NFL Preseason Rankings for All 32 Teams
By Jerry Trotta
Ladies and gentleman...football...is...back!
With preseason already underway and the regular season inching closer with each passing week, it's only right that we deliver our own very own power rankings for all 32 teams. So, who gets the No.1 spot?
32. Miami Dolphins
Make no mistake about it, folks. The Dolphins are absolutely tanking in 2019. The majority of their offseason was spent cutting veteran players and clearing cap space...not to mention trading for an unproven second-year quarterback in Josh Rosen.
31. Arizona Cardinals
Let's not be quick to forget the the Cardinals were the NFL's worst team a season ago. Yes, they drafted Kyler Murray, but the bulk of Kliff Kingsbury's roster is still bereft of talent ready to take them to that next level.
30. New York Giants
How long will Eli Manning play? Will Daniel Jones see the field this season? And will Saquon Barkley actually be ran into the ground by Pat Shurmur? Couple all of those questions with an offseason spent offloading contracts, the Giants land at No.30.
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Could the Buccaneers surprise a few people and make a playoff push? Absolutely. Could Tampa Bay end up with the league's worst record when all is said and done? Absolutely. With Jameis Winston calling the shots, anything is possible.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
What's there to be optimistic about in the Queen City other than Andy Dalton, Joe Mixon and AJ Green (who's injured again)? The answer is nothing. The Bengals are destined to disappoint (as they usually do) again in 2019.
27. Washington Redskins
The Redskins' defense will scare some teams, but Jay Gruden's offense still lacks the necessary talent at the skill positions to complement the likes of Case Keenum and Dwayne Haskins.
26. Buffalo Bills
The Bills made a plethora of offseason acquisitions that we like and Josh Allen surprised a lot of people in 2018. But -- be honest -- do we really think this team is ready to win? Maybe another year or two.
25. Denver Broncos
The addition of Joe Flacco, at best, is a minor upgrade at QB over Case Keenum, and the Broncos defense is a shell of their once world-beating selves.
24. Oakland Raiders
No, the acquisition of Antonio Brown (among other controversial players) doesn't morph Jon Gruden's Raiders into playoff contenders. Derek Carr has A LOT to prove after his dreadful 2018 campaign.
23. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers could make us eat crow but we have yet to see Jimmy Garoppolo give us a full season of goodness. Until then, we remain skeptical.
22. New York Jets
Given the talent (or lack thereof) surrounding him, rookie QB Sam Darnold was remarkable last season for the Jets. He now has an offensive-minded head coach in Adam Gase, and Le'Veon Bell will prove to be a terrific security blanket for the young gun-slinger.
21. Detroit Lions
Can we agree that the Lions are one of the most infuriating teams year in and year out? What evidence is there to suggest that narrative will change in 2019?
20. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks really don't deserve Russell Wilson's brilliance. As was the storyline in 2018, the Pro-Bowl QB will have next to no help on offense in 2019. He's still good enough, however, to have Seattle with a puncher's chance at playoff football.
19. Tennessee Titans
This season's outlook for the Titans comes down to one thing: Marcus Mariota. Will he regress or mature in his fifth NFL season?
18. Pittsburgh Steelers
Sure, the Steelers still have James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster, but losing two-thirds of the Killer B's is a killer blow. Not to mention, they have a gaping hole in their secondary and at the inside linebacker position.
17. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers were 6-2 in the first half of last season and 1-7 in the second. What more needs to be said? Cam Newton has a lot to prove this year.
16. Baltimore Ravens
Reports out of Ravens camp indicate that Lamar Jackson made significant strides as a passer in the offseason. Couple that possibility with their dominant defense, and you have a contender.
15. Cleveland Browns
Is there any other team receiving as much hype as the Browns this offseason? Absolutely not. The talent is there, but can Freddie Kitchens' men walk the walk?
14. Indianapolis Colts
Far too much of the Colts' burden rests on Andrew Luck's hands. He can only do so much for the squad, and they'll go as far as he takes them. At least he has a good defense, kind of.
13. Atlanta Falcons
The one question concerning the Falcons is their health. Atlanta was decimated by injures a season ago and if their luck changes, expect Dan Quinn's men to be in contention.
12. Houston Texans
The pieces are there for the Texans to take home the AFC crown, but is Deshaun Watson ready to lead that charge? Only time will tell.
11. Minnesota Vikings
In 2018, the Vikings were a preseason Super Bowl favorite that finished with an 8-7-1 record. With that being said, they didn't suffer any major losses in free agency and will be motivated to change the narrative surrounding their franchise.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars
No offense to Blake Bortles, but the Jaguars now have a competent QB to complement their stalwart defense. Don't sleep on Jacksonville!
9. Green Bay Packers
Simply put, when you have Aaron Rodgers manning the QB position, you have a chance to win the whole damn thing. That remains true again in 2019 for the Packers.
8. Dallas Cowboys
A full season of Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper should terrify the NFC East. However, Ezekiel Elliott's ominous contract situation remains the more prevalent storyline for the Cowboys.
7. Chicago Bears
The infamous double-doink against the Eagles in the Divisional Round is in the past and the Bears should once again be one of the few remaining teams in the NFC when all is said and done.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
We don't want to hear your take that Melvin Gordon is imperative to the Chargers' success. The team was 4-0 last year without the Pro-Bowl running back.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
If Carson Wentz can stay healthy, then there's no reason to believe the Eagles shouldn't hold one of the NFC's top records.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Todd Gurley's knee remains a concern (and so does the Rams' secondary), but can you really bet against the likes of Sean McVay, Jared Goff, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp?
3. New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas is all you need to know. And with Thomas fresh off becoming the league's highest-paid receiver? Count us in on the Saints in 2019.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Two words: Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid and the Chiefs will be playing meaningful football in late January thanks to their young superstar.
1. New England Patriots
Was it ever a doubt? What evidence is there to suggest that Tom Brady and the Patriots won't run it back again? None. Absolutely none.