NFL Power Rankings 2023: Evaluation of 32 teams in NFL

The Kansas City Chiefs, who won the Super Bowl, are ranked first in the 2023 NFL power rankings. We can now look forward to the 2023 NFL season because the 2022 NFL season is now over. Moreover, the draft significantly changed the NFL landscape by strengthening position groups and addressing needs. Of course, that wasn't the first time it had happened this offseason. For well over a month, teams have been enhancing their rosters and adding talent through free agency and trades.In light of this, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Brent Sobleski, Maurice Moton, and Gary Davenport have reunited to sort through the aftermath of the offseason and rank the league's clubs from rank 32 to 01.

32.Arizona Cardinals

29th in the NFL power rankings previously
There is no contest that the Arizona Cardinals are the worst NFL team. In all honesty, Arizona's chances of winning just two games next season are slim. Colt McCoy's quarterbacking the offence for the majority of the 2023 season and a bottom-three defence are a surefire way to secure the top pick in the 2024 draught. Kyler Murray may be put on the trade block if that occurs.

31.Los Angeles Rams

Prior: 27th place in the NFL power rankings
The Los Angeles Rams are now formally in the midst of a rebuild, and the timing couldn't be better. Even with Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford on the field in 2023, the Rams will have the poorest defence, and SoFi Stadium will see few victories. Fortunately, each setback moves Sean McVay closer to finding a top quarterback prospect on whom to base his offence in 2024.

30.Tennessee Titans

Prior: 28th place in the NFL power rankings
The Tennessee Titans were unable to get the third overall pick, which may have been for the best in the end. Our expectations for this offence are pretty low, and this defence isn't strong enough to carry the club at this point—even if Ryan Tannehill stays healthy. The best course of action for Tennessee would be to tank for Drake Maye or Caleb Williams even with Will Levis on the roster.

29.Chicago Bears

Prior to this: 31st in the NFL power rankings
The Chicago Bears are making all the necessary preparations to eventually compete for the NFC North, but rebuilds don't happen overnight. Next season, Justin Fields will play behind a significantly stronger offensive line, and the Bears' offence should advance nicely. There is still a lot of room for development on defence.

28.Indianapolis Colts

30th in the NFL power rankings previously
If Anthony Richardson lives up to his potential, the Indianapolis Colts will own an MVP-caliber quarterback who is nearly unstoppable in playoff runs. Richardson, however, is probably going to struggle in 2023, and the Colts have problems on the offensive line. Indianapolis may have a difficult year, but things are looking up.

27.Houston Texans

32nd in the previous NFL power rankings
In order to move up and get Will Anderson Jr., the Houston Texans took a huge risk by dealing their first-round selection for it in 2024. They were able to obtain a star player for DeMeco Ryans' defence, and they did a great job of bringing in young players and several starters on both sides of the ball. Houston should place somewhere near the bottom of the NFL standings in 2023, despite our excitement to see what play-caller Bobby Slowik can do with C.J. Stroud.

26.Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Prior: 25th place in the NFL power rankings
Tom Brady is no longer on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line, and the defence is getting older. The Buccaneers are putting their faith in either Kyle Trask or Baker Mayfield to turn things around if that wasn't horrible enough. Tampa Bay will likely be ranked higher in the 2023 NFL power rankings, but we aren't placing any bets on the quarterback situation.

NFL power rankings 2023: Potentially uncertain

25.Las Vegas Raiders

24th in the previous NFL power rankings
Although Josh McDaniels may have Jimmy Garoppolo execute the fundamentals, there are still many reasons to be optimistic about the Las Vegas Raiders going into the upcoming season. One of the worst-coached teams in 2022 was Las Vegas, which lost double-digit leads and collapsed in the final frame. Even worse, this defence will probably still rank in the bottom ten.

24.Atlanta Falcons

26th in the NFL power rankings previously
Watch the Atlanta Falcons closely. Bijan Robinson was selected in the first round, which was a terrible use of the money, but Arthur Smith will centre his offence around him and he will quickly become one of the top running backs in the NFL. Along with Robinson, Atlanta has promising weapons in Kyle Pitts and Drake London, all of whom are supported by a strong offensive line and an improved defence.

23.Denver Broncos

23rd in the previous NFL power rankings
Russell Wilson will be exploited to the most extent possible by Sean Payton, which ought to result in a few more victories in 2023 than we witnessed in 22. But this still isn't a really talented team.

22.Green Bay Packers

21st in the previous NFL power rankings
After finally letting Aaron Rodgers go, the Green Bay Packers are now concentrating on the future. Jordan Love is in a great position to establish himself in the near future thanks to a solid offensive line, above-average weapons, and a good rushing game. The Packers will most certainly have more than $70 million in cap room and two first-round picks available for use in 2024, regardless of what occurs in 2023.

21.Washington Commanders

22nd in the previous NFL power rankings
Take the Washington Commanders seriously. The Eric Bieniemy offence, which Jacoby Brissett will perfectly fit into if he wins the starting position, should result in significantly more regular red-zone scoring than we witnessed in prior seasons. The Commanders are a good squad when you add in a top-12 defence, but there are just far better teams out there.

20.New England Patriots

15th in the NFL power rankings previously
It's apparent that Bill Belichick dislikes the inquiries being made regarding Mac Jones. However, there is a genuine divide between the quarterback and the coach, and Belichick's choice was a key factor in that rift. We continue to appreciate the defence of New England, particularly with Christian Gonzalez and Bill O'Brien, who is a significant improvement at offensive coordinator. There is simply too much going on right now for anyone to consider the Patriots to be a serious contender.

19.New Orleans Saints

18th in the previous NFL power rankings
The big news for the New Orleans Saints is the signing of Derek Carr, who will give the offence the much-needed steadiness. With Carr as the quarterback and Kendre Miller in the backfield, it is simpler to allay worries about an impending Alvin Kamara suspension. Additionally, New Orleans deserves praise for prioritising a defensive line in the 2023 NFL Draught after the position became severely undermanned over the previous two years.

NFL power rankings for 2023: Playoff dangers

18.Carolina Panthers

19th in the NFL power rankings previously
The Carolina Panthers have their starting quarterback, adding the element that this group has been lacking for a while. Playing behind a solid offensive line, with a dependable supporting cast of pass-catching possibilities and a top-notch coaching staff, Bryce Young enters the game in a very favourable circumstance. The Panthers are the favourite to win the NFC South after accounting for a defence that may rank among the top 12 by December.

17.Cleveland Browns

Prior to this: 17th in the NFL power rankings
The Cleveland Browns may have a chance to win the AFC North in 2023 if Deshaun Watson performs at his peak on the field. This spring, Cleveland strengthened its defence, increased the number of weapons in its receiving group, and made a crucial defensive coordinator move. Now, everything depends on the lone quarterback with a contract that is entirely guaranteed.

16.New York Giants

16th in the NFL power rankings previously
The New York Giants have the following issue. Saquon Barkley will remain a holdout for a while because he doesn't like the franchise tag. For this offence to advance further, New York needed to have a much stronger receiving group, but it will be depending on Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton, and Wan'Dale Robinson next season. If that wasn't cause for alarm, the Giants' lack of a top-20 defence is a major issue in the NFC East.

15.Pittsburgh Steelers

20th in the previous NFL power rankings
All depends on Kenny Pickett. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be in the playoffs if he improves in his second season. They fixed the problems on both sides of the ball, which ought to result in a top-10 defence and a more productive offence. Combining it with Mike Tomlin, who has yet to have a losing season, gives Pittsburgh cause for hope.

14.Minnesota Vikings

14th in the previous NFL power rankings
The Minnesota Vikings appeared to be edging closer to a mini-reset this spring, but they haven't quite arrived there yet. This defence will appear much better than the league-worst one we occasionally saw in the second part of last season thanks to Kirk Cousins' comeback, Jordan Addison's improvement over Adam Thielen, and Brian Flores. The Vikings have a chance to win the division and host a playoff game, but it will be a steep struggle.

13.Detroit Lions

11th in the previous NFL power rankings
The 2023 NFL Draught wasn't particularly strong for the Detroit Lions, but it came after they made good use of their cap space in NFL free agency. Next season, we anticipate this defence to improve and occasionally perform at an above-average level. The Lions are the top team in the NFC North if their offence continues its top-10 form.

12.Jacksonville Jaguars

Prior to this: tenth in the NFL power rankings
This summer, the youthful Jacksonville Jaguars were quiet, which had to be expected after the free-agent flurry in 2022. The big news, though, is Calvin Ridley's rehiring. The running back duo of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, along with the trio of Ridley, Evan Engram, and Christian Kirk, can make Trevor Lawrence a contender for NFL MVP if he stays healthy.

11.Baltimore Ravens

13th in the previous NFL power rankings
Their future was protected by the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore made guaranteed it will always have an MVP-caliber quarterback by giving Lamar Jackson one of the richest contracts in NFL history. Additionally, the appointment of offensive coordinator Todd Monken and the additions of wide outs Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers will make the Ravens' offence much better than it has been in recent seasons. Unfortunately, Baltimore may have problems with their defense's dependability and consistency.

10.Seattle Seahawks

Prior to this: 12th in the NFL power rankings
In 2023, the Seattle Seahawks' offence might be the best in the NFL. Seattle can defeat opponents on the ground thanks to Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet or assault defences with the top receiving group in the NFL as long as Geno Smith replicates what we saw last season. Additionally, Seattle's defence appears to be much more talented, which should benefit it in the playoffs.

9.Los Angeles Chargers

Prior to this: eighth in the NFL power rankings
Kellen Moore was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers to direct their offensive play-calling while head coach Brandon Staley was retained. It's the perfect choice, and Los Angeles should become a more balanced and reliable squad the following season as a result. The absence of a track record and some uncertainty around the run defence and player health are what now prevents them from being in the Super Bowl tier.

NFL strength of schedule Super Bowl contenders in 2023

8.Buffalo Bills

Prior to this: seventh in the NFL power rankings
As a serious Super Bowl contender, the Buffalo Bills are barely hanging on. Josh Allen's propensity for making poor decisions and forcing throws, combined with a subpar supporting cast around him, contributed significantly to Buffalo's collapse late in the previous season. Buffalo's defence is also regressing in several ways. The Bills still have one more season, but they're on the verge of being dismissed as nothing more than a postseason fixture.

7. Miami Dolphins

Prior to this: ninth in the NFL power rankings
The Miami Dolphins have a chance to win the Super Bowl if Tua Tagovailoa stays healthy. Miami hired Vic Fangio as the defensive coordinator and gave him Jalen Ramsey and David Long Jr. after already having one of the highest-scoring offences in the league. All Tagovailoa needs to do is continue playing since his team has a top-five offence, a top-five defence, and an outstanding coaching staff.

6.Dallas Cowboys

No. 5 in the NFL power rankings before
Before the 2023 season began, the Dallas Cowboys required a bulldozer at defensive tackle, a No. 2 cornerback, and a No. 2 receiver. Therefore, the front office selected Mazi Smith after also selecting wide receiver Brandin Cooks and Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Dallas' offence may be on par with its defence for best in the league. Mike McCarthy, the team's play-caller and head coach, is the reason for our lone reservation.

5.Cincinnati Benagals

Prior to this: third in the NFL power rankings
The Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to win the Super Bowl as long as Joe Burrow is sound and Lou Anarumo is in charge of calling the defensive plays. With the addition of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and a stronger defence in the 2023 NFL Draught, Cincinnati strengthened this summer. The best part is that in 2023, star cornerback Chidobe Awuzie will return.

4.New York Jets

Prior to this: 10th in the NFL power rankings
For the New York Jets to be a Super Bowl contender, Aaron Rodgers doesn't necessarily need to perform at an MVP-caliber level. Breece Hall's season-ending injury and some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL were nearly overcome by New York's outstanding defence, which helped the team come close to breaking its postseason drought the previous year. All a club needs to compete for the Super Bowl is a healthier version of Hall with a Hall of Fame quarterback at the helm and a deeper roster.

3.San Francisco 49ers

Prior to this: fourth in the NFL power rankings
The San Francisco 49ers continue to worry about the position of quarterback. The elbow surgery Brock Purdy underwent may keep him out until the start of the regular season, or he may return towards the end of training camp. The 49ers have one of the strongest NFL rosters and a fantastic coaching staff, no matter how things turn out. As long as they don't start a backup quarterback, we'll wager on them to go to the playoffs.

2.Philaedelphia Eagles

No. 2 in the NFL power rankings before
The Philadelphia Eagles lost the Super Bowl, but Jalen Hurts gave one of the best performances ever by a quarterback in the NFL. Now, Philadelphia enters the summer with a rookie class that features Nolan Smith, a Haason Reddick clone, and Jalen Carter, the greatest prospect in the 2023 NFL Draught. The NFC's top team is the Eagles.

1.Kansas City Chiefs

They have been number one in NFL power rankings previously. Since they are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs ought to be considered favourites. After Tyreek Hill left, Patrick Mahomes took this squad to the Lombardi Trophy despite losing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Orlando Brown Jr. Any team with an all-time great quarterback must be considered the Super Bowl favourite, and Mahomes is Tom Brady.