"In 2024, that's when the Eagles set themselves on a course for their title with the signings of Saquon Barkley and Zack Baun. Eleven months later, they were having a parade. Last year around this time, the Seahawks signed Sam Darnold as their quarterback. He'd never won a playoff game as a starter. Now he and Seattle are the champs."
"It could be, as it was the past two seasons, a running back who adds a new dimension to an offense or a quarterback whose potential has yet to be fully recognized. It could be a defensive game-wrecker or a lineman who brings stability to up-front chaos with his consistent blocking."
"There probably are a dozen or so organizations that can rightly consider themselves a piece away, and they already have begun jostling with each other to land those missing ingredients. A few others might be able to get lucky and meld some key decisions into a conditional contender."
The Eagles and Seahawks won recent Super Bowls after strategic free-agency signings—Barkley and Baun for Philadelphia, Darnold for Seattle. As the 2025 free-agency period opens, all 32 NFL teams seek similar transformative moves for the 2027 Super Bowl. Potential game-changing acquisitions include running backs adding offensive dimensions, underutilized quarterbacks, defensive playmakers, or stabilizing linemen. Approximately a dozen organizations consider themselves one piece away from contention, while others may construct conditional contenders through multiple decisions. Teams will be labeled offseason winners and losers prematurely, but true success depends on February 2027 results. The Giants and Jets, despite similar recent records, appear positioned differently heading into this critical offseason.
Read at Newsday
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