NFL free agency is set to start on March 11th, and it looks like there will be some major shifts. Teams will be swarming to make improvements, and money will be spent all over the league. I’m going through every NFL team and their biggest needs, broken down by division. We’re closing out the series with the NFC South.
The Buccaneers’ biggest weakness last offseason was at linebacker as well. They opted to draft wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round. They didn’t necessarily make a bad choice, but passing on linebacker Jihaad Campbell was certainly interesting.
There’s no way Tampa Bay ignores the position now, right? 14-year veteran Lavonte David could be on his way out the door via free agency or retirement. He’s 36 years old, so finding his replacement would be a good idea, even if he sticks around for another season.
Kaden Elliss, Alex Anzalone, and Matt Milano are all around the 30-year-old mark and can still play at a high level. If Tampa Bay wants to go even younger, Quay Walker, Devin Bush, and Kenneth Murray could all be ideal targets.
It’s worth noting that the Falcons’ tight end, Kyle Pitts, could hit free agency this year. If he’s not retained, that would be Atlanta’s biggest position of need. We’re working under the assumption he stays, which brings us to the defense.
Atlanta’s former 2025 first-round pick, James Pearce Jr., landed in some serious legal trouble over Super Bowl weekend. It’s more likely than not that he won’t be in a Falcons uniform next season. The rookie logged 10.5 sacks on the year. His talent is undeniable, which makes finding his replacement even harder.
The Falcons don’t have a first-round pick in this year’s Draft; they traded it away last year to land Pearce. Taking a shot at a younger defender might be the way to go here. Joseph Ossai, Azeez Ojulari, and K’Lavon Chaisson could be suitable players to slot into this defense.
The Saints were 1-8 when they traded wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks. Rookie QB Tyler Shough was still adjusting, and with Shaheed’s contract coming up, the team decided to move on. They ended up 6-11 to end the year, with four of those wins coming in the final five weeks.
New Orleans suddenly has something to work with in Shough, and Chris Olave is still a great number-one target. They’ll need to replace Shaheed, and the Draft might be the place to do that.
If the Saints decide to aim for free agency, they don’t have much cap space to work with. DeAndre Hopkins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are veterans who will likely have a low price tag. If they want to go younger, Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Gabe Davis may become available.
It looks like the Panthers might finally have some electricity with Bryce Young. The QB started finding a nice rhythm in year three with Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan. They’ll be facing some free agency questions on offense. Jalen Coker and Rico Dowdle could hit the open market.
The Panthers still have plenty to work on, but weapons for Young are top of the list. If they lose Coker and Dowdle, they’ll be hurting for depth at running back and wide receiver. The ideal outcome would be to simply keep these players around, but that’s not always guaranteed.
The Panthers could target Wan’Dale Robinson if he leaves the New York Giants. He could complement McMillan and Xavier Legette well. Romeo Doubs and Jauan Jennings could also be big splash signings.
If Dowdle leaves, Carolina still has Chuba Hubbard, so they’re not completely cooked at running back. He’s more than capable of leading the backfield. They could look to names like Najee Harris, Nick Chubb, and J.K. Dobbins to back him up.
The NFC South was surprisingly competitive in 2025. All four teams showed promise in 2025 at one point or another. If any of them make a splash in the offseason, it could shift the entire division. Check out my previous articles covering every other NFL division ahead of free agency here!
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