No games have been played, but your perception of every NFL team can certainly change every day, even in the offseason. Maybe especially in the offseason when there's nothing really going on, and looking at every NFL roster is like looking at the same picture from a different angle and finding new imperfections each time.
Our latest NFL power rankings reflect a little bit of that. Perhaps the luster of certain free agency moves has worn off a bit. Perhaps other teams and their roster-building strategies have started to show fruit a little earlier than anticipated. Whatever the case, we're going to take another crack at ranking all 32 NFL teams this offseason with OTAs in full swing.
2024 NFL power rankings: Vikings falling, Packers & Bears on the rise
32. Carolina Panthers
It's bordering on cliché to have the Carolina Panthers in this spot at this point. Every NFL teams feels like they got better this offseason, and to some degree, most of them have. But for the Carolina Panthers, it's going to be a season of proving they're not the worst team in the NFL after what we saw last season.
We need to see progression from Bryce Young under new head coach Dave Canales. The Panthers have moved on from the guy who was previously their best defensive player (Brian Burns) and have a new core of players on that side of the ball. The pieces on this roster aren't all bad, but we need to see clear progression from the most important guy -- Young -- or this team is going to remain in the basement of the NFC South/NFL in general.
31. Washington Commanders
Just like a lot of teams near the bottom of this list, the Washington Commanders are simply taking on a lot of change to really expect them to be amazing right out of the gates. It's impossible to know how quickly Jayden Daniels is going to translate to the next level, but even if you figure he can work well with Kliff Kingsbury in Washington, this roster was overhauled and you can't do it all in one offseason.
The Commanders still need to continue rebuilding/reloading in the trenches on both sides of the ball. With Dan Quinn at the helm, I expect the floor to be raised defensively, but this team is going to struggle to finish games.
30. New York Giants
I wanted so badly to put the New York Giants in the very bottom slot on this list. I think they have the lowest floor of any team in the NFL when it comes to the quarterback position. Daniel Jones is recovering from a season-ending injury in 2023 and his replacement option is Drew Lock.
The Giants simply have too high of a floor defensively right now to rank too low among the rest of the rosters in the league. This team also has had continuity on the coaching staff, which is worth a lot in today's NFL. And frankly, we did see this team make the playoffs just two seasons ago. What kind of magic is Brian Daboll going to work this coming season? The Giants might need a lot of it.
29. Tennessee Titans
New head coach Brian Callahan was given a lot of new assets this offseason for the Titans. Although King Derrick Henry has moved on to the Baltimore Ravens, the Titans were big spenders and figure to be much better at the end of the season than the fourth-worst team in the league.
When you go out and make additions like RB Tony Pollard, WR Calvin Ridley, CB L'Jarius Sneed, CB Chidobe Awuzie, and WR Tyler Boyd, you're sending a signal that you feel your roster is ready to roll. The major X-factor for this Titans team is going to be quarterback Will Levis. How much can he progress in his second NFL season? Can the talent around him help get the best out of him?
28. New England Patriots
There's already been plenty of attention given to the Patriots this offseason. The departure of Bill Belichick has really overshadowed the rebuilding project being led by new head coach Jerod Mayo, while the roast of Tom Brady could be nothing in comparison to the ongoing roast all season of one of the worst collections of offensive skill talent in the NFL.
The development of Drake Maye is going to be critical for this team early on. The Patriots have made no secret about the fact that Maye is raw and will need time. The question is -- who on this team is making him better? The Pats have one of the worst offensive lines in the AFC, and their talent at receiver and tight end is sorely lacking.
The defense in New England remains elite, so Maye should at least get the chance to come through with some clutch opportunities all throughout the 2024 season.
27. Minnesota Vikings
Feel free to get mad at this ranking all you want. I really just don't know where to rank the Minnesota Vikings right now.
I love Kevin O'Connell as a head coach, but where are the Vikings going to be defensively this year trying to replace Danielle Hunter with Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner? Is that secondary going to hold up after being one of the worst pass defenses in the league last year?
Most pressing -- who is playing QB for Kevin O'Connell? How much does that matter?
No matter if it's Sam Darnold or JJ McCarthy, the floor is low for the Vikings at QB in 2024. The ceiling could be high for either guy, but the Vikings are taking a risk with either of those guys under center and things could get worse for them before they get better.
26. Las Vegas Raiders
If you’re ranking teams based strictly on their quarterback situations, the Raiders would have to be one of the three worst in the NFL right now. With all due respect to Gardner Minshew, that is.
The Raiders are entering the 2024 season with two virtual backup quarterbacks atop their depth chart. They moved forward with Antonio Pierce as their head coach on a full-time basis, stripping off the “interim” label and making him captain of the ship.
There are a lot of reasons to like the Raiders, but there are also loads of question marks all over this roster. Is this a team that’s going to have the same wind in its sails this season after the boost of morale they got last year from firing Josh McDaniels? The Raiders played most of last season with house money and that kind of mentality won’t carry over in 2024.
25. Seattle Seahawks
One coaching change that has gone relatively under-discussed all offseason in the NFL is the Seattle Seahawks losing Pete Carroll and hiring Mike Macdonald. Now, Macdonald (coming over from the Ravens) is a heck of a candidate who comes from a winning culture. Different doesn’t always mean worse, but Pete Carroll was really one of those coaches that you felt was holding more together than anyone could really see on the surface.
The Seahawks have been one of the best teams in the NFL under Carroll’s reign, and the first year of him not being around could prove to be a little more rocky than anyone expects.
The Seahawks also need to play a lot better in the trenches on both sides of the ball, especially on the defensive front. That’s why we’ve seen them go after the likes of Dre’Mont Jones, Leonard Williams, and now first-round pick Byron Murphy in the last two offseasons.
24. Denver Broncos
The 2024 offseason for the Denver Broncos has been a bit controversial, but it’s crazy to think that people view this team as worse in 2024 than it was in 2023.
The Broncos won eight games last year, and didn’t finish with the worst record in the league, contrary to popular belief. They cut Russell Wilson, taking on an NFL-record $85 million in dead cap over the next two years. They traded Jerry Jeudy. They cut Justin Simmons. Yes – it’s a lot of change, but Sean Payton wanted a youth movement in Denver, and he got it.
This team upgraded on the defensive line, they already had a good offensive line, and if Bo Nix can be better than one of the 10 least efficient quarterbacks in the league, the offense could also be substantially improved. Maybe people will find it was a lot of addition by subtraction in Denver this offseason.
23. Arizona Cardinals
A year ago at this time, I was pretty certain that the Arizona Cardinals were the most pathetic team in the league. I felt like they had taken a huge risk on Jonathan Gannon as their head coach, and when you looked at the whole of that roster – especially with Kyler Murray hurt – there were few pieces to like at the most critical positions on an NFL roster (QB, WR, OT, EDGE, IDL, CB).
Now, with a plethora of young talent coming in, the Cardinals’ roster has been completely revamped and Jonathan Gannon already had that team playing spoiler last season. I like the Cardinals as possibly one of the most substantially improved teams in the NFL this coming season and certainly a dangerous threat to the other squads in the NFC West.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
So you just acquired Russell Wilson as your new quarterback, here’s what you can expect…
The marriage of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Russell Wilson always made sense this offseason, but it’s going to be fascinating to see how it unfolds on the field. Mike Tomlin’s teams don’t have losing records. They never have – literally.
Russell Wilson was historically an instant ticket punched to the playoffs as well – until he got to Denver.
The Steelers have an elite defense and that defense is going to have to maintain elite status in 2024 because Wilson has been a bit more turnover-prone in recent years, and he continues to take sacks at a higher rate than pretty much every other starting quarterback in the NFL.
How will this franchise respond to the addition of Russ? How much can the running game back him up? How will the Steelers deal with Russ taking so many drive-killing sacks? Will it all balance out to a nine-win season (or more)?
21. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts have a fun combination of youth and athleticism which could lead to them being one of the NFL’s truly special wild card teams of the 2024 season.
Head coach Shane Steichen did an outstanding job last year, all things considered, and the Colts were well-positioned to make the postseason last year despite the fact that they lost rookie QB Anthony Richardson to injury early on in the season. Unfortunately, they didn’t have quite enough to push past the finish line.
This year, however, is a different story. That Colts defense brings pressure, they play fast, and there is a lot to like with this team offensively. There’s such an upside for the Colts to be perhaps the best rushing attack in the entire league. Over the course of a 17-game season, the ability to run the ball and take shots in the passing game will serve them well. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Colts won the AFC South.
20. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are one of the most awkward teams in the NFL right now, and it's going to make for must-see TV.
It's a shame they aren't the subject of Hard Knocks this offseason.
Since he was hired in 2021, Falcons GM Terry Fontenot has failed to really make a bold move at the quarterback position. I guess in 2024, he decided to make up for lost time. Arthur Smith may not have been the right fit as the team's head coach, but that whole situation smells a little bit like "scapegoat" to me with the fact that Atlanta clearly knew they didn't have a viable QB solution.
Raheem Morris is taking over in 2024 and he's got himself a pickle on his hands with Kirk Cousins coming in as a $180 million free agent and Michael Penix Jr. coming in as the 8th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Regardless of who is under center, this team is must-see-TV, as I said before.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars
Which comeback are we most excited about in 2024 – the Jaguars as a team or the return of their 90s uniforms?
Definitely the 90s uniforms.
All kidding aside, the Jacksonville Jaguars have to overcome the label of “arguably the most disappointing team in the entire NFL last year.” It was an ugly second year for Doug Pederson after he looked like Duval’s latest gift from the football gods in 2022. The Jaguars legitimately had the Chiefs on the ropes in the playoffs a couple of years ago, and they didn’t even make it last year.
Competence defensively should help, and Jacksonville invested a lot to be better on that side of the ball. Time will tell if this team’s investments pay off, but the process has been good in the 2024 offseason.
18. New Orleans Saints
It’s hard to know exactly what to make of the New Orleans Saints this coming season.
They have good, not great coaching. They have a quarterback who is good some weeks, horrendous in others. They are dealing with significant injuries and depth issues on the offensive line.
Defensively, the Saints have continued to play at a high level under Dennis Allen. Offensively, however, it’s a different story. And it’s really hard to project any sort of next step for them. There was no consistency from this team last year on that side of the ball week to week. At least, not until the final five weeks of last season. The Saints won four of their last five games last year and narrowly missed the playoffs. They benefit from playing in one of the worst divisions in football, and that could be the case again this year.
17. Cleveland Browns
Alright Cleveland Browns fans -- I can't wait to read your emails about this one. I don't mean to disrespect the Browns here. I do believe they are one of the best teams in the NFL and probably deserving of a spot much higher than this on any NFL power rankings list, even in the offseason.
As good as the Browns are defensively -- and they might have the best overall defense in the league -- I just can't shake the feeling that they are in for another disappointing year from Deshaun Watson at quarterback. Watson has appeared in 12 games since 2020. Think about how insane it is to believe he could still return to being the guy we saw as a viable MVP candidate back in 2019.
How many other players are we clinging to 2019 hope for? Michael Thomas? Jamal Adams? Nobody in the NFL at the quarterback position gets more credit for who they used to be than Deshaun Watson. And I'm not buying it until I see it again.
16. Los Angeles Chargers
No NFL team made a bigger splash in the head coach cycle this year than the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers reeled in the big fish, Jim Harbaugh, from the National Champion Michigan Wolverines program. It may seem like a hot take, but coaching really has been a primary issue for this Chargers team in recent years, and has put a lid on their potential for success.
Brandon Staley was beloved at one point for his willingness to take risks, but some of his unnecessarily bad in-game decisions cost the Chargers on more than a few occasions.
The upgrade from Staley to Harbaugh is going to be felt immediately and in a variety of ways. The Chargers’ roster doesn’t look as great on paper this year as it did last year, especially at the offensive skill positions, but Harbaugh is going to right the ship, make no mistake about it.
15. Chicago Bears
It feels a little bit too much to be putting the Bears up here at 15, but call me a sucker for the hype. I really love what Ryan Pace has been doing over the last couple of years as the Bears have mixed smart free agent signings with aggressive trades and a little bit (maybe a lot) of NFL Draft luck.
The biggest stroke of good fortune came in 2024 when the Bears landed two picks in the top nine overall selections, including 1st overall pick Caleb Williams. Williams has resurrected hope for this franchise in a division that has been competitive for everyone but Chicago in recent years. He now has an elite trio of receivers at his disposal and a defense that improved substantially over the course of the 2023 season.
The Bears may not pose an immediate threat to the Detroit Lions atop the NFC North, but they pose a major threat to take one of the seven NFC playoff spots if Williams lives up to the hype.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The media perception of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers going into last season was always hilarious. A team that was barely removed from contending for a Super Bowl with an elite defense and big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball was expected – a year ago at this time – to be the worst team in the NFL by many.
Again, it was always hilarious.
The Bucs not only won the NFC South but they went and took down the reigning NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles. And they’re keeping the band together.
Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans got big-money deals to come back and the Bucs reloaded on defense. This team is going to be tough once again in 2024 as long as Baker Mayfield doesn’t fall off.
13. New York Jets
The New York Jets were in playoff contention for a lot of last season thanks to their defense, and that side of the ball isn’t going to fall off a ton with Robert Saleh calling the shots. He knows how to maximize personnel.
With the defense not a question mark, the main area you have to shift focus to with the Jets right now is obviously offensively. There have been rumors that Nathaniel Hackett was on the chopping block all offseason, despite the anticipated healthy return of Aaron Rodgers. Can the Jets actually live up to lofty expectations on the offensive side of the ball?
They have made some necessary upgrades on the offensive line with Tyron Smith and Olu Fashanu coming in, hopefully giving Rodgers the protection he needs to stay upright.
12. Buffalo Bills
There are few teams who had to take it on the chin during the 2024 offseason quite like the Buffalo Bills. The Bills lost a lot of core players on both offense and defense, including the trade that sent Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.
Why are we trading away key playmakers to direct competition in the AFC, again?
The Bills paid Josh Allen a big money deal, and now they need to see the return on that investment as far as Allen being the guy to raise all boats in the harbor, so to speak. He’s got to elevate this team, which was on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs for over a month last year it felt like.
Allen and the Bills are resilient, but you can’t help but feel they missed a window the last handful of years.
11. Dallas Cowboys
Speaking of missing windows, the Dallas Cowboys finally said goodbye to defensive coordinator Dan Quinn this offseason. Quinn bolted for what felt like the only job that he’s actually been offered over the last couple of years, which just so happened to be in the division (Commanders).
And not only did Quinn leave, but he took a handful of players with him. The Cowboys were cap-strapped all offseason and limited on NFL Draft capital. They are going to have to hope that young players can develop and improve the outlook of this roster going forward.
The contract situation of Dak Prescott also looms as a large storm cloud over the present and future of this team.
10. Los Angeles Rams
I’m probably a lot higher on the Los Angeles Rams than the majority, but I love the way general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have been retooling this team since they won the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.
And it’s important to remember – as different as this team looks on paper, they won the Super Bowl just a couple of years ago.
This Rams team is well-coached, they identify talent at every level of the NFL Draft, and they develop players as well as any team in the league. This will be the first year post-Aaron Donald for the Rams, but they can still be a threat to win the NFC West and compete for a playoff spot in 2024.
9. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are going to be a force once again this season offensively. The fastest team in the NFL keeps getting deeper and faster at the skill positions. Odell Beckham Jr., Jonnu Smith, and Jaylen Wright are all now in the mix for head coach Mike McDaniel, along with both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
The Dolphins have one of the most impressive collections of offensive skill talent in the league, but questions abound defensively.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is gone. Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are both coming off of season-ending injuries. Xavien Howard and Brandon Jones are gone. That defense in Miami is taking on enough of a makeover for me to be at least a little concerned about their longevity this season.
8. Green Bay Packers
For my money, the Green Bay Packers are one of the most well-constructed, well-rounded teams in the league. They kind of snuck up on folks last year as the young talent on both sides of the ball really was able to grow and fail forward over the course of the season.
But they didn’t just sneak up on everyone last year – the Packers became a viable threat in the NFC. If it weren’t for issues in the kicking game, the Packers might have upset the San Francisco 49ers on the road in the postseason. And who knows what could have happened in the NFC Championship from there…
Jordan Love is a legit star. The Packers have talent and depth on both sides of the ball. There are very few weaknesses on this team.
7. Houston Texans
We get it – everybody likes the Houston Texans.
But honestly, how could you not? We saw the Texans draft the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year last year with quarterback CJ Stroud and pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Now, they’ve added Danielle Hunter and Stefon Diggs to the mix. They brought in Joe Mixon. The Texans added to the trenches defensively. They added playmakers in the secondary.
This team is primed for a run in the AFC South and they might be in for a little reign in the AFC South if they play their cards right. General manager Nick Caserio has done a phenomenal job, even if it requires a little bit of luck to get that QB decision right.
6. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping for a bounce-back year in 2024. To say the least. One of the best teams in the entire NFL was sleep-walking through the second half of last season. They started the year 10-1, and it felt like you could see their playoff loss against the Buccaneers coming a mile away.
Jalen Hurts was more turnover prone and inefficient than we’ve ever seen him in the NFL. The Eagles’ defense was in shambles. The losses of Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon hurt Nick Sirianni more than anyone expected.
The arrival of Vic Fangio and a host of new players defensively should have this Eagles team back in the driver’s seat of the NFC East.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
I might be a little too high on the Cincinnati Bengals, who didn’t even make the playoffs last year. But with a healthy Joe Burrow, this team is undoubtedly one of the best in the league.
And right now, they’re going through stuff that good teams go through. Players are holding out and demanding trades if they don’t get new contracts. The willingness to pay Joe Burrow has certainly opened up pandora’s box in Cincinnati, as that was the first real massive deal their ownership has given out.
But if all of the pieces are in place, the Bengals are a legitimate threat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC. The question this year is – will all the pieces be/stay in place?
4. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson not being at voluntary OTAs – despite them being voluntary – feels very odd considering he’s got one of the richest deals in NFL history and the richest contract certainly in Ravens history.
Such is the nature of the beast in the NFL, I suppose.
The Ravens are hoping the addition of Derrick Henry can provide them the edge they need late in the season. This team’s identity is completely built around being able to run the ball effectively, and when that disappeared against the Chiefs in the playoffs last year, so did the Ravens.
This team is once again going to be faced with high expectations to compete for a spot in the Super Bowl.
3. Detroit Lions
It’s truly a new era for the Detroit Lions.
The reigning NFC North champions. How does that sound, Lions fans? Not only that, but the Lions underachieved by not finishing last season as the champions of the NFC, in general. How does that sound?
This year, the Lions have a new (and improved) look with their uniform change, and they have been shelling out cash to the team’s key foundational pieces. The Lions have one of the best collections of talent top to bottom in the entire NFL, and some of the best coaching in the league.
If that secondary can stay healthy and the young players coming in can perform right away, I wouldn’t be shocked to see this team as the best in the NFC, maybe even Super Bowl champs when all is said and done.
2. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers lost a number of key players in the 2024 offseason but they appear poised to remain the class of the NFC this coming season. We could see a rematch of last year's Super Bowl but the 49ers will have a little more firepower offensively this time around as they spent their first-round pick on Florida Gators star Ricky Pearsall, giving them an unreal arsenal of offensive weaponry.
What is it going to take for Kyle Shanahan to get this team over the hump? The roster is well-constructed. The pieces are all in place. The 49ers have everything going for them, yet they can't finish the job in February. This could be the year.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Let's not get anything twisted here -- it would be foolish to expect anyone but the Kansas City Chiefs to be the best team in the NFL this year. I literally just had a nightmare last Friday night about them winning yet another Super Bowl.
This team is so terrifying they can haunt your dreams.
The NFL's new great villain is, unfortunately for most, a legitimate dynasty. The Chiefs have established themselves as a dominant force in all three phases of the game with a Hall of Fame coach and one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. NFL fans simply have to hope someone can play spoiler in 2024.