8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Anytime you’re putting together a list of NFL Power Rankings, you’re intentionally trying to poke holes in every team. What makes this team better than that team, how could this team project better in this way. You start going down the list of things that are the most important and where teams are stronger than others, and the Buccaneers just kept clearing team after team on this list.
They might not be the most talked about contender in the NFC right now, but I’m not sure they aren’t the 2nd-best team in that conference behind the Eagles.
The Bucs have a good head coach who runs an outstanding defense. They have a good quarterback with elite weapons. They have a strong offensive and defensive line. They have playmakers in the secondary. They have to get their pass rush sorted out after resorting to calling Shaq Barrett out of retirement last year, but this is a team that should be really good in 2025, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in the NFC Championship Game, at least.
7. Green Bay Packers
Every NFC team seems to have a lot going for it with one really fatal flaw.
The Packers have almost everything. They’ve got an outstanding coaching staff, continuity, they develop players from within, and they are deep. The Packers took a massive leap forward defensively last year in their first year under new coordinator Jeff Hafley, especially in the turnover department.
This team was outstanding at forcing other teams to make mistakes. But going into the 2025 season, the cornerback position is a huge question mark that could plague this team. The Packers did add Nate Hobbs from the Raiders in free agency, an underrated addition, but they appear to be banking way too much on younger or unknown guys to make a bigger impact than expected this season.
Their philosophy is to build from within, and that’s going to be put to test in the secondary for sure.