12. Los Angeles Chargers
Did the LA Chargers get better this offseason? They did add some players, but Rashawn Slater is out for the year, Mike Williams retired, and the defense still doesn’t feel complete. It’s actually a disappointing offseason when you think about it, as LA won 11 games in the 2024 NFL Season and could have taken that next step into contention, but they still feel another year away.
The Chargers are 12th in our power rankings and are a logical choice for a top Wild Card seed in the AFC this year.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 10-7 and won the NFC South in the 2024 NFL Season, and they could be the heavy favorites to win the division again, but the loss of Liam Coen is going to impact this team. Baker Mayfield played his tail off last year, but not having Coen there could bring some regression for the offense.
Tampa isn’t a great team, but they’re very good and well-coached on both sides of the ball. They come in just outside the top-10 in our power rankings.
10. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans regressed in 2024, primarily thanks to their offensive line blowing up in the wrong way, so that’s going to be the main thing to look out for with Houston in 2025. If their offseason moves along the OL end up being the right ones, we could be talking about the next contender in the AFC, but if things are again not fixed, this team could be at a huge risk of losing the AFC South.
Overall, they’ve got great roster talent and a franchise QB in CJ Stroud, so at the end of the day, they should be just fine. Houston is 10th in our final power rankings before the 2025 season.
9. Detroit Lions
Should we be worried about the Detroit Lions? Going 1-3 in the preseason, nothing really ever came easy. Detroit lost Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson this offseason to head coaching jobs, and it seems to be impacting them in a big way. Roster-wise, this team could be the best in the NFL, so they do have that going for them.
However, roster talent only goes so far, and the head coaching expertise of Dan Campbell is going to be put on full display this season. If Detroit regresses, it really would not be much of a surprise,but at the same time, them again winning the NFC North wouldn’t be shocking, either.
A modest 11-win season feels like the most accurate prediction for the Lions in the 2025 NFL Season.