NFL Power Rankings: Teams Dropping Quickly This Offseason

Zach Kruse

Jun 1, 2018

In our offseason edition of the 2012 NFL Power Rankings, we break down which teams have slipped over the last several months. The following four teams could see their number of wins fall next season:

Oakland Raiders (2011 record: 8-8)

Raiders fans might not like to hear it, but it might get worse in Oakland before anything gets significantly better under new GM Reggie McKenzie. There is hope, however.

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McKenzie started the team's much-needed roster purge early in his new gig, letting go of veterans such as Stanford Routt, Chris Johnson and Kamerion Wimbley to help get the salary cap in balance. Oakland's salary cap still probably isn't where he wants it to be, though.

Remember, when Ted Thompson took over as general manager of the Packers in 2005, Green Bay's salary cap was as out of whack as the Raiders' was to begin McKenzie's tenure. Thompson cleaned house cap-wise, but the team had to ensure a 4-12 season along the way. The Raiders could be on a similar path with McKenize—a Thompson disciple—leading the roster decisions.

I have a sneaky feeling, however, that if a Super Bowl championship is the end result—like was the case for Thompson in 2010-11—Raiders fans will forgive the early struggles that might happen in the short term.

New Orleans Saints (13-3)

It's no secret why the Saints are included on this list, and it's all about Bountygate.

While New Orleans will eventually get Drew Brees under contract—somewhat righting the ship in the process—this is still a team that was decimated by the Roger Goodell's punishments.

Jonathan Vilma won't play a down. Sean Payton won't call one play. Joe Vitt, Mickey Loomis and Will Smith will all have to watch from home in the early part of the season. And the 2012 draft was a wash for New Orleans, who didn't have a pick in the first two rounds.

Even considering the greatness of Brees, that kind of multi-layered body punch will be hard for the Saints to endure next season. A trip to the playoffs is still in the cards, but this team won't get close to the 13 wins they secured last season.

New York Jets (8-8)

Spurts of media attention are good for any franchise, but the worry with the Jets in 2012 has to be the daily media circus that the their locker room will have to deal with.

It's bad enough to play in New York, with millions of eyes watching every move and a million more criticizing something. But adding a guy like Tim Tebow only magnifies the onlookers tenfold. Boisterous head coach Rex Ryan will have the unenviable task of being the ring leader to the whole thing.

And what about on the field? Did the Jets get any better with what they've done this offseason? I see very few additions that are going to have instant impact for the Jets in 2012.

Overall, the Bills have likely jumped them in the AFC East, meaning a drop in wins could be unavoidable.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6)

You have to wonder first-off how much the ending of the last two seasons weighs on the minds of Matt Ryan and Mike Smith. A No. 1 seed in 2010-11, Atlanta saw the Packers storm their Georgia Dome with little trouble. A year later, the Giants embarrassed the Falcons in New York. Losses like the two Atlanta has suffered recently can shake the psyche of even the hardest athletes.

Digging deeper, where are the improvements to counter the disappointments? The offense remains largely unchanged, unless you count another year of wear and tear on the tires of Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez.

And the defense took a hit when four-year starting linebacker Curtis Lofton bolted to New Orleans in free agency, leaving Lofa Tatupu in charge of the middle.

In the secondary, can Dunta Robinson handle being the slot cornerback, a role he's struggled with over the course of his career? Is Asante Samuel an asset or liability?

There are a lot of question marks about the Falcons heading into 2012. The answers don't seem to be as clear as the potential for this team to drop a few games next season.

NFL Offseason Power Rankings

1. New York Giants (2011: 9-7)

2. New England Patriots (13-3)

3. Green Bay Packers (15-1)

4. Houston Texans (10-6)

5. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

6. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

8. Detroit Lions (10-6)

9. Chicago Bears (8-8)

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10)

11. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)