The 2025 NFL season is nearly upon us, and the NFC is as crowded as we can remember. We've already taken an in-depth look at the AFC as the preseason continues to roll along here, but what about the conference that includes the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles?
It feels like the NFC very clearly lacks the same level of top-end teams that you'll find in the AFC. The Eagles are up there, but who in the NFC is on par with the Ravens and Bills right now?
This is going to be a fun year of discovery for teams in this conference. Teams expected to be at or near the bottom could shock folks, while teams expected to be at the top could end up being some of the most disappointing. Here's how we'd stack up each NFC team in our NFL Power Rankings as the preseason rolls along.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking underrated NFC as preseason rolls along
16. New Orleans Saints
I’ve been back and forth on the Saints this offseason a bit. If you look at their roster on paper, you don’t really see the worst team in the NFL. But the quarterback situation is obviously a major determining factor for them, and the duel between Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler isn’t overly inspiring. Kellen Moore is in his first year as an NFL head coach, and this is going to be a discovery year for the Saints. They’re more likely to be selling at the trade deadline than competing in their division, even the weak NFC South. It’s too bad they can’t get Kirk Cousins away from the Falcons.
15. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a team that could really jump up this list quickly if their defense can show serious improvement. The Panthers had the worst scoring defense in the entire NFL last season, and after missing out on Milton Williams in free agency, they went with more a of a “bulk buying” approach to addressing that side of the ball. They need a number of unexpected hits on that side of the ball to avoid another bottom-10 finish this coming season, which isn’t impossible.
14. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are breaking in a young franchise quarterback as well as a number of key pieces on the defensive side of the ball. This team has a number of skill players who can take over games, but is Michael Penix Jr. going to be able to run the operation at the level necessary to compete for a division title. The Falcons are also another NFC South squad with question marks defensively, though they appear to have more options and upside than the Panthers right now. We’ll see how quickly their pair of first-rounders – Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. – can step up and become foundational pieces.
13. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks were a decent team last year in the first year of the Mike Macdonald era, but they blew up some key components of their offense this offseason and it’s going to take more than a month into the season to figure out whether or not this team is a viable NFC contender. Klint Kubiak’s offense in New Orleans started off as one of the hottest in the NFL last year before completely fizzling due to injuries. Can he find sustained success with Sam Darnold and no more DK Metcalf in Seattle?