NFL Power Ranking
NFL Power Ranking
NFL Power Ranking
B
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is about as perfect of a team as you can get, they have the GOAT at Quarterback, an insanely good
receiving core, a top 5 offensive line in football, the best front 7 in the entire league, and a solid young
Buccaneers secondary. It is very difficult to find a daunting weakness in this team as it simply just doesn’t exist. If i was to
find one however, I would say that the fact that their secondary is so young it may lead to them being exposed
every once in a while just because they’re inexperienced. Under the leadership of Tom Brady, this team looks
primed for another super bowl run and it may be very likely that the reigning Super Bowl champions will reign
Initial Ranking: #1 once again.
Bruce Arians is a very experienced coach that has now been to the Super Bowl multiple times, and has faced
some of the best coaches of all time and won. With that being said, he has faced his fair share of scrutiny in his
scheming against certain opponents and has been fired from multiple teams as a result, but all in all he is a
solid coach to have on a Super Bowl team. The front office for this team in the last 3 years has been excellent,
moving on from Jameis Winston, signing basically their entire defensive line in free agency, excellent drafting
for their secondary, just an absolute masterclass in the front office for the job they have done.
Final Ranking: #1
Key Players:
Tom Brady has got to be the obvious one, as the man is 43 years old and just won his 7th ring which is more
than any franchise has ever one. But I want to give a special mention to Lavonte David, as he has been the
Middle Linebacker veteran that has kept this defense in check, and he’s also one of the best tacklers in the
league. Shaq Barrett has been a force on the edge posting 19.5 sacks in 2020, he has been exactly what that
Change: 0 defense has needed on the edge. Mike Evans has been a consistent and reliable option for the Bucs as he is
exactly the kind of receiver that Brady would need, tall, strong, solid route running, and good hands, the ideal
receiver for a pocket Quarterback.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Kansas City
The Chiefs just made the Super Bowl for the second year in a row, but unfortunately couldn’t quite
win it this time. However, a lot of the firepower that they had when they won is still there, the
offensive weapons are as fast as light and compliment a Quarterback that can launch the ball all the
Chiefs way down the field like Patrick Mahomes can. The biggest problem the Chiefs had in the Super Bowl
was the fact that their offensive line couldn’t block the insanely good Tampa Bay front 7. Their
defense is also kind of susceptible to the run game as they ranked in the bottom half in that category
Initial Ranking: #2 last year.
Coaches & Front Office:
Head Coach Andy Reid is one of the most respected coaches in NFL history, as he’s been in the league
for about 2 decades now and is also now a Super Bowl winning Head Coach. Reid has always been
known as a defensive coach but he isn’t terrible as an offensive play caller either. The Chiefs front
office has done a solid job these past few years by drafting key players and addressing their needs
right away so that they can be right back in Super Bowl contention.
Final Ranking: #2 Key Players:
PatrickMahomes is arguably the best Quarterback in the league right now, he’s mobile, got an
amazing arm, and has very good decision-making skills as he very rarely throws interceptions.
Mahomes’s right hand man tight end Travis Kelce has always been a reliable target for Mahomes ever
since he came in the league, he is tall and strong which makes him very good in both the run and
Change: 0 passing game. On defense, they have an absolute menace in the middle in Chris Jones who was the
NFL sack leader back in the 2020 season for nearly the entire season. This team is talented and
flexible and is definitely able to be back in the Super Bowl for years to come.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
TheBills are an absolute force in the AFC, as they actually made it to the AFC Championship and look to be
Buffalo
contenders once again in this upcoming year. The Bills have an excellent Quarterback by the name of Josh
Allen, and within his first 3 years in the league Josh Allen has already been considered an MVP candidate.
He has no shortage of weapons either, as the Offensive Player of the Year Stefon Diggs had an amazing year
Bills with over 1,500 yards total. The Bills also had one of the more balanced defensive teams as in most
categories, the Bills defense finished in the top half. The only thing that keeps the Bills from being the best
team in the AFC is that they are missing that spark that a team like the Chiefs have, points in a game where
they can just take over, a lot of the time the Bills hit a stand still on both sides of the ball.
Initial Ranking: #3 Coaches & Front Office:
BillsHead Coach Sean McDermott has already proven that he is a great coach in the NFL, and considering
the fact that he has to go up against Bill Belichick twice a year, the guy doesn’t get nearly enough credit for
the job he has done in his time as Head Coach. In fact, PFF has McDermott ranked in the top 10 coaches for
last year so it goes to show you just how good a creative young coach can be with a team that is full of
talent. The front office of the Bills have built an awesome team that is definitely a contender, and throughout
their history they have always been a relatively competitive team.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #3 The Bills have quite a few players that are regarded by the rest of the league as great at their positions, the
most obvious one being Josh Allen as for the second season in a row Allen was considered for the MVP of
the league. Of course the Bills have the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in Stefon Diggs who has
proven to be fantastic and a great trade made by the Bills front office. On defense, Micah Hyde and Jordan
Poyer are both great safeties and help keep the Bills secondary in check as well as Tre’Davious White who is
without a doubt a top 10 Corner in the league. Trumaine Edmunds runs the front 7 at Middle Linebacker and
he has been an absolute tank from the moment he was drafted and is one of the reasons that this Bills
Change: 0 defense is as scary as it is. They have a secondary that can cover extremely well, a front 7 that can get
pressure on pretty much anyone, a passing attack that allows them to spread the field, and a Quarterback that
is big and mobile if they want to run RPO. There is very little to not like about this team.
Green Bay Strengths
The
& Weaknesses:
Packers have been a pretty solid team ever since they have had Quarterback Aaron Rodgers,
Packers the big issue is that Aaron looks increasingly more likely to leave Green bay when he can. The
Packers have arguably the best receiver in the league right now in Devante Adams as he led the
league for touchdown catches last year. The Packers main issue is their secondary as in the NFC
championship it was clear that was a main reason they had lost, especially when they had the lead.
Initial Ranking: #5 Coaches & Front Office:
Packers Head Coach Matt Lafleur has had an impressive 26-6 record in the 2 years that he has
been Head Coach for the Packers, but he does face quite a bit of criticism because both years he
was in the NFC championship and both times he came up short. The Packer front office seem a
little confused as to how to approach the Rodgers situation, it almost seems disrespectful to
Rodgers as he was the 2020-2021 regular season MVP so it has left fans a little bit uneasy.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #4 Aaron Rodgers was just recently the regular season MVP, and if the Packers even want to attempt
to contend for the Super Bowl this season. Devante Adams has been one of the best receivers in
the league, and is a crucial part of the Packers offensive identity as he practically commands
double coverage. On the defensive side, Jaire Alexander has been an outstanding corner for the
Packers and has helped them out on key 3rd downs and has lightning speed meaning he can deal
with the fast receivers, the only issue is that he’s pretty much alone in the secondary which is the
Change: +1 biggest hole in this Packers team.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson is a former MVP winner and can run faster than pretty much
Baltimore anybody on the opposing team’s secondary, he is extremely hard to predict because of how quick
he is on his feet when he changes direction. The Ravens also have a decent secondary that is quite
Ravens
capable of running very complex coverages that players have often admitted confuses them a little
bit. The biggest problem with the Ravens is that they are lacking a receiver that is the total
package, as Lamar isn’t really the best at throwing he needs more support from the receivers and
he just does not have that with the Ravens.
Initial Ranking: #4 Coaches & Front Office:
Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh is a Super Bowl winning coach that has been around the block
at just about every staff position that you can obtain as part of an NFL organization. He is quite
crafty with his playcalling and looked at Lamar Jackson as a fresh challenge that he would like to
try out and to his benefit it worked out decently well. The Ravens front office has done a solid job
in the draft but not so much in free agency, as this is the 3rd year in a row where they have failed
to give Lamar Jackson a number one option to throw to if he is in trouble.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #5
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is what makes this team tick, he is a solid leader and a very good
producer on the football field and only time will tell if he can develop his throwing ability to be in
the same category as most Quarterbacks. Ravens running back JK Dobbins essentially broke out
last season as being quite a productive and nifty back to have at the Ravens disposal. On defense,
Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey has played tremendous these past few years and has done a solid
job at limiting the opposing team’s best receivers.
Change: -1
Cleveland
Browns
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Browns have a plethora of weapons on offense, 2 solid wide receivers, 1 solid tight end, 2 amazing running backs, and
the best offensive line in football according to pro football reference. The defense is also very balanced, as the pass rush was
good but not great and the coverage wasn’t great either but both have been addressed in the off season throughout the draft
Initial Ranking: #6 and free agency. The one big issue that this Browns team currently faces is Quarterback Baker Mayfield. Baker has seemed
quite disappointing to the Browns as a couple years ago he was drafted as the number one overall pick and has not hit those
standards in the slightest. If the team is going to succeed, he needs to emerge as a Quarterback that they can trust and put their
faith into.
In his first year as Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year. That should tell you
everything you need to know about him, he is phenomenal and developed a solid run game mixed with defensive play that the
Browns just didn’t have with their previous Head Coaches. In fact many have already said that despite Stefanski only being a
coach for one year, he may be the best coach the Browns have had for the last 3 decades which says a lot about how
historically bad this franchise has been. The front office this off season clearly wanted to win a super bowl, they were in go
Final Ranking: #6 mode and honestly for good reason as they are only a couple pieces away from being an actual contender, something that is
foreign in the Cleveland franchise.
Key Players:
The Browns have many players that are key to their success, on offense the running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are
both vital to the team as they both have their own skill sets which gives this team options for what they can do on offense. At
wide receiver, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr, more pressure on Odell to stay healthy than anything else. On defense, the
Change: 0 new aquire of John Johnson III and Troy Hill quad needed and will definitely boost their secondary play. Who can forget
about Myles Garrett on the line, an absolute force that commands a double team is now playing with Jadeveon Clowney on
the edge in what is sure to be a nightmare to block for opposing offensive linemen. The biggest catalyst to this team’s success
by far is Baker Mayfield, he holds the cards to just how successful this team can be on the field, but on paper this team is
undoubtedly one of the more talented rosters.
Los Angeles
Strengths & Weaknesses:
TheRams were the best defense in the league last year as they led the league in least amount of yards
given up per game, they have the best secondary in the league that is also quite young and still
Rams developing. They also have quite a deep wide receiving core and they even got a few more receivers to
add to that in the draft. The biggest weakness for the Rams last year was the inconsistent play at
Quarterback that caused them to lose some games that they most likely should have easily won.
Initial Ranking: #7 Coaches & Front Office:
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay has not had a single losing record in his 4-year tenure as a Head Coach
and is also widely considered to be one of the best offensive play callers out of all coaches in the NFL.
The Rams front office has a very odd way of building a team, they tend to sacrifice future capital to win
now and not really worry about what it might do to their team later on. They also tend to overpay
players which has led to them having to take a lot of cap penalties which means they have a difficult
time signing free agents.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #7
The Rams traded their Quarterback Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford in an attempt to try and upgrade
that position as they saw that Goff was just not playing up to the level that they expected from him. One
of the biggest players in the Rams receiving core is Cooper Kupp, Kupp came into the league only 3
years ago but has already made a huge impact in the league posting 2 1,000 yard seasons. On defense,
the Rams contain the best defensive player in the NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Donald is an
absolute monster that is a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, and has broken the amount of
Change: 0 sacks by a defensive tackle in a season twice.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Chargers are a relatively young team with a small fan base but that may be changing soon
Los Angeles as the Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert put up solid Quarterback play last year
allowing the future to look very bright. The Chargers have some decent weapons for Herbert to
Chargers throw to and have a solid running game when the blocking is prevalent, the problem is that’s
the biggest weakness of the Chargers. The Chargers have a solid front 7 full of veterans that
can play at a high level when healthy and the secondary is very much similar as well.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #8
The Chargers former coach Anthony Lynn definitely deserved to be fired, there were many
situations where he was poor in clock management, play calling, scheme matchups for his
opponents etc. The Chargers then replaced him with Brandon Staley who just came from being
the defensive coordinator of the best defensive team in football, Staley is sure to bring some
balance and new scheming to both sides of the ball. The front office for the Chargers were very
aware of their liability on their offensive line, and picked up the highest ranked Center Corey
Linsley, this shows that they definitely want to protect their franchise Quarterback and put him
Final Ranking: #8 in the best situations to win.
Key Players:
JustinHerbert is without a doubt the key to this franchise’s success, the Chargers know this
which is why they wanted to address their offensive line in free agency and in the draft this
year. Safety Derwin James has been injured for a long time now and has been truly missed by
the Chargers secondary, he is great in zone coverages and a very solid tackler if he needs to be,
Change: 0 his health will be something to watch for this year. Keenan Allen is a very handy receiver to
have in your arsenal, the only issue is that he is not getting younger but he is getting slower,
but just how much slower is the main question.
Indianapolis
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Colts have a very strong front 7 that is a nightmare for any team to run on, they have great
linebackers and a very good defensive line. Their running game was also very good last season as
Colts Marlon Mack was very helpful for the Colts offense as their passing attack was very hot and cold. They
do have quite a big problem in their secondary, as they were ranked in the bottom 10 last season for
passing yards allowed, which made their defense only half of a threat to the teams that they faced.
Initial Ranking: #10 Coaches & Front Office:
ColtsHead Coach Frank Reich is a very offensive minded coach that also used to be a Quarterback
coach for their brand new Quarterback Carson Wentz. It’s quite clear that the Colts are full in on Frank’s
plan to create a more diverse offense. The front office bounced back quite nicely from losing their
franchise Quarterback Andrew Luck from retirement, as they added a lot of defensive help and then later
on decided to give the old veteran Phillip Rivers a chance and they ended up making the playoffs. The
Colts front office also did end up addressing their poor secondary in the draft which is something they
desperately needed as they struggled pretty badly last season.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #9
DariusLeonard has proven to be easily one of the best linebackers in the entire NFL, as he is one of the
key reasons that the front 7 is as dangerous as it is. Also on the defensive side is DeForest Buckner, the
Colts made a trade for him and he gave them exactly what they wanted which was a big and strong
defensive tackle that would stuff runs and get to the Quarterback. On the offensive side, the most curious
case has to be Quarterback Carson Wentz, as he is trying to bounce back from a less than mediocre
season in Philadelphia but he is reunited with his old Quarterback coach and offensive coordinator so
Change: +1 only time will tell.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The 49ers made the Super Bowl just 2 years ago because of the stellar defensive identity that they
San Francisco had and the amazing running game they had, and while both of those things are still there it is clear
that they are not as powerful as they were 2 years ago. They are still in search for solid
49ers
Quarterback play and have looked to address that in the draft this year. But since 2 years ago, they
also lost some key players on their defensive line and their secondary, so all in all their defense has
gotten a little worse since then which isn’t saying much as they had an amazing defense.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #11 49ersHead Coach Kyle Shanahan is a primarily offensive minded coach that utilizes the run game
more than anything, in fact his slogan is “Pass so that you can run” and he does it extremely well,
the only problem with him is that he is known for blowing leads late in games. The 49ers front
office has done an amazing job bringing this team together, the only thing I will say is that I
question who they kept and who they cut as a cap casualty, it seems like because they had a few
salary cap issues it cost them a little bit on the defensive side of the ball.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #10 Trey Lance is a rookie that was one of the most hyped up rookie Quarterbacks that were coming
into the league this year, all eyes will be on him to see if he gets the start and when he does, how
effective will he be especially in a very tough division. On defense the 49ers had major injury
problems last year, and one of the men that are coming back this year is defensive lineman Nick
Bosa who was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in the year that the 49ers went to the Super Bowl,
and now all eyes are on him to make a huge comeback for the 49ers.
Change: +1
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Seahawks constantly have solid Quarterback play from Russell Wilson as every
Seattle year it seems that he is in the MVP conversation at some point. The Seahawks also have
a decent amount of weapons for him to throw to in both their tight ends and their wide
Seahawks receiving core. The biggest problem with Seattle is that they lost a lot of their pieces in
the secondary and didn’t address it too much in the draft which could be worrisome for
this next season in a tough division.
Initial Ranking: #12 Coaches & Front Office:
Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll has been with Seattle for a long time and also won a
Super Bowl with them. He has been criticized about his play calling many times before
though, and it’s one of the reasons that a lot of people do not rate them very highly. The
Seahawks front office usually prides themselves on building and developing their talent
through the draft and it’s a rare time where you’ll see Seattle going after a huge free
agent.
Final Ranking: #11 Key Players:
Quarterback Russell wilson has been in Seattle ever since he’s been drafted, he has won
a Super Bowl and been in the MVP voting more than once, he is the key reason that
Seattle does as well as they do. His number one option, receiver DK Metcalf is an
absolute monster with wicked speed and an insane frame, though he’s still young DK
Change: +1 might very well be the best receiver in the league at some point in his career.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Miami is a very young and upcoming team, they have a decent amount of weapons for their sophomore
Quarterback to throw to as well as a decent run game though not amazing. Their offensive line has taken
Miami a little bit of a hit in these past few years but is slowly building back up. They have a very solid
secondary with multiple pieces that are decent and can cover very well, the only issue is that their
Dolphins linebacking core is not the best and they are really missing some key tacklers in those positions to stuff
runs as their pass rush is really solid as well.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #9 Dolphins Head Coach brian Flores has proven to be a very good schemer and gameplanner as he has
beaten Bill Belichick in New England which is not an easy feat to accomplish especially for a relatively
new coach. The front office for Miami has been quite up and down these last few years as they have paid
unnecessary money to players only to unexpectedly cut them the next year, as well as trading some very
key players away one of whom was Minkah Fitzpatrick who ended up being the Defensive Player of the
Year just one year later. But they have delivered on draft day as they have found some diamonds in the
rough that any team would kill to have in their depth chart.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #12 Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is now a sophomore, which means his expectations will be much
higher for this coming season and since he didn't exactly play too much during last season it’s hard to
see just how well he will do but there is no doubt that he is crucial to their success. Rookie receiver
Jaylen Waddle is most likely the best route running wide receiver in the draft this year, he will provide
Tua with another option and most likely a very reliable one depending on how healthy he is. On defense,
the Dolphins possess a top 5 corner in Xavien Howard who promptly stalls or shuts down any receiver
he is matched up against, he is one of the most useful tools that Miami has in their belt.
Change: -3
Tennessee
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Titans have a very good running game that has been one of the best in the league for about 3
Titans
years in a row now, it is led by Derrick Henry who is the exact prototype for everything you could
want in a star running back. The Titans also have a solid offensive line to block for Henry as he gets
into open field and absolutely shreds the opposition’s defense. The Titans front 7 though has gotten a
lot worse since just 2 years ago when they were in the AFC Championship going against the Chiefs.
Initial Ranking: #13 Coaches & Front Office:
TitansHead Coach Mike Vrabel is a relatively new coach to the NFL, but as soon as he came to
Tennessee there was a sudden shift in scheming and success for the team. The Titans front office has
been quite up and down on how they want their team structured, and by being this way they have
allowed a lot of their key players on defense slip away to other teams as theirs starts to slowly get
worse.
Key Players:
TitansQuarterback Ryan Tannehill has been a little bit of a journeyman and was often mediocre until
Final Ranking: #13 he came to the Titans and fit their scheme perfectly, needless to say that he is a huge part of their
success to keep a balanced offensive attack. Running Back Derrick Henry has been the engine that
keeps this offense going, as he is their primary attack dog to try and wear the opposing team down to
set up the passing game. On defense, the best players on the Titans reside in the secondary as the man
who commands it, safety Kevin Byard is a great coverage safety and can be a great hybrid safety
when he needs to be.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the league, mainly from their front 7 they gave a
Pittsburgh lot of teams' trouble last season from the plays made from their linebackers and their
defensive linemen. The Steelers also have a solid receiving core that handled a majority of
Steelers their offense and got the majority of their yards last season. The Steelers are one of the worst
rushing teams in the entire league which most likely was the reason for their early elimination
from the playoffs last year.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #14
SteelersHead Coach Mike Tomlin has won 2 Super Bowls with the team and has gone
through many winning seasons with the teams as well, he is widely respected across the
league for being one of the best coaches in the NFL. The Steelers front office has done a solid
job to draft basically all of the talent that they currently have, but there have been situations in
the past where they have had to let some of their players go.
Key Players:
SteelersQuarterback Ben Roethlisberger is now almost 40 years old and has definitely shown
Final Ranking: #14
pretty drastic signs that he is slowing down and on the decline, the Steelers are going to need
him to bring back some of his prime for next year. Chase Claypool was the hot target for Ben
last year as he had over 1,000 yards and at some points in the season led the league in
touchdown receptions. TJ Watt was highly considered to be Defensive Player of the Year this
year but just fell short to Aaron Donald despite having more sacks and being an absolute
Change: 0 menace on the edge.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Cardinals have a lot of weapons on offense, after trading for the #1 wide receiver in the league Deandre
Arizona
Hopkins, their passing attack looks absolutely amazing. The Cardinals Quarterback Kyler Murray is fast,
mobile, and has a solid arm but seems to lack accuracy from time to time when throwing constantly. The
Cardinals defense has added some huge names these past couple of years including former Defensive Player
Cardinals of the Year JJ Watt, and they’re solid on the defensive line. The clear weakness for their team is in their
secondary and their offensive line. Last year the Cardinals were in the bottom half in passing yards allowed
and also bottom half in rushing yards per game as well.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #19 While a younger coach, Kliff Kingsbury has been quite mediocre in his tenure so far in Arizona. His win%
in the first half of the season is over 60% but drops below 40% in the second half of the season, indicating
that he might be unable to adjust to the competition. The Cardinals front office has made some pretty solid
moves these last 3 years, practically fleecing the Texans for 2 of their top 3 players for next to nothing, and
signing a couple of free agents that have really helped their team progress. It also cannot go united that they
have done a great job drafting and have found some solid talent in the later parts of the draft.
Key Players:
It
is clear that Kyler Murray is the key for this team to succeed as with solid play from him, the offense has
Final Ranking: #15 the best chance to flourish especially in a very difficult division. Another key player on offense is Deandre
Hopkins, as he showed some signs that age might just be creeping up on him last year, if he wants Murray to
do well he needs to give him some massive help. On defense, Budda Baker seems kind of like a lone wolf,
but don’t let that mistake you because Budda is the highest paid safety in the league and it’s a big issue that
he is quite alone in the secondary talent wise. JJ Watt will be interesting to watch, as many analysts have
pointed out, JJ’s best years are behind him but even if he can capture 50% of what he used to be, he could
help the team out a ton.
Change: +4
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Forthe last 3 years, the Chicago Bears have been one of the better defensive teams in the NFL, in those
Chicago
years they have been in the top half of just about every defensive category there is. Due to injuries, they have
been unable to overcome the division and win the division title. Despite their defense being a force it can’t
be ignored that their offense has been less than ideal for the team as they have in some categories, ranked
Bears dead last in terms of offensive ability. The Bears have needed strong Quarterback play and have just been
unable to get it from their past Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. With all of this in mind, the Bears continue to
be a middle of the pack type team.
Coaching & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #15 As the years have gone by, Head Coach Matt Nagy has been constantly on the hot seat, as the city of
Chicago is very tired and exhausted of the mediocrity that they have lived in for decades and want to see a
quick turnaround. Nagy is also a defensive coach which isn’t exactly ideal for a team that always struggles
on the offensive side of the ball. Nagy has been unable to push Chicago to the next level and has been
scrutinized heavily in the years that he has been Head Coach. The blame cannot be put all on Nagy though,
as the Chicago Bears front office have a history of poor drafting and questionable free agency signings.
There is no doubt that the front office has held this team back from the success that it craves and according
to PFF, it has been ranked in the top 10 worst front offices in the entire NFL
Final Ranking: #16 Key Players:
Without a doubt, the best player on the Bears is edge rusher Khalil Mack as he may not put up insane
numbers, but his presence is what allows the Bears defensive line to get pressure on the opposing team’s
Quarterback. But the new star in Chicago is newly drafted Ohio State Quarterback Justin Fields, as he is
supposed to be their franchise Quarterback and be the one to do what Trubisky couldn’t during his time as
the starter in Chicago. With that being said, the Bears are still in need of some more weapons for him to
throw to, as Allen Robinson has been the only Bears receiver in the past 3 years to crack over 1,000 yards in
Change: -1 a season which shows a serious lack of depth in their receiving core.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Saints have a very good front 7 on defense, they are strong, quick, and very good at
New Orleans pursuing and tackling. They also have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL as in the
best 3 years the Saints actually lead the NFL in least amount of sacks and tackles for loss
Saints allowed in one season. The Saints are in a bit of a pickle, as their long time reliable
Quarterback Drew Brees just retired last season and they were unable to draft anyone to
replace him.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #18
Saints Head Coach Sean Payton is quite well respected as a Super Bowl winning coach, he
has had a lot of experience in the Saints organization and just Head Coaching around the
league in general. The Saints front office put themselves into a little bit of a cap problem, but
ultimately did find a way to dig themselves back out and ended up having a decent draft to
add onto recovering from a difficult salary situation.
Key Players:
Taysom Hill was the backup last year before Brees retired, and it looks like he’s going to get
Final Ranking: #17
the starting job and it will not be easy as he isn’t the greatest passing Quarterback in the
league and is more of a utility piece. The Saints do have a top 5 receiver though in the form
of Michael Thomas, he has been absolutely crucial in late games these past few years, and has
always been a reliable target for Brees. On defense, Cameron Jordan has been quite a strong
and solid edge rusher and has come big in huge spots right where the Saints have desperately
Change: +1 needed him the most.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Dallas in the first half of the season were one of the best teams offensively and actually ranked #1 in yards
Dallas
gained per game for about 5 straight weeks to start the season. They have a plethora of weapons to throw to that
are all quite diverse in their skill sets and what they can do for the offense. Their running game saw a little bit
of a dip this season as they were missing many of their offensive linemen to injury, and their running back
Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott did not play up to his standards. But the biggest problem that this team faced was its defense,
just all around they were god awful and ranked dead last in terms of yards given up per game especially
towards the end of the season.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #16 Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy has won a Super Bowl before, but many people didn’t seem to think that
he was an amazing coach because of the amount of talent that his team had when he won it. While those
criticisms sound very off put, it’s hard to deny them because of how bad the Cowboys were this season at a
record of just 6-10 after being projected to possibly be in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys front office has drafted
quite well these last 3 years, as they bolstered up their offensive line which allowed them to have a solid
running game throughout that time. They also drafted well in the later rounds which allowed for some depth in
the front 7 of their defense.
Key Players:
Dallas’s Quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a brutal injury that sidelined him for the entire season, just when the
Final Ranking: #18
Cowboys were trying to find their groove as well so him coming back will be huge for Dallas next year. Ezekiel
Elliott has been known to be one of the better running backs in the league for quite a while now and there’s
good reason for it, but last season was definitely not a high point in Elliott’s career as he would go on to fumble
more times in one season than he had in his entire career up to that point. There aren’t too many upsides on
Dallas’s defense, but Demarcus Lawrence in years prior has been outstanding on the edge for Dallas and has
made huge plays when they needed him too, it’s just that last year he didn’t record a single sack and Dallas
Change: -2 needs him to play better if they want to win games.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Vikings have had a very good running game that contains solid offensive line play as well as
Minnesota amazing elusiveness from their running back Dalvin Cook. They also have very good linebackers
which are very useful for stopping the opponents running game and that’s evident by the fact that
Vikings
the Vikings were in the top half of rushing yards per game allowed for the entire season. The
Vikings biggest weakness is on their defensive line, as they used to have one of the best lines in
football but unfortunately didn’t have the money to be able to keep them all around.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #17 Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer is a well-respected defensive minded coach, he’s been with the
Vikings for multiple years now and has made the playoffs nearly every year. They have now hit a
standstill however as they are another middle of the pack team that won’t get too much help from
the draft. The front office have made a couple mistakes in the past that have really hurt their salary
cap which forced them to lose some of their very key players especially on the defensive side of
the ball.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #19 VikingsQuarterback Kirk Cousins has been under a large spotlight ever since he signed a massive
contract with the team back in 2018, since then he’s not quite lived up to expectations yet, he has
had flashes of greatness but not to the point where it would make Minnesota seem like a Super
Bowl team. Running Back Dalvin Cook has been the primary option for the Vikings ever since
they drafted him, he’s been reliable, healthy, and fights like crazy to get extra yards and
touchdowns. On defense, safety Harrison Smith has been fantastic in coverage and is one of the
hardest hitting safeties in the league.
Change: -2
New
England
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Patriots in their entire existence have always had a very solid offensive line because they recognize
the importance of having a good one, but this time they will have to protect a rookie Quarterback instead
Patriots of a veteran one. The Patriots have acquired multiple new receivers in free agency that are solid to help
out their new rookie Quarterback as well. The Patriots have a glaring problem in their front 7, as their
linebacking core is maybe the worst that it has ever been in franchise history.
Initial Ranking: #20 Coaches & Front Office:
BillBelichick is known to anyone who watches football as the greatest coach of all time, as he has won
the most Super Bowls, and has been Head Coach of a single team for the longest span in NFL history.
He is facing something that he has very rarely faced however, as Belichick has only ever started one
rookie Quarterback ever before and that was Tom Brady. The front office of the Patriots took a new
stance this offseason by being very aggressive in free agency, as they are more known to be passive in
free agency and focus more on developing the players that they currently have or that they just drafted.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #20 The Patriots drafted Quarterback Mac Jones to hopefully be their new franchise Quarterback for the
future, a lot of their success this next season relies heavily on him and what he can do differently to the
past Quarterback that they have had. The Patriots signed quite a few tight ends in free agency but the
most notable one was Jonnu Smith, he is a strong blocking tight end with solid hands and a wide frame
which is pretty much like every rookie Quarterbacks’ dream. On defense the Pats have one of the best
shutdown corners in the league in Stephon Gilmore as he is a nightmare for any receiving core to face up
against.
Change: 0
Washington
Football Strengths
Washington
& Weaknesses:
is a very solid defensive team with a solid front 7 and a decent secondary, their
Team entire defense is very good as they were actually in the top 5 for least amount of yards given up
per game for most of the season. Washington also has a decent receiving core as well for
whoever takes the starting position next season. The big issue in Washington is that they aren’t
too sure who they want to be their starting Quarterback next season, which is never a good
Initial Ranking: #21 thing because it means that you don’t have a franchise Quarterback that you can depend on.
Coaches & Front Office:
Washington Head Coach Ron Rivera is a very well respected and loved defensive coach who is
quite new in Washington as he gained his fame on the Panthers and even ended up taking them
to a Super Bowl. Washington’s front office is pretty good at finding draft talent as it seems that
their scouting reports every year are spot on the money most of the time, they even just
recently drafted the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Final Ranking: #21 Key Players:
Terry Mclaurin has been Washington’s number one option for a couple years now, Terry is the
total package as a receiver, he’s got great speed, solid hands, great route running, and not the
worst frame either. On defense, Washington has a beast by the name of Chase Young, Young
just came off of a season where he won Defensive Rookie of the Year and had the most sacks
out of any other rookie granted while being in the worst division in football.
Change: 0
New York
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Giants are a relatively young team that is more trying to rebuild themselves than compete for the
Giants
Super Bowl. With that being said, the Giants do have a solid receiving core that they can work with as
well as an offensive line that isn’t terrible but not exactly amazing either. The weakness of this team is
their secondary, they do not have a lot of help on the back end which causes a lot of stress and
pressure for the front 7 to get to the opposing team’s Quarterback that much faster.
Initial Ranking: #22 Coaches and Front Office:
Giants Head Coach Joe Judge is heading into his second season as their Head Coach following a
pretty solid season considering what he had walked into. Judge had provided a clear path for the
Giants to take especially when it came to this year’s draft to prepare for next year and years after. The
front office hasn’t been the best these past 3 years but did make some solid moves this year and really
bolstered up their receiving core through free agency and in the draft’s first couple rounds.
Key Players:
Quarterback Daniel Jones is under quite a bit of pressure this year, because now there isn’t really
Final Ranking: #22 much of an excuse for him to use anymore, he has a solid offensive line, a good receiving core, and a
very good running back. That running back’s name is Saquon Barkley, he was injured for most of last
year and wasn’t available when the Giants offense needed him so his health is definitely important for
this upcoming season for the Giants. On the defensive side, the acquisition of Leonard Williams has
helped the Giants front 7 get to the Quarterback much faster and more efficiently, probably the most
efficient it has been in the last 6 years of Giants football.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Panthers are quite a middle of the pack team, but they do have a very solid running game with
Carolina probably the best running back in the league Christian McCaffery. They also do have quite a decent
and strong defensive line that they have built through the draft as all of them have been homegrown in
Carolina. The biggest issue that the Panthers have is their Quarterbacking position, as a lot of people
Panthers are a bit nervous about the acquisition of Sam Darnold and aren’t sure if he’s the guy they want going
forward into the season.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #23 Panthers Head Coach Matt Rhule is quite a brand new coach to the NFL and he kind of started in a
very odd situation but recovered decently from it. They have been quite mediocre for a long time or at
least since 2015 when they made the Super Bowl and Rhule had to come in right when they were
trying to rebuild so it’s quite a tricky situation. Although the Panthers front office has upgraded the
Quarterback position, they are still going to need to do a lot more in these coming years if they ever
want to make it back to the Super Bowl, as being a mediocre team might just be worse than being a
bad team.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #23 Quarterback Sam Darnold will be very important to this team if they want to try and break above 500
this season as they have chosen him to lead this team, and he is going to need to play better now than
he ever has in his career in the NFL. Robbie Anderson will be Darnold’s main target, and it’s no secret
why as he has had multiple seasons where he has had over 800 yards receiving on the Jets and the fact
that he and Darnold have already spent 2 years playing together in New York. On defense, the
Panthers put their faith in defensive tackle Kawann Short as he is without a doubt the biggest,
Change: 0 strongest, and best run stuffer on the team.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Eagles this off season had very bad salary cap issues, and because of that they had to let
Philedelphia some of their key pieces go. At Quarterback they saw some light at the end of the tunnel as
Jalen Hurts emerged as a competent and mobile leader for the team. Their defensive line is
Eagles also still pretty solid as they have very good play in the defensive tackle positions. Their
secondary is in need of some help as they were less than ideal last year in virtually all of those
categories.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #24
At the end of last season, the Eagles decided that they were done with Doug Pederson despite
winning a Super Bowl with him. Now they bring in Nick Siriani, who was the offensive
coordinator for the Colts and doesn’t exactly have many other qualifications to his name so
it’s understandable that the fans would be in a little bit of an outrage. The Eagles front office
also made some questionable signings that really put their cap space in a bad way, and also let
go of some guys that they really needed to make space when it came back to bite them.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #24
TheEagles’ cap problems were not enough to limit how good Quarterback Jalen Hurts has
played this last season, as he helped the Eagles win a few games later in the season. On
defense, the Eagles still have the monster that is Fletcher Cox, Fletcher May not put up the
numbers but his presence on the football field is noticeable even without them whether it be
through block shedding, stuffing the run, or blocking the pass he is a beast.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Falcons are mainly an offensive heavy team with an insane amount of weapons in their wide
Atlanta receiving core, as well as a decent and experienced offensive line. Their Quarterback Matt Ryan is a
veteran who won the MVP only 4 years ago, while he is getting old he still is quite effective for the team
and has decent decision making skills. The Falcons biggest problem is their defense, which actually
Falcons finished dead last for time for the opponent to throw the ball in the pocket meaning that their pass rush
wasn’t very effective. They also have a really poor secondary and gave up a huge amount of yards
through the air.
Initial Ranking: #25 Coaches & Front Office:
The Falcons former coach Dan Quinn was mainly a defensive coach that actually made the Super Bowl
but lost it in dramatic fashion. After one too many disappointing years, the Falcons decided to fire him
and replace him with an offensive coach named Arthur Smith. It makes sense as they need to have a
coach that knows how to utilize the talent that they possess and most of the talent is on offense. The
front office has done a decent job drafting young talent as they typically go with the most NFL ready
prospect every year which isn’t really a bad thing, but it may not always be what they need position
wise.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #25
Quarterback Matt Ryan is what makes that offense go, if he is playing at a high level usually the rest of
the offense is as well. But he wouldn’t be able to do that without his great wide receivers like Julio
Jones, Julio is everything you want in a receiver, fast, tall, good hands, good route running, the only
problem is that age is creeping up on him. The Falcons don’t have much on defense, but there is one
player who does make some kind of impact and that’s defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, Grady is very
effective at shedding blocks and stuffing runs but it’s just a shame that he doesn’t have a solid cast
Change: 0 surrounding him.
Denver
Broncos
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Broncos are a heavily defensive team with a defensive Head Coach in Vic Fangio, and an impressive secondary and safety core.
Their front 7 still looks solid as Von Miller will be back this year and every team should put that on notice. There is one glaring
problem with the Broncos that just about everyone can see from a mile away and that is that they haven’t had good Quarterback play
since Peyton Manning retired back in 2016. They did try out Drew Lock in the draft but didn’t end up going with him long term, and
Initial Ranking: #26 now they have Teddy Bridgewater who is not bad but not exactly someone that you would consider to be a franchise Quarterback.
Vic Fangio is one of the best defensive minds in all of football, the biggest issue is that the Broncos main struggles are on the
offensive side of the ball. While Fangio is a solid coach, there is no doubt that the Broncos need an offensive coordinator that could
change their entire offensive scheme around. The front office made some interesting decisions in this off season, the biggest of
which being Teddy Bridgewater replacing Drew Lock. But the one thing that I’m not a huge fan of is the fact that during this off
season, they went to get more defensive pieces instead of focusing on their offensive identity. This was highly criticized and rightly
so, but a lot of fans and analysts say that maybe Bridgewater himself will bring them much more success on offense.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #26 Of course Teddy Bridgewater is a huge edition, but it goes without saying just how good the Broncos are on defense. Safeties Justin
Simmons and Kareem Jackson were voted by analysts to be the best safety duo in the entire league. A new edition in Kyle Fuller
should ensure the devastating power of this secondary on opposing offenses. But the most important thing is that Von Miller will
finally return to the field in what will make their pass rush that much better. It also should be noted that Jerry Jeudy didn’t exactly
have a breakout rookie season, and Bridgewater might be just what he needs to get there. Just looking at this Broncos team, they’re
talented on one side, but not very much on the other side, and that should just scream mediocrity to anyone.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Raiders have a great running back that they can rely on to fight for extra yards and break out
Las Vegas for huge gains on just about any defense that he faces up against. They also have receivers with
burning speed that can create serious separation from their defenders which makes the
Raiders
Quarterback’s job a lot easier. The Raiders do have a huge problem though, they lost 4 out of their
5 starting offensive lineman which is undoubtedly awful news for both the Quarterback and the
Running back.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #27 RaidersHead Coach Jon Gruden has been in the league for a couple decades now and has also won
a Super Bowl all the way back in 2002, though he is faced with some criticism about not making
the adjustments that he needs to make later in the season in order to keep winning. The front office
of the Raiders hasn’t done a bad job drafting but has done quite terrible in free agency as they
constantly allow some of their most important and key players slip away to other teams.
Key Players:
Running Back Josh Jacobs is now entering his 3rd year in the league and has been very productive
Final Ranking: #27 for the Raiders when he has needed to be, he is constantly in the top 10 in rushing yards every year
and maintains a stature that allows him to be strong and dependable when in the red zone. Wide
receiver Henry Ruggs has also been a crucial part of this offense as his speed has allowed him to
be open down the field when the Raiders have needed a huge play. On defense, linebacker Corey
Littleton was just recently signed last year and didn’t have the best season last year, they are going
to need him to be very productive and be a leader on that defense if they want to make an impact.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
TheJets have a lot of hidden talent on their defensive line as they were actually not bad at pass
New York rushing and getting to the Quarterback. They also have a solid receiving core that they mainly
acquired in free agency and through the draft, but they have some players that are quite fast and
Jets have decent hands. They do have a serious problem in their secondary though as they were
ranked dead last in every category that involved passing defense and it really showed as they
were also ranked dead last in points given up per game.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #28
The Jets hired defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their Head Coach for this upcoming
season to really fix their defensive problems especially in their secondary which is something
that they addressed in the draft. The front office has made a large effort to try and dig
themselves out of the holes that they were in, and they did it through free agency by signing a
bunch of solid new players to go along quite nicely with their brand new coach Robert Saleh.
Key Players:
The biggest change that the Jets made this offseason was trading Sam Darnold to the Panthers
Final Ranking: #28 just so they could draft Zach Wilson from BYU in hopes of a fresh new beginning on the
offensive front. They also wanted to upgrade their wide receiving core, enter Corey Davis a big
handsy receiver that had nearly 1,000 yards on the Titans who are mainly a running offense
which makes that stat just that much more impressive. On defense, they added edge rusher Carl
Lawson to further strengthen both their pass rushing and also their ability to stuff the
opponents running game.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Bengals are a primarily young team who are trying to build their team up through the draft. That
Cincinnatti being said, they do have a solid franchise Quarterback in Joe Burrow who proved to be quite competent
in his rookie season. The only issue was that Burrow did not have much time in the pocket to throw and
was sacked a historical number of times which ultimately caused Burrow to tear his ACL. Their
Bengals Offensive line is in desperate need of help, but with Ja’marr Chase now on the team it seems that
Burrow has quite a few weapons at his disposal. The Bengals defense is very hit and miss as they
fluctuate from top to middle to bottom throughout the year, but the consensus is that the defense is quite
average.
Initial Ranking: #29
Coaches & Front Office:
Head Coach Zac Taylor is a relatively new coach to the league and we haven’t really seen what he can
do as far as scheming just yet, especially because he’s only had half a season with his franchise
Quarterback. The Bengals front office however, has been quite the mess for a long time now as they
haven’t won a playoff game for over 20 years and just this past year they made some questionable
decisions by cutting some key veterans. The Bengals front office has also been highly criticized for their
decision to draft Ja’marr Chase as well as fans really wanted them to draft an Offensive Lineman to
protect Burrow after he got injured last season and you can’t blame them.
Final Ranking: #29 Key players:
It
is clear that the Bengals want to run with Joe Burrow as their future, but that goes without saying that
they are going to need some serious firepower to put around him if they ever want to be in a position to
contend. On the defensive side, I don’t think that you could overlook the value of Jessie Bates III as he
has emerged as a fantastic safety and easily the best defensive player that the Bengals have. An
interesting player to watch would be the new pick Ja’marr Chase, as I believe that there is a lot of
Change: 0 pressure on him to perform well since the Bengals took a chance on him instead of playing it safe.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Jacksonville finished with a 1-15 record last year with not too many bright spots, but they do have
Jacksonville one in their defensive line as when it came to pressuring the Quarterback, Jacksonville proved to
be more than competent in that category. The problem arises with the rest of the team as they were
Jaguars
abysmal in just about every other category ranking in the bottom half of every offensive category.
Jacksonville is bad now, but being this bad gives them an advantage in the draft to improve not
only their offense, but their defense as well.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #30 Jacksonville finally fired Head Coach Doug Marrone after constant nagging from their fans to do
so, and for good reason as they have just declined heavily since they were in the AFC
Championship. They replaced him with Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer in hopes of a brand
new change that can catapult them back to the top. The front office knew exactly what they wanted
in this year's NFL draft, as the perfect talent is available in Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence who is
meant to be a once in a generation type talent but only time will tell if that’s true.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #30 Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is the rookie that everyone has their eyes on this year, while he is
under a lot of pressure there is no doubt that he is incredibly talented in every aspect of
Quarterbacking so he will definitely be one to watch. In the draft, Jacksonville also drafted
Lawrence’s running back Travis Etienne as the two played in college for 3 years together and have
a lot of chemistry so he will also be one to watch. On the defensive side, Edge rusher Josh Allen
has been making a lot of noise recently and has been the main reason that Jacksonville’s defensive
line has held up decently.
Change: 0
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The Lions had quite the offense last year, but their best 3 offensive players all left in free
Detroit agency which led them right into rebuilding mode. They do have a solid defensive line
though, as they ranked in the top half of the league for rushing defense even though their
Lions linebacking core isn’t really that impressive. The biggest problem the Lions will have this
upcoming season will be on the offensive side as they do need to desperately replace their lost
receiving core with players that can step in and play decently.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #31
TheLions just fired their Head Coach Matt Patricia after 3 brutal seasons where the Lions
couldn’t even break 500. They then replaced him with Dan Campbell who doesn’t really have
much experience as a Head Coach, but he can’t possibly be worse than Patricia was for the
Lions. The Lions front office wanted to address their offensive line in the draft, so they ended
up choosing blindside block Penei Sewell to protect their Quarterback, it was more of a safe
pick than anything else.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #31
The Lions traded their Quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff which is a
pretty significant downgrade but they wanted to ensure extra draft capital for the future, with
that being said it is now Goff’s responsibility to take over a worse team and try to become a
true leader. On the defensive line, Trey Flowers has been a very veteran edge rusher for many
years and hasn’t really slowed down his production posting 8.5 sacks last year for the Lions,
Change: 0 and he’s really that catalyst that changes that Lions defense.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
There aren’t very many strengths for this Texans team, the only one that may be solid
Houston is the signing of Phillip Lindsay to their running back core. The Texans are very weak
in just about every aspect, they ranked the lowest in run defense last year, they have
Texans lost their best defensive lineman and wide receiver and their franchise Quarterback is
facing multiple lawsuits and most likely won’t play next season.
Coaches & Front Office:
Initial Ranking: #32
Houston Texans Head Coach David Culley is quite inexperienced as a Head Coach, he
has been around the league for a while as a number of different jobs to different
organizations as an assistant. The Texans front office is easily the worst in the league as
even when they have solid players, they can’t seem to hold on to them or burn the
bridge between them and the player for no real reason at all, whether it be by trading
them or just belittling them to the media they cannot keep players on their roster.
Key Players:
Final Ranking: #32
Quarterback DeShaun Watson is facing multiple lawsuits for a reason that I would
rather not disclose, if the Texans want any hope for this upcoming season Deshaun
needs to play but that is looking increasingly unlikely at this point. On defense,
Christian Kirksey is just about all the Texans have left in their front 7 as they have
traded everyone else or they have all left for completely valid reasons.
Change: 0
The End