The first big step to build an expansion franchise is the special expansion draft. The NFL has held eight expansion drafts in its history, and the most recent ones have happened in 1995 (Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers), 1999 (new Cleveland Browns) and 2002 (Houston Texans). The rules vary depending on era and reality, but also on how willing the league is to allow the new team to be good from the get go.

In 1995, the league was probably too expansion-friendly, causing both the Jaguars and Panthers to reach the championship round in their second seasons. They pumped the brakes in 1999 and 2002, but probably too much, making both teams suffer for a long time.

This is a series of posts about what a hypothetical expansion draft would look like in 2025. The A to Z Sports team built the St. Louis Arches, a fictional expansion franchise. We will do everything from a football operation perspective — expansion draft (and we involved our writers to get a fresh perspective from all teams), regular draft, free agency, and also building the top positions on the front office and coaching staff.

Everything is hypothetical, so take it with a grain of salt. But it's a good exercise to understand how a situation like that would work and how real teams would handle it.

This is the part to go into details with the expansion draft. We will also talk about the entire process and go further in free agency, regular draft, and coaching staff/front office.

Since we're already past free agency and the draft in real life, the A to Z Sports expansion draft will have some adjusted rules compared to what happened back in 1995, 1999, and 2002. Each NFL team will be forced to leave 12 players unprotected from the current 90-man roster, but players with zero or one accrued season are automatically protected.

These are the detailed rules:

1. Each current NFL team has to leave 12 players unprotected.

2. ⁠Players with 0 or 1 accrued seasons are automatically protected and can't be on the list. Players with no-trade clauses can't be added either.

3. ⁠If the player is taken, the expansion team will absorb both his future salaries and signing bonus prorations, so it can be a useful tool to unload veteran contracts.

4. ⁠The list is final, meaning that teams can't withdraw a player after another one has been selected.

5. ⁠The expansion team can get a maximum of two players from each NFL team, and a maximum of 40 players.

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Top players selected, and the explanation for everything

Kirk Cousins

With the first pick in the regular draft, the Arches knew they would take Cam Ward. They could have taken a quarterback like Tyrod Taylor to be the backup in the expansion draft. However, when Cousins got available, we saw an opportunity to generate extra draft capital in the future. It’s tough to absorb not only Cousins’ salary, but also his prorated signing bonus hit, but there’s a realistic scenario where the expansion team could get a high pick in 2025 or next year by trading Cousins to a quarterback-needy team. The competent veteran would also give Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff an option to start if they feel like Ward needs some time.

DJ Reader

It’s a relatively high cap hit ($12.933 million), but that’s actually not that significant considering the current defensive tackle market. In this stage of the franchise, it’s hard to acquire real talent, and Reader was probably the best player available.

Reclamation projects at WR

Believe it or not, no position was harder to address with top talent than wide receiver. There weren’t great options in the expansion draft and free agency, and the options early in the second round felt like reaches at that point. So the team was forced to bet on talent that hasn’t panned out in the NFL yet.

In the expansion draft, the team took players like Skyy Moore and Treylon Burks. There are also some veterans in the mix to give a floor of competence, like Sterling Shepard and Allen Lazard.

Protect the franchise

In 2002, a big part of the Texans’ struggles was caused by their inability to build a decent offensive line to protect David Carr. We learned the lesson. Sure, much more would be done in free agency and the draft, but the Arches left the expansion draft with capable offensive linemen like Ben Cleveland, Cordell Volson, and Matt Pryor.

These are the players selected and their cap hits:

• QB Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons ($40 million)
• DT DJ Reader, Detroit Lions ($12.933 million)
• LB Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals ($8.183 million)
• TE Austin Hooper, New England Patriots ($5 million)
• WR Allen Lazard, New York Jets ($4.61 million)
• WR Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans ($4.572 million)
• DT Malcolm Roach, Denver Broncos ($4.25 million)
• LB Damone Clark, Dallas Cowboys ($3.466 million)
• G Cordell Volson, Cincinnati Bengals ($3.139 million)
• WR Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs ($2.052 million)
• RB Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills ($1.975 million)
• WR Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($1.75 million)
• P Ryan Wright, Minnesota Vikings ($1.75 million)
• WR Braxton Berrios, Houston Texans ($1.67 million)
• ED DeMarvin Leal, Pittsburgh Steelers ($1.65 million)
• TE Jeremy Ruckert, New York Jets ($1.605 million)
• S Marte Mapu, New England Patriots ($1.517 million)
• T Storm Norton, Atlanta Falcons ($1.5 million)
• G Liam Eichenberg, Miami Dolphins ($1.337 million)
• S Dane Belton, New York Giants ($1.296 million)
• T Matt Pryor, Philadelphia Eagles (1.275 million)
• LS Nick Moore, Baltimore Ravens ($1.25 million)
• ED Dylan Horton, Houston Texans ($1.23 million)
• DT Tyler Lacy, Jacksonville Jaguars ($1.201 million)
• RB Alexander Mattison, Miami Dolphins ($1.197 million)
• RB Khalil Herbert, Indianapolis Colts ($1.197 million)
• CB Corey Ballentine, Indianapolis Colts ($1.197 million)
• LB D'Marco Jackson, New Orleans Saints ($1.179 million)
• CB Cam Mitchell, Cleveland Browns ($1.114 million)
• T Jamarco Jones, Detroit Lions ($1.1 million)
• CB Josh Hayes, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($1.081 million)
• QB Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles ($1.076 million)
• C Luke Wypler, Cleveland Browns ($1.074 million)
• S Tony Jefferson, Los Angeles Chargers ($1.055 million)
• CB Ja'Marcus Ingram, Buffalo Bills ($1.033 million)
• RB Chris Brooks, Green Bay Packers ($1.03 million)
• WR Bo Melton, Green Bay Packers ($1.03 million)
• TE Donald Parham Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers ($1.03 million)
• G Ben Cleveland, Baltimore Ravens ($1.03 million)
• ED Boogie Basham, Carolina Panthers ($1.03 million)

The complete lists of available players for all 32 teams is below. You can also check particular explanations for the decision-making for the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and Indianapolis Colts.

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AFC East

Buffalo Bills

• QB Mike White
• QB Shane Buechele
• RB Darrynton Evans
• RB Ty Johnson
• WR KJ Hamler
• WR Jalen Virgil
• WR Kristian Wilkerson
• T Ryan Van Demark
• DE Michael Hoecht
• LB Baylon Spector
• CB Ja'Marcus Ingram
• P Brad Robbins

Miami Dolphins

• LB Channing Tindall
• OL Liam Eichenberg
• CB Ethan Bonner
• IDL Matt Dickerson
• RB Alexander Mattison
• OL Braeden Daniels
• OL Jackson Carman
• TE Tanner Conner
• WR Erik Ezukanma
• WR Dee Eskridge
• EDGE Cameron Goode
• S Elijah Campbell

New England Patriots

• TE Austin Hooper
• RB Trayveon Williams
• G Sidy Sow
• G Wes Schweitzer
• C Ben Brown
• LB Monty Rice
• S Marte Mapu
• CB Isaiah Bolden
• DT Jaquelin Roy
• DE K'Lavon Chaisson
• LB Jack Giddens
• SS Jaylinn Hawkins

New York Jets

• WR Allen Lazard
• CB Brandon Stephens
• QB Tyrod Taylor
• DB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
• T Chukwuma Okorafor
• DE Micheal Clemons
• TE Jeremy Ruckert
• K Anders Carlson
• LB Zaire Barnes
• LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
• CB Tre Swilling
• TE Zack Kuntz

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

• EDGE David Ojabo
• IOL Ben Cleveland
• CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
• WR Malik Cunningham
• WR Anthony Miller
• WR Tylan Wallace
• EDGE Malik Hamm
• DL Adedayo Odeleye
• WR Keith Kirkwood
• TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
• LB William Kwenkeu
• LS Nick Moore

Pittsburgh Steelers

• DL DeMarvin Leal
• CB James Pierre
• LB Mark Robinson
• EDGE Jeremiah Moon
• DL Dean Lowry
• RB Trey Sermon
• RB Cordarrelle Patterson
• TE Donald Parham Jr.
• QB Skylar Thompson
• C Ryan McCollum
• T Dylan Cook
• WR Ben Skowronek

Cleveland Browns

• FB Troy Hairston
• DE Elerson Smith
• TE Blake Whiteheart
• TE Tre’ McKitty
• RB Pierre Strong Jr.
• DE Cameron Thomas
• CB Tony Brown II
• WR DeAndre Carter
• DE Sam Kamara
• C Luke Wypler
• CB Cam Mitchell

Cincinnati Bengals

• QB Logan Woodside
• RB Gary Brightwell
• WR Charlie Jones
• TE Tanner Hudson
• T Devin Cochran
• G Jaxson Kirkland
• G Cordell Volson
• EDGE Isaiah Thomas
• LB Joe Giles-Harris
• LB Germaine Pratt
• CB Marco Wilson
• CB Jalen Davis

AFC South

Houston Texans

• RB Dare Ogunbowale
• RB J.J. Taylor
• WR Justin Watson
• C Jake Andrews
• T Austin Deculus
• DE Dylan Horton
• DE Kingsley Jonathan
• S Russ Yeast
• CB Myles Bryant
• TE Brevin Jordan
• WR Braxton Berrios
• G Zachary Thomas

Jacksonville Jaguars

• QB John Wolford
• TE Quintin Morris
• G Cooper Hodges
• DT Tyler Lacy
• CB Zech McPhearson
• S Daniel Thomas
• WR Austin Trammell
• TE Johnny Mundt
• T Cole Van Lanen
• G Dennis Daley
• G Chuma Edoga
• DE Yasir Abdullah

Indianapolis Colts

• RB Khalil Herbert
• RB Salvon Ahmed
• WR Laquon Treadwell
• WR D.J. Montgomery
• DT Eric Johnson II
• CB Corey Ballentine
• LB Joe Bachie
• C Wesley French
• TE Sean McKeon
• TE Albert Okwuegbunam
• LB Jacob Phillips
• T Luke Tenuta

Tennessee Titans

• QB Tim Boyle
• G Chandler Brewer
• WR Treylon Burks
• LB Amari Burney
• RB Julius Chestnut
• WR Dowell Colton
• T Jaelyn Duncan
• IOL Brenden Jaimes
• EDGE Titus Leo
• IOL Sam Mustapha
• OL Olisaemeka Udoh
• DT Carlos Watkins

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs

• QB Bailey Zappe
• LB Cam Jones
• S Deon Bush
• G Tremayne Anchrum
• WR Skyy Moore
• WR Justyn Ross
• TE Robert Tonyan
• DE Malik Herring
• DE Janarius Robinson
• CB Nazeeh Johnson
• DT Marlon Tuipulotu
• LB Cole Christiansen

Denver Broncos

• QB Sam Ehlinger
• RB Jaleel McLaughlin
• RB Tyler Badie
• FB Michael Burton
• TE Lucas Krull
• G Calvin Throckmorton
• G Will Sherman
• DE Matt Henningson
• DT Malcolm Roach
• S Devon Key
• S Delarin Turner-Yell
• LS Zach Triner

Las Vegas Raiders

• CB Darnay Holmes
• WR Kyle Philips
• LB Devin White
• LB Jaylon Smith
• G Jordan Meredith
• G Alex Cappa
• QB Aidan O'Connell
• T Thayer Munford
• RB Raheem Mostert
• RB Zamir White
• S Lonnie Johnson
• TE Ian Thomas

Los Angeles Chargers

• WR Jalen Reagor
• QB Trey Lance
• RB Hassan Haskins
• S Tony Jefferson
• S Kendall Williamson
• ED Bud Dupree
• CB Deane Leonard
• WR Dez Fitzpatrick
• QB Taylor Heinicke
• TE Tucker Fisk
• ED Caleb Murphy
• DT Chris Hinton

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NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

• QB Will Grier
• RB Miles Sanders
• LB Damone Clark
• DL Earnest Brown IV
• CB Troy Pride Jr.
• TE John Stephens
• OL Hakeem Adeniji
• EDGE Tyrus Wheat
• LB Buddy Johnson
• LB Darius Harris
• CB Andrew Booth Jr.
• OT Matt Waletzko

Washington Commanders

• G Chris Paul
• WR Michael Gallup
• DB Bobby Price
• EDGE Viliami Fehoko
• LB Nick Bellore
• G Tyre Phillips
• WR Lawrence Cager
• WR Chris Moore
• TE Cole Turner
• CB Kevon Seymour
• QB Josh Johnson
• DL Jalyn Holmes

Philadelphia Eagles

• QB Tanner McKee
• QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
• WR Avery Williams
• WR Danny Gray
• TE Nick Muse
• TE Harrison Bryant
• FB/LB Ben VanSumeren
• EDGE Patrick Johnson
• EDGE KJ Henry
• S Lewis Cine
• CB Parry Nickerson
• T/G Matt Pryor

New York Giants

• S Dane Belton
• LB Chris Board
• QB Tommy DeVito
• OT Joshua Ozedu
• LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
• WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton
• RB Devin Singletary
• RB Eric Gray
• WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey
• OL Evan Neal
• WR Zach Pascal
• LB Ty Summers

NFC North

Green Bay Packers

• QB Sean Clifford
• RB Chris Brooks
• WR Mecole Hardman
• WR Bo Melton
• TE John FitzPatrick
• T Kadeem Telfort
• C Trey Hill
• DT Nesta Jade Silvera
• LB Kristian Welch
• CB Isaiah Dunn
• CB Gregory Junior
• LS Matt Orzech

Minnesota Vikings

• RB Ty Chandler
• WR Rondale Moore
• WR Tim Jones
• QB Brett Rypien
• OT Leroy Watson IV
• ILB Brian Asamoah II
• DT Travis Bell
• CB Kahlef Hallassie
• DL Jonathan Harris
• CB Ambry Thomas
• CB Tavierre Thomas
• P Ryan Wright

Detroit Lions

• DT DJ Reader
• OL Kayode Awosika
• RB Craig Reynolds
• WR Ronnie Bell
• DL Myles Adams
• CB Khalil Dorsey
• OL Jamarco Jones
• WR Tom Kennedy
• OL Netane Muti
• LB Anthony Pittman
• WR Malik Taylor
• TE Shane Zylstra

Chicago Bears

• WR Tyler Scott
• LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
• DT Chris Williams
• RB Travis Homer
• DE Dominique Robinson
• WR Samori Toure
• WR Miles Boykin
• CB Shaun Wade
• DB Nick McCloud
• TE Stephen Carlson
• OL Chris Glaser
• DT Jonathan Ford

NFC South

New Orleans Saints

• QB Jake Haener
• WR Kevin Austin Jr.
• WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.
• RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
• DL Jonah Williams
• EDGE Isaiah Foskey
• LB D’Marco Jackson
• DL John Ridgeway III
• S Terrell Burgess
• CB Ugo Amadi
• WR Velus Jones Jr.
• TE/QB Taysom Hill

Atlanta Falcons

• QB Kirk Cousins
• QB Easton Stick
• WR David Sills V
• TE Teagan Quitoriano
• TE Feleipe Franks
• T Storm Norton
• CB Lamar Jackson
• CB Kevin King
• DE Khalid Kareem
• LB Josh Woods
• CB Keith Taylor Jr.
• CB Mike Ford Jr.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• WR Trey Palmer
• TE Ko Kieft
• DL Eric Banks
• CB Josh Hayes
• EDGE Markees Watts
• CB Bryce Hall
• CB Kindle Vildor
• G Sua Opeta
• WR Rakim Jarrett
• QB Kyle Trask
• WR Sterling Shepard
• LB Deion Jones

Carolina Panthers

• WR Dan Chisena
• WR David Moore
• OL Ja'Tyre Carter
• RB Raheem Blackshear
• TE Dominique Dafney
• DL Sam Roberts
• EDGE Thomas Incoom
• LB Jon Rhattigan
• OL Brandon Walton
• OLB Boogie Basham
• TE James Mitchell
• LB Claudin Cherelus

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers

• RB Israel Abanikanda
• RB Patrick Taylor
• WR Russell Gage
• TE Brayden Willis
• DT Kalia Davis
• EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos
• EDGE Jonathan Garvin
• LB Curtis Robinson
• LB Chazz Surratt
• CB Siran Neal
• CB Dallis Flowers
• K Greg Joseph

Seattle Seahawks

• WR Steven Sims
• TE Eric Saubert
• QB Drew Lock
• RB Kenny McIntosh
• FB Brady Russell
• G Anthony Bradford
• DT Quinton Bohanna
• LB Drake Thomas
• DE Mike Morris
• LB Patrick O’Connell
• OLB Tyreke Smith
• WR Dareke Young

Arizona Cardinals

• QB Clayton Tune
• RB Zonovan Knight
• RB Emari Demercado
• RB Michael Carter
• WR Trishon Jackson
• TE Josiah Degura
• G Jake Curhan
• G Nick Leverett
• DE Dante Stills
• DT Bilal Nichols
• DL L.J. Collier
• S Jammie Robinson

Los Angeles Rams

• TE Davis Allen
• QB Stetson Bennett
• WR Quintez Cephus
• WR Xavier Smith
• CB Shaun Jolly
• FS Tanner Ingle
• RB Ronnie Rivers
• OL AJ Arcuri
• LB Tony Fields II
• DL Larrell Murchison
• WR Britain Covey
• DL Desjuan Johnson