16. Chicago Bears
Once again, we’re buying into the Chicago Bears hype. I already loved what the Bears did last offseason, but now maybe the stars will really be aligned for them with the arrival of head coach Ben Johnson and the revamping of that offensive line.
The Bears already have a good defense, Caleb Williams is properly surrounded with playmakers, and this team just feels like a sleeping giant in the NFC North. Even though the Bears play in one of the best divisions in football, I think they’re going to run with the idea that they’re just presumed to be the last-place team and have a chip on their shoulders all year.
For the time being, they’re still the fourth-best NFC North team on these NFL Power Rankings, but keep an eye out as the offseason progresses as I continue to talk myself into this team more and more.
15. San Francisco 49ers
I am hopelessly high on the San Francisco 49ers. This is unquestionably going to be a pivotal year for Kyle Shanahan and company, because they’ve lost so many crucial pieces on both sides of the ball and aren’t the same team that made it to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.
The 49ers are going to need young guys to step up. Their draft picks are going to have to start hitting. The core of this team is still strong, but it was absolutely detrimental for them last year to not have Christian McCaffrey in the mix. Brock Purdy seems poised to get a massive contract in the very near future, and the 49ers will have made their bed.
Although there are a ton of moving parts on the defensive side of the ball, having Robert Saleh back is huge for this team. I think the pendulum is swinging backward for the 49ers and they’re going to have to actively fight against that, but I’m holding out hope in the people in charge of this operation keeping them in contention in the NFC West.