We’re back with our annual surprise preseason predictions edition for the 2025 NFL season! We analyze all 32 teams in the league, highlighting potential statistical leaders, underrated teams, award candidates, promising players, and groups that could surprise, either for better or for worse. As always, we recognize that some of these predictions may be more surprising than others. Get ready to discover the possible surprises of the season!
NFC East
Dallas CowboysDon’t be surprised if… the Cowboys test Micah Parsons.What’s rumored: The situation between Micah Parsons and the Cowboys’ management seems tense. Parsons, awaiting a contract extension, has been absent from training. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones believes they both agreed to the terms of a deal in the spring, but things changed when Parsons’ agent got involved. Parsons, on the other hand, blames Jones, arguing that the owner should have anticipated the agent’s involvement. The player has requested a trade and has refused to participate in preseason practices or games. The Cowboys’ season opener is approaching, and it seems less likely that Parsons will play. Unless Parsons relents and tells his agent to close a deal, it’s difficult to imagine him getting his extension before the season starts. Parsons will have to decide: play under his current contract or not, with the Cowboys threatening a franchise tag in 2026.New York GiantsDon’t be surprised if… the Giants lead the league in quarterback sacks.What’s rumored: According to reports, Abdul Carter is meeting the team’s expectations. The addition of Carter to a defensive line that already features Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II, and Kayvon Thibodeaux could give the Giants one of the most fearsome defenses in the NFL. There are many questions on offense, but the defense could be the team’s strength, which would give them some surprise wins. New York tied for eighth in sacks last season, with 45.Philadelphia EaglesDon’t be surprised if… they’re still adjusting the defense.What’s rumored: The current Super Bowl champions lost five key contributors from last season’s defense and are working to replace them with younger players they’ve drafted in recent years. They are excited about players like Moro Ojomo and Jalyx Hunt. With two-thirds of their salary cap committed to the offense, they will need production from young players on the defensive side of the ball. But not all development timelines go as planned, and asking younger players to take on bigger roles carries some risk. This Eagles group has no interest in dwelling on a Super Bowl title. We’ve already seen general manager Howie Roseman make multiple trades this month, including one that brought cornerback Jakorian Bennett from the Raiders to address a potentially thin area of the defense. Roseman won’t sit idly by if more doubts arise.Washington CommandersDon’t be surprised if… Deebo Samuel participates as a running back.What’s being rumored: Washington’s coaches believe Samuel can be a factor in the backfield, and they will look for ways to get him touches. Wes Welker, who is part of the Commanders’ staff as a personnel analyst, was the 49ers’ wide receivers coach during the first three years of Samuel’s career and has a strong relationship with him, and a very good idea of how to get the best out of him. In six seasons, Samuel has rushed 202 times for 1,143 yards and 20 touchdowns.NFC North
Chicago Bears
Don’t be surprised if… rookie tight end Colston Loveland is a key piece in the Bears’ offense.What’s rumored: The Bears selected Loveland with the 10th pick in this year’s draft. Loveland is the name that comes up every time I ask about the Bears’ camp. He’s quarterback-friendly. He’s big and fast. He’s polished in running his routes. He was healthy at the start of training camp, so he progressed quickly once August began. And his connection with quarterback Caleb Williams is said to be already outstanding. The Bears have many very good receivers, with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and Luther Burden III. But as Williams continues his development under new coach Ben Johnson, he could rely heavily on Loveland, especially early on.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Don’t be surprised if… tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. is traded.What’s being rumored: Part of this is what I’m seeing, or rather, not seeing. Pitts is in the final year of his contract, playing for $10.878 million on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. The Falcons haven’t taken any steps to extend him beyond this season. The fourth pick of the 2021 draft has averaged 49 receptions per season and caught a total of 10 touchdown passes in his four-year career while struggling to stay consistently healthy. When receiver number 2, Darnell Mooney, was injured early in training camp, there was much talk about Atlanta filling that void by playing with two tight ends and basically using Pitts as a receiver. And the Falcons could try it. But there are definitely signs that they don’t see Pitts as a great option for what they are trying to do on offense. Mooney’s absence in training camp gave some of the younger receivers on the roster the opportunity to show what they are capable of, and if one or more of them has become a reliable contributor by the time the trade deadline arrives, don’t be surprised if Pitts moves.Carolina Panthers
Don’t be surprised if… quarterback Bryce Young is in line for a contract extension next spring.What’s rumored: The Panthers believe the improvement Young showed towards the end of last season will carry over to 2025, not only because of his performance on the field, but also because of how comfortable he felt in his role as starting quarterback. Coaches feel that Young has made a turnaround in terms of confidence and external competitiveness. And now Carolina added wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the first round of this year’s draft to a receiving corps that already included last year’s first-round pick, Xavier Legette, and veteran Adam Thielen. The Panthers could have a long way to go before being competitive (though maybe not, if their offseason improvements on defense have a lot of instant impact). But they believe they have Young on the right track after a disappointing rookie year in 2023 and a difficult start in 2024 that saw him backing up veteran Andy Dalton.New Orleans SaintsDon’t be surprised if… Spencer Rattler has a long season as the starting quarterback.What’s rumored: The Saints announced Rattler as their starting quarterback on Tuesday. He beat out rookie Tyler Shough in a very close competition in training camp. Shough was the number 40 pick in the draft and turns 26 next month, so it’s reasonable to think they want him to play soon. But Rattler has already exceeded expectations by beating Shough, and if he performs in the regular season the same way he did throughout training camp, he could hold onto the job longer than many expect. Rattler had fanatics in the Saints’ building last season who felt he had more room to grow. Shough will get his chance, and if the Saints start losing a lot of games, maybe they’ll turn to him just for the sake of change. But Rattler has the job for now, and I don’t get the feeling he’s on a short leash.Tampa Bay BuccaneersDon’t be surprised if… rookie Emeka Egbuka is the Bucs’ leading receiver.What’s rumored: The team has been absolutely raving about first-round pick Egbuka all summer, praising him as hyper-advanced for a rookie in all facets of his game. Chris Godwin, who is working to recover from a significant season-ending ankle injury, has a very uncertain timeline to return to the field and an even more uncertain one to return to his former self. Veteran Mike Evans’ next sub-1,000-yard season will be his first, but he is 32 years old and missed three games last season. And Jalen McMillan, last year’s standout rookie who caught seven touchdown passes in the final five games of the season, will miss the start of 2025 due to a neck injury. If he is everything they say he is, Egbuka can play any of the wide receiver positions in the Tampa Bay offense, already has the confidence of quarterback Baker Mayfield and appears to be in line for a large share of the passing opportunity in one of the league’s best offenses.NFC West
Arizona CardinalsDon’t be surprised if… tight end Trey McBride is again the Cardinals’ leading receiver.What’s being rumored: Sure, the Cards selected wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth pick in 2024. And yes, everything we’ve heard from Arizona this offseason has indicated that Harrison is improving his connection with quarterback Kyler Murray and should be a more important part of the offense than he was as a rookie. But that still doesn’t mean he’ll be the most important part. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s system is designed to feature McBride as its primary target, and all indications are that the Cardinals see no reason for that to change. McBride is an exceptional player who has been a reliable performer for Murray whenever they’ve been on the field together. And yes, fantasy football managers, I think you can expect his touchdown numbers to increase. McBride had 111 receptions for 1,146 yards last season, but scored only two touchdowns.Los Angeles RamsDon’t be surprised if… quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has to start at some point.What’s being rumored: The Rams believe that starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is on track to be healthy and start in Week 1 after battling throughout training camp with a back injury that stubbornly refused to follow its or the team’s recovery schedule. But Stafford is 37 and has dealt with back issues in the past. (To his credit, he’s found ways to play through them.) I understand that this isn’t something the Rams expect to sideline Stafford for a long period of time or affect his play at the start of the season, but that it is something that will need to be monitored and managed throughout the season. That means there could be a week where Stafford feels he can’t play. And that’s where you could see backup Garoppolo, who started a game last season, having to step in and keep things going. Again, I expect Stafford to push through and overcome it during the season; this Rams team has convinced him he can win another Super Bowl before it’s over. But it may not always be the easiest process.
