstead, suffering injuries last year, Paul played 30 percent of the offensive snaps as a rookie, so he's not entirely green. In fact, after Armstead retired, Dolphins GM Chris Grier confidently said that Miami already had its new starting left tackle on the roster in Paul. In a perfect world, the team would acquire a proven left tackle to replace Armstead, but there isn't a surplus of such options. It will be up to the second-year blocker to command the job in what could be a pivotal season for the future of the Dolphins.
