4. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have dropped from everyone’s 1st or 2nd team in the NFC down to the fourth. There are some valid reasons for that, and not everyone is talking about them. The loss of both coordinators this offseason was obviously detrimental. The Lions also made major changes to their interior offensive line. They didn’t do enough to upgrade the defensive front after all that transpired last year. Injuries are already piling up. There’s a level of talent on this roster that is undeniable but the effect of all that change could be felt early this season.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I think the Buccaneers are one of the most complete and well-rounded teams in the NFL. If they can get a good year out of Haason Reddick off the edge, their defense could vault up near the top of the league. The Bucs are already a machine offensively with so many great weapons and a gunslinger in Baker Mayfield who might put the ball in harm’s way at times, but he will fill up a stat sheet in the right ways. The addition of a player like Emeka Egbuka is going to amplify what was already a tough offense to stop.
2. Green Bay Packers
The Packers don’t have a perfect roster, by any means, but they have one of the best in the NFC. And they have a quarterback in Jordan Love who could be ready to take another giant step forward in 2025. The Packers obviously need young guys in the secondary (at cornerback, specifically) to step up after the team moved on from Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes this year, but that’s the only major question mark right now. It’s going to be a fun year for Packers fans, and this team might be ready to take that proverbial next step to the top of the NFC overall.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are still the undisputed top team in the NFC after the offseason, even with some significant losses on the defensive front. Philadelphia has reloaded a bit on both sides of the ball, but the core pieces from their Super Bowl run last year remain intact. There’s not much to really say about this team, given their overall continuity and the fact that they already had young guys in place, ready to step up whenever those inevitable departures did take place. The offense is a well-oiled machine, and Vic Fangio is going to have that defense playing at a high level once again.