4. Las Vegas Raiders
I have no idea if the Las Vegas Raiders are trying to sustain success or not, but I suppose they could stabilize things for a couple of years with Geno Smith and Pete Carroll. Comfortably the worst team in the AFC West, the Raiders have been a dysfunctional clown show for years and seemed to get serious-ish this offseason.
Neither Smith nor Carroll is going to be here for more than five years, but if GM John Spytek can put a plan in place behind the scenes, the Raiders might be onto something. Roster-wise, there are holes all over the place, so don't expect this team to be ultra-competitive in the loaded AFC. They are fourth in our last-place power rankings.
3. Chicago Bears
I love what the Chicago Bears did this offseason - they shored up the trenches on both sides of the ball, hired an offensive-minded head coach, and somehow found a way to upgrade the playmakers on offense. Right now, Chicago has all they need to be successful for the long-term.
If Ben Johnson can be the guy who unlocks Caleb Williams, the Bears will be a handful to deal with. I know people like to joke around and bash the Bears left and right, but this is the best roster this team has had in ages.
2. New England Patriots
The second-best team in the AFC East is the New England Patriots. Hiring Mike Vrabel and fixing the offensive line this offseason were two much-needed things that this franchise got done. Drake Maye was also a lot better than you think in year one, and Josh McDaniels is back with the team as the offensive coordinator.
I'm not sure if they have enough to make the playoffs in 2025, but a winning record is definitely in reach. Long-term, though, the Pats could be a problem in the AFC East.
1. San Francisco 49ers
The easiest schedule in the NFL for the 2025 season belongs to the San Francisco 49ers, and their 'down' years in the Kyle Shanahan era all seem primarily due to injuries, so if they can simply not deal with catastrophic injuries in 2025, they should have a clear path to at least 10 wins and a Wild Card berth.
The duo of Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan has been quite consistent for multiple years now, and this franchise simply knows how to win games. They might not be a juggernaut, but let's not pretend that the 49ers are dysfunctional.