The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t just win Super Bowl LIX, they dominated it. And less than six months later, they still have most of their key players. So, there’s no reason to move them down from the top spot in the Fox Sports NFL Power Rankings.
At least not yet.
But staying there won’t be easy since the competition for No. 1 was fierce. Three other teams deserved consideration for the top spot heading into the 2025 preseason — the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, and the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. And a few more, like the Green Bay Packers and even Aaron Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Steelers, weren’t far behind.
The summer could change a lot, especially when the preseason games (and the injuries) begin. But for now, here’s our preseason look at how the league is ranked from bottom to top after free agency and the draft, and now that every NFL team has officially opened camp:
There’s an old saying that if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. But what about when you have four? Or maybe five? That’s the mess the Browns created this offseason when they brought back 40-year-old Joe Flacco, traded for Kenny Pickett, and drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the middle rounds. Oh, and Deshaun Watson thinks he’s coming back too. None of that really helps the NFL’s lowest-scoring team last year (15.2 points per game), who open the season atop the Arch Manning Watch charts. They’ll stay there too, unless one of their many QBs emerges to shock the world.
They are going to have to ask a lot of 30-year-old running back Alvin Kamara this season, because new head coach Kellen Moore didn’t inherit much else. Derek Carr’s forced retirement will force Moore to go with second-round rookie Tyler Shough, who’ll be hoping receivers Chris Olave and Brandin Cooks can stay healthy. With an aging defense too, this is a multi-year rebuilding project. And if Shough struggles, they could be in on the top quarterbacks in the next draft, too.
For all the hype about Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the draft, don’t forget that a lot of scouts thought he would have been the fifth or sixth best had he gone one year earlier. So it’s best to temper expectations. They bolstered their offensive line, adding LT Dan Moore and RG Kevin Zeitler, and brought some veteran receivers (Van Jefferson, Tyler Lockett). Ward should be good, but he’s going to have to be great quickly for the Titans to have much of a chance.
The Colts’ approach to the offseason felt like they think they’re better than they are. They were 8-9, but with a middling offense and bad defense, yet their only significant addition was quarterback Daniel Jones? He might end up as their starter, which isn’t good news considering they had banked their whole future on the eventual emergence of Anthony Richardson. If that fails, they’re going to have to start over again with a head-first dive into the quarterbacks of the next draft, too.
For all the excitement about Bryce Young’s improvement last year, the Panthers still had the fourth-worst offense in the NFL. And that isn’t nearly as big of a problem as their league-worst defense. That’s why, other than getting Young a receiver with their first-round pick (Tetairoa McMillan) they used all the rest of their draft and free agent capital to add to their defense. Unfortunately for them, it’s going to take more than one offseason to fix that mess.
The Jets have a lot of young talent on the roster, but they’ve been killed in recent years by bad coaching and quarterback play. They think they’ve fixed that, but it’s really too soon to tell. Yes, there’s a lot of excitement about new head coach Aaron Glenn, but no one’s sure about new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, especially after he was passed over in Detroit when Ben Johnson left. And the real big question is quarterback Justin Fields, who has tantalizing talent, but a lot of issues — including the toe he fractured in practice last Thursday. Building around Fields is risky, as the Bears and Steelers both know well.
They did a really nice job of rebuilding their roster and plugging holes in the offseason. They’ve got the best quarterback they’ve had in years in Russell Wilson, which should help an offense that has been dismal for most of the last decade. He and receiver Malik Nabers could really make some noise. And they have a potentially devastating defensive line and pass rush if No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter is as good as everyone thinks. Their problem is they won just three games last season so the climb to respectability will be steep. And it doesn’t help that their schedule is an absolute killer, especially in the first two months.
They made their choice late last year, picking Michael Penix Jr. to be their quarterback over Kirk Cousins. Of course, Cousins is still in Atlanta, trying not to be a distraction. But the bigger issue may be that it’s unclear what they really have in Penix. He went 1-2 as a starter, losing both his games in overtime, and directed an offense that averaged 32 points. It was exciting, but it was also against three low-ranked defenses, and he still only completed 58.1 percent of his passes. There’s a lot of work to do, and the Falcons added nothing on offense in the offseason to help him out.
24. Miami Dolphins
All that speed in Miami, but what has it amounted to? Not much in recent years. Now time seems to be running out. Tyreek Hill, their star receiver, is 31 and seemingly unhappy (at times). They dusted off the previously retired Darren Waller to be their tight end at age 33. Left tackle Terron Armstead retired. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith were both traded. How are they better than the ugly team that went 8-9 last year? They’re probably a lot worse.
The addition of coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith should bring some professionalism and stability to the most important parts of the Raiders team. And with new running back Ashton Jeanty and holdover tight end Brock Bowers, the offense could even be good. The problem is it will need to be great to make up for a middling defense that lost more than it gained during the offseason. And with limited options at receiver, the offense’s ceiling has its limits.
They look ready for a big leap in New England if there’s no step backwards for franchise quarterback Drake Maye. That’s because everything is better around him. They landed the best coach on the market in Mike Vrabel. They strengthened their offensive line by drafting left tackle Will Campbell in the first round and signing right tackle Morgan Moses. They improved their defense with free agents like DT Milton Williams and CB Carlton Davis. And, assuming he’s healthy, they got Maye a No. 1 receiver in Stefon Diggs. There’s more work to do and not a lot of depth, but Vrabel’s first Patriots team should be very competitive.
The Minnesota Vikings resurrected quarterback Sam Darnold’s career last season and were so happy with their work that when the season ended … they let him go. But the Seahawks believed in him more than they did in their own quarterback, Geno Smith, whom they traded to Las Vegas. They also restocked the offensive line in Seattle, which will help a notoriously jumpy passer, and they added receiver Cooper Kupp to take the sting out of trading away D.K. Metcalf. It also helps that new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak likes to run, which should keep the pressure off Darnold and make sure he doesn’t revert to his Jets daze. But they’re banking a lot on a QB who’s had one good year.
They were easily one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL last season, and maybe it’s stubborn to believe they still have a lot of talent there. But they do — they really do, unless quarterback Trevor Lawrence ends up being a bust. And they added Travis Hunter, the most dynamic weapon in the draft, which could ignite the offense. Maybe new coach Liam Coen is just the kind of offensive mind to get Lawrence back on track and the Jags to play up to their potential. If not, nothing will.
It’s easy to blame the Cowboys’ bad 2024 season on losing quarterback Dak Prescott for half of last year. But they were 3-5 before he got hurt, and their defense was pretty hideous in most of those games. Prescott will be back and adding receiver George Pickens to complement CeeDee Lamb will certainly help. As usual, it would’ve been nice if they fixed their running back spot (unless you’re a believer in the Javonte Williams–Miles Sanders tandem). That defense is going to be a problem again, too. As usual, they didn’t do nearly enough in the offseason to improve.
They gave up a lot of points per game last year (25.6) for a defense that technically ranked eighth overall. That’s why they brought back Robert Saleh to run the defense and then rebuilt it by using their first five draft picks on that side of the ball. They are hopeful that a return to health for Christian McCaffrey will reignite their offense, even after they traded away Deebo Samuel. But McCaffrey has only had two fully healthy seasons in the last seven years. He’s also 29 now, so that might be a lot to ask.
The Bears did everything they could this offseason to make sure they’d get the most out of franchise quarterback Caleb Williams. They hired Ben Johnson, the offensive genius from Detroit. They spent big to completely revamp their offensive line. They drafted tight end Colston Loveland in the first round. They still have some defensive issues that could hurt them. But their season will really be about one thing: Is Williams as good as they think he is, or not?
Sean Payton did a brilliant job coaching last season. Quarterback Bo Nix looked like the steal of last year’s draft. Even their defense was a top-10 unit most of the season. But it fell apart down the stretch, giving up 30 points in four of the last six games. That’s why the Broncos signed linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga and drafted corner Jahdae Barron in the first round. It’s a little alarming that they ignored offensive improvements, though. All they added was oft-injured J.K. Dobbins and second-round pick K.J. Harvey at running back to replace Javonte Williams. That’ll only be OK if Nix doesn’t take a step back.
15. Minnesota Vikings
They are asking a lot of quarterback J.J. McCarthy to come off the rookie season he lost to injury and follow up Sam Darnold’s Minnesota Miracle. But they truly believe he will — so much so that they spent months ignoring the obvious pleas of Aaron Rodgers, who thought Minnesota was the perfect place for him. The Vikings also fixed some of their offensive line issues in the offseason, and McCarthy will be surrounded by weapons like receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Aaron Jones. He even has a pretty good defense. The potential is there, but only if McCarthy can fulfill his.
They spent a lot on fixing their defense this offseason, adding Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson, Akeem Davis-Gaither and Josh Sweat to their front seven in free agency, and then drafting lineman Walter Nolen and corner Will Johnson in the first two rounds. But they didn’t touch an offense that ranked 11th and was maddeningly inconsistent last season. They think they’ve got enough in their big three of quarterback Kyler Murray, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and running back James Conner. They might be right.
They still won 10 games and made the playoffs last season while young stud quarterback C.J. Stroud was wilting a bit under the weight of a ridiculous 52 sacks. And that was when they still had left tackle Laremy Tunsil. They are crossing their fingers that they fixed those issues by signing tackles Cam Robinson and Trent Brown and guard Laken Tomlinson, while drafting tackle Aireontae Ersery in the second round. If they’re right, Stroud should bounce back, especially with the help of new receiver Christian Kirk, and the Texans could be ready for takeoff again.
Adding receiver Davante Adams to the mix, replacing a declining Cooper Kupp, feels like exactly what quarterback Matthew Stafford needs in what might be the final act of his career. And it’ll help Sean McVay kick that offense right back into gear. The defense, on the other hand, is what’s holding this team back. It ranked 26th overall last season, and they did almost nothing to upgrade it this offseason. That’s what’s keeping them from being a top-10 team and joining the elite.
The loss of left tackle Tristan Wirfs for at least a few games certainly isn’t helping. But they remain ranked high because of their electric offense, their incredibly underrated quarterback (Baker Mayfield) and the addition of first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka to an already impressive array of weapons. If Todd Bowles can get anything at all out of Haason Reddick after his lost year with the Jets, the Bucs could have a formidable defense, too.
The upgrade at running back to Najee Harris (assuming his fireworks-related eye injury isn’t an issue) and rookie Omarion Hampton could be huge for a team Jim Harbaugh hopes will run opponents into the ground. That could even help quarterback Justin Herbert avoid the kind of playoff meltdown he had last season (when he threw four interceptions in an opening-round loss after throwing three all season long). Herbert will have to find a replacement for suddenly retired receiver Mike Williams, and the Chargers may have pass-rush questions after losing Joey Bosa and Poona Ford. But there’s a lot of talent there, and they are one of the most well-coached teams in the league.
They could probably get over their shocking 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round last year by chalking it up to their abundance of defensive injuries. But now they have other losses to overcome. They lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (Bears) and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (Jets) to head coaching jobs, and together they took five assistants. They also lost two offensive linemen (G Kevin Zeitler, C Frank Ragnow) and two key defensive players (CB Carlton Davis, edge rusher Za’Darius Smith) in free agency. They are still loaded and dangerous, but that is a lot to overcome.
If they could somehow get through the first month unscathed, they’d be one of the Super Bowl favorites. But that might be a big ask for the notoriously slow starters, especially since they are already making things difficult for themselves. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who had 17.5 sacks last year, is engaged in a sometimes ugly contract holdout. Edge rusher Shemar Stewart, their first-round pick, was also in a contract holdout until Friday. They’ll need both of them to help a defense that ranked 25th last season. Still, with Joe Burrow and receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the offense should be good for close to 30 points per game.
7. Washington Commanders
After an outstanding rookie season, the Commanders made sure they got quarterback Jayden Daniels plenty of help so he doesn’t have a sophomore slump. They traded for receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafted another tackle, Josh Conerly, in the first round. But the defense still needs help. It ranked 13th overall last season, but that hides the fact that it ranked lower in most defensive categories, including 30th against the run — and that was before defensive tackle Jonathan Allen signed with the Vikings. They replaced him with Javon Kinlaw, while adding cornerback Jonathan Jones and 36-year-old linebacker Von Miller. But they’re still going to need Daniels to cover for a defense that won’t be great.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Boy, are they going for it all. In the last few months, they traded for wide receiver DK Metcalf, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith and signed cornerback Darius Slay. Oh, and maybe you heard, they also signed 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And it’s really all about him. If he’s still as good as he thinks he is, the Steelers are a Super Bowl contender — especially if they can get production out of a running game where Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson take over for the departed Najee Harris. This team won 10 games before it faded down the stretch under Russell Wilson last season. The Rodgers of old can take them to the next level. But if he looks like old Rodgers instead? Things could get ugly for everyone.
5. Green Bay Packers
The Packers went 11-7 last year and, outside of a meaningless season finale against the Bears, they only lost to the Eagles, Lions and Vikings — twice each to the three best teams in the NFC. What would get them over the top, considering they already have a top-five offense and defense? It’s really up to quarterback Jordan Love, who has been mostly terrific, but has still thrown 27 interceptions (including five in three playoff games) in the last three seasons. Drafting receiver Matthew Golden in the first round could make life easier for Love, but if he takes the next step, the Packers will, too.
4. Buffalo Bills
As long as they have MVP Josh Allen at quarterback, they should reside in the top five. Honestly, if someone could guarantee they wouldn’t have to face the Chiefs in the playoffs, they might be No. 1 or 2. Allen is that good, though it would be nice if the Bills would put more offensive talent around him. They focused more on defense in the offseason, restocking a front line with, among others, Joey Bosa, and helping the secondary by adding corner Tre’Davious White and drafting corner Maxwell Hairston in the first round. That probably makes sense because they need help stopping the Chiefs, Ravens and some of the other offensive powerhouses in the AFC if they want to make their long-awaited return to the Super Bowl.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Ignore the fact that 11 of their 15 wins last season were by one score or less, or that the Eagles blew their doors off in the Super Bowl. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady of their generation, which means they’re a Super Bowl threat as long as they’re together — no matter who is around them. And you can bet they will be more motivated than ever after the embarrassing way last season ended for them. They’ll need one last ride out of aging tight end Travis Kelce. A healthy Hollywood Brown could give a needed kick to the offense, too.
2. Baltimore Ravens
They have been on the doorstep of the Super Bowl for a few years now, and this could be the year that they finally get in. They are bringing almost their entire team back, including, of course, MVP runner-up quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. As long as those two are healthy, the Ravens are as dangerous as anyone. And oh, by the way, they added veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who isn’t what he used to be, but could still be an impact player if he’s healthy. With the NFL’s best offense and a top-10 defense, they might be the world’s best bet to keep the Chiefs out of another Super Bowl.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The defending champs deserve the No. 1 spot for now, but they only have a tenuous hold on it. Their league-best defense shed CB Darius Slay, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DE Josh Sweat, DT Milton Williams and LB Brandon Graham in the offseason. That’s a lot, even for a team with a seemingly unending pipeline of young talent. And while Saquon Barkley certainly is good enough to duplicate his remarkable 2024 season, it might be asking a lot of the 28-year-old after a career-high — by far — 482 touches, including the playoffs. Add in the potential for a Super Bowl hangover, and there are a lot of “ifs” to consider. But as long as Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts are healthy, they are as good, deep and talented as any team in the league.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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