The NFL offseason is often a monument to unbridled optimism: every new coach the perfect fit, each free-agent signing a masterstroke, all draft picks gems. But it is also a time of coast-to-coast hand-wringing, with the lack of games giving even the most hopeful fans too much time to ruminate on everything that has gone (or could still go) wrong. The negative narrative feeds sports media and summertime nightmares, and it also sets up very useful talking points for coaches looking to use disrespect as a cudgel to propel their teams forward.
When the father of the former first overall pick is quoted saying the franchise that eventually drafted his son is a veritable quarterback graveyard, well, that is a Class A negative narrative. But it's far from the only one circulating. And with nearly two months still to go before training camps open, there's plenty of time for the pessimism to overwhelm the hope, until excitement over the first practice reminds us that some bad storylines will, in fact, be disproven once and for all. Here are the top narratives teams are hoping to halt in 2025.
1) Is Chicago really where quarterbacks go to die? Thanks in part to Carl Williams, this is currently the most pervasive narrative in the NFL -- and historically speaking, Williams wasn't wrong (SEE: almost everybody this side of Sid Luckman). But the Bears have done just about everything possible this offseason to make sure this chatter dies a spectacular death at Soldier Field. New head man Ben Johnson already said he embraces the chance to change the tune for the Bears and Caleb Williams, who showed flashes of promise between taking 68 sacks and enduring a midseason coaching upheaval as a rookie. This offseason, Chicago overhauled its coaching staff and the offensive line, added weapons from the draft like tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III, and generally put Williams at the center of the Bears' universe, where he has belonged all along. Johnson took Jared Goff to another level in Detroit. If the first-time head coach can get Williams to perform the way he was expected to when he left USC, Johnson will have slain one of the NFL's most persistent storylines.
2) Are the Dolphins all flash with no toughness? Let's set aside for a moment whether Mike McDaniel's squad can win in the cold. This is about being able to physically overpower opponents when needed. Too often last season, it looked like Miami could not. In one game against the Packers, the Dolphins twice had first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. They got just three points from those two drives. The first was blown up when running back De’Von Achane tried to run around the right end and was thrown for a 6-yard loss on first down. The second drive included three straight plays from the 1-yard line. On fourth-and-1, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was sacked. Miami lost the game by 13 points. The Dolphins ranked 21st in rushing while Achane averaged just 4.5 yards per rush last season, a drop of more than 3 yards from his mark in 2023. The team's intention to get bigger and tougher was plain in the draft. The Dolphins' top three picks -- two defensive tackles and a guard -- weigh nearly 1,000 pounds combined. Sixth-round running back Ollie Gordon II is a bulldozer who can run between the tackles, a different style for a team that has previously tilted smaller and speedier. Their dazzling speed has been a thrill to watch when everything's firing on all cylinders, but these picks suggest leadership recognized that a philosophical adjustment was needed if the Dolphins are finally going to compete with the most physical teams in the league and perhaps make headway in the playoffs.
3) Do the Bengals have a defense? It is maddening to watch a team have the NFL's sack leader (Trey Hendrickson), a triple-crown winning wide receiver (Ja’Marr Chase) and one of the best quarterbacks alive (Joe Burrow) and still miss the playoffs because of the defense. And while the Bengals poured resources into keeping the offense intact by giving new contracts to Chase, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki, they have not overhauled the D. New coordinator Al Golden has to hope Hendrickson's contract drama gets resolved soon -- yes, the defense was still bad with him, but it's frightening to think where the unit would be without him -- and he also has to get the most out of rookie first-round defensive end Shemar Stewart, who's currently going through a contract dispute of his own. That's an awful lot of pressure on Golden and Stewart to provide enough improvement for a defense that otherwise saw mostly tweaks. The good news is that just a little uptick from where the unit was last season ought to be enough to allow Burrow and Co. to do the rest.
4) Is the AFC West still a one-team race? The Chiefs won their ninth straight division title last season -- taking the 2024 crown by four games -- but the Broncos and Chargers both made the playoffs and both were far ahead of schedule in their respective rebuilds, so this narrative is already wilting. Can those two teams bury it once and for all? Jim Harbaugh is in Year 2 with the Chargers (he took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his second year in San Francisco), and he just loaded up on running backs, signing Najee Harris and drafting Omarion Hampton, leaning into how he wants to play. Los Angeles also drafted receiver Tre Harris, addressing a major offensive need. The Broncos added key pieces on offense (running back RJ Harvey, tight end Evan Engram) and defense (linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga, defensive back Jahdae Barron), and quarterback Bo Nix is coming off an impressive rookie season. Both teams already have good defenses and very smart, proven coaching. This is as much competition as the Chiefs have faced since their reign began.
5) Are Mike Tomlin and the Steelers not worth fearing in the AFC playoffs? Last year's 10-win, wild-card team continued a dispiriting trend: The Steelers haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. George Pickens has been traded, Najee Harris is now a Charger and, as of this writing, there is no clear starting quarterback. But Aaron Rodgers is still expected to eventually become a Steeler. Awaiting the four-time MVP in Pittsburgh: receiver DK Metcalf, running backs Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson and one of the NFL's better defenses. Plus, a coach in Tomlin who has a knack for getting the most out of his teams. Is that enough to end Pittsburgh's playoff slump? There's a long way to go until then, but if the Steelers can indeed hit the postseason once again, Rodgers, even in the twilight of his career, should give them the best quarterbacking they have had since the heyday of Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh's fortunes will go as Rodgers does.
6) Is the Cardinals' offense underachieving? It's hard to argue that in 2024, when Kyler Murray played all 17 games and the Cardinals added rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., finishing 12th in points scored, 18th in passing and 17th in red zone percentage was not a bit underwhelming. Perhaps most disappointing was that Harrison, widely considered to be one of the best receiving prospects to come into the league in years, was not a much bigger factor in the offense. He was targeted 116 times and caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. He was targeted 10 or more times in just three of the 17 games he played. All of that pales in comparison to the production we saw from Giants receiver Malik Nabers, who was drafted sixth overall, two picks after Harrison was selected in 2024. Nabers was dealing with a far less talented quarterback room in New York, yet he was targeted 170 times and caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. He had double-digit targets in 10 of the 15 games he played. The Cardinals have other talent -- Trey McBride is one of the best tight ends in the game (he was the team's leading receiver in 2024, catching 49 more passes than Harrison), while James Conner has rushed for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons -- but two things have to happen for this offense to max out. Murray must stay healthy and reduce turnovers -- he had 11 interceptions and eight fumbles (four lost) last season -- and Cards coaches have to make Harrison an integral part of the plan.
