Football season being back is something all fans can rejoice with and be very happy about, myself included. This offseason included blockbuster trades, and the draft, and plenty of topics were produced for journalists like myself to write and talk about. Below is my first early rankings of the top 32 teams in the NFL and this list will fluctuate from week to week throughout the season so stay tuned for more articles and entries from myself.
The best part of this list is that it will be refreshed so if you do not like where your team is placed they will probably end up higher on this list at some point during the season. I wish everyone a great 2025-2026 NFL season. Happy Football!
1. Eagles: Coming off a superbowl victory, the Eagles plan to face adversity this season as there has never been back to back NFC East champions in 20 years. The last team to accomplish that was the Philadelphia Eagles. Though with their defensive line containing Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and a plethora of weapons on offense for Superbowl MVP Jalen Hurts, it was easy to keep them ranked as the top team in the NFL. Their offensive line is super impressive but will the champions be dethroned?
2. Ravens: It may be arguable that Lamar Jackson’s 2024-2025 season should have granted him a NFL MVP award but one thing lies in common with all of Lamar’s postseason woe thus far…the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar keep coming up short when it matters most. Ranking them above the Bills and Packers due to their squad being one of the most complete in the AFC and I believe that their defensive additions with Malichi Starks and Mike Green will be huge.
3. Packers: Before the Micah Parsons trade I believed that the Packers would go very far this season due to their Quarterback play in 6th year Jordan love on top of their already improved defense with stars like Rashan Gary and the addition of Baryn Sorrell on this defensive rush. The biggest offseason addition in Matthew Golden gives Jordan love plenty to work with at his #1 spot considering Golden’s collegiate achievements and abilities. The biggest question for me and the rest of the NFL is how healthy can this squad be considering also that 90% of their WR core is banged up. Nonetheless it shall be a very good year for the Pack.
4. KC: It is important to never count out KC as they have been to the postseason with league MVP and Superbowl MVP Patrick Mahomes each time he has been at the helm. For the rest of the AFC west they have certainly caught up and will be better but for me it is hard to rank the top coach in the NFL Andy Reid that much farther down than previous Superbowl winner Nick Sirriani who outschemed Reid. Rashee Rice also being suspended does not help their WR core the first 4 weeks of the season but with plenty of depth and also depth at the running back position, Patrick Mahomes is still set up to succeed and he will be running for his 4th superbowl ring
5. Bills: Like the Ravens their kryptonite might be Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, never being able to get over that hump. With the previous years NFL MVP in Josh Allen there is only one thing on his mind…a superbowl ring. Unlike other of the top 6 teams in this early power rankings list I believe Buffalo has the weaker WR core compared to say the Eagles or even Commanders. The Buffalo defense returns for hopefully another solid season aiding coach McDermott and star running back James Cook hopes to keep proving why he is worth the big bucks.
6. Washington: Though the way the season ended last year for the Commanders was not ideal, they struck gold with rookie Quarterback Jayden Daniels taking them all the way to the NFC championship, proving the league where they belonged. This season with offseason acquisitions in WR Deebo Samuel and veteran pass rusher Von Miller, the Washington Commanders have the task of dethroning the Philadelphia Eagles as NFC East champions. With keeping their key star in Terry Mclaurin and continuing to add on offense with also Jacoby Croskey Merritt the Commanders seek revenge.
7: Bucs: To say that the Bucs last year shot themselves in the foot so many times and should have won more games would be an understatement. With one of if not the best WR core’s in the league Mike Evans mentoring new rookie WR Emeka Egbuka, is a recipe for success under Baker Mayfield and this offense. Containing also one of the emerging top backs in the game, Bucky Irving looks to continue to shine as he finished top 10 in yards last season. All of those goodies with a defensive minded head coach, coaching this strong defense in Head Coach Todd Bowles I say that the Tampa Bay Bucs’ shall win the NFC South this year.
8. Broncos: The talk in town is Sophomore year Quarterback Bo Nix who shined excellence last season taking the Denver Broncos to the playoffs. Head Coach Sean Payton looks to keep this defense hot with star corner Patrick Surtain II and with his strong defensive pass rush. The Question is, have they added enough to reface and beat teams like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs? We will find out surely.
9. Lions: it is hard to not see at least a sudden decline with the Detroit Lions looking at the previous defensive coordinator in Aaron Glenn and the previous offensive coordinator with Ben Johnson. For Detroit fans however I would be glad that Dan Campbell is running the show and the Lions still show one of the best offensive squads in the league with players like Amon-Ra St Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. We cannot forget about hopefully former Alabama star Jameson WIlliams who still adds to this WR room on top of ST Brown.
10. Texans: Like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers it was disappointing to see them fall last season the way they did with star QB C.J Stroud falling up short. Another similarity with Tampa is the strong WR core that Stroud has to play with. I see Nico Collins having another great year with the potential comeback player of the year, Nick Chubb also trying to make an impact. With WIll Anderson Jr. also on the defense, I believe that Houston can still run it back and make a playoff push.
11. Rams: The fear of losing Matthew Stafford to another team is gone and the LA Rams having a very successful year last year, look to run it back with mostly the same squad. New additions in Devante Adams however, adds even more to this offense for Stafford. With one of the league’s best coaches in Superbowl Winning Head Coach Seach McVey I still expect this strong defense also to continue to thrive considering the way they played last postseason.
12. Seahawks: This Seattle defense is now loaded with more talent through free agency and the draft and it is hard to not believe that Sam Darnold cannot do what he once did with Minnesota last season. If the Darnold situation does not work out also to add, they have a young talented mobile QB stashed in Jalen Milroe. Nick Emmanwori leading this defense with stars like Tariq Woolen and Demarcus Lawrence gives me confidence that this defense will be better. JSN and former LA Ram Cooper Kupp look to plan to kick it up a notch and hopefully get this team farther.
13. Chargers: Considering I have them ranked right underneath who dismissed them in the playoffs of last year, it is still super easy to like this Chargers team. With additions of Omarion Hampton through the draft and re-kindling with veteran WR Keenan Allen, I still expect to see LA in the mix of things. With this new regime however, there is still much to prove and the debut of Jim Harbaugh and the Bolts will commence. Will we see Herbert improve more?
14. Bengals: Money, money, money the Bengals were certainly the biggest spenders in free agency giving whopping contracts to both star receivers Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins. Trey Hendrickson was also able to thread the needle and get a contract done and additions on the defensive line with Shemar Stewart out of Texas A&M gives Head Coach Zach Taylor some new options to work with. The biggest question mark for me is have they added enough on defense for this team? Will the offense continue to stay on the field longer than they should? Luckily they have a Joe Burrow at the Helm and arguably the best one two punch receiving duo in the NFL.
15. Falcons: There’s a new sheriff in town with Michael Penix and I know the city of Atlanta could not be more excited to see this new look offense with the former Washington commit. Bijan Robinson coming off of his freshman NFL year looks to chase the rushing crown with a certainly super strong 2024 campaign. The middle of the pack seems perfect for me as I have them taking the last spot in the NFC Wild card this season. Defensive adds with Jalon Walker and edge James Pearce Jr. shows signs of emergence and growth for this team. Penix has arrived and I cannot wait to see how he performs.
16. Bears: With new Head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears look to accomplish a winning season with a load of talent on the offensive side of the ball with returning WR Rome Odunze and new rookie WR Luther Burden III. I mention the offensive side of the ball due to Ben Johnson’s creative mind when it comes to offensive plays. The Bears are in what may be one of the best divisions in football being the NFC North and it shall be entertaining to see how Caleb Williams responds to his critics. I expect additions and improvements to the offensive line that had been made this past offseason will aid Williams into a more successful sophomore year for the Quarterback.
17. Jets: New faces all around florham park and metlife stadium is something this New York Jets team has been used to the past decade, this year it’s the major offseason addition of Quarterback Justin Fields he reunites with his favorite college wide receiver in Garrett Wilson. Fields is given a plethora of offensive weapons including Breece Hall and new rookie TE Mason Taylor. Yet Fields is still being questioned on if he can get it done or not. This is not much of concern for me as we have seen in the past different quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Sam Darnold flourish in the right “different” situations. People can also not forget that Fields had started 4-2 last season before being benched by Pittsburgh. I believe with the growing group of the offensive and defensive linemen on top of Aaron Glenn’s defensive experience not only as a coach but as a player can help the Jets defense round back to form. They extended franchise staples Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and Garrett Wilson to long term deals and they look to keep calling New York their home. New coaching staff all around with new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand have the task of creating a new identity for this team and it all starts with setting tone.
18. Patriots: The New England Patriots look to find a new identity with new Head Coach and former Patriot Mike Vrabel. Drake Maye has been given plenty of help within the offseason with adding players like Stefon Diggs and rookie offensive lineman Will Campbell. On top of all of that they still have good pieces on defense including Christian Gonzalez and a strong secondary. I see the Patriots making a slight improvement this year but with a coach that has been out of the game for quite some time now it may be an adjustment for some time. However that does not mean at all that they cannot have a winning season because at least the last thing they have to worry about is quarterback, I believe Drake Maye will be a stud.
19. Steelers: Whatever you want to say about their quarterback situation we have to call it like it is, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have a former league MVP and one of the league’s best at the helm in quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The big question is obviously how healthy can Rodgers still be but we cannot ignore the consistency of Pittsburgh’s defense as well as coach Mike Tomlin’s consistency. However at this point it is clear to me that Steelers fans are still tired. First round exits in the postseason has been something of familiarity to these fans and coach Tomlin looks to get past that hurdle that this team continues to have. The new chemistry of new WR D.K Metcalf will be also interesting to see form and returning star T.J Watt can still lead this defense to greatness.
20. Raiders: I am confident that new Head Coach Pete Caroll will propel this Raiders team to higher heights this season especially with the most explosive player in the draft arguably being former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. However with the AFC west being another juggernaut for the Raiders to keep up with this year I see them still competing especially with Geno Smith who has proven he can lead a team.
21. Cowboys: The elephant in the room now is how different will this Cowboys team be without Micah Parsons? Though with adding through the draft and also receiving former Packer edge rusher Kenny Clark through the trade, this roster is by no means bad. George Pickens is a new receiver for Dak Prescott to make plays with and returning running back Jaydon Blue looks to continue with another strong year. I honestly believe also with a new head coaching regime we can see a way better or way worse season than we expected for the Cowboys.
22. Jaguars: The talk in town in Jacksonville will be Travis Hunter and for very good reason. Duvall grabbed arguably the most electrifying player in the draft and he not only adds to the offensive side to the ball but he will obviously be playing as a corner on defense. The main thing surrounding this team this year is how Quarterback Trevor Lawrence plays, in my eyes he has more than enough weapons on offense to make plays with and new Head coach Liam Cohen has the task of improving this squad to its fullest.
23. 49ers: The biggest story for this 49ers team this past offseason was all of the departures especially on the defensive side of the ball. With the extension of Brock Purdy it is clear that the 49ers are set on building and trying to win with him but with the strong division and how hard the NFC will be this year it will be a test to see how Brock performs against the competition. They have their returning defensive coordinator Robert Saleh making a return and he looks to get this defense back to what it was when he was the coordinator a couple seasons ago. I see pieces on this offense making an impact like Ricky Pearsall and Christian McCaffrey but it may not be enough against this NFC west division.
24. Panthers: I am totally on board with Bryce Young having a major bounce back year and I do expect that of him especially with the plethora of receivers at his disposal including new rookie WRs Tetairoa Mcmillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. We also cannot forget about the emerging Xavier Leggette and company. The offensive line however may cause concerns for this offense and their defense still has one of the league’s best on defense in Jaycee horn.
25. Vikings: The Vikings being this low on the list is something that can easily change in the future because of how hot we know Minnosotea likes to start in the beginning. All offseason the talk has been how ready JJ McCarthy has been and he pairs up with the league’s best receiver in Justin Jefferson. With strong pieces on offense like Jefferson and Addison when he is back from league suspension, they will certainly help his development alongside running back Aaron Jones. The way a first starting year quarterback stacks up to the rest of the NFC North division is not friendly however.
26. Dolphins: The Miami Dolphins must keep Tua Tagovailoa healthy. With Tua under center, this team boasts one of the league’s most explosive and high-scoring offenses. But without him, that firepower looks very dim. The key doesn’t stop there because Devon Achane’s speed, Tyreek Hill’s drive to return to elite form, and Jaylen Waddle’s dynamic playmaking all need to align again. When they do, this offense is poetry in motion, fast, electric, and hard to stop.
27. Cardinals: It’s rather simple for the Arizona Cardinals this year. I believe Kyler Murray needs to improve his health and quarterback play. I know he has the ability to do so and I look forward to seeing him pair up with Marvin Harrison Jr and James Connor once again. It is just hard to place them higher than teams like the ones in their very own division like the Seahawks and Rams.
28. Titans: In my opinion the lack of more media coverage for the number one overall pick in Quarterback Cameron Ward was surprising for me during the offseason but maybe that is what he can use to prove the league wrong. Tennessee has hopefully finally found its quarterback and with keeping running back Tony Pollard it will help aid Cam Ward’s development. Players on offense also like Tyler Lockett will do the same for him. Their sneaky defense always easily helps them as well but with their schedule it is hard to see them jump so much higher so quickly.
29. Giants: For the Giants their first slate of games and their schedule in general has granted them the #1 spot for hardest schedule in the league. However, with a stellar defense on paper including new standout rookie Abdul Carter they can definitely give some teams offenses trouble. Russell Wilson looks to advance Malik Nabers and this Giants offense that includes Tyrone Tracey Jr. Though if you asked me if the Giants had even a chance throughout the first 4 games vs. their opponents I would most likely say no with the Cowboys being their more likely win in those first four. One thing I am confident in is Jaxson Dart being able to revive their season a little and possibly coach Brian Daboll’s job if Wilson is eventually benched for whatever reason.
30. Browns: The Browns being ranked 30th is surprising, especially after what many including myself considered one of the best drafts this past year, bringing in fresh talent like runningback Quinshon Judkins and Mason Graham. It’s hard to ignore their poor rankings as they were near the bottom in scoring and third-down efficiency last season. Compared to the consistency and proven leadership of the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals, it’s easy to see why Cleveland is once again projected in my eyes to finish 4th in the AFC North. Oh and Sanders needs a shot.
31. Colts: Daniel Jones was not on my 2025 bingo card for being the starting Quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts as their preseason had not really gone as planned with now 2nd string Quarterback Anthony Richardson getting injured. The Colts still have plenty of power on offense with one of the league’s top backs in Jonnathan Taylor and new rookie TE Tyler Warren. I still see the Texans happily and easily taking this division and Indy might be in search of yet another quarterback sooner than we may think. Perhaps in next year’s draft?
32. Saints: It was honestly hard to find a win on New Orleans’ schedule. Now they won’t go winless because in the NFL for a team to go winless that would be a feat in itself but new Head Coach Kellen Moore looks to develop his new squad with Sophomore year Spencer Rattler and new rookie Quarterback Tyler Shough. The quarterbacks will most likely duel still for the starting role and star wide receiver Chris Olave and veteran Alvin Kamara look to keep this offense alive.
Nice list. I had hoped my Giants would be ranked a little higher like 22 or 23rd but I can’t argue with your logic. I don’t see them scoring a lot of points even with Nabers and Wilson. What are we getting from Wilson in his age 36 season anyways? I don’t think much but I hope I’m wrong. Question, the Giants D-line is strong but how do you view their secondary?