The MMQB Debates Which NFL Teams Should Be Panicking After Early Free Agency

It’s never too early to panic about what an NFL team did or didn’t do in March.

Buccaneers fans must be scratching their heads about the team letting wide receiver Mike Evans leave for San Francisco. Cardinals fans might be confused about the team cutting Kyler Murray and then signing Gardner Minshew II. As for another strange decision, the Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa despite having Michael Penix Jr. on the roster.

But most fan bases are likely freaking out about roster holes that weren’t addressed during the first wave of free agency. For example, the Chargers still have a few concerns on their offensive line, a unit that has failed Justin Herbert in recent seasons.

Our MMQB staff lists the teams that should really be panicking about their decisions this free agency.

Which team should be panicking after free agency?

Matt Verderame: The Ravens have real problems. Yes, adding Trey Hendrickson will help alleviate some of the panic, and they’re a good team, but this is a very top-heavy group that’s aging. Outside of Zay Flowers and Kyle Hamilton, there isn’t much to be excited about when talking about under-age-29 talent. Baltimore is an older, expensive squad that lost a ton in free agency, including Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, Jordan Stout, Patrick Ricard, Alohi Gilman and others. Not ideal.

Gilberto Manzano: I have no clue what the Cowboys are doing, especially on defense. With all the trades they’ve made since the start of last season, they essentially swapped Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa for Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary. I don’t think you can call that a win for the organization, and they still have holes in the secondary and at linebacker. On offense, it seems Jerry Jones will take his time working out a long-term extension with George Pickens, sticking to the familiar theme of overpaying his star players. Or maybe Jones trades Pickens before the season, just like he did with Parsons last year. Again, no clue on what this team is doing.

Michael Fabiano: If I’m a Jets fan, I’m re-thinking my decision to stick with this franchise. None of their offseason moves scream major improvement, and bringing back Geno Smith is like inviting your ex who took you for everything in the divorce out for dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant. Why would you do it? Overly optimistic Jets fans seem to think it’s so the team can tank for Arch Manning (after all, Geno did it for the Raiders to get Fernando Mendoza)! This is why the Jets have been and will continue to be an NFL laughing stock.

Conor Orr: The Cardinals were stiffarmed by Jimmy Garoppolo, or at least that’s the way it seems right now. Minshew and Jacoby Brissett will compete for QB1, and the Mike LaFleur era appears to be off to a rough start. Arizona is last year’s Giants, where we could read the tea leaves and assume players may be avoiding the team because of grim long-term prospects. I thought the team would do well to overspend and make a splash at the bridge quarterback position, knowing that I would need that person for 2026 and the beginning of ’27 when my highly drafted rookie would be learning the ropes.

Albert Breer: I don’t think panic is the right word—but the Steelers do have a lot of age on their roster, and that’s without Aaron Rodgers as part of the equation (yet). T.J. Watt and Jalen Ramsey will turn 32 this year, Cam Heyward will be 37 in May, and their big additions are a corner, who will be 30 (Jamel Dean), and a receiver, who will be 29 (Michael Pittman Jr.) in October, and a running back going into his seventh season (Rico Dowdle). It’ll be interesting to see how all that looks in December or so.

Which team should be panicking after free agency?

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