Here are some notable rule changes that will be in effect for the 2023 NFL season.
It’s easy to forget what happened over the past six months over the NFL offseason.
Most of the major moves happened before April Fools’ Day, including coaching changes, free agent signings and blockbuster trades.
Before the preseason gets underway with next week’s Hall of Fame Game, let’s take a look back at everything that has happened since the 2022 season ended.
Here’s a primer of every move you might have missed during the offseason:
What NFL quarterbacks changed teams in 2023?
Aaron Rodgers: Packers → Jets
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Derek Carr: Raiders → Saints
NFL
Jimmy Garoppolo: 49ers → Raiders
Gardner Minshew: Eagles → Colts
Baker Mayfield: Rams → Bucs
Sam Darnold: Panthers → 49ers
Jacoby Brissett: Browns → Commanders
Andy Dalton: Saints → Panthers
Rodgers is the headliner here, as he moved from Green Bay to New York after 18 seasons with the Packers. Carr signed with the Saints after nine seasons with the Raiders, while Garoppolo rejoined his former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas after six years in San Francisco.
Minshew and Mayfield will enter training camp with the chance to start for their new teams, but nothing is guaranteed. Darnold could start in San Francisco depending on Brock Purdy’s health, while Brissett and Dalton appear likely to back up young starters in Sam Howell and Bryce Young, respectively.
What NFL running backs changed teams in 2023?
Miles Sanders: Eagles → Panthers
Rashaad Penny: Seahawks → Eagles
D’Andre Swift: Lions → Eagles
Jamaal Williams: Lions → Saints
David Montgomery: Bears → Lions
D’Onta Foreman: Panthers → Bears
Devin Singletary: Bills → Texans
Damien Harris: Patriots → Bills
Samaje Perine: Bengals → Broncos
A handful of starting-level running backs swapped teams this offseason. The Eagles signed Penny and traded for Swift after letting Sanders walk to the Panthers. After losing Swift to Philly and Williams to New Orleans, the Lions added Montgomery from their division rival. The Bears countered by signing Foreman.
In the AFC East, Singletary left the Bills for the Texans and he was replaced by Harris from the rival Patriots. Another under-the-radar move was Perine going from Cinicinnati to Denver.
Ezekiel Elliott: Cowboys → Unsigned
Dalvin Cook: Vikings → Unsigned
Leonard Fournette: Buccaneers → Unsigned
Kareem Hunt: Browns → Unsigned
These four veterans remain unsigned as of July 27. They are all former Pro Bowlers with experience, but teams tend to favor cheaper and fresher players at this position.
What NFL wide receivers changed teams in 2023?
DeAndre Hopkins: Cardinals → Titans
D.J. Moore: Panthers → Bears
Brandin Cooks: Texans → Cowboys
Jakobi Meyers: Patriots → Raiders
Odell Beckham Jr.: Ravens
JuJu Smith-Schuster: Chiefs → Patriots
These six receivers will be expected to contribute in a big way immediately. Hopkins and Moore are the clear-cut No. 1 receivers on the Titans and Bears, respectively. Cooks and Meyers will play the No. 2 role behind stars CeeDee Lamb and Davante Adams. Beckham is back in the NFL after rehabbing his torn ACL last season, while Smith-Schuster will be tasked with helping turn around the Patriots’ offense.
Allen Lazard: Packers → Jets
Randall Cobb: Packers → Jets
DJ Chark: Lions → Panthers
Adam Thielen: Vikings → Panthers
Allen Robinson: Rams → Steelers
Robert Woods: Titans → Texans
Lazard and Cobb followed Rodgers from Green Bay to New York, as both will serve a key role in making the quarterback comfortable in a new environment. Chark and Thielen joined the Panthers from the NFC North, where they’ll catch passes from No. 1 pick Bryce Young. Robinson and Woods are veterans hoping to stick with their new teams.
What NFL tight ends changed teams in 2023?
Darren Waller: Raiders → Giants
Dalton Schultz: Cowboys → Texans
Hayden Hurst: Bengals → Panthers
Irv Smith Jr.: Vikings → Bengals
Mike Gesicki: Dolphins → Patriots
Jonnu Smith: Patriots → Falcons
Robert Tonyan: Packers → Bears
The Giants are hoping to get Waller back to his 2020 form, when he starred for the Raiders. Several other solid veterans were on the move, including Schultz, Hurst and Smith Jr. Gesicki joined the Patriots, who subsequently dealt Smith to the Falcons. Tonyan jumped from one NFC North team to another.
What NFL offensive linemen changed teams in 2023?
Mike McGlinchey: 49ers → Broncos
Orlando Brown Jr.: Chiefs → Bengals
Andrew Wylie: Chiefs → Commanders
Jawaan Taylor: Jaguars → Chiefs
Donovan Smith: Buccaneers → Chiefs
Andre Dillard: Eagles → Titans
McGlinchey got the biggest contract of any offensive lineman in free agency, but the Chiefs were the story at this position. They lost Brown Jr. and Wylie, replacing them with Taylor and Smith. Dillard, meanwhile, left his backup role in Philly for a chance to start in Tennessee.
What NFL defensive linemen changed teams in 2023?
Javon Hargrave: Eagles → 49ers
Dalvin Tomlinson: Vikings → Browns
Ogbo Okoronkwo: Texans → Browns
Za’Darius Smith: Vikings → Browns
Marcus Davenport: Saints → Vikings
Zach Allen: Cardinals → Broncos
Dre’Mont Jones: Broncos → Seahawks
Hargrave received a massive deal to jump from the NFC champion to the NFC runner-up, where he’ll team with Nick Bosa. The Browns addressed their D-line weakness with three major signings – Tomlinson, Okoronkwo and Smith. Davenport filled Smith’s vacancy with the Vikings, while Allen went to the Broncos and Jones left Denver for Seattle.
What NFL linebackers changed teams in 2023?
Bobby Wagner: Rams → Seahawks
Eric Kendricks: Vikings → Chargers
Tremaine Edmunds: Bills → Bears
T.J. Edwards: Eagles → Bears
Bobby Okereke: Colts → Giants
David Long: Titans → Dolphins
Two veteran star linebackers were on the move, with Wagner going back to Seattle and Kendricks joining the Chargers after eight seasons with the Vikings. The Bears made two big-money signings – Edmunds and Edwards – to bolster their defense. Okereke and Long, coming off career seasons, joined new teams in New York and Miami, respectively.
What NFL defensive backs changed teams in 2023?
Jalen Ramsey: Rams → Dolphins
Stephon Gilmore: Colts → Cowboys
Patrick Peterson: Vikings → Steelers
Jeff Okudah: Lions → Falcons
Jessie Bates: Bengals → Falcons
Cameron Sutton: Steelers → Lions
Emmanuel Moseley: 49ers → Lions
C.J. Gardner-Johnson: Eagles → Lions
Ramsey and Gilmore, two former All-Pros, were traded in cost-cutting moves for their former teams as they rebuild. Peterson, 33, will join a talented Steelers defense. The Falcons traded for Okudah, a former first-rounder, and signed Bates, a big-name safety. The Lions added three potential starters in their secondary with Sutton, Moseley and Gardner-Johnson.
Who were the top picks in the 2023 NFL Draft?
It was a unique first round this spring, with three quarterbacks in the first four picks and two running backs in the top-12. Here’s a look at the top 15 picks, in case you missed it:
1. Bryce Young, QB, Panthers
2. C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans
3. Will Anderson Jr., OLB, Texans
4. Anthony Richardson, QB, Colts
5. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seahawks
6. Paris Johnson Jr., OL, Cardinals
7. Tyree Wilson, OLB, Raiders
8. Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons
9. Jalen Carter, DL, Eagles
10. Darnell Wright, OL, Bears
11. Peter Skoronski, OL, Titans
12. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions
13. Lukas Van Ness, DE, Packers
14. Broderick Jones, OL, Steelers
15. Will McDonald IV, DE, Jets
Who are the new NFL head coaches for 2023?
Panthers: Steve Wilks (interim) → Frank Reich
Broncos: Jerry Rosburg (interim) → Sean Payton
Colts: Jeff Saturday (interim) → Shane Steichen
The Panthers, Broncos and Colts fired their coaches in the middle of last season, and all three did not retain their interim coaches. Reich joins Carolina after being fired by Indianapolis last November, Payton takes over the Broncos after a year on television and Steichen gets his first head coaching job in Indianapolis after serving as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator.
Cardinals: Kliff Kingsbury → Jonathan Gannon
Texans: Lovie Smith → DeMeco Ryans
Two defensive coordinators were hired this offseason – Gannon (Eagles) and Ryans (49ers), both from the NFC Championship Game finalists. Both coaches joined long-term rebuilding situations in Arizona and Houston.
