Ranking NFL Pretenders Most Likely to Be Sneaky 2025 Playoff Contenders

Every NFL season serves as rejuvenation for a franchise not expected to do much. Oftentimes, a good young quarterback can change the fortunes of a franchise. Other times, a team can get on a roll and find themselves in a postseason.

A year ago, the Washington Commanders were coming off a 4-13 season and just used the second overall pick in the NFL draft on a talented quarterback prospect. Pretty much the same setup up applied to the Houston Texans a season before that, yet both teams went on to become serious contenders the subsequent fall.

Who will do something similar during the 2025 campaign?

Currently, Draft Kings has 10 squads at +10000 or longer odds to make the Super Bowl this season. If things break right, half of them have a legitimate shot to turn things around and go on a run.

5. Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young

The Carolina Panthers saw a spark last season that can carry into the new campaign.

The team finished 4-5 down the stretch but won of two of the final three contests. Three of those five losses were by one score.

Carolina started to find a bit of an identity down the stretch after Bryce Young was reinserted into the lineup despite being benched earlier in the season. Really, Young building upon some of the positives seen once he rejoined the offense as QB1 could be a massive swing in the right direction for the entire organization.

"Really, I'm not looking back at last year," head coach Dave Canales said, per ESPN's David Newton. "I could just tell you where we're at now. We've got a great leader who's making sure the tempo is right, making sure the attitude's right, the energy is right.

"He knows how to win. I just love the way he's affecting us all."

Young being established as the leader of the offense is a huge step for the Panthers. At the same time, the unit found an identity during the aforementioned stretched by building a physical run game around Chubba Hubbard, who ran for 602 yards and seven touchdowns during his final seven appearances.

Plus, the Panthers provided their quarterback with a legitimate No. 1 target in the passing game. Tetairoa McMillan, whom the team drafted with this year's eighth overall pick, is a massive 6'4" target on the outside with big-play potential.

As long as the defense plays sound football under coordinator Ejiro Evero—maybe closer to 2023 standards and not last season—the Panthers can snap their seven-season playoff drought.

4. Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor

With Anthony Richardson's career seemingly stalled or at the very least put on hold, the Indianapolis Colts are trying to find their way with Daniel Jones at quarterback. The idea of them pushing for a playoff spot with Jones behind center isn't far-fetched.

There's no reason to go as far as saying that Jones can capture some of the magic that Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold found elsewhere after their original teams labeled them as busts. The Colts aren't looking for a career revival. They simply want some consistency at quarterback.

"I'm excited for his opportunity," head coach Shane Steichen said of Jones, per The Athletic's James Boyd. "Stay steady, find completions, keep us on track. … At that position, that's what it is. It's finding completions, moving the football and not making bad plays worse."

Richardson's downfall occurred because he didn't understand what it took to be an NFL quarterback from preparation or leadership standpoints.

Steichen is the key. The Colts have talent on offense. Running back Jonathan Taylor can be the focal point of the scheme, of course. Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs are quality wide receivers. The organization chose tight end Tyler Warren in this year's first round to provide another weapon. How Steichen sets up the scheme for Jones will likely determine whether the team will be successful this season. He knows how to scheme, too.

"I think he's caused more panic timeouts by defenses and opposing head coaches than almost anybody. He's stolen more plays than a lot of people have," an AFC defensive coach told The Athletic's Ted Nguyen.

General manager Chris Ballard went out of his comfort zone this offseason as well, because he understands that another missed postseason likely signals a regime change. The Colts signed two significant free agents in cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Camryn Bynum to boost the secondary. The hiring of Lou Anarumo will also make this group far more aggressive than it ever was under previous coordinator Gus Bradley.

The Colts face a make-or-break season. The team's response will say a lot about the entire organization.

3. Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/David Richard

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett

The Cleveland Browns are in a position of their own making, and the biggest issue on the roster has yet to be resolved. It's not insurmountable, though.

While trying to move beyond Deshaun Watson, the organization is pulling itself out of the pit it fell into by making the worst trade and signing the worst contract in NFL history. They'll do so with a 40-year-old quarterback behind center and two rookies as primary backups.

Cleveland wants to compete in the short term. The roster is aging in multiple key areas, with high-profile performers, specifically Myles Garrett, not expecting to rebuild this season even while the organization tries to find a long-term solution at the game's most important position.

A possibility does exist that Joe Flacco, despite his age and play last season with the Indianapolis Colts, can do enough in Kevin Stefanski's scheme to keep the Browns in the mix. No one should expect Flacco to play as well as he did during the 2023 campaign, when he set a team record with four straight 300-yard passing games, as the Browns barreled toward an unexpected postseason appearance.

Even so, Stefanski is one of the league's best at putting together a quarterback-friendly scheme. For Cleveland, the team can still rely on a veteran offensive line. Despite the current uncertainty at running back, talented young ball-carriers are on the roster. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku are proven play-makers as well.

Defensively, the Browns can shine again. After taking a significant step back in 2024 after owning the league's top-ranked unit a year prior, Cleveland's defensive front can be ferocious again, particularly after pairing Garrett with this year's fifth overall draft pick, defensive tackle Mason Graham.

Another rookie, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, can be another instant-impact addition as a highly athletic defender capable of making playing of tackles and working in space.

Martin Emerson Jr.'s torn Achilles tendon definitely hurts the squad's secondary, but the impact will be dependent on how healthy fellow corner Denzel Ward stays throughout the season.

A strong defense with a competent offense is what got the Browns to the postseason last time. It's a proven approach and one Cleveland can undertake again.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/John Raoux

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen

The Jacksonville Jaguars will go as Trevor Lawrence goes. But the situation really isn't that simple because he'll need help.

Lawrence hasn't lived up to expectations after being the highest regarded quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, then to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL draft. He has went to one Pro Bowl, helped lead his team to playoffs once and signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension.

However, the Jaguars are still trying to find the right combination to unlock the ultimate potential of their starting quarterback.

The team is now on its fourth head coach since Lawrence joined the team (including Darrell Bevell's interim status during the signal-caller's rookie campaign). Doug Pederson didn't do enough to buoy the franchise after the disaster that was Urban Meyer's short tenure. Now, Liam Coen takes over as head coach and offensive play-caller.

The Jaguars wanted to hire Coen badly enough that they fired previous general manager Trent Baalke to ensure they got their man, because his offensive vision can dramatically help in Lawrence's development.

"It's not just the plays themselves, but the way the plays were sequenced. [Coen] was able to be one (step) ahead of us a lot, which is rare," an NFC defensive coach told The Athletic's Ted Nguyen. "I would actually say he's probably the only guy that was one step ahead of us all year. I was really impressed with that. That guy's game plan against us got us to reassess so much stuff during the season and during the offseason. Honestly, I was so impressed by it."

A smart play-caller with Brian Thomas Jr. and this year's second overall pick, Travis Hunter, as weapons on the outside has the potential to propel the Jaguars offense after finishing outside the Top 10 in each of the past two seasons, including 25th last year.

As long as the offense is clicking and the defense shows some improvement over last season's 31-ranked unit, the Jaguars have the talent to be a handful for any opponent.

1. New York Giants

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart

The New York Giants have gotten progressively worse during the Brian Daboll-Joe Schoen era. However, the potential for a huge bounce back and return to the postseason is a real possibility based on the team's additions during that span.

Namely, the organization invested this year's 25th overall pick in quarterback Jaxson Dart. To be clear, Russell Wilson is Big Blue's starting quarterback, at least to start the season.

Dart looked better than any rookie quarterback during preseason. How he's adjusted during training camp through those exhibition games was extremely impressive.

"The Giants believe he will be ready if necessary," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said. "You hope it's not necessary but, eventually, Jaxson Dart is going to be the Giants' starter, really, it's just a matter of when they put the promising talent out there."

There's no quicker way to turn a franchise around than getting quality play from an up-and-coming quarterback, as recently seen with Jayden Daniels and CJ Stroud with the Washington Commanders and Houston Texas, respectively.

However, this slotting isn't based entirely on Dart's potential ascension. The team also invested this year's third overall draft pick in Abdul Carter, who brings legitimate NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year vibes to the roster. Furthermore, Carter's addition alongside Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence II cements the Giants' identity this season, as a team capable of consistently applying pressure and making life miserable on opposing quarterbacks.

Once wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. are thrown into the mix after last year's impressive rookie seasons, the Giants have legitimate play-makers in multiple areas. Plus, the secondary received upgrades with the free-agent signings of cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland.

The start of New York's season is brutal and the NFC East is difficult to navigate, but it's easy to see the Giants being a far better team as the season progresses to potentially make a run at a playoff spot for the second time during Daboll's tenure as head coach.