Six NFL teams were eliminated in the Wild Card round. Peter Klein breaks down the offseason needs, cap space situations, and priorities for Carolina, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Los Angeles Chargers, and Pittsburgh.
π Full offseason breakdown for all six teams
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π Full offseason breakdown for all six teams
π SUBSCRIBE to Couch Potato Diary for daily NFL coverage
#NFL #NFLOffseason #Panthers #Packers #Jaguars #Eagles #Chargers #Steelers #NFLDraft #CapSpace #FreeAgency #CarolinaPanthers #GreenBayPackers #JacksonvilleJaguars #PhiladelphiaEagles #LosAngelesChargers #PittsburghSteelers #NFL2025 #CouchPotatoDiary #PeterKlein #NFLPodcast #SportsAnalysis
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SportsTranscript
00:00Today, we're going to look at the teams that were eliminated from the postseason.
00:04Here is the off-season preview for the teams that were bounced wildcard weekend.
00:14All right, of the teams that were knocked out, again, we're going to go kind of chronologically
00:19here based on when they were eliminated, and we're going to start with the Carolina Panthers.
00:26They are going to have the 19th overall pick in the draft, and around $25 million in salary
00:34cap space.
00:35This was obviously a year of growth for Carolina, and they're an interesting team to look at
00:40here off-season-wise, because on the one hand, won the division, made the playoffs, showed
00:46very good growth and improvement, and showed that they have a lot to be excited about.
00:51On the other hand, they were 8-9, and when you look at some of the secondary stats, they
00:59were basically in the 20s of everything offensively when you're looking at EPA, EPA per pass, EPA
01:05per rush, success rate, all those things.
01:08They were still in the bottom third of the league in a lot of those categories.
01:12It was wildly inconsistent, and not necessarily deserving of a spot in the playoffs, despite
01:20them actually playing in the postseason.
01:22So, on the one hand, yay development, but on the other hand, let's not look at anything
01:27on this team and be, oh, well, we couldn't improve on that.
01:29Look what we have.
01:31That being said, there are pieces that you like.
01:32I think skill position-wise, they're okay.
01:35Bryce Young at least showed enough that he is worth sticking around with, and you don't
01:41need to cut bait and roll like it may have looked a couple of seasons ago.
01:45I like the running back situation there.
01:47I think Chuba Hubbard did show on Wild Card Weekend that he is the better of the running
01:50backs, but a pretty good two-headed monster out there, and I like the receiving room.
01:57McMillan is going to keep growing.
01:59Xavier Leggette feels like a really, really strong kind of deep threat, and Coker has developed
02:04into a pretty solid option as well.
02:06I would like something a little bit more reliable on like third and seven, but I don't think you
02:10need to spend a lot of time or off-season resources on that necessarily.
02:15Maybe an improvement at tight end.
02:16I didn't put that on here, but maybe something there to just get something a little bit more
02:20reliable for your young quarterback in some of those medium to long third downs there.
02:25But I think the big need for this team is on the interior of the offensive line.
02:29You have a small quarterback.
02:30There's no getting around it.
02:32We can do Marcus Stroman, height doesn't measure heart, and we can do, well, you know,
02:37look at all these small quarterbacks we've been able to produce.
02:39The fact is, when dude is making a throw and the pockets around him, it looks like he almost
02:44has to jump first to make the throw.
02:47He's been successful at times at doing it, but you can see, like, he almost stands up
02:51on his tippy toes every time he's throwing the football.
02:55So you need some work on the interior of this line to give him some more passing lanes.
02:59Because when he had that, when you had kind of the seize part for him, and he's able to
03:03just rip it, the dude's got an arm.
03:05And he is a quality quarterback.
03:08So it's the NFL, you're not just going to have the seas open up 50 times a game, but
03:12you do need a little bit more strength on the interior of that O-line.
03:16They're going to be drafting 19.
03:17There could be something there.
03:19That might be more a day two or a day three thing.
03:21The other thing I think they do need to improve on is the pass rush.
03:24It got better from the previous season to this one.
03:28But there's still a lot of work to be done.
03:31I think that's probably where they address things in the draft at 19 on day one is someone
03:38that can get to the quarterback interior of the offensive line.
03:41That is something I think you can address in free agency.
03:44So they're in a decent spot.
03:46They would be an interesting Kyle Pitts team for me.
03:50Maybe you want something a little bit more reliable than that, but an interesting spot for
03:53Carolina and one that I think, um, like they could be a legitimate playoff team come this
04:00time next season, the green Bay Packers up next, they will not be drafting the first round
04:04unless they make another move as that pick was traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
04:08They come into this off season with negative $37 million in salary cap space.
04:13This team was a super bowl contender for a reason, but again, this team is eliminated now
04:19for a reason.
04:20And so there aren't, there aren't a whole lot of places where it's like, oh my God,
04:25fix this right now.
04:26But there are also, again, aren't a lot of spots where it's no, no, no, no, no.
04:31We're good.
04:31We're set.
04:32We're all, we're all checked here.
04:33Quarterback, you're fine with love.
04:35The receiving room, that's the biggest need for me is decisions at receiver and on the
04:40offensive line.
04:41They have a decision to make as Dobbs as a free agent.
04:44Um, let's focus on the receiving room for a second.
04:46It's been great that they have all this talent because everyone gets hurt on this team, but
04:51they have all this talent at wide receiver, but you kind of need a guy, you know, you
04:56need that.
04:56We've seen with, um, Kansas city, Baltimore, Buffalo, all those spots.
05:00When it comes down to it, you need that guy.
05:03And Jacob said it going into last off season that they kind of needed a number one.
05:07I still think Christian Watson can be that if my guy can stay healthy at all.
05:12Golden had a very big playoff game and it's big enough that I would almost prefer you just
05:20let Dobbs walk.
05:21I know he's probably the more reliable of the, the big four they have at receiver, but
05:26I feel like you kind of got to let him walk, let Golden develop and kind of let that group
05:31do what it does.
05:32So I think they need a little bit of clarity there and they need to figure out what the
05:35offensive line situation is as Rasheed Walker, their left tackle is a pending free agent.
05:41As we said, they don't got a ton of cap space to be able to try to keep him with it's the
05:45NFL.
05:46You can juggle that around as much as you want, but do they keep him around or is that something
05:51they address in the draft or in free agency?
05:54But that is going to be a very big spot for them.
05:57I think is figuring out, figuring out what they're going to do on the offensive line and
06:01specifically at left tackle in terms of ways to just improve the roster.
06:05They have now, I think you did see in that game against the bears and throughout the
06:09season, there's some secondary help that is needed.
06:12It was great at the beginning of the year when Micah Parsons is breaking through, getting
06:17to the quarterback, making some of those big plays, your secondary, it's a little bit
06:22easier when there is a pass rush that is relentless and they only have to cover for
06:26two, three, four, five seconds.
06:30But when that pass rush isn't getting home, this defense was getting picked apart a little
06:33bit.
06:33So I do think they need a little bit of help there in the secondary, probably because of
06:39the move they made to bring Parsons in.
06:40They probably do need some help on the interior of the defensive line as well and getting in
06:44in the run stopping department.
06:46But this team is a couple of tweaks away from being right back there and playing this weekend
06:51instead of figuring out what is next for their organization.
06:56The Jacksonville Jaguars are up next.
06:58Again, a team that will not be picking in the first round unless other moves are made
07:02as they traded that pick to the Cleveland Browns.
07:05They have negative $10.1 million in salary cap space.
07:09My number one need for them, and it's not going to be one that I think is addressed, is a true
07:15number one wide receiver.
07:17This receiving room is actually pretty talented with the acquisition of Jacoby Myers.
07:23Washington showed that he can be a pretty solid pickup as well.
07:25Travis Hunter was just kind of getting going before he got hurt, and Brian Thomas would
07:30be the one that you would slot in as that true number one wide receiver, except he didn't
07:35look like it at any point this season.
07:37So he either needs to step up and be that guy now consistently, or they need to clear
07:44him out and bring in someone who can.
07:46And like Jacoby Myers, I have never liked him as much as everyone else likes him.
07:51I think he's a really, really good number two, but I just, I don't think he is that number
07:57one guy that is going to go out and beat teams in a competitive AFC.
08:02Hunter again could end up being that.
08:04Thomas has the talent too, but it seems like there is some frustration going on there.
08:08So they need one of those guys to figure it out.
08:10Hunter is staying.
08:13Myers just signed that contract.
08:15If anyone's moving on, it's probably Thomas.
08:17So we'll see what they end up doing there.
08:20But again, like this was, this was a talented football team this year.
08:24There's a reason why a lot of people picked them against Buffalo in that AFC wildcard
08:29game.
08:29And it came down to a very well executed tush push that gets the bills into the next round.
08:36Looking at the stats, I was like, this team is kind of set, but you look at the stats,
08:40they're still middle of the pack in a lot of the secondary offensive categories that I look
08:45at that I feel like are pretty important to success.
08:48So that's why I was looking for a receiver for this team, because it feels like there
08:52is still a touch of an improvement that can happen with the pass catching unit with Jacksonville
08:57defensively.
08:59Maybe some help on the interior of the defensive line.
09:02You have a really good pass rush with those guys and just a really solid team in general.
09:07Maybe a little bit more help in the run stopping department could really round out this defense.
09:12But again, Jacksonville for the first time in a really long time is looking at an offseason
09:16where it's just kind of tinkering around the edges to try to find some subtle improvements
09:21to raise that ceiling a little bit higher instead of a, oh my God, what are we going
09:25to do with this football team?
09:27So pretty good spot for Jacksonville to be heading into the offseason in.
09:31The Philadelphia Eagles are next.
09:33They already made one of their big moves of the offseason, firing their offensive coordinator.
09:38They have negative $1.1 million in cap space.
09:42Obviously, like they have a lot of decisions that need to be made.
09:46But when you look at this Eagles team, the reason why there's so much frustration around
09:52how this season went is because this is a good football team.
09:56So honestly, better offensive play calling.
09:58And I think you're in a really, really good spot going forward.
10:03The A.J. Brown situation, that needs to get sorted.
10:06That can't be a distraction again because you could feel it this year.
10:10I said before, they felt like they were going into games either trying to prove people wrong
10:15or to make A.J. Brown happy, much to the detriment of their football team.
10:20So either he needs to get on the same page as everyone else or he needs to get gone.
10:27I said before, I meant to make this reference on the show but didn't quite get to it.
10:31But he feels like a Raider, right?
10:34Like that feels like an old school what Al Davis would do.
10:37Like, oh, you have a disgruntled number one wide receiver?
10:39We're bringing him in.
10:41Because Jamarcus Russell's a good quarterback.
10:42And Lane Kiffin's a good coach.
10:45That feels like a move that the Raiders of the past would end up doing.
10:49And look, that'd be a pretty good receiver for what we presume to be a number one pick at quarterback.
10:54Although we'll talk about that later on in the stream.
10:56But they need to get that part figured out.
10:59The other thing that needs to get solved here is depth on the offensive line.
11:03Lane Johnson, there's a lot of will he, won't he in terms of coming back.
11:07Even if he does, you don't want to be going into next season with that.
11:10They did a pretty good job of backfilling behind Kelsey.
11:13And they've been able to replace a lot of guys on the offensive line that have moved on.
11:17Like guys like Becton and all of that.
11:19They're going to need another one now.
11:20And it's tough to just draft a Lane Johnson replacement.
11:24But you kind of need to.
11:26There is going to need to be something backfilled there to get some depth.
11:30Because they were finally not fully healthy on the O-line.
11:33And that really did set some things back for them this year.
11:36They're drafting at 23.
11:37There could be some offensive line help that is there as well.
11:39They do have decisions to make.
11:40Some pretty big pieces are going to be free agents.
11:44N'Kobe Dean, Jalen Phillips, and Reid Blankenship.
11:46Blankenship really struggled in the game against San Francisco.
11:52Dean is so solid.
11:54And would be one of the best defensive players on most teams in the NFL.
11:57Kind of same with Phillips.
11:58They have a lot of talent on the defensive side of the football.
12:01They've drafted there really well.
12:03And quite frankly, if a couple of pieces leave.
12:07And you maybe have a couple of holes.
12:10Every team does.
12:11They're not going to be understanding about that.
12:14But I wonder if all of those end up leaving.
12:18Dean would be the one that I would focus on trying to bring back the most.
12:21Blankenship, that was a rough go.
12:24And maybe you try to find a replacement there.
12:26Phillips, I think, is solid.
12:28But Dean feels like one you really don't want to let go.
12:32And that would be a huge player to add to a number of different teams.
12:36So they have decisions to make there.
12:38And then maybe a little bit of help in the secondary.
12:40Especially if Blankenship is on his way out.
12:42But again, a pretty good group of corners.
12:44It's just, again, it's a really good roster.
12:47It's a really good roster.
12:48You're just either filling in for a couple of guys who might be leaving.
12:51Or adding some depth to protect against injuries.
12:54But better play calling.
12:55Better vibes.
12:57Weird as it to say.
12:58But better vibes.
12:59And better results for the Eagles in 2026.
13:02Because again, the roster is silly.
13:04Silly good in Philly.
13:06The LA Chargers are next.
13:07One of the first teams that we're going to talk about with real cap space.
13:10As they have $94 million to spend.
13:13They'll be drafting 22nd overall in the draft.
13:16Or at least that's the pick they hold right now.
13:19They're another one that you watch how the season plays out.
13:22And it's like, okay, well, the need is obvious.
13:23And it's the offensive line.
13:25But if all the offensive linemen are healthy, they're set.
13:28Right?
13:29Like if Alt and Slater are good, this is a pretty solid offensive line that they have going for them.
13:36So I don't think you need to trade up in the draft to try to get the best offensive lineman or the best tackle or anything.
13:42But some depth wouldn't be the worst thing.
13:46Even though, like, it was a lot of injuries.
13:48But you could see that some of those depth pieces weren't it.
13:52So let's see if we can get some guys who could be.
13:54I do think there's genuine need to help out on the interior of the offensive line.
13:59Like that is a part that just needs to be upgraded.
14:01And then defensively on the D-line, getting a little old.
14:04And not being able to get to the quarterback as often as maybe they would like.
14:09So that is an area that I think they could get a little bit more athletic in.
14:12And a little bit more talented in on the defensive line.
14:15So some trenches stuff is on the wish list for the LA Chargers heading into this offseason.
14:22And then the most discussed team over the last week or so.
14:26And that's the Pittsburgh Steelers.
14:27$29.9 million in salary cap space.
14:31They need a coach and they need a lot of help.
14:34This was one of the things we talked about when discussing the Tomlin firing.
14:40This is not a great roster.
14:42And it feels like Tomlin is being punished for dragging subpar rosters into the postseason
14:49and then having predictable results with them.
14:53They need a quarterback.
14:54I think you need another wide receiver.
14:56This offense was very limited when DK Metcalf went out and shoved a fan in the last two
15:02days or last two games of the regular season there.
15:06And they need help on the defense.
15:07That secondary is good.
15:08That's a good secondary that they have.
15:11But TJ Watt can't be the only one who's getting after the passer on a consistent basis.
15:16They need some help in the front seven.
15:17So quarterback that, I mean, you're right around where Simpson is on big boards, but I don't
15:26know if he's going to be available at quarterback for them there.
15:29Wide receiver, you can probably find something at that part.
15:32And then defense that this team has generally been okay about finding some defensive players,
15:37but they haven't been great over the last couple of seasons.
15:39So this is like $29.9 million.
15:42They're going to be able to do some stuff, but they have done so much of just trying to
15:49plug the holes and those are starting to break as well.
15:53It feels like a bigger reset is probably needed in Pittsburgh, but they haven't done that the
15:57entire time I've been alive.
15:59So I don't know if that's going to be the way they do it.
16:00I am very, very intrigued to see how Pittsburgh attacks this offseason.
16:05So what did you guys think?
16:07Is there an obvious need that I have missed?
16:09Is there something that I'm overstating with what these teams are looking for?
16:13Let me know either in the comments or in the chat, if you are watching this live and we
16:18can keep that football conversation going.
16:21We are streaming this on a few different platforms over on YouTube, Kik, and on Twitch.tv
16:28slash PrimetimePK.
16:29Right now we got the discount on gifted subs, 35% off, five gifted subs.
16:34Right now that is going to Sunday morning.
16:38So check that one out if you are heading over to twitch.tv slash PrimetimePK.
16:45The next stream that we're going to be doing, unless Kyle Tucker signs after the stream today,
16:50but the next one that is scheduled is going to be 10 a.m.
16:54Mountain Time on Friday.
16:56So a rare Friday stream from me on Twitch, Kik, and over on YouTube.
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