It’s still early, but it’s no longer too early.
Power ranking the NFL right after the Super Bowl is always a fool’s errand, because a third of the league’s workforce changes teams every March. The opening waves of free agency always present a clearer picture of how teams stack up in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, we’re not all the way there. Free agency is ongoing. Who knows what trades might crop up, and, of course, every team in the league will add a new draft class next month. There’s plenty of time for teams to upgrade (or downgrade) in the coming weeks.
But for now, here are updated NFL power rankings, post-free agency.
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32. Cleveland Browns (-7)
It’s nice the Browns convinced Myles Garrett to stick around, but what does that really mean? Garrett was there last year when the season bottomed out due to bad quarterback play. Much like the Giants, the roster really doesn’t look too bad. But does it matter if they can’t find a quarterback?
31. New York Giants (+1)
What a different conversation we’d be having if the Giants had landed Matthew Stafford. Or maybe it’s still possible they lure Aaron Rodgers to play for the other New York team. It’s hard to be optimistic about the Giants until they have an answer at quarterback. Which is a shame, because the rest of the roster really isn’t as bad as some might think.
30. New York Jets (no change)
Based on their free agency activity, it seems like Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey know what they are right now. The Jets look like they need a year or two to reset their finances and hit on some draft picks before they’re ready to compete at a meaningful level.
29. Tennessee Titans (no change)
I’m a fan of the way the Titans have put this puzzle together. All five of their starting offensive linemen were either acquired with a big free-gent contract or a first-round draft pick within the past two years. The skill players are decent, if not outstanding. All that’s left is to plug Cam Ward into the lineup and see how it goes.
28. Indianapolis Colts (no change)
You fix one problem, and another arises. I loved the moves the Colts made to revamp their secondary, but that happened at the same time they lost multiple starters on the offensive line. And those losses might have a big impact on the quarterback — whoever that winds up being. Which, sorry for stating the obvious, but if Daniel Jones beats out Anthony Richardson for the starting job, everyone in Indy has bigger problems than this year’s roster.
27. Carolina Panthers (-3)
I was so excited to see Derrick Brown play next to Milton Williams, so it was devastating to see New England outbid Carolina for his services. Hopefully, the Panthers can find a pass-catcher with their No. 8 draft pick, since it didn’t work out in free agency.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers (-5)
This is going to sound harsh, but I don’t care that DK Metcalf is in Pittsburgh until I know who’s throwing him the ball. And I don’t understand why the Steelers would swing such a massive trade without a clear-cut plan at quarterback. They’re a better team than this ranking suggests, but I’m just tired of ignoring the obvious problem at the most important position.
25. New England Patriots (-6)
I’ll be honest, I thought the Patriots were going to spend much more of their $120 million in cap space on offense. Milton Williams and Robert Spillane are very fun players, and the defense should be much improved. But I don’t love the fact that New England is heading into the draft with big needs at both receiver and offensive line.
24. New Orleans Saints (+3)
The Saints are the ultimate "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" team. They likely would have finished with a much better record last year if everyone had stayed healthy. So, running it back with the same roster, plus Justin Reid, could have some surprising results. But how much do you trust an aging roster to stay healthy? The answer to that question probably determines whether the Saints win nine games or five.
23. Las Vegas Raiders (+8)
Whatever opinion you might have of Geno Smith, he led the Seahawks to a winning record all three years he was their starter. Maybe that’s not good enough to win a Super Bowl with, but the Raiders have to start somewhere. This is a franchise with two winning seasons since 2003. Smith should make them relevant, and that’s more than good enough for right now.
22. Dallas Cowboys (+4)
For a team that refuses to splash cash in free agency, this year was better than last. Re-signing Osa Odighizuwa, bringing back Dante Fowler and adding Jack Sanborn were all fun moves. The Cowboys have filled some holes ahead of the draft. But to truly take another step, they’d have to hit a grand slam with this draft class in a way that just doesn’t feel realistic.
21. Miami Dolphins (+1)
I have a complicated relationship with the Dolphins. If all the key pieces are healthy, this is a solid roster capable of fighting for a playoff spot. But the Dolphins haven’t been good enough these past three years, and it’s going to be tough to improve this year’s team from what we’ve already seen. It just feels a bit like NFL purgatory.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3)
The Jaguars honestly don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt. They’ve got a long track record of free agency signings that don’t pan out. But I’m willing to be kind. By adding to the offensive line and the secondary, Jacksonville might have raised its floor. Now, the Jags need to hit on another draft pick or two if they’re going to raise their ceiling.
19. Atlanta Falcons (+1)
I like the Leonard Floyd signing a lot, but it’s not enough to change much on its own. I’m guessing Atlanta is going to spend a lot of draft capital on the defensive side of the ball, because the offense is good enough to compete for the division — provided Michael Penix Jr. is who they think he is.
18. Seattle Seahawks (-2)
I like Sam Darnold. I like Cooper Kupp. I’m not sure either one of them is doing a ton to upgrade Seattle’s offense without some massive investment on the offensive line. That said, the Seahawks could have one of the most fun pass rushes in the NFL if everyone stays healthy.
17. Houston Texans (-6)
To be fair to the Texans, maybe it’s not a huge deal to ship off the pieces of such a horrific offensive line. But even if it was time to turn the page, it looks like it’s going to be tough to improve this unit in one offseason. And that’s without bringing up the questions at receiver. At least the defense still looks top-notch.
16. Chicago Bears (+2)
On paper, the Bears look like they’re ready to battle for the NFC North. It was a stroke of genius to rebuild the interior of the offensive line with three quick moves. Dayo Odeyingbo is an underrated player, too. But this is still the Chicago Bears we’re talking about. They’re well-positioned for success in Ben Johnson’s first year, but I’ve been fooled before. Seeing is believing with this organization.
15. Minnesota Vikings (-3)
I love almost everything about this Vikings roster. Love the offensive line signings, love the duo of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, love that they re-signed Aaron Jones and love that they traded for Jordan Mason. It’s just that pesky question mark at quarterback. If the Vikings won 14 games with Sam Darnold, they could contend with J.J. McCarthy — or certainly with Aaron Rodgers. We just don’t know what to expect right now.
The defensive makeover has begun. Josh Sweat can go a long way toward fixing the Cardinals’ pass rush if he delivers on his new contract. Arizona should seek to add some extra firepower on the defensive line during the draft. All in all, though, this has the look of a more balanced team that can compete for a wild card.
13. Cincinnati Bengals (+4)
Finding a way to keep Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins means Cincinnati should be in every game it plays. The problem is, you can be in a lot of games without winning them if your defense isn’t good — as the Bengals learned last fall. If they're going to be real contenders, they have to revamp that unit. That means they’re going to need to nail the draft. Even if they manage to keep Trey Hendrickson, a lot of other things will need to fall their way.
12. Denver Broncos (+1)
It feels like the Broncos have flown under the radar these past few weeks, but I really enjoyed their decisions. Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga aren’t just good players, they’re tone-setters who should infuse the Denver defense with attitude. Evan Engram is also a nice pickup on offense, and Sean Payton is widely expected to add to that side of the ball during the draft. These guys won’t be sneaking up on anyone in 2025.
11. San Francisco 49ers (-4)
The Niners have lost a lot, there’s no way around it. This team isn’t the cheat code it was two years ago. But I would like to remind everyone that there are still seven All-Pros on the roster, and Kyle Shanahan is still running the show. They also own the No. 11 overall pick in the draft and 11 draft picks in total. They might not be a Super Bowl favorite, but it’d be crazy to write them off.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (-1)
Love the Mekhi Becton signing, love putting Najee Harris in a Greg Roman offense for just $5 million. I’ve got to be honest, though. I’m still concerned about the pass-catchers on this roster. It’s fun to get Mike Williams back in the fold, but I don’t think that’s an actual answer to the problem.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1)
Huge, huge fan of the Bucs’ moves this past month. I know Haason Reddick had a bad 2024, but signing him to play with Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey on a cheap deal is a no-brainer. Similarly, getting Chris Godwin and Lavonte David to come back (again) at a discount makes perfect sense, too. The Bucs have been overlooked at times because the NFC South has been down in recent years. We shouldn’t be overlooking this team.
8. Los Angeles Rams (+7)
Last time I did this, I had the Rams much lower because we didn’t know what was going to happen with Matthew Stafford. Well, we now know he’s staying — and he gets to play this season with Davante Adams. I don’t think Adams is the best receiver in football anymore, but he’s more than good enough to shine in a Sean McVay offense with Stafford and Puka Nacua.
7. Green Bay Packers (-1)
You don’t typically associate the Packers with reckless free agency spending, but the deal for Aaron Banks raised my eyebrows a little bit. Having said that, the money is spent and if he meets expectations, then no one is going to care if he’s overpaid. Green Bay looks good enough to contend for the NFC North, but I would like to see them add to the pass rush before we get to September.
6. Washington Commanders (+2)
If there was any doubt before, we learned immediately how the Commanders view themselves when they traded for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel. I still think they could use some more juice at the skill positions and in the secondary, but they look primed to make another deep run.
5. Baltimore Ravens (no change)
Very quietly, Baltimore retaining Ronnie Stanley at a team-friendly price before free agency opened was one of the most important moves of the 2025 offseason. I’m not sure DeAndre Hopkins is going to take the Ravens’ offense to a new level at this point in his career, but he can’t hurt. Up next, I’m hoping to see general manager Eric DeCosta throw some more resources at a defense that vastly improved in the second half of last season.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (-1)
The Chiefs deserve every benefit of the doubt, but it’s a little scary entrusting the left tackle job to a guy with 12 career starts. The Joe Thuney trade also has left guard looking unsettled. And if I can be brutally honest, I think I would’ve prioritized retaining Justin Reid over Nick Bolton. This is still obviously a Super Bowl contender, but there are some legitimate areas of concern heading into the draft.
3. Buffalo Bills (+1)
Buffalo’s best work of the offseason was retaining homegrown talent. Greg Rousseau, Khalil Shakir and Terrel Bernard aren’t household names, but they’re all going to be key pieces if the Bills ever get over the hump. And obviously, extending Josh Allen at a team-friendly price is fantastic. Adding Joey Bosa is a low-risk, high-reward move. There's a lot to like for a team that’s knocking on the door.
2. Detroit Lions (no change)
It was fantastic value to replace Carlton Davis with D.J. Reed for $4 million less per year. I’d like to see the Lions add to their offensive and defensive lines during the draft, but this remains one of the league’s very best rosters. Now, Dan Campbell just has to make sure the coaching transitions go smoothly after losing both coordinators.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)
It’s hard to keep a Super Bowl roster together, but the Eagles have done an admirable job of it. Keeping Zack Baun was a huge win, and then you’ve got a ton of talented young draft picks who can replace the likes of Mekhi Becton, Josh Sweat and Milton Williams. This won’t be the exact same Eagles team as 2024, but they still look like the early favorites.
David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.
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