Nov 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Vikings extensive receiver Justin Jefferson (18) indicators a followers jersey towards the Tennessee Titans in the course of the second half at Nissan Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Steve Roberts-Imagn Photographs
The NFL Draft is within the rearview by two weeks, a few free brokers have signed right here and there, and rookie minicamps are blooming across the nation. Which means it’s time for energy rankings, courtesy of VikingsTerritory.
The draft and free company reshuffled the league, however Minnesota nonetheless lands within the center tier.
We’ll publish yet one more batch earlier than Week 1, however right here’s our pecking order in Might.
Minnesota Checks in behind the NFL’s Clear Contenders
Who’s your No. 1?
Arizona Cardinals extensive receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) walks off the sphere after a recreation towards the Los Angeles Rams on Sep. 15, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Harrison rapidly turned one of many NFL’s most carefully watched younger receivers due to his polished route-running and instant offensive influence. Necessary Credit score: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Photographs.
32. Arizona Cardinals
Heading into an everyday season with Jacoby Brissett and Carson Beck as proposed quarterback options is wild — and screams “We want Arch Manning, please.”
31. Cleveland Browns
Heading into an everyday season with hasn’t-been-good-since-2020 Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Inexperienced as proposed quarterback options is wild — and screams “We want Arch Manning, please.”
30. New York Jets
The roster expertise is there, however Aaron Glenn simply overhauled his total teaching workers. In the long run, we don’t belief the Jets to be any completely different than final yr. Geno Smith because the fix-all is lunacy.
29. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins’ roster simply doesn’t have the firepower to hold with its friends. Not but, anyway. Go take a look at the extensive receivers right here. The group may very well be the Minnesota Vikings’ follow squad, and that’s not an exaggeration.
28. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders will stabilize, primarily as a result of Klint Kubiak has the thoughts to be an efficient head coach. It simply received’t occur as quickly as 2026, particularly when Las Vegas will play Los Angeles, Kansas Metropolis, and Denver six occasions.
27. Tennessee Titans
The Titans have the perk of dwelling in a division that isn’t gangbusters. However Cam Ward quietly had worse effectivity metrics than J.J. McCarthy in 2025, and no one cared. This looks like a yr the place the Titans go 6-11, and that’s thought-about a step ahead.
26. Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa will break up begins, which has all of the makings of a 7-10 end.
25. New Orleans Saints
This can be too low; we’ll admit it. However we’ve to see Tyler Shough flip the nook right into a secure QB1 to imagine it. Fortunately, the Saints lastly eliminated themselves from wage cap hell.
24. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts began the season scorching, however once they confronted critical opponents in 2025, they started dropping. We imagine the true Colts id got here to mild final December — not September.
23. Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) stands on the sphere throughout first-quarter motion on Jan. 7, 2024, at Financial institution of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Horn later emerged as one of many NFL’s most revered younger defensive backs when wholesome, showcasing bodily protection abilities and flexibility in Carolina’s secondary. Necessary Credit score: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Carolina reached the postseason in 2025. Its protection ranked twenty second within the NFL per DVOA. Our notion is that the Panthers have been fortunate to wiggle into the postseason.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike McCarthy will make certain these boys will end 9-8. Is that good? That’s as much as Steelers followers to determine.
21. New York Giants
If Dart develops in Yr No. 2, the Giants can end 10-7 and attain the playoffs. Versus the Vikings, although, he performed an imbecile, and we simply can’t shake that lasting reminiscence.
20. Washington Commanders
If Jayden Daniels stays wholesome, this will probably be a 9-8 membership at worst. Someway, Dan Quinn coached the NFL’s fifth-worst protection in 2025. That’s scary, and it retains them out of the High 15 of energy rankings.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One other one which’s in all probability too low — the Buccaneers have the perk of an “easy” division, the place every workforce is about the identical caliber. They’ll be 8-9, 9-8, or 10-7, and hold their present standing: not a critical Tremendous Bowl contender.
18. Chicago Bears
In 2022, we watched because the Vikings received almost each shut recreation, convincing the fan base that they have been a “team of destiny.” The 2025 Bears did the identical factor. Like Minnesota in 2023, Chicago’s close-game luck will return to this photo voltaic system, and the Bears will end in final place within the NFC North at 8-9 or so.
17. Cincinnati Bengals
It’s all in regards to the protection, child. Yearly, of us surprise if the protection will catch as much as the offense and if Joe Burrow will keep wholesome. Right here we’re once more.
16. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings completed 2025 with a profitable document, regardless of the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback efficiency per EPA/Play. Now, they’ve Kyler Murray. With Brian Flores’s No. 3-ranked protection, Murray and the Vikings will end the season with an 11-6 or 12-5 document.
15. Inexperienced Bay Packers
If the Packers didn’t have Micah Parsons, Minnesota would leapfrog them in these energy rankings. It stays mind-boggling that of all 31 NFL groups Jerry Jones might’ve shipped Parsons, it simply needed to be the Packers.
14. New England Patriots
The Patriots had a strength-of-schedule oddity that analysts will examine for years. A ebook could also be written about it. New England will face the true world in 2026 with out a cakewalk schedule.
13. Dallas Cowboys
Talking of Jerry Jones, he rebuilt the protection in a single offseason. Dallas will attain the postseason.
12. Denver Broncos
We’re nonetheless not on board with Bo Nix as a franchise quarterback. In some unspecified time in the future, not having the ability to drive the ball downfield will imply one thing. The remainder of the workforce is in nice form, although.
11. Los Angeles Chargers
Trusting Jim Harbaugh is sensible, however one should ask if it would ever internet a Tremendous Bowl. Is Justin Herbert minimize out for that? He appears to have everlasting Matthew Stafford-like sympathy across the league.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville’s protection ranked sixth-best within the NFL final yr per DVOA, and Trevor Lawrence is figuring it out in real-time. Look out.
9. Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson (97) waves to followers after a 34-27 victory over the New York Giants on Nov. 23, 2025, at Ford Area in Detroit, Michigan. Hutchinson continued constructing his repute as one of many NFL’s premier younger edge rushers throughout Detroit’s profitable 2025 marketing campaign. Necessary Credit score: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Photographs.
The Lions’ roster is simply too full for one more crummy season. Their Tremendous Bowl window closed the day they coughed up the NFC Championship to the San Francisco 49ers, however Detroit will win the NFC North with a 12-5 document and lose in Spherical 1 or 2.
8. Houston Texans
This workforce’s protection is lethal. Totally lethal. If C.J. Stroud doesn’t rebound, DeMeco Ryans can toss Davis Mills within the lineup, and the Texans will nonetheless end 11-6.
7. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
You’re going to seek out out that Kansas Metropolis’s woes in 2025 have been a one-year pause. The dynasty can resume. There isn’t any rule towards it.
6. Baltimore Ravens
Just like the Lions, the Ravens’ roster is great. Simply in case Lamar Jackson suffers a Cam Newton-like slowdown — the abrupt sort — Baltimore should attempt to win all of it this yr.
5. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers added Mike Evans, Osa Odighizuwa, and Christian Kirk this offseason. That may matter. 12-5 at worst.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
That is often in regards to the time on the Nick Sirianni lunar cycle when the Eagles begin profitable, and the bizarre strife behind the scenes vanishes. Howie Roseman’s roster development retains Philadelphia within the High 4.
3. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Tremendous Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Darnold accomplished one of many NFL’s most shocking turnaround tales by guiding Seattle to a championship victory. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photographs.
Tip of the cap to Sam Darnold for profitable the Tremendous Bowl and making the Vikings seem like rattling buffoons. Now, he has to remain constant yr by yr to show his endurance as a High 12 quarterback.
2. Buffalo Payments
Is that this the yr?
1. Los Angeles Rams
There isn’t a single facet of the Rams’ roster, teaching workers — or something — to dislike. They’ve every thing. They may even get away with reaching for a rookie quarterback (Ty Simpson) only for kicks and giggles.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
