Super Bowl LVII ended with the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38–35. Now we’re looking forward to next season with our too-early NFL team rankings.
Of course, a lot can happen between now and the start of the regular season in seven months. Many teams could have new starting quarterbacks. The future of Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers is changing. Three teams have hired new head coaches and two are still interviewing candidates. There are many free agents who will sign new teams in March or return to their 2022 rosters. And then there’s the 2023 draft, which starts on April 27th.
Here’s how we see the next season right now – from 1 to 32 – our NFL Nation writers describe the off-season for the teams they cover in three words or less.
Our panel of experts is a panel of over 80 writers, editors, and broadcasters who rate how NFL teams play against each other and then rank them from 1 to 32.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | VALLEY | | TO | GB | HOW | IN
JAX | CS | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MY
northeast | NO | New York | New York | FI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | VS
1 Kansas City Chiefs
Record 2022: 14-3
Off-season in three words or less: Keep Mahomes Happy
The Chiefs have a lot of work to do if they’re going to surround quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a strong backing squad. Juju Smith-Schuster, Mekole Hardman and Jeric McKinnon are potential unrestricted free agents. Travis Kelsey shows no signs of decline but turns 34 in October. A significant portion of the resources they have should be devoted to supporting the host group. — Adam Teicher
2. Philadelphia Eagles
2022 record: 14-3
Off-season in three words or less: Decisions, decisions, decisions
The Eagles have a number of notable free agents, including Miles Sanders, CJ Gardner-Johnson, James Bradberry, Isaac Sumalo, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. The situation is complicated by the fact that QB Jalen Herts is entitled to a contract extension. They will have to set aside a large amount of money to lock down Hurts in the long run and they will have to leave some quality players alone. — Tim McManus
3. San Francisco 49ers
2022 record: 13-4
Off-season in three words or less: Find out defender
Brock Purdy and Trey Lance are the only two quarterbacks signed by the Niners for next season, and both are recovering from injuries. Lance (a broken right ankle) expects to be ready for the OTA and beyond, while Purdy (a UCL tear in his right elbow) won’t be back until the end of July. This means that the San Francisco quarterback’s dilemma must be resolved first on the basis of health and then on ability and advantage. Can the 49ers bounce back with just Purdy, Lance and an inexpensive veteran? That’s just one of the many quarterback questions the niners must answer if they’re going to fight for the Super Bowl again in 2023. — Nick Wagoner
4. Cincinnati Bengals
Record 2022: 12-4
Off-season in three words or less: Sign Joe Burrow
Burrow, the top pick in the 2020 draft, will be eligible for a contract extension this offseason. Once Cincinnati has a foothold in Burrow for the foreseeable future, the Bengals will have a better idea of what their pay cap situation will look like over the next few years. This will affect other decisions that need to be made, such as whether Cincinnati can afford to sign wide receivers Jamarr Chase and Tee Higgins at better prices, or whether the pass defense deserves another look this offseason. — Ben Baby
5. Buffalo Bills
Record 2022: 13-3
Off-season in three words or less: Remember the cap
There’s a lot of work to be done on the lineup, and the Bills cap is over $18 million. The team will have important free agency decisions to make regarding linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and defenseman Jordan Poyer, who will not be easy to replace. QB Josh Allen and the offense also need help, especially on the flanks of the wide receiver and the inside offensive line. General manager Brandon Bean said it wouldn’t be as drastic as signing Von Miller last offseason, but the Bills will need to get creative with their roster and not blow too much money into the future. — Alena Getzenberg
6. Dallas Cowboys
Record 2022: 12-5
Off-season in three words or less: Pressure on McCarthy
It was the same in 2022. But now Mike McCarthy is entering a season in which he will play offensively and have more say than ever. He will have an upgraded offensive headquarters and potential personnel changes on this side of the ball. He’s won 24 games over the last two seasons and put the Cowboys a step ahead in the 2022 playoffs, but as he approaches the penultimate year of his contract, McCarthy will have his best season yet, and that job starts in the offseason. — Todd Archer
7. Los Angeles Chargers
Record 2022: 10-7
Off-season in three words or less: Pay Justin Herbert
The 2020 sixth pick is eligible for a contract extension, and a quick deal would be in the Chargers’ favor, not only to beat the market and pending deals for Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Lamar Jackson, but to cut out any distraction that pending contract negotiations could bring about for Herbert and the organization. That way, the Bolts can put all their attention where it’s most needed to make the playoffs they’ve missed in the last two seasons – fixing the offense and building a setup that will allow Herbert and his hand to shine. . — Lindsey Thiry
8. Miami Dolphins
Record 2022: 9-8
Off-season in three words or less: Just get well
Working at 100%, this team has proven that they can be one of the best in the NFL. The problem arose when the Dolphins were at 100% for only a few weeks. The return of Brandon Jones and Nick Needham should bolster the defense, which will improve with the arrival of coordinator Vic Fangio. Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion issues have been one of the biggest stories in the league this season, but Miami is confident that after an off-season rest, he will be ready to go in 2023. –Marcel Louis-Jacques
9 Minnesota Vikings
Record 2022: 13-4
Off-season in three words or less: Review the lineup
The atypical mix of high player numbers, expiring contracts, aging veterans and declining performance means the Vikings will have to make significant changes to their starting roster in the coming months. By the start of the 2023 season, six of their existing players will be at least 31 years old, and quarterback Kirk Cousins (35) is the only one confident of a return. As many as nine defensive starting points can change hands. It will be a huge effort. — Kevin Seifert
10 Jacksonville Jaguars
Record 2022: 9-8
Off-season in three words or less: Fix header
The Jaguars are over the salary cap by $30.1 million. General manager Trent Baalka will have to make some cuts (almost certainly including Shaquille Griffin) and restructure some contracts to be subject to restrictions. If this is done, then re-signing TE Evan Engram and possibly RT Jawaan Taylor will be a bit easier, though expect the Jaguars to be careful about how much money they put into the future because they need to start at least talking about a long-term deal with QB Trevor Lawrence after the 2023 season. –Michael DiRocco
11. Baltimore Ravens
Record 2022: 10-7
Off-season in three words or less: All about Lamar
What the Ravens can and cannot do under free agency revolves around quarterback Lamar Jackson. If Baltimore awarded Jackson an exclusive $45 million franchise tag, the team would have very little room in the salary cap to do anything to improve wide receiver and cornerback. If the Ravens make a new deal with Jackson, they will have over $20 million to boost his supporting roster. If Baltimore decides to trade Jackson, the team will rank among the top teams in cap size (over $40 million). — Jamison Hensley
12. Detroit Lions
Record 2022: 9-8
Off-season in three words or less: Get on the defensive
There aren’t many holes in the Lions’ offense to fill, but defense is a different story. After their first winning season since 2017, the Lions will have to look to the draft to experience tipping points with two first-round picks. Statistically, the Lions rank last in almost every major defensive category, including the number of points allowed per game in which they are ranked 28th (25.12 points per game). — Eric Woodyard
13. Seattle Seahawks
Record 2022: 9-8
Off-season in three words or less: Geno and protection
Seahawks general manager John Schneider has two big tasks ahead of him this offseason: re-signing quarterback Jeno Smith and improving their defensive seven. Schneider will have the resources to do so with an estimated cap of $30 million (before cuts and restructuring) and plenty of draft capital, including a fifth overall pick and four of the top 53 picks. The ideal scenario would be to re-sign Smith and reserve Drew Lock, allowing them to spend their early picks in defensive positions they don’t use in free agency. They need improvements in D-tackle, D-end, outside linebacker and inside linebacker. — Brady Henderson
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Record 2022: 9-8
Off-season in three words or less: Build around Pickett
QB Kenny Pickett ended his rookie season on a high note, going 7-2 after a bye and throwing five touchdowns per interception in that stretch. Now it’s about the next steps – both individually and as a violation. Pickett will continue with offense coordinator Matt Canada for another year, but now it’s about giving Pickett and the offense the tools to score more. This means modernization of the scheme and personnel. At the top of the list, the Steelers should figure out how to get wide receiver George Pickens more involved, and they should consider adding linemen and another player with offensive skills through draft or free agency. — Brook Pryor
15. New York Giants
Record 2022: 9-7-1
Off-season in three words or less: Resign…
Source: www.espn.com
