The Philadelphia Eagles have pulled off a bit of magic in terms of roster additions in recent seasons, resulting in a superteam of sorts that came away with the Lombardi Trophy last season.

For a team like the Eagles of last year, it may have been easy to identify which players’ performances were most essential to the team’s success. But for others, it’s not so easy selecting a team’s so-called X factor. In certain circumstances, training camp helps tell the story when it comes to game-day roles, etc.

And while there may be much to be decided in the coming weeks with camp on the horizon, now is as good a time as any to forecast what may be revealed as teams head to their respective practice facilities. Here is a list of players I believe may help tell the story of their team’s upcoming campaign in the NFC.

NFC East X factors for the 2025 season

The Eagles bested the suddenly resurgent Commanders but managed to take the division crown in 2024 on their way to the Super Bowl win.

Dallas Cowboys X factor for the 2025 season

DT Mazi Smith: Smith was drafted to stop the run but has struggled to measure up since his first-round selection in 2023. Cowboys ranked 31st in run defense last year and didn’t do much to add to their defensive line, meaning Smith must be better if the Cowboys hope to contend.

New York Giants X factor for the 2025 season

LT Andrew Thomas: Thomas enjoyed an outstanding 2022 campaign, but injuries have set him back each of the past two seasons. With the team’s QB situation in flux, the Giants need their offensive line to build upon the momentum it found when Thomas returned from injury late in the 2024 season.

Philadelphia Eagles X factor for the 2025 season

EDGE Nolan Smith: With Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Brandon Graham and Bryce Huff having departed, the Eagles need their top returning sack-maker to perform for Vic Fangio’s defense. Smith was second on the team with 6.5 sacks a season ago.

Washington Commanders X factor for the 2025 season

DT Daron Payne: Washington allowed 3.18 yards before contact per rush in 2024, which was the third-worst mark in the league. Payne is a big, beefy run stopper and the best the Commanders have up front. They added size with Javon Kinlaw, but the 2022 Pro Bowler must lead the way for this re-tooled group.

NFC North X factors for the 2025 season

The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings battled to the final game of the NFL regular season in 2024 with Detroit coming out on top. Three teams made the playoffs but none were able to make their way to the NFC Championship Game.

Chicago Bears X factor for the 2025 season

G Joe Thuney: Chicago overhauled its offensive line this offseason after QB Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times during his rookie season. Thuney is the centerpiece of that overhaul as he hopes to lead a more productive Bears trench unit in 2025.

Detroit Lions X factor for the 2025 season

EDGE Aidan Hutchinson: Hutchinson was on a career-best pace last season with 7.5 sacks in five games before he sustained a broken leg that caused him to miss the remainder of the 2024 campaign. He is one of the league’s most talented edge defenders, and when healthy, is a franchise-changer.

Green Bay Packers X factor for the 2025 season

WR Matthew Golden: The Packers took a big swing in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting Golden’s big-play potential at No. 23. He will provide a significant boost to an otherwise dull position group.

Minnesota Vikings X factor for the 2025 season

LT Christian Darrisaw: With J.J. McCarthy returning from injury, the Vikings’ offensive line must be much improved if it hopes to keep its franchise QB upright. That starts with Darrisaw, who missed 10 regular-season games in 2024.

NFC South X factors for the 2025 season

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the division at 10-7, but it’s far from a stranglehold on the division.

Atlanta Falcons X factor for the 2025 season

QB Michael Penix Jr.: It’s difficult to select any other Falcons player but Penix. Inserting him as the team’s starting quarterback of the future while placing Kirk Cousins on the back burner is one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason.

Carolina Panthers X factor for the 2025 season

LB Pat Jones II: The former Vikings pass rusher has been reunited with his previous running mate, D.J. Wonnum, and is expected to bolster a Panthers pass rush, which finished with the third-fewest sacks in the NFL last season.

New Orleans Saints X factor for the 2025 season

WR Chris Olave: The Saints No. 1 pass catcher was limited to just eight games due to injury last season. New Orleans will have a neophyte at QB this season, whether it be Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler, and it needs Olave to be at his best if it hopes to have a chance to compete.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers X factor for the 2025 season

CB Antoine Winfield Jr.: Winfield recorded three interceptions and six forced fumbles in 2023, earning first-team All-Pro honors. But he took a step back during a 2024 campaign during which he was limited due to injury. Tampa Bay needs him to rebound.

NFC West X factors for the 2025 season

The NFC West was wide open until December and wasn’t decided until later in the season, but only the Rams made the postseason. All four teams are looking for a postseason berth in 2025.

Arizona Cardinals X factor for the 2025 season

LB Josh Sweat: Arizona’s pass rush was middle of the road a season ago, but should be much improved with a few offseason additions made, including that of Sweat. The former Eagles pass rusher was recently named to the NFL’s Top 100 and will look to justify that selection with the Cardinals.

Los Angeles Rams X factor for the 2025 season

WR Davante Adams: After parting ways with WR Cooper Kupp, Adams is now Matthew Stafford’s No. 2 pass catcher. The 32-year-old was productive last season, recording a 1,000-yard season between stops in Las Vegas and New York. It appears he’s still got it.

San Francisco 49ers X factor for the 2025 season

EDGE Mykel Williams: The 49ers selected Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in hopes of bolstering a run defense that finished last season as one of the least effective in the NFL. He was an elite edge setter in college, and San Francisco needs his talent to transfer rapidly to the professional game.

Seattle Seahawks X factor for the 2025 season

WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba: The Seahawks need new QB Sam Darnold to hit the ground running. Coming off a 100-catch season in 2024, a WR of JSN’s caliber is just what the doctor ordered for Darnold as he dives in with his new team.