NFL Power Rankings: Stacking all 32 teams at start of preseason

NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SEA | SF | TB | TEN | WAS

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are the clear top dogs until we have a legitimate reason to believe otherwise. A complete dismantling of the Chiefs in the Super Bowl left no doubt at the end of last season, and this remains the best team in football heading into 2025. Considering the young talent across the roster, Philly may be even better this year.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Tempting as it may be to forecast another AFC club finally breaking through, the Chiefs have been to the Super Bowl in four of the last six years. This team always finds a way. With the receiving corps finally in better shape, and rookie Josh Simmons potentially solving the issues at left tackle, it may no longer feel like pulling teeth for Kansas City's offense to get to the finish line.

3. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens' offense is coming off one of the most productive seasons in NFL history. Baltimore also had the league's best defense over the second half of the 2024 campaign. That unit may only get better with the additions of Jaire Alexander, Malaki Starks, and Mike Green. Look no further for the biggest threat to the top two teams on this list.

4. Buffalo Bills

Bills fans are hoping this is finally the year. We can't rule it out with Josh Allen working behind one of the league's best offensive lines. Buffalo's defense could also be in for a bounce-back season. A healthy Joey Bosa would go a long way toward helping the pass rush, and a really exciting draft class, headlined by Maxwell Hairston Jr., could produce multiple instant-impact players on that side of the ball.

5. Detroit Lions

Detroit faces some challenges heading into 2025. Overcoming the loss of two elite coordinators and some crucial pieces on the interior offensive line won't be easy. But Dan Campbell is the one who built this program, and the rest of the roster is too good to falter. The Lions aren't going anywhere.

6. Minnesota Vikings

We probably shouldn't be expecting another 14-win season with a de facto rookie at quarterback. At that same time, there's plenty of reason to believe this offense could be every bit as good, if not better, with J.J. McCarthy. Highlighted by a new-look offensive line that has a chance to be one of the NFL's best, Minnesota's front office did a fantastic job of setting McCarthy up for a seamless transition.

7. Green Bay Packers

The Packers' offense can score in a variety of ways, and the defense was quietly good last year. If Jordan Love takes care of the ball more consistently and first-round rookie Matthew Golden has the expected impact on the receiver room, there's no reason Green Bay can't be one of the last teams standing.

8. Los Angeles Rams

Matthew Stafford managing a back injury ahead of his age-37 season is cause for concern. However, Sean McVay seems confident that his aging signal-caller will be ready for Week 1, so we'll avoid dropping the Rams too much for now. Adding Davante Adams could be the catalyst for an elite offense, assuming Stafford's healthy.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Liam Coen's departure for the head coaching job in Jacksonville is a significant loss for the Bucs. There's potential for some growing pains with Josh Grizzard stepping into his first-ever play-calling role. But the foundation of this offense is too good for any major drop-off. The question is whether Todd Bowles can get his defense back on track.

10. Washington Commanders

A run to the NFC title game was one heck of a way to start the rebuild process. Washington has a real opportunity to take another massive step forward with Jayden Daniels heading into Year 2. Terry McLaurin's trade request temporarily throws some cold water on the excitement, though. Washington needs to resolve that situation immediately, as this receiving corps would be in rough shape without its No. 1 guy.

11. Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh's arrival immediately dragged the Chargers out of the basement and into the playoffs. The arrow is still pointing up with the offense having added some playmaking juice and the defense getting a second full year under Jesse Minter. Los Angeles may not be all that far off from pushing the top teams in the AFC.

12. Denver Broncos

The Broncos' defense was already great in 2024, finishing the year ranked first in EPA/play allowed, according to Next Gen Stats. The ceiling for that group has now been raised even higher with Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and first-round rookie Jahdae Barron added to the mix. Denver might be a sneaky threat if Bo Nix can build on a strong first year and find his groove as a downfield passer.

13. Houston Texans

The Texans were at least active in overhauling the offensive line this offseason, but it remains to be seen whether those moves will lead to the necessary improvements. Getting the offense back to where it was during C.J. Stroud's rookie campaign would be more than enough to complement one of the league's premier defenses.

14. San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco could easily outperform this preseason ranking. We should probably proceed with caution until we see it on the field, though. There was a mass exodus of talent this offseason, and with some question marks on the offensive line and within a banged-up receiving corps, this team likely has a wide range of potential outcomes.

15. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals aren't going to have many problems scoring. Unfortunately, the same can probably be said of their opponents. Exciting as it may be to dream about the upside of a club led by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, there isn't much reason to believe Cincinnati's defense will be meaningfully better than the unit that so consistently got in the way last year. We'll see if new defensive coordinator Al Golden has some magic up his sleeve.

16. Chicago Bears

Great play-callers don't always make great head coaches, so we'll wait to see the product the Bears put on the field before bumping them too far up this list. Still, it's difficult not to get excited about the possibilities under Ben Johnson. A productive offseason has given Chicago's new coach all the pieces he needs to light up the scoreboard right away. Keep an eye on the defense, too. Dennis Allen was an excellent hire to lead that group.

17. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have a real chance to exceed expectations. Dak Prescott returns with a reliable secondary target in George Pickens, and the offensive line appears much improved. However, none of it will matter if Dallas doesn't figure things out with Micah Parsons. This club's defense crumbles without its best player.

18. Seattle Seahawks

Mike Macdonald is in the early stages of building something special on defense. The hope is that some fresh faces and a vision on offense can provide a suitable complement. It's anyone's guess how that will go. Lingering questions about this offensive line may make it difficult for Sam Darnold to replicate last season's breakout.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers

Are the Steelers really going to be able to compete with a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers? It beats me, but I'm fascinated to find out. Pittsburgh at least deserves credit for going all-in on the short-term window it hopes to have opened here. It's worth a shot, and it'll be easy enough to regroup next year if it doesn't work.

20. Miami Dolphins

Miami still has plenty of talent, and the results were decent enough when Tua Tagovailoa was healthy last year. There could be some issues on the offensive line and in the secondary, though. And doesn't it just feel like Mike McDaniel's program is getting a little stale? He's firmly on the hot seat heading into 2025.

21. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is kick-starting an exciting new era with Michael Penix Jr. stepping in as the starter. Let's see how it goes before getting too carried away, considering his results weren't exactly spectacular across the three games to close out last season. Getting immediate production from a defense-heavy draft haul would go a long way toward giving the young QB some room for error.

22. Arizona Cardinals

Arizona is trending up after showing significant progress on both sides of the ball in 2024. Although the defense could be even better after a busy offseason, I'm less sure of what to make of the offense. The Cardinals' offensive line still has question marks, and Kyler Murray tends to run hot and cold. He and Marvin Harrison Jr. have to find a way to get on the same page.

23. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are going to be fascinating to watch. Geno Smith was perhaps the biggest quarterback upgrade of the entire offseason. A Chip Kelly offense with Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers as the top weapons is also bound to be fun. But is Pete Carroll's presence enough to elevate an underwhelming defense?

24. New England Patriots

Mike Vrabel seems to have the Patriots trending back in the right direction even before his first game as head coach. Was a big offseason enough for New England to get back in the playoff mix right away? That might be a little ambitious, but anything is possible if the new-look offensive line comes together quickly enough.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars still have a long way to go - this rebuild was never going to be a one-year project. That said, it's easy to be encouraged about where things are headed. Liam Coen should be great for Trevor Lawrence's development, and Travis Hunter is unlike any prospect we've ever seen. His ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball could accelerate this process.

26. Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis has some interesting pieces, including a deep group of playmakers. But this team will only go as far as the quarterbacks take it. Nobody is getting excited about Daniel Jones in 2025. And while the club's ceiling would be a lot higher if Anthony Richardson won the starting job, he needs to demonstrate substantial improvements in live games before we're comfortable setting expectations for the Colts.

27. Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young provided a legitimate reason for the Panthers to believe in him as their franchise quarterback late last season. Drafting Tetairoa McMillan in the first round gives him a potential No. 1 receiver to help continue that growth. Carolina's defense is much less inspiring. Although it was an eventful offseason in terms of roster turnover, that group still lacks difference-makers.

28. New York Jets

Aaron Glenn taking over an extremely talented Jets defense is an exciting proposition. A Justin Fields-led passing game with exactly one receiver is decidedly not. New York might have to be one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL to make this work. A suddenly potent offensive line at least gives them a chance.

29. New York Giants

I want to believe in the Giants taking a significant step forward - the defensive front is simply too stacked not to pay dividends. However, the offense could be an adventure. Even if Russell Wilson is an improvement at quarterback, he's pretty one-dimensional at this point in his career. And if New York's offensive line hasn't gotten any better, how much time will Wilson really have to push the ball downfield?

30. Tennessee Titans

The Titans are another club whose fans will likely have to settle for the good vibes of hope rather than relying on any immediate results. Cam Ward's arrival signals a promising future for the organization, but there may be some growing pains in the early stages. The rest of the roster isn't in a position to carry a young quarterback trying to figure things out.

31. New Orleans Saints

This year in New Orleans should be spent trying to figure out whether the team has anything in Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough. If not, there's a good chance the Saints will be in position to take another swing on a quarterback at the top of next year's draft. Either way, Derek Carr's decision to retire and give back $30 million should push this club toward the rebuild it has been putting off for far too long.

32. Cleveland Browns

A quarterback competition between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders tells you everything you need to know about Cleveland. The Browns are unlikely to win many games in 2025. The good news? With an extra first-round pick in their pocket, they could have their choice of the top QBs in next year's draft.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.