6. Baltimore Ravens
When Lamar Jackson is healthy and at his best, there are few players in the NFL more dangerous and/or dynamic.
Jackson is simply one of the rarest players we've ever seen. But he can't do everything on his own, either. The Ravens have plenty of talent around Jackson offensively, but for the first time since 2008, the Ravens' head coach will be someone other than John Harbaugh.
The arrival of Jesse Minter should mean an instant upgrade for the defense, and he's got a weapon off the edge after the Ravens stole Trey Hendrickson from Cincinnati.
Although they're the new-look Ravens in multiple ways, this is a team we've come to simply expect to be there among the best in the AFC, and that's where I think they'll return this upcoming season.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
How will the Jacksonville Jaguars follow up their breakthrough year in 2025?
The first year under head coach Liam Coen was a resounding success, as the Jaguars went from the 5th-worst record in the entire league to being one of the hottest teams in the entire NFL down the stretch last season.
Unfortunately, they couldn't get the job done against the Bills -- at home -- in the playoffs. The offseason wasn't overly kind to the AFC's newest contender, either. They let running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd walk to NFC South teams in free agency, and they didn't do much to replace them.
The in-house talent is going to have to continue to develop, which means Coen is going to have to keep flexing his abilities as a head coach and talent developer.
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