There could be a few teams in the NFL who are on the cusp of becoming contenders. Could these three use the 2025 NFL Draft to get there? Contending teams are built primarily through the NFL Draft, and there really isn't a secret formula here.
Teams have to find a franchise quarterback and then proceed to build within the trenches. There aren't any ways to skip steps or take a shortcut, either. But with 53 active players on a roster, building a winning NFL team is quite difficult.
There are a few teams, and perhaps more, who could be on the cusp of becoming legitimate contenders, and could use the 2025 NFL Draft to get there. Let's look at three of them here.
2025 NFL Draft: 3 teams who could use draft to become legitimate contenders
Denver Broncos
Many people bashed the Denver Broncos for not only cutting Russell Wilson, but then proceeding to draft Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Nix was already the sixth QB off the board and ended up carving out one of the best rookie QB seasons in NFL history.
He started all 17 games and helped the Denver Broncos go 10-7 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Nix was only sacked 24 times and threw for 29 touchdown passes, the fifth-most in the NFL. Right now, on paper, the Broncos are truly elite along the offensive and defensive lines, and really could only be missing a couple of offensive weapons.
When you look at the entire roster, the only urgent holes are at running back and perhaps another wide receiver, but even the WR position does not appear to be an urgent need. Broncos GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton have built a team that could explode onto the scene in 2025 as a true juggernaut.
I would not want to see the Denver Broncos on the other sideline; that's for sure.
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are in the same boat as the Denver Broncos - they too took a rookie QB in the 2024 NFL Draft and saw instant success, but it was on a larger scale. They went 12-5 in the regular season and also won their first two playoff games, losing in the NFC Championship Game to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It was a rookie season from Jayden Daniels that we may never see again, and the Commanders have already traded for two plus-players in Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil, so it's clear that the front office is wanting to go all-in.
The 2025 NFL Draft could provide the finishing touches for this roster, as Washington is on the right track to become a top-2 team in the NFC in the 2025 season. With the Eagles losing more players than gaining this offseason, the Commanders have surely closed the gap in the NFC East at the very least.
Chicago Bears
This one might be controversial to some, but I love what the Chicago Bears have done this offseason. They've totally overhauled their offensive line with Jonah Jackson, Joe Thuney, and Drew Dalman. Even before that, the roster was in good shape. Chicago also added Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency along the defensive line.
Furthermore, they've got two second-round picks: 39th and 41st overall. Along with the 10th overall pick, the Bears have three picks inside the top-50, which is insane value. Chicago could package their two second-round picks to get back into the first round. Their 10th pick might just go to someone like Ashton Jeanty, and a potential second first-round pick could go to a wide receiver or perhaps another pass rusher.
I truly do not see many holes on this roster, as the Bears are absolutely trending in the right direction.