If you're a team that is even on the brink of contention in the NFC heading into the 2025 season, you're in luck. Although the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely dominated the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs, it truly feels like this conference is wide open for teams to come in and make some noise.
There are good teams in every division while at the same time, it feels like every division is up for grabs (to a degree, at least).
The seven playoff teams from the 2024 season will have their work cut out for them. Which teams are in the best position to get back in the mix to contend this coming season?
NFL Power Rankings: All 7 NFC Playoff teams ranked worst to best for 2025
7. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers had a chance to really take the next step as a team in the 2025 offseason, but I don't think they've done enough. We'll see about the development of players like Lukas Van Ness and if the Packers can get a huge year out of someone like Rashan Gary, but it doesn't feel like this team did enough to upgrade its pass rush or secondary at all.
The recent decision to release Jaire Alexander is the latest move giving me pause about buying stock in the Packers this year. The offense should be good again, but that defense remains a bit of a mystery. And a potential problem.
6. Minnesota Vikings
There is no team in the NFC that is going to be as polarizing heading into the 2025 season as the Vikings. There are many out there who believe that anything Kevin O'Connell touches at this point turns to gold, and it's hard to argue with that. O'Connell has had the Vikings playing well since he arrived and he's given us all every reason to give the benefit of the doubt with a young QB under center.
But JJ McCarthy's situation is not the same as Kirk Cousins on the way out or Sam Darnold with his NFL career on the ropes. McCarthy is a young, developing player coming off of a serious injury. There's got to be a healthy combination of optimism and skepticism for the Vikings here. Projecting them as a 10-win team right now feels fair.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are one team that could jump up to 12 wins this coming season if they can stay mostly healthy, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Injuries last year to Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield Jr. may have cost this team a couple of wins, but with the explosivenes of that offense, the Bucs should be in every game.
Baker Mayfield has taken the next step forward as an NFL quarterback as a member of the Bucs, and general manager Jason Licht not only rewarded him with a new contract of his own, but a ton of new weapons to spread the ball to. That Bucs offense will be something special once again with the return of Chris Godwin and the addition of Emeka Egbuka.
The defense will be key for the Bucs taking that next step. Haason Reddick has to return to the form we saw from him in Philadelphia and new additions in the secondary have to step up quickly.
4. Washington Commanders
If the Minnesota Vikings are the most polarizing team in the NFC this coming season, then the Washington Commanders are a close second.
Every part of me wants to buy the ascent of this team after what we saw last season, where Jayden Daniels became a borderline MVP candidate on his way to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The combination of draft picks and free agents along with Dan Quinn and his staff was the perfect year one combination for this particular team.
But how will they do with higher expectations heaped upon them in 2025? How is that defense going to look with a downgraded pass rush on paper? That's my main issue with them right now, and remains my primary reason for skepticism for an otherwise very talented team in 2025.
3. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams have a head coach and quarterback who won the Super Bowl together already. They've completely revamped their offensive weaponry since then and the defense is loaded up with young players ready to take the next step in their careers.
The Rams went from the "F*** Them Picks" mantra to making every single pick count, and general manager Les Snead has been doing a bit of flexing. The Rams got Davante Adams this offseason and used their top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on athletic tight end Terrance Ferguson.
They have the weapons offensively to contend in the NFC and that young defense has playmakers all over the defensive front. If they can make one more move to upgrade at cornerback, this team will be poised to coast into the NFC Championship game.
2. Detroit Lions
I said the Vikings were the most polarizing team in the NFC with the Commanders close behind, but the Lions have every reason to be in that conversation as well.
The Lions might be the team I'm actually much lower on than the consensus, but they're going to be in the "innocent until proven guilty" category until the season starts. The Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as well as defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. They have lost two starters in the interior offensive line. Their pass rush didn't get better this offseason.
I don't love the outlook for this team because of the loss of the coordinators alone. They will be fighting for their division until the final week of the season, I'll bet.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles may have lost quite a bit on the defensive front this offseason, but this is still a team you have to view as the best in the NFC right now.
The return of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio means that unit is going to be humming no matter who the personnel is, and they always do a good job of reloading anyway.
The primary concerns for this team might actually be offensively. The departure of Mekhi Becton, who was great for the Eagles as a starter at right guard, could actually be a bigger loss than anyone realizes. The team also has to deal with the loss of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who is off to be the head coach of the Saints.
There's always tough obstacles with turnover in the NFL year-to-year, but the Eagles should be able to weather the storm.