2024 NFL power rankings: Cowboys free-falling, Bears surging after draft

4. Baltimore Ravens

Make fun of the Ravens all you want for the way things went down in the playoffs last year, but this is a great team on paper as always. General manager Eric DeCosta is an absolute wizard, and he's surrounded Lamar Jackson with one of the best in the league at running back -- Derrick Henry.

I loved the Ravens' top two picks in this year's draft of cornerback Nate Wiggins and offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, and when you look over this roster, where's the major weakness? No NFL roster is perfect, but the Ravens are built for longevity and dominating time of possession.

3. Detroit Lions

From biting kneecaps to NFC contenders. Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes have really elevated this Detroit Lions team substantially. One of the greatest points made during the 2024 NFL Draft was how many different Lions' players are selling jerseys to the fan base these days. Over the last four years, this team has done such a tremendous job of drafting and adding talent, and they are rightfully being considered one of the best teams in the NFC.

The way they attacked the secondary atop the 2024 NFL Draft, taking Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw with back to back picks? It was flawless execution by the Lions' brain trust.

2. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers lost a lot of guys this offseason, but they reload just as well as anyone. The success of the 49ers year over year means every other NFL team is going to try and get a piece, and they absolutely do. But the 49ers are just so good when it comes to player development, unearthing gems in free agency, and knowing the right time to let certain players go.

This team will be borderline unstoppable once again this year.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs just seem to be unstoppable at this point. They trade away Tyreek Hill and have one of the best offenses in the NFL en route to a Super Bowl win. The offense "sputters" in 2023 and the defense is dominant.

The Chiefs are just so well-run from a draft-and-develop standpoint. You don't build contenders like this year over year just because you have Patrick Mahomes. Okay, maybe he's the greatest cheat code in NFL history, but Kansas City has cranked out so much talent at every turn of the NFL Draft, and it would be silly not to give them credit for that.

Andy Reid, Brett Veach, and Patrick Mahomes have made this team into a dynasty.