The final power rankings of the 2025 NFL season look ahead at the offseason for all 32 teams.
1. Seattle Seahawks (17-3)
The Seahawks were an easy team to be happy for given storylines like Sam Darnold going from “bust” to champion, Derick Hall getting two sacks after 1% odds of living as a premature baby, and Mike Macdonald becoming the first primary defensive play-caller head coach to win a Super Bowl despite nearly becoming an accountant years ago. They have the mindset and players to repeat, but getting the offensive coordinator hire right with Klint Kubiak leaving for the Raiders job is key.
2. Denver Broncos (15-4)
It’s fair to say the Broncos would’ve had a great shot to make the Super Bowl—and perhaps threaten the Seahawks—if not for Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury at the end of the thrilling Divisional Round win over the Bills. I don’t understand the Super Bowl odds for Denver being so low heading into the offseason. Look for them to add a headlining star weapon on offense.
3. Los Angeles Rams (13-6)
Sean McVay was understandably extra sick about losing in the NFC title game, with the favorable matchup versus a relatively weak Patriots team from the AFC likely having him feel the heartbreak more than ever. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams aggressively look to add a star somewhere on the defense, which was a tad overrated by the consensus narrative this season.
4. Buffalo Bills (13-6)
Of course, the Nix injury flipped things upside down, but Bills-Broncos sort of felt the de facto determining game in the AFC until that. The Brandin Cooks catch or non-catch really could’ve gone either way, but the repercussion is that Joe Brady is now the head coach for Buffalo—and it sounds like he’ll have a fresh approach that includes new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard finally controlling an NFL defense.
5. New England Patriots (17-4)
It’s crazy how the “easy” (for lack of a better word) regular season simply extended to the postseason while facing a backup quarterback in the AFC title game, and a Super Bowl blowout felt like a better likelihood than usual. Still, going 17-4 with an appearance in the Big Game is outstanding for Year 1 under Mike Vrabel. His guys believe, but the road will no doubt get tougher moving forward.
6. Chicago Bears (12-7)
The Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams partnership is clearly a winner. It was only a matter of time before Johnson got the proud Bears franchise back on track, and the mindset they have of starting over from Day 1 and a 0-0 record is the right one.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-5)
The third straight team with an excellent Year 1 under their head coach, the Jaguars immediately played the way Liam Coen wanted them to. Trevor Lawrence finished as an MVP finalist, and it’ll be exciting to see how he can build on his second year in the system.
8. San Francisco 49ers (13-6)
The 49ers ran into a juggernaut Seattle squad that was healthy and well-rested with an extra week to prepare; but to deal with a ton of injuries, be in the mix for the No. 1 seed in the NFC in the final week of the regular season, and get a playoff win at Philadelphia was very impressive. Figuring out how to stay healthy is a key this offseason.
9. Houston Texans (13-6)
The top priority for the Texans is doing whatever it takes to get C.J. Stroud playing closer to the level he did as a rookie. He’s no doubt open to it after the performance at New England in the Divisional Round might’ve been a wakeup call.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (11-7)
One of the biggest storylines of 2026 will be the implementation of a new offense in Philadelphia—without elite offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who was with the team since 2013 and has a case for as big of a role as anyone in the franchise’s two Super Bowl titles. New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has drawn rave reviews from people who have worked with him.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (11-7)
We’ve seen players get over major postseason struggles before, and Justin Herbert must do that for the Chargers to have a realistic shot not only at a deep postseason run but to winning the whole thing. Mike McDaniel as the new offensive coordinator is an intriguing fit with Jim Harbaugh.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-8)
I really don’t understand why Mike McCarthy gets so much hate. He’s a Super Bowl champion coach with the Packers and had three straight 12-win seasons with the Cowboys. That doesn’t just happen by accident. McCarthy is taking a lot of pride in his Pittsburgh roots, and a big question is whether his former quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns for a coach he loved playing for.
13. Green Bay Packers (9-8-1)
The Packers must find a way to take the next step to get more consistency from Jordan Love at quarterback and get more than the No. 7 seed in the NFC—which would certainly make it a more realistic path for a playoff run.
14. Carolina Panthers (8-10)
The Panthers put the Rams on the ropes in the Wild Card Round, sparked by a clutch Bryce Young and the tremendous cornerback duo of Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn. Carolina needs more “juice” on the defense in particular.
15. Detroit Lions (9-8)
Perhaps the top priority for any team around the NFL is the Lions ensuring the offensive line can be more of the force it was the previous two years. If that happens, the talent for Detroit can take over if they can avoid big injuries striking again.
16. Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
Replacing John Harbaugh is an incredible challenge, but the Ravens are hoping to follow the Seattle formula with Jesse Minter as the new head coach. There’s a ton to work with in Baltimore, but we’ll see if they push for a top-tier edge rusher in the coming weeks.
17. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
James Pearce Jr.’s recent arrest casts a bad shadow on the offseason for the Falcons, as he and Jalon Walker can be a championship-level edge rush. The new regime with Matt Ryan as the president of football and Kevin Stefanski as the head coach wants to be tough in the trenches and ride Bijan Robinson—a path for success.
18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
Figuring out the quarterback situation is obviously immensely important after the Vikings just watched the quarterback they had in their building win the Super Bowl. There are plenty of options out there, but Kevin O’Connell cannot afford a swing and a miss.
19. Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Similarly, the Colts have a decision to make at the game’s most important position. I’d think they’ll work something out with Daniel Jones given how well he played before injuries, but he’s coming off a torn Achilles. They’re another one of those teams that could use more “juice” on the roster.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
The status of star receiver Mike Evans is highly uncertain heading into the offseason, with the position having superb death in Tampa. Baker Mayfield must bounce back, but the development of Benjamin Morrison and the young corners for the Bucs on the other side of the ball might determine how good they are in 2026.
21. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
Jerry Jones is a definite wild card for the 2026 NFL offseason. He’s not been shy about seeding the possibility of more blockbuster trades. If the defense can build on its acquisition and come close to matching the offense, the Cowboys can be a threat.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
The Bengals defense showed promise down the stretch, so the hope is that the second year in Al Golden’s scheme leads to more production on that side of the ball. It was good to see Joe Burrow return late during 2025 and even participate in the Pro Bowl—naturally that leads you to feeling better on the health front as opposed to being shut down for the season (like many argued he should’ve been).
23. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
Patrick Mahomes is early in a lengthy rehab process from his season-ending knee injury, so obviously his return is one of the biggest things to track leading up to kickoff in September. Momentum seems to be there for Travis Kelce to return, and overall the Chiefs are set to play with a chip on their shoulder.
24. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
Considering Mike McDaniel never lost the locker room from what we saw and always got Dolphins players to compete, Jeff Hafley doesn’t have an easy task in Year 1. Miami must hit on personnel decisions—including at quarterback—for a boost to the roster under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
25. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
A Week 18 win against the Falcons to get to 7-10 would’ve had the Saints feeling really good about the way they finished, but Kellen Moore’s first season at the helm certainly gives them something to build on. The NFC South is wide open after no teams were over .500 in 2025.
26. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
Hopefully Browns defenders can get over losing defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz after they voiced displeasure with him getting passed over as the team’s head coach. Cleveland finally had a good draft last year, but the front office hasn’t earned a ton of trust in previous years.
27. Washington Commanders (5-12)
2026 is going to be super interesting for Washington. Parting ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury seemed crazy with the job he did, but David Blough has upside as a play-caller. They’re another organization that must show more in terms of making better player personnel decisions, though.
28. New York Giants (4-13)
The Giants fall under that category, too—but John Harbaugh instantly elevates the decision-making process with serious credibility that was needed for a proud franchise. The development of Jaxson Dart at quarterback is critical.
29. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
In a division with the Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers, Mike LeFleur’s opportunity as a head coach is about as challenging as possible. They’re one of a few teams needing to get quarterback right.
30. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Robert Saleh is getting his second chance as a head coach, while offensive coordinator Brian Daboll gets to work with the other quarterback he loved during the pre-draft process last spring. The AFC South is another difficult division, and the Titans need more firepower around Cameron Ward in the next few months.
31. New York Jets (3-14)
It’s a take your pick for the bottom two of the final power rankings of the 2025 NFL season. The Jets finished at an extraordinary low, but they did have a two-game winning streak in middle of the season along with a win over the Falcons. There’s a ton of work to be done on the roster.
32. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
Same goes for Vegas, which must boost the offensive line to have any shot in their division. A top storyline of the 2026 NFL offseason is Maxx Crosby potentially being traded after he didn’t like being forced to sit out the end of the year—though new head coach Klint Kubiak might be able to remedy the situation. Getting the picks right is another story, but imagine the assets you could get by trading both Crosby and the No. 1 pick in the draft.