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2017 NFL Power Rankings: Top 5 teams are the real contenders

By Dan Salem

Oct 11, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) runs after a reception in the fourth quarter against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones (31) linebacker Sean Lee (50) and cornerback Morris Claiborne (24) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) runs after a reception in the fourth quarter against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones (31) linebacker Sean Lee (50) and cornerback Morris Claiborne (24) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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The top five of our 2017 NFL Power Rankings are the real contenders. Have the New England Patriots eclipsed the Dallas Cowboys for our top spot?

Back in February, we power ranked the top of the NFL standings for the coming 2017 season. We settled on the Dallas Cowboys as the league’s best team heading into the offseason. The only caveat we supplied was a worry about Dallas’ secondary and how that shook out with so many pending free agents.

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After NFL free agency and the NFL Draft we now revisit the 2017 NFL Power Rankings. Have the Patriots overtaken the Cowboys for the top spot? Our top five teams are the real contenders.

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, discuss the 2017 NFL Power Rankings in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Todd Salem:

With free agency and the NFL Draft having now passed, it is time to reevaluate the power rankings for the coming season. Dallas is no longer our number-one team.

The offense still looks great, and Taco Charlton adds some intrigue to the pass rush. But this team needed veteran contributors along the defensive line and in the secondary. It is nice to have Charlton and a seemingly endless supply of rookie defensive backs, but someone needs to know what he’s doing by Week 1.

The Cowboys are also sliding around some guys on the offensive line and are reportedly cutting down on Jaylon Smith’s workload as he attempts to play his first game sometime this year. It all feels like little stuff, but at the top of the power rankings, little stuff adds up.

Maybe the likes of Atlanta, Green Bay, Seattle, and Pittsburgh have made strides. I could even be talked into the Raiders rising into the top three. However, No. 1 has to go to New England once again. It sounds boring, but this team is actually much better than it was in February.

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The Patriots had a weakness at wide receiver, so they traded for Brandin Cooks. New England had some concerns about running back depth, so it added two nice pieces in Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee. Rob Gronkowski needed another running mate, so it traded for Dwayne Allen. It grabbed Kony Ealy, hung onto Dont’a Hightower and Malcolm Butler, while adding Stephon Gilmore.

What is not to like? This team is loaded from jersey No. 1 to jersey No. 99. And it didn’t even need to jettison Jimmy Garoppolo in any of its offseason dealings. Sometimes the league feels unfair in favor of New England. I’m just not quite sure how the Pats do it in this era of parity.

Dan Salem:

I truly want to keep Dallas as our number one team, but they did not sufficiently add to their defense. The New England Patriots did so and more, putting them firmly in the number one spot. Enough about the defending champs, because the rest of our top five in our 2017 NFL Power Rankings is exciting.

1. New England Patriots
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. Oakland Raiders
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Seattle Seahawks

The Cowboys are no lower than second after the NFL Draft. Dallas may not have added many new pieces, but the ones they still have are only getting better with experience. This is easily the team to beat in the NFC.

The Oakland Raiders pull up in the third spot. Oakland will get back its superstar quarterback, Derek Carr, vaulting them to the top of the AFC. Add in Marshawn Lynch to an already explosive offense, and you’ve convinced me. The final seasons in Oakland will be special for this team.

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Our top five rounds out with the Falcons and Seahawks. Both teams remain near the very top of the NFC and the league. I couldn’t put the Packers so high because I didn’t see the necessary moves to improve them overall. Pittsburgh is aging too quickly to make our top five, so there you have it. The top five of our 2017 NFL Power Rankings post NFL Draft.

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