NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Rank Heading into 2015 Offseason?
With the 2014 NFL season in the books, it's a good time to take the temperature of all 32 NFL franchises to see who has the most work to do over the next seven months to accomplish what quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were just able to do—win the biggest championship in all of sports.
These are subjective rankings and depend (by definition) on a fair amount of recency bias. This isn't a prediction of who wins next season, nor is it simply a rehashing of the win-loss records from last year. With a whole lot of player movement and reshuffling left to happen, this is a look at who is in the best spot right now for next year, with full assurances that many of these teams will be hard at that work and these rankings will shuffle thanks to the draft, free agency, injuries, etc.
So, heading into 2015, who ya got?
Click ahead for my rankings. If you disagree, leave your comments below.
32. Cleveland Browns
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There's an argument for the Browns to be much higher than this, and I don't necessarily disagree with the many people who will say that Cleveland could be a fair team in 2015 just on the basis of its improving defense alone.
It's much more likely that the Browns are a train wreck.
This is a team where the "Quarterback of the Future," Johnny Manziel, is a complete unknown at the moment. He did nothing to earn the trust of coaches or teammates either on or off the field, and he's going into next season with his second offensive coordinator in two years...fifth in five years if you go back to his time at Texas A&M.
31. Tennessee Titans
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Offensively or defensively, who is the Titans' go-to player?
Seriously, think about it. Who do you dial up a play for when you need a few yards or a big stop? Defensively, it's likely defensive end Jurrell Casey or linebacker Derrick Morgan, but they have almost no help around them. Offensively, it's probably tight end Delanie Walker, which (as good as he is) is depressing to even think about.
This is a boring and listless football team that lacks playmakers just about everywhere on the field.
30. Washington
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For the second time in two years, the faults of a terrible franchise were essentially laid at the feet of only one man, as defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was fired and replaced with former San Diego Chargers linebacker coach Joe Barry, who was last coordinator of the 0-16 Detroit Lions.
He was not Washington's first choice...
Meanwhile, the general manager who keeps bumbling selections and hires is still bumbling, the owner is still meddling, the head coach is still (mostly) clueless and has done little to earn his current position other than have the last name Gruden.
Washington will be "blown up" eventually, but it's already a few years too late.
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Buccaneers actually have a lot of really good pieces on both sides of the ball—like wide receiver Mike Evans above—but so much depends on the continued growth on the defensive side of the ball (and the health of DE Michael Johnson) as well as what they do with the No. 1 draft pick.
Yes, it should be a quarterback, but which one? We all have our opinions at the moment (#TeamMariota) but the Buccaneers better do every piece of due diligence they can, because this is the kind of moment in a franchise's history that can either set them on the pace for something special or get a lot of people fired.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars
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I'm not sure any team is having a more decisive make-or-break year than the Jaguars.
Head coach Gus Bradley and general manager David Caldwell have had more than enough time to start turning the Titanic around down in Jacksonville, and they are getting the aid of bigger-name hires such as former Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone, former Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and former Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson.
This is to effectively go all-in with quarterback Blake Bortles, who had some moments in 2014 but did little to prove he was the best QB in last year's draft class.
If this is another season ending with a top-five draft pick, it could be time for more than just reshuffling the deck chairs.
27. New York Jets
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Head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik both got the ax after another disappointing season, and it has to burn Jets fans to watch franchise-defining cornerback Darrelle Revis finally get his Super Bowl ring...with the New England Patriots, of all teams.
2015 will be defined one way or another by quarterback Geno Smith. The Jets have given him offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who is known for getting more with less in his long NFL career, and Smith will likely be lobbying for more help in free agency and the draft as well.
Even if new head coach Todd Bowles is able to rebuild Ryan's defense into a unit looking like Bowles' Arizona Cardinals squads, an offense looking like it did in 2014 would likely equate to double-digit losses and searching for a new QB next offseason.
26. Oakland Raiders
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Oakland's play in 2014 and the upheaval of its coaching staff (as well as failing to attract top-tier coaching hires) could arguably drop this ranking, but I'm all-in on the play of quarterback Derek Carr and think the Raiders defense could be a force to be reckoned with after a few personnel changes.
It won't be easy to finish the rebuilding job on the fly, but this looks like a team whose trajectory is pointing upward in 2015.
25. St. Louis Rams
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Where are the Rams going?
In a division not only with a few great defenses but also the Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Russell Wilson, the Rams aren't just fighting to keep up with the proverbial Joneses—they're in an uphill climb just to get a winning season. They haven't been able to attain even 8-8 since 2006.
A lot of the pieces are there, especially on defense with playmakers such as defensive tackle Aaron Donald above, but Sam Bradford is likely returning as "the guy" at quarterback, and I'm not sure that bodes well either in the short term or in the long.
24. New York Giants
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Another year of Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning, another year of stagnation for the New York Giants...
I'm not saying this team can't be successful. Of course it can. Heck, this is still, roughly, the same formula that won some Super Bowls, so as down as I am on the Giants, I can still hold out that (albeit far-flung) hope.
The problem is the defense isn't as good as it used to be, and the team needs numerous pass-rushers and run-defending linebackers to recreate those Super Bowl squads. The Giants also need more help on the offensive line and a more cohesive offensive strategy than just chucking it up to Odell Beckham Jr., although that was pretty effective.
23. Chicago Bears
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On the basis of 2014 alone, the Chicago Bears could be a lot lower, but it's arguable that they have "won" the offseason so far in terms of coaching hires.
Landing head coach John Fox was an unexpected coup that just sort of fell into their laps (not unexpected that he would go to Chicago...but that he'd even be available). Grabbing Adam Gase and Vic Fangio as offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, was almost equally a boon for this team. If that group meshes, we could be looking at one of the better staffs in the NFL this time next offseason.
Still, quarterback Jay Cutler is where the success of this team hinges. He's paid a lot of money to be the cornerstone of the franchise, and if he continues to crumble, the rest of the building doesn't stand a chance.
22. Atlanta Falcons
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The Falcons were an enviable landing spot among the coaching vacancies this offseason because they have a quarterback, multiple talented players on offense, a first-round pick at left tackle and a pretty good (if underrated) defensive backfield.
They got the best coach on the market.
Dan Quinn goes from coaching the league's best defense in two straight Super Bowls to leading the Falcons, and all signs point to him being an awfully great leader of men. Anything can happen, but it's easy to think the Falcons are pretty bullish about their future right now.
21. New Orleans Saints
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Perhaps the most enigmatic team in the NFL, the Saints have a chance to be extremely good next season—although that's just a year after they were on everybody's Super Bowl radar. There's probably an equally good chance they're going the other way.
I'm assuming your opinion on the matter is relative to your distance from the Mississippi River delta.
Still, it's foolhardy to bet against quarterback Drew Brees, who, though he had a down year in 2014, was still one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL by almost every metric. A few additions here and there could equate to some pretty lofty win totals if things go their way, which would make this ranking look pretty foolish.
Still, after last year, it's a big "if."
20. Minnesota Vikings
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I know a lot of chatter will surround running back Adrian Peterson and the team's decision-making around him, but quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is a much more important long-term building block of the franchise.
I'll take it a step further: If left tackle Matt Kalil takes a step back toward his caliber of play two years ago, this will be a much more successful team in 2015. That will allow Bridgewater and the offense a little more room to operate (with or without Peterson) and put less pressure on an improving defense.
19. Buffalo Bills
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The Bills are going to their third defense in three years, but head coach Rex Ryan should be able to improve or at least maintain the unit. Getting stud linebacker Kiko Alonso back from injury is only going to help.
That said, the Bills will continue to be mediocre if Ryan can't figure out how to coach the offensive side of the ball or hire people who can.
18. Miami Dolphins
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If it seems like this is the umpteenth year the Dolphins have tried to find help for quarterback Ryan Tannehill (or, more broadly, to improve the offense in some meaningful way since Dan Marino was taking snaps from under center), it's not because you're in a Bill Murray-inspired, Groundhog Day-like fever dream.
No, it's really happening...again.
Tannehill has all the tools to be a stud QB in this league, but he's not the kind of guy to do it all by his lonesome. General manager Dennis Hickey and head coach Joe Philbin have their work cut out for them, and 2015 will be a pivotal year after many thought Philbin should've been shown the door a year sooner.
17. Carolina Panthers
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The Panthers couldn't quite reach .500 this year but made the playoffs because of the woefulness of the NFC South. Here, I've put them a tick above the rest of their division, but it's a crapshoot whether or not they're the ones to rise out of the muck and mire.
They're in the cat-bird seat for sure, but it only will take a stumble here or a missed opportunity there before they see the Atlanta Falcons or New Orleans Saints rise above them again.
The needs of the Panthers are many and varied, but the bottom line is this: The young players on that defense who improved over the last quarter of the season need to continue making strides to keep the Panthers on track.
16. San Francisco 49ers
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I'm actually a bit conflicted on this rating.
On the one hand, there's little to suggest this team is going to get better in the post-Jim Harbaugh era. Its former head coach had one of the best beginnings to an NFL coaching career in league history, and his departure seemed far more about his inability to "win friends and influence people" than his coaching, which was stellar.
That said, the 49ers also get a whole load of defensive talent back next season, and the offense will have some cohesiveness with Geep Chryst running things. If quarterback Colin Kaepernick can take any sort of step forward as an NFL-caliber passer, the Niners could be back in the playoff discussion.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
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I didn't used to like Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell.
That has changed.
Since being drafted out of Michigan State, Bell has worked hard on becoming sleeker and more dynamic. He's a more explosive athlete than he was as a Spartan and is much more of a weapon in the Steelers offense than he would've been as more of a bigger, straight-line back.
Because of that, and the continued emergence of Antonio Brown as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, the death of the Steelers franchise may not come as quickly as some (read: me) predicted.
To succeed in 2015, Pittsburgh needs to continue to overhaul a rapidly aging defense (now without coordinator Dick LeBeau) and improve in the trenches.
14. San Diego Chargers
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The Chargers need to hope the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs decline a bit while they keep pace ahead of the Oakland Raiders in an AFC West that isn't quite the gimme it used to be. Yet, for moments of 2014, the Chargers were as good as any of those teams or any top teams in the league, but sustained success has been seemingly unattainable.
Much of that has to do with a mediocrity of talent at far too many places along the offensive line, at offensive skill positions and especially in the defensive front seven. A perfect game from quarterback Philip Rivers can usually equal a win, but they need far more help around him to keep moments like that going.
13. Houston Texans
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J.J. Watt can't do it alone.
The Texans' stud defensive end was a one-man wrecking crew for sure, but Houston needs more meaningful contributions from those around him (a healthy Jadeveon Clowney at linebacker, anyone?) and someone to take advantage of the offensive weapons from under center.
The road to true championship form may take a little while, but the Texans can get back into the playoff conversation in a relatively weak AFC if they play their cards right this offseason and Clowney returns to form by midseason.
12. Kansas City Chiefs
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As long as these two are at the helm, it will be difficult for the Chiefs to be anything more than "just good, but not good enough."
I'm actually an Alex Smith fan. The quarterback has been through it all in the NFL and come out the other side never having really lived up to his status as the No. 1 pick. But he has managed to do something most NFL aspirants never really get a chance to do: actually have a long NFL career.
That said, the Chiefs are clearly aiming for the middle with Andy Reid at head coach and Smith under center. There's little help around him in the offense (other than that Jamaal Charles guy running the ball) and the offense seems set up to keep tight end Travis Kelce from living up to expectations.
.500? Sure.
Playoffs? Maybe.
Anything more? Very, very doubtful.
11. Cincinnati Bengals
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Speaking of aiming for the middle.
Here's a fun interactive way to view this slideshow: Go back to the Kansas City Chiefs slide and swipe back and forth while singing Stealers Wheel's Stuck in the Middle with You—"Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right..."
That makes Andy Dalton the joker, which I feel bad about. But then I remember that he pulled his "fades in big games shenanigans" at the Pro Bowl as well, and then I have to go lie down for a nap, because that thought makes my brain hurt.
The Bengals have given Dalton all he needs, but he and head coach Marvin Lewis have proven time and again they just don't have it when the stage gets too big.
10. Baltimore Ravens
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Losing offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak was a blow.
In fact, I'd originally had the Ravens a little higher, as I like their young defensive personnel, their offensive line should trend healthier and they have a strong history of "winning" drafts and offseasons (whatever that truly means).
Yet, Kubiak was a perfect fit and helped the passing offense immensely. Losing him to the Denver Broncos could help shift some of the power in the AFC North toward Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, and it will be up to Joe Flacco and Co. to stop that from happening.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
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The Eagles have had successful seasons with both Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez under center, and it's likely back to Foles in 2015—which is a "meh" move difficult to either truly love or truly hate. Though Sanchez made plenty of mistakes, he also made some throws to receivers in stride that Foles wasn't hitting with frequency in 2013.
Either way, this team will largely go as its defense and running game do. Both units need to be more physical, as the team isn't really equipped for NFL-style shootouts, even with Kelly's uptempo attack. No, the idea is to grind one's opponent into the dust, not hit the Vegas "over" in the third quarter every Sunday.
8. Detroit Lions
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It isn't that quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Lions offense isn't good—it's that they aren't consistently good. That's an important distinction, as it's made life difficult for the Lions in recent years and could keep them from reaching the next tier of elite teams, especially if their defense takes a step back, which it almost certainly will.
The Lions defense overplayed its hand a bit in 2014, and the team's hope is to re-sign defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and that players returning from injury (like linebacker Stephen Tulloch) will help mask any regression to the mean.
Still, don't be surprised to see the Lions take a few steps toward the middle of the pack next season, especially if the offseason doesn't quite go their way.
7. Arizona Cardinals
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The Cardinals can't possibly have the same misfortune at the quarterback position two years in a row, but they also have to start looking at better long-term options for Carson Palmer and getting more help on the offensive side of the ball.
Whether or not that happens, opponents need to watch out. The Cardinals defense doesn't show any signs of quitting anytime soon, and the team has enough young talent to be dominant on that side of the ball for years to come.
6. Denver Broncos
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Much of this ranking (and the future of the franchise) has to do with whether or not Peyton Manning is back at quarterback for one last hurrah in 2015. Physically, he can do it. He was still one of the better quarterbacks in the league for much of the year, and the Broncos have done a lot to put help around him.
With all the upheaval, though, and an offense that might not entirely mesh with his skill set (though, let's be honest, they'll run what Manning wants to run), Manning might just decide he doesn't have anything left to really accomplish.
Note: He doesn't.
5. Dallas Cowboys
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One can make an argument for the Cowboys over just about every team above them on this list, and I did while hashing out the top five. The Cowboys have a lot of interesting choices to make over the next few months, though, and it's easier to see a team that had an upswing last season maybe taking a slight swing back the other way even as its momentum carries it mostly forward.
The argument for Dallas is that its defense should continue to improve and its offensive line should make things simple for whichever skill position players end up in whatever mixture around quarterback Tony Romo.
4. Indianapolis Colts
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That guy above is Exhibit No. 1 as to why the Colts are high on this list.
Yes, the Colts are flawed, but their flaws are pretty easily correctable this offseason, and they could be a much different team at the beginning of 2015 with a few tweaks here and there on offense with the defensive overhaul likely taking a little longer.
With Andrew Luck taking the snaps, they should still be atop the AFC South and a playoff contender each and every year.
3. Green Bay Packers
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Are there improvements the Packers need to make?
Sure.
The offensive line needs to get better. I'm sure they'd like to find more of an impact player at tight end. The defensive front seven needs more bodies, especially in the middle of that linebacking corps. With Aaron Rodgers slinging the ball around, though, I'm not betting against them to be right back in the NFC title hunt next season.
2. Seattle Seahawks
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The Seahawks have big decisions coming up with the guys above.
Quarterback Russell Wilson is going to get paid and deservedly so. It's a lot easier to build a team when the quarterback is making circus peanuts, so it's worthwhile to ask if his deal is going to have a butterfly effect across the roster.
A defensive player here and there left unsigned because of money (compounded with the loss of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn), and maybe they're the No. 4 or No. 5 defense in a year or so down the road. Not saying it will happen, but those are the kind of small changes that having a top-paid QB could cause.
Then there's running back Marshawn Lynch, also in line for a big payday.
Anyone pretending to know what Lynch is going to do is fooling themselves. He's always been his own man, but he's also been the Seahawks' for long enough that they clearly want to keep him around.
1. New England Patriots
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Other than re-signing cornerback Darrelle Revis (who would be crazy to go elsewhere) and a handful of other players (safety Devin McCourty, kicker Stephen Gostkowski), the Patriots look to 2015 with the ability to stay largely intact.
By largely intact, I mean that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will still be quarterback and head coach, and they've always got a shot until that stops being the case.
Here's what's weird: The Patriots could be even better next season.
They've had young players in key roles all season on both offense and (especially) defense, and those players will be one year older and more battle-tested in the upcoming season. Plus, they're notorious for drafting in bulk and attracting veteran free agents, so you've got to know more help is on the way.
There's little reason right now to count out the Patriots for a chance to repeat next year.
Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.
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