20. New England Patriots
Here we have one of our biggest risers of the post-NFL Draft NFL Power Rankings, the New England Patriots. The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel this offseason and while that was such a controversial move at the time, it was the right move. Vrabel is a legit head coach in the NFL (not that Jerod Mayo is not) who has won NFL Coach of the Year and knows how to get the most out of his guys.
Vrabel’s teams are always tough in the trenches, and I love the draft this team just had. They surrounded Drake Maye properly this offseason, and I think they could make some serious noise in the AFC East.
Of course, so much hinges on the development of Maye in his second NFL season but those signs of progression were there, and the Josh McDaniels offense will suit him well.
19. Atlanta Falcons
Drama with Kirk Cousins aside, I like the offseason the Falcons are having right now. Michael Penix Jr. showed some pretty nice stuff late last season for this team, especially in a shootout with the Washington Commanders. The Falcons have made no shortage of investments in the offensive side of the ball the last few years and that should start bearing more fruit in the very near future.
What was essential for the Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft was to get core pieces defensively, and they did exactly that, paying a premium price in the process. The Falcons got a steal with Jalon Walker at 15 overall, followed by trading a future 1st-round pick to go up and get James Pearce. If Pearce can return to his 2023 form, the Falcons are going to be looking like absolute geniuses for their approach here.
This is a team that needed to strike while the iron is hot, so you definitely get the aggressiveness from GM Terry Fontenot.