Off-Season Movement: 2025 Wide Receiver Landscape, Part One
Each off-season, I track team needs and the players most likely to fill those needs in a chart like this. In the coming weeks and months, NFL teams will have multiple opportunities to fill those holes, namely the March free agency period and April’s NFL Draft.
In this series, I’ll go position-by-position looking at teams in need, along with the veterans and rookies who could eventually fill the blanks on the chart below.
Every year, the wide receiver position seems to be more and more important as teams build deeper position groups than ever. Let’s take a look at what might happen this offseason at the wide receiver position.
Team Needs
New England Patriots
The Patriots found their long-term quarterback last year as they made Drake Maye their first-round pick. Despite a lack of receiving threats, Maye produced a very solid rookie season. Now it’s time for the Patriots and new head coach Mike Vrabel to find someone to catch the ball. New England took Day Two swings on Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker last year but both struggled as rookies. This has long been a rumored landing spot for superstar Tee Higgins.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers seemingly use a mid-round draft pick on a receiver every year and they never have much to show for it. While 2024 rookie Xavier Legette did flash some upside, the team also gave up on Jonathan Mingo, somehow getting a fourth-rounder for him from the Cowboys. Carolina got good production from veteran Adam Thielen once again but trading for Diontae Johnson proved to be a poor decision. The Panthers did find a gem in undrafted free agent Jalen Coker, who looks like he could contribute over the long term, as he scored more fantasy points in 2024 than Mingo or Terrace Marshall ever did in Carolina.
Buffalo Bills
After moving on from veteran Stefon Diggs last off-season, the Bills took their shots in trying to replace him and find a true WR1. After using their early second-rounder on Keon Coleman, the team later traded for veteran Amari Cooper. Along with Khalil Shakir, the trio was adequate but none separated himself from the pack. Josh Allen still won the MVP even with this crew of pass-catchers.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders made the savvy move to trade veteran Davante Adams last season, shipping him off to be with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. While that may have saved the team money and possibly some headaches, they are now very thin at the position. Jakobi Meyers is always underrated but shouldn’t be any team’s top wideout. New head coach Pete Carroll will surely make adding receiver depth a priority.
