NFL Power Rankings: Post-Draft and Pre-Free Agency Edition
As we sit in the midst of such a backwards NFL offseason thanks to the NFL lockout, we can start ranking the NFL and see where teams stand before the long waited free agency period.
Many teams have jumped up several spots since the NFL draft, and that means several teams have fallen quite a bit.
As we move closer and closer to a possible free agency period, how does your favorite team stack up post-draft and pre-free agency?
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32. Carolina Panthers
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After selecting Cam Newton with the first overall pick, the Carolina Panthers are going to need some time to develop and groom their rookie quarterback.
Newton may be the only bright note when you think of the Panthers. Head coach Ron Rivera will need all the luck he can get in his first year in Carolina.
31. Washington Redskins
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The Washington Redskins will be the worst team in football if Mike Shanahan enters the 2011 NFL season with John Beck.
The Redskins are simply all around below average. Washington has no quarterback, terrible wide receivers, no running game and a below average defense.
30. Cincinnati Bengals
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The Cincinnati Bengals have a very impressive draft as they built for the future with selections like A.J. Green and Andy Dalton.
It's possible that Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco will not be returning in 2011, so Dalton and Green will need some time to develop.
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29. Denver Broncos
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Whether it's going to be Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton or Brady Quinn in 2011, the Denver Broncos will have a losing season.
To go along with their quarterback controversy, the Broncos have a very poor defense that needs sometime to rebuild.
28. Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills are definitely taking positive steps forward, but they sit in the very tough AFC East. The Bills may put up fights against the New York Jets and New England Patriots, but they will have yet another losing season.
27. Seattle Seahawks
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The Seattle Seahawks are set up to be awful in 2011.
The only solid spot on Seattle's roster is its offensive line, but other than that, it's simply a bad football team.
26. Tennessee Titans
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Jake Locker will enter his rookie season as the Tennessee Titans quarterback of the future, but he's simply not ready to win quite yet.
The Titans may have the best running back in the game with Chris Johnson, but they're going to have some low points in 2011.
25. Arizona Cardinals
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The Arizona Cardinals selected agruably the best prospect in the 2011 draft class in Patrick Peterson.
However, the Cardinals have major issues at the quarterback position, and will need to address that if they want to compete in the NFC.
24. Miami Dolphins
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It looks like quarterback Chad Henne will be getting yet another chance as the Miami Dolphins quarterback.
The Dolphins are a decent football team that will need Henne to set up big time if they want to make any push for the playoffs in 2011.
23. San Francisco 49ers
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The San Francisco 49ers are definitely a solid football team, but just need to find consistency in the quarterback position.
First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh has found a project in quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and he may find some playing time during his rookie year.
22. Minnesota Vikings
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It's official. Brett Favre is out in Minnesota, and Christian Ponder is the next Vikings quarterback.
The Vikings are a solid football team, but the big question is, will the Ponder era be any better than the Favre era?
21. Jacksonville Jaguars
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The Jacksonville Jaguars had a solid draft as they found their quarterback of the future in Blaine Gabbert. However, entering 2011, the Jaguars are simply set up to be an average football team.
20. Oakland Raiders
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Despite being one of the best offensive teams in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders will not be making the playoffs in 2011.
The Raiders will be losing their best defensive player in Nnamdi Asomugha and have doubt in quarterback Jason Campbell—it will be an interesting first year for Hue Jackson.
19. Cleveland Browns
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The Cleveland Browns are definitely moving in the right direction. However, Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis aren't ready to win quite yet—they're still missing a few pieces on both sides of the ball.
18. St. Louis Rams
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The St. Louis Rams definitely have the right pieces moving forward in Sam Bradford and Robert Quinn, but they're going to need sometime to develop.
However, in such a below average NFC West division, the Rams may soar to the top in 2011.
17. Dallas Cowboys
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It may be a rough first year for head coach Jason Garrett in Dallas.
Granted, Tony Romo will return healthy and the Dallas Cowboys will be getting a fresh start—however, they still have some holes to fill in order to compete in the tough NFC East.
16. Detroit Lions
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The Detroit Lions had a brilliant draft by selecting Nick Fairley, Mikel Leshoure and Titus Young.
The Lions will be a sleeper pick in 2011, as they'll go as far as Matthew Stafford can take them.
15. Houston Texans
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This may be the year that the Houston Texans finally make the playoffs.
The Texans will be switching to a 3-4 defense, which means that Mario Williams might be switching to outside linebacker—believe it or not. Surprisingly, the Texans defense may shape up into one of the more fierce ones.
14. New York Giants
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Pressure will be the entire New York Giants football team—not to mention Tom Coughlin.
If the Giants don't make the playoffs in 2011, it's safe to expect many drastic changes on the team's rosters, including the coaching staff.
13. Kansas City Chiefs
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The Kansas City Chiefs are a solid football team and surprised the NFL in 2010.
However, they wont be surprising anyone in 2011, but they'll still remain a tough team to compete against week in and week out.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Next season is going to be a breakout year for quarterback Josh Freeman—a.k.a "the comeback kid."
Freeman will lead a very talented Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense, and their young and promising defense will shape into one of the NFC's best in 2011.
11. Chicago Bears
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The Chicago Bears were on the brink of making it to the Super Bowl in 2010 but will have some more struggles in the NFC North this season as Green Bay, Detroit and Minnesota all have improved while the Bears haven't done too much.
10. San Diego Chargers
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The San Diego Chargers are such a talented team with loads of potential, but they're always prone to a slow start.
Philip Rivers will likely do what it takes to carry the Chargers to the top of the AFC West, but the team must get some stability for its running game.
9. Atlanta Falcons
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The Atlanta Falcons made one of the boldest moves in this year's draft when they traded five draft picks to the Cleveland Browns to select Julio Jones at sixth overall.
The Falcons do have a very solid and competitive team, but in the team's playoff loss against the Green Bay Packers, it become clear that they need to improve their defensive backfield.
8. Indianapolis Colts
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Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will be coming off of a below average season, and they'll be ready to go in 2011.
After Manning's subpar 2010 season, it could mean it's the end of Manning's career, or simply, he'll be better than ever in 2011—considering Manning is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
7. New York Jets
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The New York Jets have a lot of free agents at a lot of important positions. If the Jets want to live up to Rex Ryan's Super Bowl predictions for 2011, they're going to have to address their needs some more via free agency.
6. Philadelphia Eagles
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will look to prove to doubters that 2010 simply wasn't a one-year wonder.
Last season for Vick was a special one, as he successful found the perfect balance between running the football and passing it. The Eagles will go as far as Vick can take them.
5. Baltimore Ravens
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It is almost guranateed that the Baltimore Ravens will be in the playoffs as quaterback Joe Flacco has yet to miss the postseason.
The Ravens are one of the more well-balanced football teams, but their defense isn't getting any younger.
4. New Orleans Saints
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The New Orleans Saints had one of the best first rounds of the NFL in quite sometime. The Saints selected two top-15 talent prospects in the mid-to-late twenties, as Cam Jordan and Mark Ingram will both be first-year impact players.
However, it will be a struggle for the Saints to overcome their humiliating playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
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After making it all the way to the Super Bowl, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may feel a bit of a hangover after such a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers.
The Steelers will still remain a dominant force, despite the possible struggles of Roethlisberger.
2. New England Patriots
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The young and promising New England Patriots, led by reigning MVP Tom Brady, will look to make some noise in yet another Super Bowl run in 2011.
BIll Belichick and the Patriots will overcome their playoff loss against the New York Jets, as the Pats can't be tamed for much longer.
1. Green Bay Packers
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The reigning Super Bowl champions were one of the most injured teams in the NFL last season.
Remember how good they were in the playoffs? They did so while having 15 players on injured reserve.
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