The top 10 NFL issues that didn't get resolved over the offseason, including (of course) Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers still remains unsigned this offseason. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

(Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Can the Bengals’ offensive line protect Joe Burrow?

The Bengals came into the offseason with two big problems: an offensive line that has failed in protecting Joe Burrow, and a defense that hasn’t been able to support the offense. Fixing both in the offseason was a lot to ask. The Bengals chose defense, spending most of their resources on that side of the ball. That’s reasonable. Though the offensive line didn’t get a single significant addition. That’s concerning with Burrow’s injury history. If Burrow gets injured again because he isn’t protected well enough, there will be plenty of questions over why Cincinnati didn’t do more to fix its offensive line.

What exactly is Travis Hunter’s role?

Hunter, the No. 2 pick of last year’s NFL Draft, is one of the most unique players to enter the league in a long time having won a Heisman Trophy playing receiver and cornerback at Colorado. The Jaguars planned to use him both ways as a rookie, and the results were mixed. For the second straight offseason, there’s a question over his usage this upcoming season.

There was a report last month that Hunter would be a full-time cornerback with limited snaps at receiver this season. The Jaguars seemingly pushed back on that, saying their two-way plan for Hunter hasn’t changed. We’ll see. The Jaguars are deep at receiver and have a hole at cornerback, so how they split his playing time is worth watching. It’s a question that will follow Hunter through his career, given the unusual nature of his skillset.

Malik Willis asked to succeed with little help

The Dolphins taking a shot on quarterback Malik Willis made sense. The three-year, $67.5 million deal was a lot for a quarterback with six career starts, but it’s a fine gamble for a rebuilding team. The problem is that they might really struggle to evaluate Willis. The Dolphins are tearing down the rest of the roster. They’ve left Willis playing with a surprisingly thin receiver group and a below-average offensive line. De’Von Achane is still there and that helps, but there’s not much else. It will be very difficult for Willis to thrive with that supporting cast. The Dolphins invested in a quarterback and might not have much idea what they have with Willis by the time the season is over.

Will Tyreek Hill land anywhere?

The draft has come and gone, and one of the best receives of this era is still unsigned. Hill is still recovering from a major leg injury that ended his 2025 season, and his age (32 years old) is likely working against him as well. It would be a surprise if nobody took a shot on Hill this offseason, but he’s still the biggest name on the market other than Rodgers.

C.J. Stroud’s extension

The Houston Texans gave quarterback money to their star defensive end Will Anderson Jr. They have not yet given quarterback money to their quarterback.

C.J. Stroud is eligible for a contract extension but that hasn’t happened yet. Given how poorly Stroud played in the playoffs, it makes sense for Houston to wait and see. The memory of Stroud’s historic rookie season continues to fade. The Texans still have questions at many offensive positions, most notably on the offensive line. Whether Stroud gets a big extension might not be settled until the Texans see how he looks in his fourth season.

Cowboys making George Pickens happy

The Dallas Cowboys have had a good offseason. They also have one volatile situation. George Pickens has signed his one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag offer. On the surface that’s good news for Dallas, but Pickens has to see contracts like Alec Pierce’s four-year, $114 million deal from the Colts and see how much he’s missing out on. Pickens has always been a tough player to manage — it’s a reason the Steelers traded him and why the Cowboys didn’t give him a long-term deal — and asking him to be happy with a one-year deal when he could have gotten at least four times more than that on the open market might be a tough sell. There’s still time for a long-term deal to happen, but the Cowboys say they won’t entertain that option. We’ll see how it turns out.

The Colts’ shaky backup plan at QB

The Colts must be pretty confident that Daniel Jones will be ready for the season opener. Because they did little to come up with a viable backup plan. The current backup is either Riley Leonard, not long after the Colts decided 44-year-old Philip Rivers off his couch was a better option last season, or Anthony Richardson Sr., who the team is trying to trade with no success.

Jones tore his Achilles last Dec. 7, and while the timetable for recovery from that surgery has been sped up over the past few years, it’s still a little concerning to fully depend on him being 100% by the start of the regular season. The Colts better hope he is, because there’s not much behind him.

Falcons juggling multiple issues

The Falcons have questions about their quarterback, one of last year’s first round pick and a player they put the franchise tag on this offseason. Other than that, everything is fine.

Defensive end James Pearce Jr., the 26th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, reportedly could have charges, which included three felonies aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person, dropped if he completes an intervention program. There are still questions about Pearce moving forward, such as NFL discipline.

At quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. is working his way back from ACL surgery, and the Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa as a backup plan. Meanwhile there have been regular trade rumors swirling around tight end Kyle Pitts, who is on a one-year franchise tag. That’s a lot of unsettled business for one team in May.

What’s next for Jayden Daniels?

There are two issues for Daniels, and they’re both related. First, he’s coming off an injury-filled season that limited him to seven games last season for the Washington Commanders. He should be fully healthy for training camp, but it’s not like the Commanders have done much to help him. They invested heavily in defense, which does have a positive effect on a young quarterback, but the offense didn’t get much new talent this offseason. The Commanders still could land Brandon Aiyuk, and if that happens he’ll have to acclimate quickly. That’s not easy after he hasn’t played since Oct. 20, 2024 due to an ACL injury and a weird 2025 season in which he ghosted the 49ers. Even if Aiyuk comes aboard, there are still plenty of unresolved issues on the offense that the Commanders’ third-year quarterback will have to navigate.