Even by the NFL’s standards of frenetic offseasons, the past three months have proven transformational, especially for franchises going all-in on a 2026 Super Bowl chase.

There were massive free agent signings, blockbuster trades, and hires this winter that move the needle and have the chance to shape the run for the Lombardi this fall.

Some of the moves stole the headlines and raised the expectations. Others, that were met with some initial skepticism, could wind up being the kind of low-risk but massive reward propositions that alter the trajectory of an entire franchise, let alone a season.

“On paper,” an AFC Scout tells Between The Hashmarks. “It’s Kyler Murray to the Minnesota Vikings. Because, if he plays well, with those weapons, their offense can be otherworldly.”

There wasn’t a lower-risk move made this offseason than the Vikings signing Murray for $1.3 million, the veteran minimum, dropping him into a one-season crash course at the Kevin O’Connell Quarterback Academy with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and now Jauan Jennings on the receiving end of his passes, should he beat out J.J. McCarthy.

If Murray, 28, can return to the form that helped him surpass 3,700 yards four times in his career, let alone have the kind of renaissance Sam Darnold experienced in one of the most quarterback-friendly environments in the sport, the NFC North may have been tilted on its ear. But, if Murray falters, the Vikings can wash their hands of the whole thing and hop into the 2027 quarterback sweepstakes during next year’s draft.

Meanwhile, one NFC Executive believes it’s another quarterback and head coach combination that could catch the league by surprise.

“Look out for Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers,” the executive tells Between The Hashmarks. “If anyone can bring out the best in Aaron, it’s Mike.”

That is certainly a contrarian view to how the Steelers’ $25 million commitment to Rodgers, and decision to keep third-round rookie Drew Allar on the bench has been met both inside the league, and out.

But, if McCarthy can summon the version of Rodgers who threw for 4,442 yards with 25 touchdowns to just two interceptions in 2018, then there will be a heaping helping of crow stuffed right alongside the French fries and coleslaw inside those Primanti Brothers sandwiches across Pittsburgh.

“I happen to think the Ravens are on the way down,” one NFL Executive tells Between The Hashmarks.

If that’s the case, and Rodgers is even moderately more efficient than he was last season, perhaps the door is more than cracked open for the Steelers to repeat as AFC North champions.

Murray and Rodgers certainly offer fascinating paths forward for the Vikings and Steelers in 2026, but here’s a look at the four moves that I believe will be the ones we look back upon in eight months as having defined the upcoming season …

For the fifth time since 2014, a new era is dawning in East Rutherford, but the Giants appear to finally have changed the culture and set the foundation for a run of sustained success after hiring John Harbaugh.

Before even one regular-season snap, the Harbaugh era in New York already feels significantly different than the epochs that preceded it.

“Nothing moves the needle as much as Harbaugh going to New York,” an AFC Scouting Director tells Between The Hashmarks, when asked which move will define this offseason.

If that’s what folks in rival buildings are saying, and seeing, it’s clear that a narrative is taking shape.

It isn’t difficult to envision a new course being plotted in the shadow of the Big Apple, thanks to the arrival of a head coach wearing a Super Bowl ring with sights deadset on adding a fifth Lombardi to the trophy case just inside the entryway of the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

"This [expletive] is different," edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux said on stage during the Giants’ Town Hall last week. "It's hard. It's different in a great way. The future is now."

That’s certainly what the Giants are banking on, and Harbaugh is setting out to build. After reaching the playoffs six of the past eight seasons in Baltimore, Harbaugh has overhauled the Giants roster in his image, hoping to guide a postseason return for a franchise that’s made the playoffs just twice since last hoisting the Lombardi 15 years ago.

As the New York Post points out, Harbaugh and the Giants have added 12 new starters this offseason, including tight end Isaiah Likely, first-round picks Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa, veterans like linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, defensive tackle D.J. Reader, cornerback Greg Newsome, and punter Jordan Stout, who have the potential to make an immediate impact in 2026 and shape what New York is hoping to become under Harbaugh.

“We brought guys in here that wanted to be here, and they’re going to play well,” Harbaugh said at the Town Hall, essentially sending a message to his players through his comments to the fans that assembled in New York City.

No player will be more vital to the Giants returning to prominence or bullying their way into the upper echelon of an NFC loaded with contenders than second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

Harbaugh didn’t draft Dart, but the No. 25 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has shown flashes of franchise quarterback upside, and says he’s already seen a dramatic change in tone, tenor, and culture around the facility.

"Everything that he wants the team to be is himself when it comes to intensity, attention to detail," Dart said at the Town Hall event. "From a player perspective, when you see a coach who is able to sacrifice a lot but has a chip on the shoulder at the same time, it’s someone we can all respect and want to play for."