Now that two more major trades are in the books, the NFL hierarchy has changed just a little bit ahead of the summer months here in the 2026 NFL Offseason. We have seen a ton of insane moves this offseason, as the recent deals for AJ Brown and Myles Garrett were not the first.
You do get the sense that front offices that know they're teams are on the cusp are not afraid to make that move to get over the hump. It's an arms race at this point, and seeing as how many talented teams there are across the league, there could endless scenarios that take place during the season.
With the Brown and Garrett trades finalized, and those two superstar players on new teams, let's roll out a fresh power rankings where we rank the most likely Super Bowl LXI matchups for this season.
Ranking the most likely Super Bowl LXI matchups following recent blockbuster trades
5. Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions
I really like the Detroit Lions, and I am of the opinion that what we saw last year was an outlier. This team did win 15 regular season games in 2024 and also did advance to the NFC Championship Game back in 2023.
On paper, this is a top-4 team, as the roster really isn't missing much of anything. The Denver Broncos likely would have made it to the Super Bowl had Bo Nix not broken his ankle. Another team among the most talented in the league, Denver swung a major trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who just so happened to be the exact type of playmaker they were missing on offense.
4. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams
This would be a rematch of Super Bowl LVI back during the 2021 NFL Season. Both Cincinnati and Los Angeles are capable of making it to the big game. The Rams are pretty self-explanatory. They invested big-time on defense, not only adding Garrett, but also adding Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
The front office identified the biggest needs and went out and addressed them as strongly as possible. Given how good this team was in 2025, adding three legitimate impact players should thrust the Rams to the top of the Super Bowl favorites for 2026.
3. New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
I'm not sure a rematch would be all that unlikely. While the New England Patriots did benefit from an insanely easy schedule in 2025, we can't pretend like this team didn't just accomplish what they did. Given that the Mike Vrabel era is now in year two, there's reason to believe an overall operational elevation could take place.
This could be especially true for Drake Maye, who cemented himself as a top-3 passer in the league last year. While it's not going to be nearly as easy, the Patriots' roster did get better in the offseason, so it's in the realm of possibility.
As for the Seattle Seahawks, a similar argument could be had. I do worry about the run game without Kenneth Walker III, but he was not necessarily a special player, and seeing as the defense is bringing back many of the same faces, the Seahawks could ride that high-end unit once more.
2. Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams make another appearance here, but this time paired up with the Buffalo Bills as our No. 2 matchup in our power rankings. Buffalo has had playoff heartbreak after playoff heartbreak, but what if a switch in head coach is what this team needed?
While it wasn't a major change, as Joe Brady was already with the franchise, the Bills did finally do something differently. It felt like for years, Buffalo was simply hoping that things changed. With a new head coach and a new weapon on offense in DJ Moore, the Bills may have given themselves just enough to get over the hump.
1. Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Rams
Both Denver and Los Angeles were good enough to make the Super Bowl last year. Both teams made big-time moves, adding Waddle and Garrett to their respective rosters. The coaching staffs are elite, and both quarterbacks are more than capable.
Denver and LA may also be the two most talented rosters in the league, so this could end up being the most likely matchup simply for that reason. Some may want to predict something a bit different and perhaps more 'fun,' but when the rubber meets the road, the very best are standing in the end.
Unless something insane happens, the Broncos and Rams have the infrastructure in place to race through the regular season and represent each conference in the Super Bowl.