With the end of the 2020-21 NFL season about a month ago, many things can happen during the offseason, and many of the teams may look very different in the 2021-2022 season that starts on the 9th of September. The NFL free agency started on Wednesday, March 17, and with that, teams could now start to sign new free agents. The NFL draft starts on April 29th, where teams can draft players out of college. 

There are three main ways a player can move onto a team. The first way is that they can be drafted out of college in the NFL draft. Second, they can be signed in free agency, which is where a player who does not have a current contract can be signed to any team that has enough money. Or, the last way is that they can be traded from their current team to another team for some compensation, which is usually another player(s) or draft pick. 

Many significant players have already moved to different teams. Carson Wentz, Mark Ingram, and J.J. Watt are just the start of players going to different teams. Other players have signed big contracts to play with their teams from last seasons, such as Tom Brady, Cam Newton, and Dak Prescott, with Prescott just recently becoming the second-highest-paid NFL player. With free agency continuing for months, we will see many players move teams and find new homes. 

Some players, however, will not return to the NFL next season. Many long-time NFL veterans have already hung up their cleats and announced their retirement. These players include Maurkice Pouncey, Phillip Rivers, and football legend, Drew Brees. The absence of these players will certainly make the NFL a very different league, but with some players leaving, other players will join via the NFL draft. 

The NFL draft is a great place for teams to find new players to improve their team in places where they might struggle. The upcoming draft is full of prospects that could greatly improve the team they are drafted to. Some of the quarterback (QB) members of the 2021 draft include Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones. Notable teams that need a new QB include the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets, and the Carolina Panthers. But it isn’t just the quarterbacks that look promising. The wide receiver (WR) position is also stacked with talented players such as Devonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase, Rashod Batemen, and Jaylen Waddle. Notable teams that need a new WR include the Miami Dolphins, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Houston Texans. 

Many things can happen during the offseason, and these changes are often unpredictable and only time will tell. Injuries, trades, and retirements are just some things that could drastically change teams and change the whole dynamic of the league.