NFL Power Rankings: Who's in the Best Position Ahead of Training Camp?
Though some teams had rookies report this week, NFL training camp is officially set to begin next week.
Most players haven't even put the pads on, but it's not too early to have some fun with some NFL power rankings.
It's hard to predict what's going to happen in this league on a weekly basis, never mind trying to rank the best teams before anyone has even played a preseason game, but we're going to give it a shot.
Based on what transpired during the draft and free agency, as well as any trends we saw out of certain players last year, let's rank the 32 teams in the NFL going into training camp from worst to best.
Check out where your favorite team landed.
32. Tennessee Titans
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The Tennessee Titans finally agreed to terms on a contract with first-round pick Marcus Mariota on Tuesday, so that’s one less burden to worry about going into training camp. Now it’s a matter of getting the rookie quarterback to grasp a pro-style system after running the spread offense at Oregon.
Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt has already said he’d be open to tailoring Tennessee’s offense to Mariota’s strengths, according to John Glennon of the Tennessean, but there will be a learning curve in year one nonetheless. It would be a surprise if second-year man Zach Mettenberger doesn’t get a few starts at some point to spell Mariota during a rough stretch.
There is some talent at the skill positions, which should make the quarterback’s life easier. Tennessee took a chance on talented but problematic receiver Dorial Green-Beckham in the second round and signed Hakeem Nicks and Harry Douglas to low-cost deals. If Kendall Wright can put together another 1,000-yard season like he did in 2013 and Justin Hunter can stay out of trouble, this has the look of a nice receiving corps.
When you add Delanie Walker into the mix, Mariota should have plenty of weapons at his disposal.
Bishop Sankey had an underwhelming rookie season, and the Titans went on to draft David Cobb in an effort to improve the backfield situation. How will the duo fare?
Two of Tennessee’s key additions in free agency should bolster a defense that allowed an average of 373 yards per game last season. If Brian Orakpo manages to stay healthy, he and Derrick Morgan have the potential to form a fierce edge rush. Safety Da’Norris Searcy, meanwhile, is coming off a productive season with the Buffalo Bills and was a solid acquisition.
You would expect another productive season out of Jurrell Casey on the defensive line, but can Perrish Cox replicate what he did for the San Francisco 49ers in 2014?
There are a lot of nice pieces throughout this Titans roster, but it’s all going to come down to the quarterback play, and Mariota will struggle. Tennessee has the makings of a team that will be successful in a few years, but 2015 is about developing Mariota, which will hold back the rest of the team.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
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It was a difficult rookie season for Blake Bortles, who finished last among qualifying quarterbacks with 69.5 passer rating, per ESPN.com.
Part of that was attributed to porous play on the offensive line, which contributed to Bortles being sacked a league-high 55 times. But general manager Dave Caldwell addressed that weakness in the offseason by bringing in Stefen Wisniewski and Jermey Parnell to help protect the former No. 3 pick.
Caldwell also got Bortles another toy—on top of Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee—in Peyton Manning’s former BFF, tight end Julius Thomas.
Rookie T.J. Yeldon and Denard Robinson should also provide a spark out of the backfield.
An already solid defensive line got a boost with the addition of Jared Odrick, but the cornerback position is still an issue.
The Jaguars signed Davon House, but he’s not exactly a lockdown guy. Good camps from Demetrius McCray and Dwayne Gratz would be comforting for Jacksonville.
There's enough talent to work with around Bortles, but the second-year quarterback didn't do enough as a rookie to instill confidence entering training camp.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Jameis Winston’s development is without a doubt the main priority for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers entering training camp.
It would be nice to see him grasp the system and develop a rapport with the two big targets—Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson—on the outside.
Doug Martin has had trouble staying healthy over the last few seasons and hasn’t been that productive when he has seen the field. Second-year back Charles Sims will be aware of that during camp.
The Bucs used two high draft picks on offensive linemen—Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet—and they’ll get an opportunity to earn a starting job. They’ll battle it out with Kevin Pamphile and Kadeem Edwards.
Danny Lansanah had a huge season in 2014, and Tampa Bay has to find out if he can sustain that success.
At cornerback, who out of Johnthan Banks, Alterraun Verner, Leonard Johnson, Sterling Moore and Mike Williams will emerge as the starters?
Winston has all the tools to succeed in this league, but it'll take some time before he's ready to lead the Bucs to contention.
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29. Washington Redskins
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Robert Griffin III has played poorly for two straight seasons now since his surgery and has given the Washington Redskins little reason to believe he can return to playing at the level he did as a rookie when he led them to the playoffs in 2012.
By benching him last year, head coach Jay Gruden declared Griffin is on a short leash. If the fourth-year starter doesn’t show progress, this could be his last year in Washington.
The Redskins made some nice additions on defense by singing cornerback Chris Culliver and nose tackle Terrance Knighton.
Trent Murphy and rookie Preston Smith will compete for the outside linebacker position opposite Ryan Kerrigan with Brian Orakpo gone, but they should be used to playing without him.
How will the aging DeAngelo Hall look following an Achilles injury?
First-round pick Brandon Scherff has a chance to start at right tackle, so keep an eye on him in camp, as he'll likely play a part in protecting Griffin.
It may not make a difference if the quarterback's decision-making doesn't improve, though.
28. Cleveland Browns
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The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation isn’t ideal, to say the least.
Josh McCown had a lousy season in Tampa Bay in 2014, and Johnny Manziel hasn’t at all proved he can start at the NFL level.
McCown will enter camp as the starter, but the poor supporting cast around him will make it that much harder to thrive. The Browns added Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline, who are upgrades over last year’s receivers, but they won’t have defensive backs shaking in their cleats.
They took Duke Johnson in the draft, who will join a crowded backfield that already consists of Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West.
Cleveland’s secondary will again be the strongest unit on the team, led by stud cornerback Joe Haden. The Browns signed Tramon Williams in free agency, but Justin Gilbert is under pressure to perform in his second year.
First-round pick Danny Shelton should get plenty of snaps, as the Browns look to improve what was the worst rush defense in football last year.
Outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo has yet to show the pass-rushing ability that made him a first round pick, so he has a lot to prove in camp.
If McCown can get back to playing the way he did while filling in for the Chicago Bears in 2013, the Browns will be OK, but what you saw out of him last year is more likely.
27. Houston Texans
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A Houston Texans defense that already includes J.J. Watt should get better in 2015.
Last year’s first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney is expected to be healthy and will be a force off the edge.
Vince Wilfork was signed in free agency to clog up the middle in that 3-4 defense.
Whitney Mercilus has improved each year, and all the talent around him should free him up.
The Texans also re-signed Kareem Jackson and agreed to a deal with free safety Rahim Moore.
Offense will be a different story with Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett competing for the starting quarterback job.
Though they lost Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins is a legitimate No. 1 receiver, and the Texans brought in veterans Cecil Shorts and Nate Washington. Jaelen Strong—a first-round talent—fell to them in the third round and should get a chance to earn playing time in camp.
But it doesn’t matter who is playing receiver until the Texans find an answer at the most important position on the field.
26. Oakland Raiders
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Jack Del Rio was a sound hire for a young Oakland Raiders team that's trending upward.
It appears as if the Raiders have found their franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, who enjoyed a solid rookie season.
Oakland got him some help in the offseason, drafting Amari Cooper in the first round and signing Michael Crabtree as a free agent.
Meanwhile, Latavius Murray is the projected starting running back, but the Raiders are taking a flier on Trent Richardson, who will compete with Roy Helu for the second-string job.
There will be some new faces on the other side of the ball as well, after the team signed linebackers Curtis Lofton and Malcolm Smith and tackle Dan Williams.
Khalil Mack looked like a stud as a rookie, but there’s still plenty of room for growth.
The cornerback position looks shaky. It would help if D.J. Hayden stayed healthy and turns into the lockdown guy the Raiders though they were getting when they took him in the first round in 2013.
The Raiders won't be drafting fourth next year, and they'll get to six or seven wins. Hey, that's progress, right?
25. San Francisco 49ers
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New San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula got promoted into a tough situation.
The 49ers have to make up for the losses of Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Chris Borland, Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati. That’s a lot of talent to replace.
They brought in Darnell Dockett, who is getting up there in age (34) but is familiar with the 3-4 defensive end position. Rookie Arik Armstead should challenge for reps at the position.
In his second season, Tank Carradine may see an increased role, but he’ll have to compete with Tony Jerod-Eddie for playing time.
Tramaine Brock and Shareece Wright will presumably start at corner, after Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox left in free agency.
NaVorro Bowman returns to the field after missing a full season. If he can regain his pre-injury form, that will be a huge boost to the defense.
Carlos Hyde takes over as the starting running back now that Frank Gore is in Indianapolis, so he will be a guy to watch for in camp. Reggie Bush was signed as a change-of-pace guy in the backfield.
San Francisco also brought in Torrey Smith and hopes Bruce Ellington breaks out in his second season.
In his fourth year as the starting quarterback, it’s up to Colin Kaepernick to keep this team from completely destructing considering all the offseason turnover.
24. Chicago Bears
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The Chicago Bears brought in former New Orleans Saints director of player personnel Ryan Pace as the new general manager and John Fox to replace Marc Trestman as head coach, but much to their dismay, Bears fans won’t get a new starting quarterback. Not right away at least.
Jay Cutler will be under pressure to perform with a new regime in power.
With rookie receiver Kevin White added through the draft, Cutler has yet another playmaker on top of Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte.
Speaking of Forte, who’s going to be his backup? 2014 draft pick Ka’Deem Carey had a nondescript rookie season, and the Bears used a fourth-round pick on Jeremy Langford out of Michigan State, which may indicate that the new staff isn’t that high on Carey.
The defense is switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme and brought in former Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee as a free agent.
Jared Allen is among those players who are trying to earn the other outside linebacker job. Lamarr Houston, on his way back from an ACL injury, will also be in the mix.
Antrel Rolle has a lot of people to prove wrong in his first year in Chicago. We’ll see just how much he has left once camp starts.
The Bears have some playmakers on offense, but a bad quarterback and shaky defense will do them in.
23. St. Louis Rams
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For a guy who really hasn’t accomplished all that much, Jeff Fisher sure does get off the hook easily. The guy always gets the benefit of the doubt and for what? Losing in the Super Bowl 15 years ago?
In three seasons with the St. Louis Rams, he has yet to lead the team to more than seven wins.
The defense is good enough, led by Chris Long, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Robert Quinn and now Nick Fairley, who together make up one of the best defensive lines in football.
However, Fisher has to prove the Rams made the right decision in the offseason by trading Sam Bradford for Nick Foles.
Foles has had success in the past, so Fisher needs to find a way to get him to thrive in this offense.
Is it too early to call Tavon Austin a bust? Maybe, but the former top-10 pick has done close to nothing in two seasons.
First-round pick Todd Gurley is expected to start camp on the non-football injury list, so Rams fans will have to wait before they get to see the former Georgia star running back in action. In the meantime, Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham and Isaiah Pead will handle most of the carries in camp.
This team could win nine games, but it will probably end up with seven yet again.
22. Carolina Panthers
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A sub-.500 record won’t win the NFL South this year for the Carolina Panthers.
Cam Newton comes into the 2015 season with a new lucrative contract, but his supporting cast remains subpar.
Kelvin Benjamin displayed his big-play ability during his rookie season, but he still has to refine certain skills as a wide receiver. The Panthers would like to see that he worked on his craft during the offseason.
Carolina drafted a raw receiving prospect for the second straight year—Devin Funchess—who is less prepared than Benjamin was a year ago. Because of a feeble receiving corps, he’ll learn on the job as a rookie.
With DeAngelo Williams in Pittsburgh, Jonathan Stewart will be the main guy out of the backfield. Rookie Cameron Artis-Payne will challenge Fozzy Whitaker for the second-string job.
First-round pick Shaq Thompson will have the benefit of learning from linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis.
Josh Norman, former Bear Charles Tillman, Bene’ Benwikere and Melvin White make up a decent group of cornerbacks who are battling for playing time.
Entering his second season, Kony Ealy needs to live up to his second-round billing. Wes Horton didn’t provide much at defensive end last year, so that job is up for grabs, with Ealy and Frank Alexander likely to get a chance to earn the starting spot.
There are uncertainties throughout this roster, so we should know more about the 2015 Panthers by the end of August.
21. New York Giants
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The big story at New York Giants camp is going to be Jason Pierre-Paul’s injury situation.
After having his right index finger amputated following a fireworks incident earlier this month, Pierre-Paul won’t be ready for the start of camp, and it’s unknown if he’ll be ready for the regular season.
This leaves Robert Ayers, Cullen Jenkins, Kerry Wynn, Jordan Stanton, George Selvie and rookie Owamagbe Odighizuwa competing for playing time at defensive end, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
Rookie Landon Collins will also have a chance to earn a starting job in training camp. He’ll go at it with safeties Nat Berhe, Cooper Taylor, Jeromy Miles and Mykkele Thompson, per Graziano.
New York’s dependence on rookies won’t end there. First-round pick Ereck Flowers is the favorite to replace Will Beatty, who suffered a torn pectoral injury in the offseason, at left tackle. Flowers won't have time to learn from the sidelines in his first year.
How Victor Cruz looks in his return from a torn patellar tendon in his right knee is of great importance for the Giants. Eli Manning can’t throw the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. on every play, as much as he may want to.
Shane Vereen, a capable receiver out of the backfield, gives Manning another option.
There are too many unstable positions on this roster right now, and the Giants need to sort out these issues in the next month.
20. New York Jets
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From the front office all the way down to the players, the New York Jets have undergone a complete makeover.
Mike Maccagnan was hired to replace John Idzik—whose stint as Jets general manager was short lived—and Todd Bowles was named head coach after the team got rid of Rex Ryan.
Bowles’ buttoned-down approach is a far cry from what Jets fans have grown accustomed to with Ryan, but it’s what the organization needs.
Maccagnan, meanwhile, did what Idzik refused to do last offseason: add cornerbacks.
New York relied on the likes of unheralded corners Marcus Williams and Phillip Adams last year, due to Idzik's stubborn approach in free agency.
Maccagnan wasn’t about to have a repeat of that situation.
Darrelle Revis returned to the place where he started his future Hall of Fame career. Maccagnan bolstered the cornerback position by signing former Jet Antonio Cromartie—who played well under Bowles in Arizona in 2014—and Buster Skrine, who made a name for himself as a slot corner with the Browns.
Last year, second-year safety Calvin Pryor was asked to play free safety, which he didn’t do at Louisville, but with the addition of Marcus Gilchrist, he’ll be back in the box where he’s comfortable.
The defensive line somehow got better, as Leonard Williams unexpectedly fell to the Jets with the sixth pick in the draft. Now that Sheldon Richardson has been suspended for the first four games of the season, Williams will get a chance to prove his worth early on.
Of course with the Jets, it comes down to Geno Smith. He has two new weapons in Brandon Marshall and rookie deep threat Devin Smith, as well as Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley.
Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick is familiar with new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's system, but Smith will get every opportunity to start. If he can’t show signs of competence with this group, he never will.
19. New Orleans Saints
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It’s hard to measure the New Orleans Saints going into this season.
Drew Brees is still a top-10 quarterback—some may argue borderline top-five—and he should keep them in almost every game, but this roster doesn’t look all that improved from last year’s 7-9 team, if at all.
The decision to trade Brees’ favorite target, Jimmy Graham, for a center—albeit a very good one—in Max Unger and a low first-round pick didn’t make much sense.
It made even less sense when the Saints used their two draft picks on Andrus Peat, an offensive tackle—when they already had two serviceable ones in Zach Strief and Terron Armstead—and Stephone Anthony, a linebacker whom not many even projected to go in the first round.
2014 first-round pick Brandin Cooks looked like a playmaker before going down for the season. He and the ever-reliable Marques Colston are solid targets at wide receiver, but a bunch of unproven guys are behind them.
While Jairus Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro look like one of the better safety pairs, Vaccaro took a step back last season, and Byrd is recovering from a torn lateral meniscus he suffered last season, so who knows how they’ll perform.
The team signed Brandon Browner, but he’s no longer the player he was years back with Seattle. Maybe rookie P.J. Williams earns a starting spot opposite Keenan Lewis in camp.
In a competitive NFC, the Saints just might watch the playoffs from home for the second straight season.
18. Atlanta Falcons
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The Atlanta Falcons brought in Dan Quinn—the mastermind of the Seattle Seahawks defense—to replace Mike Smith as head coach and provided him with a nice defense in his first year at the helm.
Desmond Trufant is already one of the best shutdown corners in the game. On the opposite side, rookie Jalen Collins will battle it out with Robert Alford for the second starting spot.
Atlanta went defense in the first round of the draft as well, taking pass-rusher Vic Beasley in the top 10. Maybe Quinn could shorten the learning curve for him.
Linebackers Brooks Reed and Justin Durant were acquired in free agency and so was defensive Adrian Clayborn.
This may be the most talented defense the Falcons have had in a while, and they have a head coach who should put them in the best position to succeed.
On the other side of the ball, Julio Jones’ contract situation will be a topic of discussion throughout camp.
Will free-agent pickup Jacob Tamme emerge into one of Matt Ryan’s favorite targets?
The running back competition between rookie Tevin Coleman and Devonte Freeman will be a tight one, but expect them to both get a load of carries throughout the year.
The Falcons have another rookie at wide receiver in Justin Hardy who may drop some jaws in camp with some of the catches he makes.
After two down seasons, the Falcons will be a playoff contender again this season in an NFL South where no team really stands out.
17. Miami Dolphins
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It’s playoffs or bust for Joe Philbin as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Miami has finished 8-8 in consecutive seasons, and both times it entered December fighting for a playoff spot. In 2013, the Dolphins lost their last two to fall short of a wild-card berth, and last year they dropped three of their last four.
They signed Ryan Tannehill to a contract extension, so the Dolphins believe they’ve found their franchise quarterback. He’s shown improvement in each of his three seasons in the league, and solid quarterbacks are hard to come by, so it was a good decision.
Surrounding the young quarterback with talent is also key, and Miami has done that.
The Dolphins traded Mike Wallace to Minnesota but drafted DeVante Parker in the first round and traded for Kenny Stills. Jarvis Landry, who caught 84 passes as a rookie, has already developed a rapport with Tannehill, and the team also signed tight end Jordan Cameron from Cleveland.
Lamar Miller had his first 1,000-yard season in 2014, but the Dolphins couldn’t pass up on Jay Ajayi in the fifth round, which was a great value pick. Those two will split carries throughout the season.
The big splash of the offseason, of course, was Ndamukong Suh, whom the Dolphins made the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. His presence should open things up for Olivier Vernon and Cameron Wake on the line.
On the back end of the defense, Brent Grimes is the No. 1 corner, but a number of guys are competing for the other spots. Jamar Taylor, Will Davis, Zach Bowman and Brice McCain will battle it out at cornerback during camp.
This is the best team Philbin has had, so he won't have any excuses if he can't win with this group.
16. San Diego Chargers
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Philip Rivers has put together consecutive positive seasons with the help of former quarterbacks coach and current offensive coordinator Frank Reich. His interceptions were a bit on the high end last year (18), but he was still good for the most part.
He’ll have to get used to taking snaps from someone other than Nick Hardwick, though, as the center has called it a career. Chris Watt is tasked with replacing the former Pro Bowler.
In the backfield, rookie Melvin Gordon should provide an immediate spark and help take some of the workload off Rivers. Branden Oliver come out of nowhere and had a surprising 2014 season, so he’ll want to remind people what he can do in training camp. Danny Woodhead broke his fibula last year, and he’ll be a valuable change-of-pace back if he's healthy.
Keenan Allen and Malcom Floyd remain atop the wide receiver depth chart, but veterans Jacoby Jones and Stevie Johnson are now in the fold.
Every year people wonder if this is the season Antonio Gates shows that the end is near, and every year he proves them wrong. He’s coming off a season in which he caught 12 touchdowns, the second-highest total of his career, so Rivers will continue to look for his All-Pro tight end in 2015, after Gates returns from a four-game suspension.
With the departure of Marcus Gilchrist, Jahleel Addae moves into a full-time role at safety, so he’ll have to prove he can handle more reps.
Jason Verrett was off to a pretty nice start in his rookie season before suffering a labrum injury in Week 6, so 2015 is a big season for him.
Finally, will Melvin Ingram ever provide consistent pressure off the edge?
That would change the complexion of this defense and help San Diego’s standing in the AFC.
15. Kansas City Chiefs
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Now that Justin Houston is locked up to a long-term deal, the attention on defense will be on Mike DeVito and Derrick Johnson during Kansas City Chiefs training camp. Both ruptured their right Achilles tendons in Week 1 last season, and their recoveries are of vital importance this season.
Tamba Hali will also be under pressure to perform after notching just six sacks last season. If he can’t create more pressure, don’t be surprised if 2014 first-round pick Dee Ford gets more playing time.
Kansas City spent its first-round pick on the defensive side of the ball this year as well, selecting cornerback Marcus Peters, who’s expected to be thrust into a starting role. He has a lot to learn during camp.
But the Chiefs defense still appears to be a sound group; it’s the offense that has to improve if the team is going to challenge the Broncos in the AFC West.
Following a season in which the Chiefs didn’t have a single receiver haul in a touchdown pass, they signed Jeremy Maclin in free agency. It came at a high cost (five years, $55 million), but they had to sign a receiver.
The problem is that the unit isn’t all that improved. With Dwayne Bowe now in Cleveland, Jason Avant, De’Anthony Thomas and Frankie Hammond are the next best receivers after Maclin. They drafted Chris Conley out of Georgia in the third round, but how much can the Chiefs expect out of him?
When your quarterback is expected to be not much more than a game manager, you need better playmakers around him. Jamaal Charles remains one of the best running backs in the game, but he alone can’t carry this offense.
The Chiefs better hope one of those young receivers materializes, because the defense can only do so much.
14. Detroit Lions
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The 2015 Detroit Lions have a lot of weight to replace on that defensive line.
Both Nick Fairley and Ndomukong Suh are gone, so the Lions had to replace two former first-round picks.
The Lions traded for Haloti Ngata, and while he’s been on the decline the last few seasons, you can do much worse. The other defensive tackle position is expected to go to Tyrunn Walker.
Stephen Tulloch makes his return from an ACL injury he suffered while celebrating a sack, so his progression will be of great importance during camp.
Ezekiel Ansah has finished with eight and 7.5 sacks, respectively, in each of his first two seasons. The Lions would like for him to get that up to double digits.
Reggie Bush departed after a couple of seasons in Detroit, so Joique Bell and Theo Riddick will compete with rookie Ameer Abdullah for touches.
Laken Tomlinson has high expectations as a first-round pick, and he'll be asked to get first-team reps in camp.
Eric Ebron had a hard time as a rookie, so it’s important for the young tight end to show development in camp.
Matthew Stafford has big-time receivers on his side in Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, so Detroit will be in almost every game, but it's hard to argue that this team is improved from a year ago.
13. Buffalo Bills
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Early on in his tenure as Buffalo Bills head coach, Rex Ryan appears to have returned to his boisterous ways, exhibiting the bravado that made Jets fans love him and everyone else hate him.
That may not necessarily be a bad thing for the Bills, considering Ryan wasn’t afraid of making bold statements in his first two seasons in New York when he led the Jets to two straight AFC Championship Game appearances.
Like those Jets teams, these Bills are going to have to win by playing elite defense and running the football.
All the attention during training camp will be on EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor and Matt Cassell, who are competing for the starting quarterback job.
Cassell—the most proven and experienced of the bunch—gives Buffalo the best chance on a weekly basis.
But regardless of who starts at quarterback, marquee offseason acquisition LeSean McCoy is the most important player on this offense.
The few times during the game the Bills have the confidence to actually air it out, Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin and Charles Clay will be nice targets for whoever is slinging the ball.
Ryan has to be ecstatic about what this defense is capable of. If everyone stays healthy—always a big if—this can be a top-five defense.
So long as the quarterback doesn’t turn the ball over every other possession, the Bills defense has the ability to help end Buffalo's 15-year playoff drought.
12. Philadelphia Eagles
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Perhaps no team had a more questionable offseason than the Philadelphia Eagles.
It wasn’t necessarily bad, but their moves were debatable.
Chip Kelly is betting on himself with Sam Bradford, who hasn’t played a full season since 2012. Kelly got more out of Nick Foles than anyone could have imagined, so maybe he can make it work with a former No. 1 overall pick assuming his twice-torn ACL is under control.
Having Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow—who are all too familiar with each other from the circus that was the 2012 New York Jets—on the same depth chart may create headlines, but Tebow has to really impress in training camp to make the team.
For the second straight season, the Eagles lost a top receiver with Jeremy Maclin heading to Kansas City. They selected Nelson Agholor in the first round, and he’ll have to learn the offense fast.
Jordan Matthews will have to take on a bigger role in his second season, while Miles Austin joins Riley Cooper as the veterans of the unit. Josh Huff, who impressed as a return man, may play a bigger role on offense if he has a nice camp.
Trading LeSean McCoy for Kiko Alonso looks like a good move, only because the Eagles were able to steal DeMarco Murray from their division rival and also picked up Ryan Mathews.
Philadelphia addressed its biggest weakness on defense by giving Byron Maxwell a hefty deal to play cornerback.
The Eagles got busy this offseason, and the way things play out on the field will tell us a lot about Kelly.
11. Cincinnati Bengals
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As has been the case the last few years, the Cincinnati Bengals are skilled throughout the roster.
With Marvin Jones now healthy, he’ll have to prove 2013 wasn’t a fluke. Regardless, he’s a solid No. 3 behind A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu.
Tyler Eifert is returning from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss virtually the entire 2014 season, so the Bengals hope he becomes a bigger part of this offense in his second full season.
Jeremy Hill had a breakout rookie season, creating a bit of an awkward situation with 2013 second-round pick Giovani Bernard. Bernard was held in high regard, but he’s fallen short of expectations. They’ll both get carries, but the running back competition is worth monitoring.
In his first season back from an ACL tear, Geno Atkins wasn’t his dominant self. The Bengals need him to return to his All-Pro form. Domato Peko also didn’t play to the level that’s come to be expected of him, which the Bengals can’t have.
Andy Dalton’s shoddy performance in the playoffs has been costly for a few years. The Bengals have gotten there despite him, but this year he needs to be the reason they make it out of a competitive AFC North, where three teams might not reach the playoffs again.
10. Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings won seven games last year with a rookie quarterback, but with an improved Teddy Bridgewater and offseason improvements, they can make the playoffs this season.
Bridgewater made big strides over the last five weeks of the season, completing 71.7 percent of his passes and posting a 105.54 passer rating; he led the Vikings to a 3-2 record in that stretch. They lost the two games by a combined four points to the Dolphins and Lions.
The former Louisville quarterback reminded everyone why he was considered the top prospect in the 2014 draft for so long before his stock suddenly dropped. Assuming he builds off the end of last season, Minnesota has found a bona fide franchise quarterback.
Now he gets Adrian Peterson back and another receiver in Mike Wallace. While he never lived up to that huge contract he got from Miami, Wallace is still a dangerous deep threat who has to be accounted for.
Charles Johnson was a pleasant surprise for the Vikings, and with Wallace demanding the defense's attention, it should be easier for Johnson to get open.
The enigma is Cordarrelle Patterson, who was supposed to break out last season and actually regressed from his rookie season. This might be his last chance in Minnesota. Jarius Wright—who put forth a nice season in 2014—and rookie Stefon Diggs will push for reps in camp.
An already stout secondary got even better in the draft with the addition of Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes. He’ll play opposite Xavier Rhodes, one of the elite man-to-man corners in the game. Meanwhile, safety Harrison Smith is on his way to stardom.
Rookie linebacker Eric Kendricks was a steal in the second round; he’ll be good against the run, as well as in coverage. He’ll probably be in the middle between Anthony Barr and Chad Greenway.
The defensive line, led by Sharrif Floyd and Everson Griffen, is another deep unit, and look for rookie Danielle Hunter to earn praise throughout camp.
The Vikings will go as far as Bridgewater takes them, which may well one day be the Super Bowl. That won’t come this year, but they’re headed in the right direction.
9. Arizona Cardinals
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It’s been fun to watch Carson Palmer revitalize his career with the Arizona Cardinals. He’s been placed into a great environment under Bruce Arians with a skilled supporting cast, which gives him a great position to succeed.
The trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown should again thrive in that offense.
Former Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas underperformed and had trouble staying healthy as a rookie. He can add another dynamic to the Cardinals offense if he finds his niche.
Andre Ellington dealt with injuries throughout last season and couldn’t quite build off the promise he demonstrated in 2013. The Cardinals took David Johnson out of Northern Iowa in the third round, putting even more pressure on Ellington to get it together.
James Bettcher takes over for Bowles as defensive coordinator, but Arizona’s defense remains stacked with talent. Bowles did love to create pressure in unconventional ways by blitzing with cornerbacks and safeties, so we’ll see how aggressive Bettcher’s scheme is.
Either way, don’t expect Daryl Washington on the field anytime soon. The linebacker was suspended all of last year, and according to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 (h/t ProFootballTalk), there’s “no change” in the status of Washington’s indefinite suspension.
This Cardinals team is solid on both sides of the ball and should compete for a wild-card berth in the same division as Seattle.
8. Denver Broncos
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The window to win with Peyton Manning under center is slowly coming to a close for the Denver Broncos. It’s now head coach Gary Kubiak’s duty to make sure the future Hall of Famer’s tenure in Denver doesn’t go to waste.
That will only get tougher following the season-ending knee injury to franchise left tackle Ryan Clady. Luckily, the Broncos drafted Ty Sambrailo in the second round to compete with Michael Schofield for the starting job.
Orlando Franklin switched teams in free agency and went to the division-rival Chargers, leaving another offensive line spot open for competition.
The only other major change on offense comes at the tight end position, where the Broncos are replacing Julius Thomas with Owen Daniels.
It will be interesting to see whether C.J. Anderson or Montee Ball wins the starting running back position, though both should see plenty of touches.
Terrance Knighton left for the Redskins in free agency, so the Broncos need 2013 first-round pick Sylvester Williams to take over at nose tackle.
Denver was willing to deal with any character issues and traded up for Shane Ray, who gives the team another pass-rusher behind DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller.
But it all comes back to Manning, who looked like he was finished in that loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round. He looked so bad that people wondered if he would just call it a career at that point.
It wasn’t just that one game either. Manning really struggled throughout December.
We’ll find out if that sample size was too small soon enough.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
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It’s weird to think of a Pittsburgh Steelers team with a more dominant offense than defense, but that’s the case right now.
Ben Roethlisberger is coming off the best season in his career, topping or matching his career high in nearly every statistical passing category. He’s helped turn Antonio Brown into one of the best receivers in football.
Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton, in their second and third years, respectively, will only improve. The Steelers also drafted Sammie Coates in the third round this year, so expect him to be the next player to come out of Pittsburgh's wide receiver factory.
The Steelers also have a guy out of the backfield who can catch the football as well. Le'Veon Bell had a breakout sophomore season, putting himself in the conversation of the best all-around running backs in the league.
Put simply, this offense is loaded with talent.
On defense, there are some promising young players in the front seven. 2014 first-round pick Ryan Shazier needs to make a big leap this season. This year’s top pick, Bud Dupree, has some time to learn as a rookie, but the Steelers would like to see glimpses of the versatility he provided at Kentucky.
Cornerback appears to be the weakest position on the team going into training camp, with veterans Cortez Allen and William Gay needing to elevate their play.
It will be a tight race in the AFC North, but the Baltimore Ravens have the more complete team entering camp.
6. Baltimore Ravens
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After nearly upsetting the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs this past January, the Baltimore Ravens had a big offseason.
Despite losing Pernell McPhee and Haloti Ngata, the Ravens will be just fine on defense.
2014 second-round pick Timmy Jernigan will move into a starting role, so he’ll have to prove he’s ready in training camp, but the defense is otherwise in good shape.
C.J. Mosley looks to build off an outstanding rookie season, Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs showed they can still get to the quarterback last season, nose tackle Brandon Williams doesn’t get talked about enough for his run-stuffing prowess, and Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith make up a nice cornerback tandem.
The Ravens also signed former Texans and Chiefs safety Kendrick Lewis to play alongside Will Hill.
On offense, Baltimore is going to count on two rookies, Maxx Williams and Breshad Perriman.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, tight end Dennis Pitta may not play this season, as he’s still recovering from a hip injury suffered last September. That puts pressure on Williams—whom many considered to be the best tight end in this draft class—to blossom into one of Joe Flacco’s favorite weapons.
In the first round, the Ravens took a chance on Perriman, a raw receiver with high upside. Considering that Steve Smith Sr. is 36 years old and Torrey Smith is in San Francisco, it’s important for Perriman to acclimate himself to the NFL quickly.
The Ravens re-signed Justin Forsett after his breakout 2014 campaign, and he'll be expected to perform at the same high level.
Lastly, what impact will new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman have on Flacco?
The Ravens quarterback bounced back from a poor 2013 season and had a great year in 2014, nearly throwing for 4,000 yards. He has a really good team around him entering his eighth season, and another Super Bowl run could solidify his legacy.
5. Dallas Cowboys
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How much credit does the Dallas Cowboys offensive line deserve for DeMarco Murray’s rushing title, and will La’el Collins start at left guard over Ronald Leary?
Don’t expect Darren McFadden to lead the league in rushing, even if by some miracle he doesn’t get injured. However, there’s no doubt running behind those big maulers up front will open up big running lanes for McFadden and Joseph Randle alike.
They will also buy Tony Romo plenty of time in the pocket, which should culminate in another productive season for Dallas’ signal-caller.
The Cowboys have more than enough on offense to make a deep playoff run, but the same can’t be said about their defense. They surprised everyone with their performance a season ago, and now they get a healthy Sean Lee back.
They used a first-round pick on Byron Jones out of UConn, and he’ll be counted on right from the start because the last cornerback Dallas took in the first round—Morris Claiborne—is all but a lost cause.
Will Brandon Carr bounce back from a down season in 2014? Was last year an aberration, or is Rolando McClain really turning his career around? How much can the Cowboys expect out of DeMarcus Lawrence as a pass- rusher?
Dallas needs its defense to replicate what it accomplished last season, but is that realistic?
4. New England Patriots
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Whether Tom Brady’s suspension gets reduced to two games, or he ends up missing four, the New England Patriots remain the team to beat in the AFC East.
However, a Darrelle Revis-less secondary will be an issue throughout the season and will get exposed repeatedly. Much of what the Patriots did on defense during their Super Bowl run hinged on Revis shadowing the opposition's top receiver. He virtually locked up half the field and allowed Devin McCourty to roam deep, helping over the top on the other side.
The Patriots did re-sign McCourty, which was a priority in the offseason, but their cornerback depth chart is shaky going into training camp.
The team will rely on Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, Bradley Fletcher and Logan Ryan in the back end of the defense. The Patriots added to the competition by signing Tarell Brown on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Dianna Marie Russini.
A front seven that consists of do-it-all linebacker Jamie Collins, a healthy Jerod Mayo, pass-rusher Chandler Jones and rookie defensive tackle Malcom Brown hopes to make the secondary’s job easier.
Still, it remains to be seen to what extent the Patriots can succeed despite the dearth of talent at cornerback.
3. Indianapolis Colts
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Who knows if they’ll be able to stop the run, but it might not matter with all the weapons the Indianapolis Colts have around Andrew Luck.
They’re old, but Andre Johnson (34) and Frank Gore (32) can still be productive. Gore has rushed for more than 1,000 yards four straight seasons and eight of the last nine. Johnson, even with Houston’s shaky quarterback play, caught 85 passes for 936 yards last year.
Dan Herron was important to the Colts offense late in the season, and he figures to remain in the picture, spelling Gore of touches throughout games.
Add those two veterans to an offense that already has tight ends Dwayne Allen and Colby Fleener, as well as T.Y. Hilton, and the rest of the AFC better watch out for the Colts.
They also drafted burner Phillip Dorsett, and Donte Moncrief should only improve in his second season.
This offense is scary, and a defense that added Kendall Langford up front, Trent Cole at outside linebacker and Dwight Lowery at free safety will be good enough for the Colts to do some real damage.
Will the infusion of veteran leadership help the Colts get through the AFC in the playoffs?
2. Green Bay Packers
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Coming off an epic collapse in the NFL Championship Game, the Green Bay Packers have enough talent around reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers to win the whole thing.
Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb will put up their usual numbers, while Davante Adams emerges into a more complete receiver in year two.
Eddie Lacy again proved to be a workhorse out of the backfield last year, averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his second season, and there’s no reason to believe he’s going to regress.
There are questions surrounding the defense, such as Clay Matthews’ role. Will the Packers stick with him at inside linebacker?
Furthermore, Letroy Guion is planning on appealing his three-game suspension, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. That means the rest of the defensive line—Mike Daniels, B.J. Raji, Datone Jones and Josh Boyd—is under that much more pressure to perform.
Uncertainties in the secondary are also concerning, but the Packers did draft versatile defensive back Damarious Randall in the first round and cornerback Quinten Rollins in the second round to compete with Casey Hayward for a starting job.
Sam Shields is reliable on the outside, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix should show improvement now that he’s had a year to digest Dom Capers’ system.
The Packers aren’t without their flaws, but they have the best quarterback in the game. Rodgers is capable of masking those deficiencies over the course of a season.
1. Seattle Seahawks
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It’s hard enough to make the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons, let alone three straight, but the Seattle Seahawks have the most talent in the NFL from top to bottom.
With the exception of Byron Maxwell, last year’s defense pretty much remains the same. Seattle brought in Cary Williams to replace Maxwell, and while that may be concerning given how much Williams struggled in Philadelphia last season, Tharold Simon—who showed plenty of promise in 2014—may ultimately emerge as the No. 2 corner.
Furthermore, as we saw with Walter Thurmond when he bolted to the Giants after Seattle’s Super Bowl win, a lot of Maxwell’s success could be attributed to the system and all the talent around him.
Speaking of the defensive system, with Dan Quinn earning a head coaching position with the Falcons, Kris Richard is the new Seahawks defensive coordinator. He is the former defensive backs coach in Seattle and helped in the evolution of the Legion of Boom.
The Legion of Boom, by the way, may be without one of its key members. Ed Werder of ESPN.com reported on Thursday that All-Pro safety Earl Thomas won't be ready for training camp and may not even be good to go for the start of the regular season following a shoulder injury he suffered in the Super Bowl.
As good a coordinator as he was, Seattle’s defense will remain one of the best in football without Quinn, even if Thomas misses some time early in the season.
Russell Wilson didn’t get a contract extension during the offseason, but he now has one of the best tight ends in football by his side. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Jimmy Graham is the most prolific target Wilson has had in Seattle.
At the wide receiver position, there will be competition behind Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin.
Ricardo Lockette, rookie wide receiver Tyler Lockett, Super Bowl standout Chris Matthews and 2014 draft picks Kevin Norwood and Paul Richardson will battle it out for reps in training camp.
Wilson should only get better as the talent around him improves, and he still has Marshawn Lynch to hand it off to.
Training camp hasn’t even started yet, but the Seahawks look like the most complete team in 2015.
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