Even if it felt like there was maybe one week too many in between NFL Free Agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, the intrigue of the NFL is still king of the sports world. It has been a fascinating offseason with tons of player movement, as always, and a lot of teams doing their best to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles in each conference.
Now that the dust has settled from the 2025 NFL Draft (and some eyes are already on the 2026 NFL Draft), which teams are the most improved and which teams are clearly looking like they're going to take a step back this coming season?
The reality is, we have no clue how the season is going to turn out. Some of our intuition is right (saying the Raiders and Titans would be bad last season), but some things just turn out to be complete nonsense (like saying the Commanders would be bad and the Cowboys would be great).
The element of surprise is what makes the NFL so much fun, but we can still evaluate these teams on paper. Which teams are the most improved and which ones are the least inspiring after the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency?
NFL Power Rankings: Steelers plummeting, Bears & Patriots skyrocketing
32. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints might be in bad shape for the 2025 season. It’s impossible to pin an entire season projection on just the quarterback position, but that position obviously matters in the NFL more than any other. The Saints don’t have a terrible roster outside of the QB position, but they do have a lot of other question marks.
This is a team that is transitioning to a new head coach, they have questions on the offensive line, and we might be fixing to watch Spencer Rattler and/or Tyler Shough starting games for them this coming season. The Saints’ situation this year reminds me a little bit of the Raiders last year, but with a bit more upside at QB. I think they are going to ultimately be in the mix for the #1 overall pick and we’ll see them as sellers at the 2025 NFL trade deadline.
31. Cleveland Browns
To be honest, the floor might be too high for the Browns defensively to put them this low in the power rankings, but just like with the New Orleans Saints, so much is based on that quarterback position.
The Browns went out this offseason and brought in Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders to compete for a job. If this team isn’t on Hard Knocks, I don’t want it. The Browns have such a weird situation right now offensively with transition at quarterback, the offensive line an unfinished product, and a handful of really good (and underrated) weapons.
If the defense reaches its floor this year and doesn’t have a bunch of injuries, the Browns could win eight games. Either that, or they’re going to be in the mix for the top QB in the 2026 NFL Draft.
30. Tennessee Titans
Last year, we made the mistake of not projecting the Washington Commanders to take a massive leap forward. Because of all the transition on that roster, I incorrectly assumed that they would need a year or two to really get things going.
I could be making the same mistake with the Tennessee Titans this offseason. The addition of Cam Ward at the quarterback position is a potential game-changer for this Tennessee team and it’s worth considering the possibility that they could end up being a worst-to-first team in the AFC South.
With that said, we need to see Ward out there operating Brian Callahan’s offense. General manager Mike Borgonzi didn’t exactly inherit a horrible roster and if this team can get even close to what the Commanders got out of Daniels, they are going to be a blast to watch.
29. New York Giants
This season could be the end of the line for general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll with the New York Giants. Either that, or they are going to look like absolute geniuses for moving up to get Jaxson Dart, or it’s going to cost some jobs and Dart is going to be floating around the league in a couple of years.
There is no question that the Giants have some serious talent. They have pass rushers. They have an elite WR1. They have some budding studs on both sides of the football, but that quarterback question looms large.
How quickly is Dart going to play? Can Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston fend him off? Do the Giants even want those guys to fend him off? I’m not sure how much Wilson really raises the floor of this team at this point. He’s so limited now compared to what he previously was. The Dart pick was a worthwhile shot and that Giants defense could be something.
28. New York Jets
There’s been yet another major changing of the guard with the New York Jets and I honestly probably am projecting them a little too high here. There are a lot of pieces for head coach Aaron Glenn to work with. The Jets were considered one of the top five best overall rosters in the NFL as of a year ago at this time, but with the good old Aaron Rodgers boys club all but eradicated, there’s reloading going on.
Justin Fields is going to get a chance to start behind arguably the best offensive line (on paper) that he’s ever had. He’s got Garrett Wilson and now Mason Taylor to feature in the passing game. The Jets will be a run-oriented team with some big play potential, but this team being in the mix for the AFC East is completely dependent on the Fields signing being a hit.
27. Seattle Seahawks
One of the teams I least expected to gut the roster this offseason was the Seattle Seahawks. And I’m not really sure I love it.
I was as impressed as anyone last year at the resurgence of quarterback Sam Darnold, but was he really worth the Seahawks moving on from Geno Smith? I suppose there is some value in not spinning your wheels when things have reached a ceiling, and just generally wiping the slate clean at times.
Trading DK Metcalf and letting go of Tyler Lockett paved the way for Seattle to feature Jaxon Smith-Njigba and bring in Cooper Kupp, but are those guys redundant? I like what the Seahawks did in the draft but was Darnold fool’s gold or not?
26. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers were in a bit of a tough spot going into the 2025 NFL Draft. They were spurned in NFL Free Agency by Milton Williams, whose arrival would have made the Tetairoa McMillan pick in the first round borderline cathartic.
The Panthers got some much-needed progression last year from former #1 overall pick Bryce Young, and I’m actually buying him going forward. Especially with the addition of McMillan, you’ve got another big-bodied threat who can significantly push the rock up the hill for that Carolina offense.
The reason it was not quite on the level of being “cathartic” is the Panthers really just don’t have pieces defensively. They obviously know that, because they maneuvered around the board to get Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, two guys who were somewhat “fallers” in the draft off the edge.
But the Panthers have thrown some darts and they’ve got a shot in that weak NFC South.
25. Miami Dolphins
I am greatly concerned about the Miami Dolphins this coming season. Tua Tagovailoa can’t stay healthy. There’s significant off-field drama with Tyreek Hill. The offensive line is a huge concern with the retirement of Terron Armstead. The defensive line is another massive concern, although first-round pick Kenneth Grant helps.
The Dolphins are poised to move on from Jalen Ramsey at some point this offseason and they’ve lost some good safeties in consecutive offseasons. Not to mention, they are still recovering from losing Vic Fangio to the Eagles last year. This is going to be a major test of this team’s coaching and player development, and I’m just not overly confident that it’s going to all come together.
This team should be able to win 9 games if Tua is healthy all year, but that feels like a stretch.
24. Indianapolis Colts
Man, as I’m putting this list together, the Colts are probably just way too high. This is a team that is going to have either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones starting most of the year at quarterback. Let me justify them even at No. 24 on these NFL Power Rankings.
First, I love head coach Shane Steichen. He’s got such a great way of playing the game of chess that is football, and I think he can maximize someone like Daniel Jones. The Colts also have one of the best collections of offensive weapons in the league, which got even better with the selection of Tyler Warren in the draft.
I also like this team’s defense, maybe especially with Lou Anarumo coming in with a chip on his shoulder. This Colts team could outkick its coverage, but I’ve got some healthy skepticism about the quarterback position.
23. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the most improved teams in the NFL this offseason for a variety of reasons. I love the John Spytek hire as the team’s general manager. He comes from a great couple of GMs he’s worked for recently, from Jason Licht in Tampa Bay and John Elway in Denver. The Raiders hired Pete Carroll, which will also raise the floor of this team significantly.
I love adding Ashton Jeanty to the mix with Geno Smith and Brock Bowers as the featured pieces in that offense, and that’s a trio that can work really well together, even though they are all just getting to know each other for the first time.
I’m not in love with Chip Kelly as the offensive coordinator, but this Raiders team could be way better this year than anyone is expecting.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars
The arrival of young general manager James Gladstone has ignited a fire of excitement for the Jacksonville Jaguars fan base once again. Gladstone is as sharp as they come and made the biggest, boldest move of the 2025 NFL Draft with his move up to get Travis Hunter.
Yes, it cost a lot. Yes, the Jaguars might regret it next offseason if they are picking in the top 5 or even the top 10 once again. But the risk is worth the potential reward with a player like Hunter. Hunter is already dominating in the jersey sales department, but more than just popularity, he’s going to bring an infectious passion for the game to this franchise.
The trickle-down effect of the Hunter addition should not be underestimated. This is a team that made the playoffs in 2022 and was making some serious noise. I wouldn’t be shocked if they win the AFC South.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
Until the Pittsburgh Steelers have Aaron Rodgers legitimately in the building, they aren’t going to be ranked much higher than this in our NFL Power Rankings. I don’t love the idea of Mason Rudolph starting for this team for an entire season although Steelers fans seem to be oddly okay with it.
The Steelers will always have a tough defense and I am fascinated to see how the running game thrives with Kaleb Johnson added to the mix. The idea of an NFL team having both DK Metcalf and George Pickens is borderline insanity. Those two guys together in the same offense is going to put to the test the, “F— it, DK and George are down there somewhere.”
This is a team that is truly on the cusp of being a contender in the AFC and they are the perfect potential landing spot for someone like Aaron Rodgers. But until he signs on the dotted line, that’s a huge question mark.
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.
18. Dallas Cowboys
Many will scoff at the Dallas Cowboys being this low, but this team has substantial questions even after having a tremendous 2025 NFL Draft class.
Dak Prescott’s recent injury history is concerning. The lack of a true #2 receiver in the offense is concerning. The Cowboys shopped at Five Below for their running back position this offseason. Trevon Diggs’s situation is a mess. The Cowboys lost a number of key players defensively.
It’s not a foregone conclusion that this team is going to stink this year but they are going to need to stay healthy and they’ll need a lot of other things to go right in the process. I’m not sure how bought in the organization is to Brian Schottenheimer, either. It feels like they pivoted to him haphazardly. I’m a little low on the Cowboys this offseason.
17. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals could be a 10-win team this coming season. The NFL is deep with teams I’m higher on right now, which is why you’ll see teams lower on this list than maybe their overall roster would indicate.
Being the 17th-best team in the NFL right now doesn’t mean you’re a middling team. I think the Cardinals have a chance to make some noise in the NFC West after investing heavily on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. I loved what the Cardinals did in the 2025 NFL Draft and I think we’re going to see a huge breakout in year two from Marvin Harrison Jr.
This team needs Kyler Murray to stay healthy and to be more consistent throughout the course of the season. His baseball background comes back to bite him at times, as he’s like a streaky hitter at the plate.
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.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One of the most explosive offenses in the NFL got even better this offseason as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not only brought Chris Godwin back into the fold, but they shocked everyone by using their first-round pick on Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
The Bucs are going to be so dynamic in every way offensively again this year, especially if Baker Mayfield can cut down on the turnovers. I loved the picks on Day 2 by the Bucs to upgrade a secondary that gave up a ton of yards last year, and hopefully, the key players on that defense can stay healthy this season.
Getting Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish should help a ton, but it feels like so much of the Bucs’ success defensively this season hinges on whether or not Haason Reddick can return to the form we saw from him with the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a really good roster.
13. Houston Texans
We vastly overrated the Houston Texans last offseason. The Texans were one of the NFL’s biggest surprise teams of 2023, and then they went out and made some huge moves in 2024 to surround CJ Stroud and supplement the roster overall.
I still love this team’s young core and really believe they are better than their record indicated last year, but a huge problem area – the offensive line – was addressed with a reload instead of adding pieces. It’ll be interesting to see how that strategy works out for Texans GM Nick Caserio, because Stroud spent way too much time on his back last year.
As fun as it was last year to see this team going after Stefon Diggs in free agency, I can’t help but like it even better that they’ve added Jayden Higgins and Jailyn Noel along with Nico Collins. This offense has size, explosiveness, and top-5 potential.
12. Green Bay Packers
For the last handful of years, we’ve been talking about how the Green Bay Packers have one of the most loaded young rosters in the NFL. And that roster got even better and deeper in the 2025 offseason.
I think the Packers are going to be legit contenders for the NFC North this coming season, but they have major question marks at the cornerback position right now. Jaire Alexander wasn’t traded during the 2025 NFL Draft, which must mean he’s sticking around this season. The Packers might look into trading some of their surplus of wide receivers to add to that pass rush before the start of the season, but it’s hard not to love this roster.
Can it all come together in the 2025 season? This is going to be a big year for Matt LaFleur. The Packers are the living embodiment of “embarrassment of riches” all over the roster.
11. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos had one of the best defenses in the NFL already last season, and all they did this year was spend a bunch of money and their best draft pick on improving it. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks, but they were susceptible through the air down the stretch last season. They signed veteran linebacker Dre Greenlaw and his former 49ers teammate Talanoa Hufanga to bring some toughness to the middle of the defense and they just landed the top corner in the 2025 class – Texas’s Jim Thorpe winner – Jahdae Barron.
If the offense can take another step for Denver this coming year, this team is going to be extremely dangerous and a threat to both the Chargers and Chiefs in the AFC West. Sean Payton now has a “Joker” for his offense in Evan Engram, and the ripple effect of adding a player like that could be huge for this team.
10. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers were already one of the toughest, most physical teams in the league, and they managed to get even better this offseason. The Chargers used a first-round pick last year on Joe Alt to upgrade their offensive line, then they went out and got Mekhi Becton to play next to him in NFL Free Agency.
Becton’s arrival to the Chargers’ offensive line is huge (literally), as he brings another physical presence in the running game, where the Chargers want to wear teams out in 2025. And with the additions of Najee Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton, it’s easy to see the vision coming to fruition here.
The Chargers also brought back Mike Williams and got Tre Harris, one of the best receivers after the catch in this year’s draft. If this team had done literally anything to move the needle at tight end this offseason, they’d be even higher on this list.
9. Cincinnati Bengals
Folks will take issue with me having the Cincinnati Bengals this high on offseason power rankings because they missed the playoffs and had an incredibly bad defense last year. But the Bengals were one of the most unlucky teams in the league and I seriously doubt we’re going to see anything even close to that bad of a defensive performance again.
The Bengals changed coordinators and added some pieces to the defense through the 2025 NFL Draft with first-round pick Shemar Stewart and second-round pick Demetrius Knight. Even though Trey Hendrickson asked for a trade, the Bengals seem to also be keeping him around. This team already has one of the best offenses in the NFL, but if that defense can even jump into the top 20 this year, they are going to win 11 games.
8. Minnesota Vikings
We have a lot to learn about the Minnesota Vikings with JJ McCarthy taking the reins this season. And there’s plenty of risk involved there. But who am I to doubt the NFL Coach of the Year, Kevin O’Connell?
O’Connell put all of his eggs in Sam Darnold’s basket (pause) last year and we saw that work wonders for this franchise. It’s a tough environment to fail in, to be quite honest. The Vikings have set things up very well for a young quarterback to have success, and this is not all that dissimilar from what McCarthy was working with at Michigan.
He’s got a phenomenal supporting cast of players and coaches around him, and I still feel like the Vikings are going to be really good this coming season. Even if they’re not winning 14 games, they’ll still be competing for the NFC North title.
7. Los Angeles Rams
I have so much faith in the Los Angeles Rams. Probably more than even the average Rams fan. I love what Sean McVay and Les Snead have done to reset this team over the last couple of years. Other than a few pieces, the roster that is going to compete for the NFC West title in Los Angeles this year is unrecognizable compared to the one that won the Super Bowl just a couple of seasons ago.
Matthew Stafford now has Davante Adams at his disposal, and even though this team’s most critical pieces (arguably) are geriatric millennials, I still feel like there’s a chance the Rams could have the best regular season we’ve seen from them in a while this coming year.
The Rams also have an extra first-round pick in the chamber next year to potentially make a bold move for a QB if they so choose. Not that they are going to get help from that guy anytime soon, but it’s an interesting note to have in the back pocket of this season.
6. Washington Commanders
I will be the first to admit that I had zero expectation of the Washington Commanders doing what we all saw them do this past season. To reach the NFC Championship game and accelerate their rebuild under GM Adam Peters and new head coach Dan Quinn was an incredible accomplishment.
Jayden Daniels has some new weapons at his disposal, but while they won’t get all the headlines, the additions the Commanders made on the offensive line are actually the more intriguing moves this team made. And more important over the long haul. After trading for Laremy Tunsil, the Commanders then really fortified their offensive line in the 2025 NFL Draft with first-round pick Josh Conerly.
You have to tip your cap to Adam Peters for reloading this roster as quickly as he has. This is a quality roster from top to bottom, and the Commanders are going to be fantastic again this season. But this time, with a bit more of a target on their back.
5. Detroit Lions
While the Detroit Lions are mostly a well-oiled machine, they are taking on some pretty massive changes this offseason that cannot be ignored. The loss of both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could loom large for this Lions team as they pursue a championship.
Those two guys were instrumental in getting this team to contender status, which is obviously why they have better jobs around the league now. With that said, they were also two key components of this team winning the chess match almost every week the last 2-3 years.
Dan Campbell has his work cut out for him. As good as this roster is, the Lions need to stay healthy, and that’s proven to be nearly impossible for them. We can only hope we’re not wondering “what if” about this team because guys weren’t able to be on the field.
4. Buffalo Bills
To put the Buffalo Bills at No. 4 on these NFL Power Rankings just feels gross. They have a legitimate argument to be the best overall team in the NFL, much less being the third-best team in the AFC on this list.
Buffalo’s roster is great. They have continuity on the coaching staff. They improved this offseason by pretty much every account. So what gives? We just need to see this team out there doing the thing in January. They are going to have a tough task this coming season of simply not sleep-walking through the regular season and losing any ground in their own division.
The floor has been raised for this team to the point that they have more margin for error than most teams, but they’ve got to show up when it matters the most.
3. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have all the ingredients to win a Super Bowl. They have arguably the best all-around player in the league in Lamar Jackson. They are well-coached. Their roster is deep. They have continuity. They are run extremely well as an organization from the top down.
There’s really nothing not to like about this team, especially after the moves they just made in the 2025 NFL Draft. We already knew the Draft analysts were going to be gushing over whoever the Ravens picked with their 1st-round pick, but getting Malaki Starks is just another example of this team’s fortuitous drafting.
Getting Mike Green in the second round is a bit more controversial, and a lot more of a steal if it works out. He was arguably a top-15 lock if not for off-field issues. The Ravens are going to be tough to beat at all in 2025.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
I’m a big believer in teams needing to be dethroned to be able to be moved off of a spot. The Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC last year, and they didn’t really get that much worse on paper, so they remain at the No. 2 spot in my post-draft NFL Power Rankings.
The loss of Joe Thuney hurts, but the Chiefs obviously invested in the offensive line yet again and they’re not going to leave any stone unturned. I like the approach of bringing back your own guys, and the 2025 NFL Draft really just fell to Brett Veach and Andy Reid.
They were able to get some nice pieces for the offensive and defensive lines while stealing some weapons like Jalen Royals and Brashard Smith on Day 3. The Chiefs are going to be playing with an even bigger chip on their shoulder after losing the Super Bowl, but how lucky will they be in one-score games again?
1. Philadelphia Eagles
There is not a weakness on this Philadelphia Eagles roster or coaching staff. They have arguably the ideal balance of run and pass offensively with a true MVP candidate in Jalen Hurts. They have a stellar offensive and defensive line. They have the best defensive coordinator in the league.
The Eagles have playmakers on top of playmakers, and an aggressive general manager who will not rest until he feels like his roster is perfect. And even then, Howie Roseman is to NFL GMs what professional bodybuilders are right before a show. He’s constantly tweaking and messing with perfection, but there’s never a cheat day.
As terrible as that analogy is, you get the point. The Eagles are the best team in the NFL right now and it’s not close.