NFL Power Rankings: Latest Team-by-Team Outlook During 2015 Training Camp

The approach of August means the NFL is a few weeks from its first live game of the preseason as well as one other major feature.

Power rankings, of course.

With so many teams touting new players, coaches and more, power rankings aren't such a trivial matter this time of year—one glance gives observers an idea about league hierarchy in one swoop.

Let's do so below with a fresh batch of rankings based on team outlook on paper, last year's performance, additions and simple gut feeling.

2015 NFL Power Rankings

Rank	Team
1	Seattle Seahawks
2	Green Bay Packers
3	Baltimore Ravens
4	Dallas Cowboys
5	Arizona Cardinals
6	New England Patriots
7	Denver Broncos
8	Indianapolis Colts
9	Cincinnati Bengals
10	Philadelphia Eagles
11	Detroit Lions
12	Pittsburgh Steelers
13	Kansas City Chiefs
14	Miami Dolphins
15	Carolina Panthers
16	San Francisco 49ers
17	New Orleans Saints
18	San Diego Chargers
19	Minnesota Vikings
20	Buffalo Bills
21	St. Louis Rams
22	Houston Texans
23	Atlanta Falcons
24	Chicago Bears
25	New York Jets
26	Cleveland Browns
27	Washington Redskins
28	Oakland Raiders
29	New York Giants
30	Jacksonville Jaguars
31	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
32	Tennessee Titans

Training Camp's Most Intriguing Teams

Philadelphia Eagles 

With Chip Kelly, the only right word is "intriguing."

The Philadelphia Eagles posted 10 wins last year and didn't make the postseason, a rough turn of events for a team with nine Pro Bowl players and a coach willing to get creative in his attacks.

Kelly is also creative in his personnel decisions, of course. Gone is DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Evan Mathis and Trent Cole. In is Sam Bradford at quarterback, DeMarco Murray at running back and USC first-round rookie Nelson Agholor at wideout.

Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, he doesn't owe anyone an explanation:

He's right, but it doesn't make this batch of training camp any less interesting. With Kelly done wheeling and dealing, now it's time to see how it all works out when the players hit the field together.

Philadelphia touts a new-look offense but new faces on defense as well, thanks to second-round rookie corner Eric Rowe and linebacker Jordan Hicks, a third-round pick.

A new era in Philadelphia begins now.

Houston Texans 

The Houston Texans have everything when it comes to interesting training camp ingredients.

Want one of the league's best players? J.J. Watt. Quarterback battle? How about a duel between Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer? Injured star making his return? Jadeveon Clowney. High-profile rookies who must make an impact right away? Corner Kevin Johnson, linebacker Benardrick McKinney and wideout Jaelen Strong.

So yes, the Texans have a lot going on after a nine-win season and just missing the playoffs. The team is without question better than last year, although its success falls on one key strategy.

Per owner Bob McNair's chat with Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, it all comes down to the defense and ground game protecting the quarterbacks:

"

We’ll try to make it up by having one of the best defenses, so we’ll keep other teams from scoring many points. And we’ll be able to run the ball and hopefully control the clock. And we’ll continue to get better on special teams. So if we can do those three things, all we need is consistent play out of our quarterbacks – they don’t have to be superheroes. And if they don’t turn the ball over and just go out and execute the game plan, we think we’ll win.

"

On paper, Houston is one of those teams capable of telling the world its strategy and still executing it thanks to the roster's talent.

If Houston is going to make a play for the AFC South and slug it out with Indianapolis, the new pieces need to fit in right away in the summer heat and make the approach work.

Miami Dolphins 

It's desperation mode for the Miami Dolphins after back-to-back 8-8 campaigns. 

Don't believe it? The front office gave quarterback Ryan Tannehill an extension, shipped away Mike Wallace and made the biggest splash of free agency with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin made it clear in a recent interview with ESPN.com's James Walker that the high-profile offseason was about getting the franchise on the right track:

"

I came here to win championships. I didn't come here to be average and be 8-8. Steve Ross doesn't own the team to be average. Our fans don't want to be average. Our players don't want to be average. So that's what we're here for. That's why we invest and put the effort, the time into what we do.

"

For Tannehill, this training camp is more important than ever, not because contract drama is out of the way, but because he needs to get acclimated to a new cast featuring veteran wideout Greg Jennings, explosive deep threat Kenny Stills and first-round rookie DeVante Parker.

In a division featuring the ever-contending New England Patriots and the perhaps upstart Buffalo Bills, Miami's revamp on both sides of the football was a necessary approach with many jobs hanging in the balance.

It goes without saying, then, that Miami should top the list of intrigue this August. Should it go well, a climb up the power rankings will prove inevitable.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of July 27. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.