9. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers come in at No. 9 in our power rankings, having just come off a 12-5 season in which they advanced into the Divisional Round, but the 49ers did deal with mounting injuries, and that seems to be the main thing that keeps this team from achieving consistent, yearly success.
The 49ers have all the talent they need to win it all, but not only have they been hurt in many years of the Kyle Shanahan era, but the Shanahan-led 49ers are 0-2 in the Super Bowl, having made it and lost to the Chiefs in the 2019 and 2023 seasons.
Oddly, the 49ers have not done a stellar job in the NFL Draft, but they’re also still a winning organization and kind of went backwards into finding their franchise quarterback.
Honestly, nothing about this franchise makes sense, but they should be good for 10-12 wins per year as long as things don’t go off the rails too much.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are No. 8 in our power rankings. Jacksonville lost running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency, two losses that I do believe could be notable. Both Etienne and Lloyd were top-5 players on the team, and I am not sure Jacksonville will easily replace their production.
The roster overall is in a good spot, but this regime is still in its newer stages, so they should be afforded more time. And with how successful the 2025 season was, you almost wonder if a slight regression is coming.
I am not saying this team is going to be like the 2024 and 2025 Commanders, but a slight dip in the win column after such a buzzsaw of a season could be realistic.
7. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears won 11 games last year with a bad defense. Yes, the unit excelled at taking the ball away, but they ranked 23rd in points allowed per game and were poor at defending the run and the pass.
However, Chicago did rank 9th in points scored per game, as the offensive side of the ball saw immediate success with Ben Johnson running the show. Chicago should be able to build on their 2025 season in 2026, but a lot of that is going to hinge on whether the defensive changes were the right ones and whether Caleb Williams can take another step in his game.
I know fans may roll their eyes, but Williams’ completion percentage does need to get better. The roster, though, is strong, and the 2025 success can’t be disputed.
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