The 2023 NFL season is going to be full of parity and electricity, but some divisions are going to be much more competitive than others. Let’s take a stab at ranking them from worst to best ahead of the season. It’s been yet another offseason of fireworks in the NFL.
Big moves were made in free agency and in the 2023 NFL Draft, as teams hope to angle themselves to becoming true contenders now or in the near future. There’s also a ton at stake for many coaches, players, GMs, and everyone in between.
And once again, there are major QB names in new places, a trend that seemed to start when Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in the 2020 offseason. It’s clear that a few divisions stick out as being the best in the NFL, but there are some others that are simply filled with horrid teams.
Let’s rank the divisions ahead of the 2023 NFL season from worst to best.
2023 NFL Season: Ranking the divisions from worst to best
#8 – NFC South
I’m not sure there is a single team in this division that can truly be viewed as a playoff team. Most notably, this division features not a single team with an elite quarterback. The Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons each have young QBs that might end up being great, but the New Orleans Saints are set to start the 15th best QB in the league in Derek Carr, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look poised to start the 35th best QB in the league in Baker Mayfield.
One team does have to win this division, and I personally think the Panthers end the 2023 NFL season as being better than originally thought.
#7 – AFC South
At least in the AFC South there is a true contender and an elite quarterback. The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to go 6-0 in their division this year en route to 12 wins and a trip deep into the AFC playoffs. Trevor Lawrence is going to receive some MVP votes as well. Outside of the Jags, though, there really isn’t much else.
The Tennessee Titans look to want to run it back one last time with the Ryan Tannehill/Derrick Henry core, but I don’t see them winning more than six or seven games, and both the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans look to be embracing a full rebuild with young QBs of their own.
The 2024 season might end up being much different for this division, though.