2023 B/R NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Entering Week 1?

After months of minicamps, OTAs, practices and preseason games, it's finally time.

The 2023 NFL season is here.

Thursday night, the Detroit Lions meet the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in the season opener. That kicks off a Week 1 slate that includes the latest edition of "The Battle for Ohio," a Sunday night NFC East showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, and a matchup in Los Angeles featuring two teams with aspirations of a deep postseason run in 2023.

The time to find out how the reality of the 2023 campaign stacks up against what we think we know about the NFL this year is here.

Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski will come together each week to slot all 32 teams from worst to first.

This week's version is a list that's short on major surprises, but it's also one that will likely look very different a week from now.

So, it's been something of a rough offseason for the Arizona Cardinals.

Quarterback Kyler Murray, who got a $230.5 million contract extension that included $160 million in guarantees a year ago, is still rehabbing an ACL tear suffered last season.

He won't be out there against the Washington Commanders in Week 1, and there's no telling when he might be.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Arizona's starting quarterback on Sunday will either be Joshua Dobbs or rookie Clayton Tune, because the Redbirds shockingly released veteran backup Colt McCoy at final roster cuts.

The team's No. 1 wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, was released earlier in the offseason. Arizona traded 2020 top-10 overall pick and linebacker Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants for a bag of powdered Hostess Donettes.

Oh, and the latest "news" involves the internet mercilessly mocking a motivational speech given by first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon.

It's hard to tell what the Cardinals are doing. Are they tanking in an effort to land USC quarterback Caleb Williams despite the team's financial commitment to Murray? Is this all some sort of elaborate satire?

There's one thing it most assuredly does not look like: Any kind of genuine attempt to win games in 2023.

They don't give out trophies for drama in the NFL. But if they did, the Indianapolis Colts would be front-runners for one.

Because there's a soap opera going on at 7001 W. 56th St.

After being unable to arrive at trade compensation the team deemed acceptable, the Colts didn't just fail to deal star running back Jonathan Taylor, but they also decided to leave him on the physically unable to perform list, which means the NFL's leading rusher in 2021 will sit out at least the first four games of the season.

Even Colts general manager Chris Ballard conceded to reporters that the situation is a mess:

"I'm not going to sit here and give you some rosy picture, like, 'Oh, everything's OK.' It sucks for the Colts. It sucks for Jonathan Taylor. And it sucks for our fans. It just does. It's where we're at and we've got to work through it and we're going to do everything we can to work through it. Relationships are repairable. They're repairable."

Given the Colts are starting an inexperienced rookie against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it would be helpful if Anthony Richardson had some sort of run game to lean on.

Instead, the Colts will start a third-down back with 111 career touches who has averaged 3.3 yards per carry over his career.

No way that ends badly.

It's been a rough few years for the Houston Texans. Over the past three seasons, they have played 50 games—and won 11.

The Texans have again hit the reset button in 2023. There's a new head coach in DeMeco Ryans. A new starting quarterback in 2023 second overall pick C.J. Stroud.

Ryans is an excellent defensive mind and Stroud is a talented young signal-caller, but Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated has his doubts about what the team will accomplish this season:

"Some Texans fans may feel this is unfair, but how do you judge a first-time coach and a rookie quarterback? Houston could surprise or be irrelevant by Halloween as Stroud and Ryans attempt to carve out a bright future. Ryans will have to do the work early, though, as Stroud is without any legitimate weapons on the outside."

Frankly, irrelevance is probably the far more likely outcome. The Texans have a talented young running back in Dameon Pierce, but as Verderame noted, Stroud doesn't have a lot to work with in terms of passing-game weaponry.

Rookie edge-rusher Will Anderson has star potential, but the Houston defense was 30th in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed last season.

The Texans might be better in 2023, but they have a long way to go before they are good. Or even competitive.

The Chicago Bears were the NFL's worst team in 2022, but rather than use the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, they dealt it to Carolina for a package of selections and a new No. 1 receiver in D.J. Moore.

How improved the Bears are in 2023 will hinge largely on Justin Fields' improvement as a passer in his third season.

Head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters that while there's still work to be done, he's pleased with the progress the former Ohio State standout has made in the offseason.

"He's in a good spot," the coach said. "We've spent a lot of time and attention on what we needed to this offseason. We're excited where we are. We've got work to do. We've got a lot of work to do still."

Moore is hardly the lone new face in the Windy City. The Bears added depth in the backfield in D'Onta Foreman, revamped the off-ball linebackers with the additions of Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, and added pop to the pass rush with the signing of veteran edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue.

For all the improvements the Bears made in the offseason, though, Chicago still appears to be the worst team in the NFC North on paper.

This is a team that should be worried less about the postseason in 2023 than just gaining a measure of respectability.

The Los Angeles Rams are proof of just how quickly things can go south in the NFL.

In 2021, they won 12 games and downed the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Last year, they were ravaged by injuries and won just five games.

It was the worst season for a defending Super Bowl champion in the history of the NFL.

The Rams' win-now approach in 2021 paid off, but the bill came due, leading to a purge of veteran players such as cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

Superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald told ESPN LA (h/t Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire) that he didn't expect his 10th season to unfold quite like this:

"It's a young team. We don't know what to expect, right? All you can do is work. All you can do is make sure the young guys know what they're doing, even though you want to make sure everybody's clicking, understanding how to play with each other. You never count a team out. Obviously, it's not what you expect. Me personally, being in Year 10, I didn't expect this to happen but we're here now."

This isn't to say the Rams don't still have talent on both sides of the ball. But with wide receiver Cooper Kupp entering the season with a hamstring pull, L.A. is already down its most dangerous offensive weapon.

And if the Rams go 5-12 again, the veteran exodus is probably going to kick into an even higher gear in 2024.

Not that long ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the champions of Super Bowl LV.

Things change in a hurry in the NFL.

Rather than rolling out the greatest quarterback in league history in 2023, the Bucs will enter the season with a starting QB on his fourth team since the 2021 season.

Baker Mayfield may have won the job in the short term, but Tampa general manager Jason Licht told reporters that second-year pro Kyle Trask gave him a run for his money.

"It was everything I hoped it would be, really, to be honest with you," he said. "It was fun to go out there every day and just see, 'OK, what's going to happen today?' It made us better in the end. I think Baker is in a great headspace right now, so I'm excited to see how this turns out."

The Buccaneers aren't a team without talent—they made the postseason each of the past three years. As Davenport wrote, though, they are also deeply flawed in at least two important areas:

"Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are still in Tampa at wide receiver. So is Lavonte David and Devin White at linebacker. But Mayfield is one more team away from getting a free sandwich, and if he starts the season slow the calls for Kyle Trask will start soon enough. Whoever the Tampa quarterback is will have his work cut out for him—the Buccaneers offensive line was ranked 27th in the league by Dalton Miller of Pro Football Network before the team lost veteran center Ryan Jensen."

"A rebuild is coming in Tampa whether the Buccaneers like it or not," he added. "But before it does, the team is going to have to hit bottom. That may well come this season."

The Atlanta Falcons made a number of major changes in the offseason. They spent big money adding pieces on defense such as safety Jessie Bates and linebacker Kaden Elliss. With their first pick in the 2023 draft, they selected explosive running back Bijan Robinson.

But all those moves won't amount to much if one thing doesn't happen in Atlanta this year.

Second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder has to take the next step as a quarterback, although Randy Mueller of The Athletic is not convinced there is another step to take:

"My concern still starts with the fact Ridder has played a lot of football, becoming the starter at University of Cincinnati his redshirt freshman year and throwing 810 career collegiate passes, which is way more than most. Yet, is there an advancement coming? At this point, he is more of an executor, and not a playmaker. I'm not sure that's sustainable at the NFL level."

The good news is that the Falcons don't have a ton invested in Ridder. And for what it's worth, the 24-year-old was Bleacher Report's No. 1 quarterback prospect in 2022.

If the Falcons are going to have any real shot of winning a weak NFC South in 2023, though, Ridder is going to have to show he's a legitimate starting QB and not just a placeholder.

There are changes galore in Carolina this year, whether it's a new head coach in Frank Reich or a new starting quarterback in No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.

Reich didn't waste any time naming Young his Week 1 starter, and the former Alabama star played in all three preseason games.

The 22-year-old told reporters that in-game experience helped, but he's well aware that the regular season will be another animal altogether:

"Having these games under my belt now it's great to be able to take that and then translate to playing against others. Obviously, I haven't played in a regular-season game before, and it's going to present challenges that I haven't faced yet, but I'm excited for that, and I understand the challenge that comes with it."

There are going to be growing pains with Young, in large part because of a lack of weapons around him. Carolina's top two receivers are an aging veteran (Adam Thielen) and a once-promising player in D.J. Chark, who hasn't been able to stay on the field.

However, Young is the most pro-ready quarterback in this class, and the Panthers' offensive line is above average.

If defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and the revamped defense can keep the Panthers in games and veteran running back Miles Sanders can repeat his 2022 success with the Eagles, they could be a tougher out than many expect.

And in an NFC South that lacks a clear favorite, that could keep Carolina relevant well into the regular season.

Last year, the Washington Commanders were a last-place football team. But they were also a .500 football team. They weren't terrible, but they weren't great either.

This year, head coach Ron Rivera and new offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy have handed the keys to the offense to second-year pro Sam Howell.

The second-year quarterback may only have one NFL start under his belt, but Rivera told reporters that he has every confidence that the 22-year-old is the guy to lead the offense in 2023:

"Well, I think the biggest thing, more so than anything else, is really just his whole football acumen. Everything from how good a student he is to a guy that can take what's being called and translate it in his mind as to how to execute. His skill set, I think, is very conducive to a lot of the stuff that we want to do because of his arm talent and then his athletic ability, I think helps and adds on to some of the things that Eric wants done."

However, Howell isn't exactly being put in the best position to succeed early. Washington's offensive line is arguably a bottom-five unit. No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin is dealing with turf toe entering the season. It also plays in a division where the other three teams all made the playoffs in 2022.

There's little margin for error for either the Commanders or their young quarterback in 2023.

The Las Vegas Raiders were a playoff team two years ago, but the first year under head coach Josh McDaniels didn't go according to plan in 2022.

And after jettisoning quarterback Derek Carr for Jimmy Garoppolo, they enter 2023 with more than a few questions.

The resolution of the contract impasse with running back Josh Jacobs resolved one of those questions, and Moton (B/R's resident king of all things Silver and Black) believes the Raiders will have no problems scoring points, though stopping others from doing the same is another matter:

"The Raiders had a rocky start to the offseason," Moton said. "Jimmy Garoppolo needed surgery on his foot before he signed with the club, Davante Adams said he didn't see "eye-to-eye" with the front office's short-term vision for the team, and Josh Jacobs skipped training camp following a contract dispute. But going into Week 1, Garoppolo is healthy, Jacobs looks ready to go on a modified one-year franchise tender worth up to $12 million, and Adams hasn't given any indication that he's looking to play elsewhere."

"At least for now, the Raiders offense seems equipped to score points in bunches, but their defense raises major concerns," he added. "Two of their top rookie draft picks, edge-rusher Tyree Wilson and defensive tackle Byron Young, missed most of training camp. Chandler Jones missed nearly two weeks of practice with an undisclosed injury before he returned last Wednesday. Lastly, Las Vegas has arguably the league's worst linebacker unit.

"Unless the Raiders defense comes together as a pleasant surprise, they'll need to win scoring shootouts with Garoppolo or perhaps rookie fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell, who put together impressive performances during the preseason."

After a disastrous end to the 2022 season that saw the Tennessee Titans lose their final seven games, some expected it to be rebuild time in Nashville.

However, not only are the Titans running it back one more time with the likes of quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry, but they also made a win-now move by signing veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

While talking to Inside Training Camp Live, Tannehill said that the addition of Hopkins has been a huge boost for a passing game that needed a "go to" target:

"He's been a big addition. We've seen some huge plays from him. Vintage Hopkins that you've seen across his career of tight, contested catches when he's able to elevate or make the extended catch. So, as a quarterback, it's been a lot of fun to find those areas where I can put the ball where only he can get it and then he's making the play."

Hopkins isn't the only big "addition" for Tennessee, though. After missing all of 2022 with an ACL tear, edge-rusher Harold Landy is back after recording 75 tackles and 12 sacks in 2021.

Mind you, these Titans were 7-3 and in first place last year when Tannehill got hurt. They won the AFC South in 2020 and 2021 and made the AFC Championship Game as a wild card in 2019.

If the team's veteran corps can stay healthy, Tennessee is easily the biggest threat to unseat the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South.

It's the dawn of a new era in Denver...again.

It was supposed to be the dawn of a new era in 2022, when the Broncos swung the trade that brought Russell Wilson to the Mile High City. But his first season was a disaster as the team finished the season last in the league in scoring.

That led to the firing of Nathaniel Hackett and the trade that brought head coach Sean Payton out of retirement.

His arrival has ratcheted up expectations again. As Moton noted, though, with a banged-up wideout corps and playing in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs, fans in Denver might want to temper expectations in 2023.

"With a Super Bowl ring on his finger, head coach Sean Payton has earned the benefit of the doubt, but Russell Wilson didn't look too sharp in the preseason, completing 10 out of 19 pass attempts for 117 yards and a touchdown," he said.

"Sure, teams with a new coaching staff use the preseason to iron out the wrinkles in a regime shift, but Wilson may need a month or two to turn the corner in a new offensive system after an abysmal year under former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

"To make matters worse, he won't have wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (hamstring) for Week 1, and wideout Tim Patrick will miss the entire 2023 season with a torn Achilles. In order to jump out to a quick start, Denver must establish the run with Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine until Wilson finds his comfort level in Payton's offense."

Like many of the teams toward the bottom of these power rankings, the Green Bay Packers are breaking in a new quarterback in 2023.

The Aaron Rodgers era is over. This is Jordan Love's team now.

To his credit, Love looked good in the preseason, completing over 63 percent of his passes and tossing three touchdown passes. Perhaps even more importantly, he looked in command; he looked like a starting quarterback.

Expecting the 24-year-old to follow Rodgers in the way Rodgers followed Brett Favre is the tallest of asks. But while addressing the media, Packers running back AJ Dillon said that the team is 100 percent behind the fourth-year signal-caller.

"He's earned the trust of the locker room," he said. "Guys respect him. Guys wanna play for him."

Green Bay's wide receiver room is young, but as Davenport noted, if Love's time watching Rodgers suits him nearly as well as the last time the Packers went this route, Green Bay could be a lot more dangerous than some expect.

"Green Bay has an excellent one-two punch at running back in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon," he said. "The Packers possess a top-10 offensive line. The defense has two quality edge-rushers (Rashan Gary and Preston Smith), two solid linebackers in De'Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker and one of the league's best cover corners in Jaire Alexander. This team isn't that far removed from three straight 13-win seasons.

"If Love is anywhere close to the player the Packers thought they were drafting, Green Bay could be more of a factor in the NFC North than most expect."

Succeeding Tom Brady as the quarterback for the New England Patriots is a near-impossible task. But Mac Jones got off to a good start, leading the team to the postseason as a rookie.

Last year was a different story. With a defensive coach running the offense (No, really. It happened), Jones and the Patriots backslid badly offensively—New England was 26th in total offense, and there was talk of a rift between the quarterback and head coach Bill Belichick.

However, after adding a new No. 1 wide receiver in the offseason in JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jones told WEEI that his goal in 2023 is to get back to putting his playmakers in position to succeed.

"We have great playmakers here, and I feel like I did my best at Alabama when I just got the ball to other people and let them make plays," he said. "Just be a point guard and let them go make all the plays and score the touchdowns and then celebrate with the offensive line."

The return of Bill O' Brien to New England as offensive coordinator is no doubt good news for Jones as well. And the Patriots defense should be stout once again.

However, in a division where every other team is stacked with offensive firepower, the Patriots just don't appear to have the weapons to be a real threat to win the AFC East.

Replacing a Hall of Fame quarterback is no small feat—something the New Orleans Saints have found out the hard way the past two seasons.

After two years of Jameis Winston, though, they will roll out Derek Carr under center in 2023.

And while Carr is no Drew Brees, Moton thinks it's an addition that could put the Saints over the top in a weak NFC South.

"The Saints should be the front-runners to win the NFC South division with their balanced roster," he said. "New Orleans kept its core defenders from a unit that ranked ninth in scoring and fifth in total yards last season. Defensive end Cameron Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis and safety Tyrann Mathieu are established leaders on each level of the defense. Cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Alontae Taylor will make it difficult for passing attacks on the boundary."

"This offseason, the Saints acquired quarterback Derek Carr, which is a move that should lead them to a home playoff game in January," Moton added. "He isn't a top-10 quarterback going into the 2023 season, but he's far better than the signal-callers in his division.

"Bryce Young is a rookie, Desmond Ridder remains an unknown in his second season, and Baker Mayfield is on his fourth team in two years. In a division with so many question marks at the most important position and with the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears on their schedule, the Saints should make the playoffs. If not, the front office must fire Dennis Allen, who's 15-38 as a head coach."

The Minnesota Vikings were a 13-win division champion in 2022. But the team accomplished that with a negative point differential and a terrible defense, and that defense was the team's undoing in a Wild Card Round loss to the New York Giants.

In an effort to bolster the defense, the Vikings brought in defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who has long been known for an aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme.

Per Dave Campbell of the Associated Press, veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks said that the players have taken well to the new scheme:

"It's doing it smart. It's showing different looks. It's making the offense feel pressure, even when we're not pressuring. So, it's going to be fun. As a defensive guy, you innately have an aggressive mindset, so to have a D-coordinator who aligns with that, who understands that, I think one of the big things that B-Flo brings. He gives the defense freedom to be run by the players."

However, while Flores is undoubtedly an accomplished coach, Davenport still has his doubts that the defense will be markedly improved in 2023.

"A coaching upgrade is great, but it doesn't remedy Minnesota's personnel problems on the side of the ball," he said. "The switch from Za'Darius Smith to Marcus Davenport on the edge opposite Danielle Hunter was a downgrade. The inside linebacker spot opposite Jordan Hicks is a question mark. And the NFC's worst pass defense from a year ago doesn't appear markedly better.

"The Vikings aren't going to have any problem scoring points in 2023. The question is whether they will have any success stopping opponents from doing the same."

The Detroit Lions enter the 2023 NFL season as the betting favorites at DraftKings to win the NFC North.

To say it's been a while since they were the favorites to land anything other than the first overall pick in the following year's draft is a lulu of an understatement.

The NFL itself appears to have bought into the hype at least somewhat: The Lions will face the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Kansas City to kick off the 2023 regular season.

That means the league's worst defense from a year ago taking on the NFL's best quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. But Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters he has a plan for that:

"Make him go backwards and never turn around where he can throw back that way. That would be about the best way to sum it up. Yeah, look, this guy is—he's tough. That's the easy answer to all this. He is a highly competitive, highly instinctive aware player and it all—he is the engine in this offense, everything runs through him, he makes it go."

Kidding aside, it's that Detroit defense that will determine how far this Lions team advances in 2023. There were improvements made in both free agency (safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson) and the draft (linebacker Jack Campbell, safety Brian Branch), but the Detroit defense will have to be light years better to be more than a fringe contender in the NFC.

The New York Giants were one of the NFL's more pleasant surprises in 2022. Very few expected them to make the postseason. Even fewer thought they would go to Minnesota and knock off a 13-win Vikings team in the Wild Card Round.

With that said, there's an aura of skepticism surrounding New York in 2023. Yes, the team added veteran tight end Darren Waller, but the pass-catching corps remains a question mark.

The Giants play in an NFC East that fielded three postseason teams in 2022, including the eventual NFC champion Eagles.

However, Moton cautioned that sleeping on Big Blue this year could wind up the same way this year as last.

"While many expect the Giants to regress after they seemed to overachieve last year, head coach Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Don "Wink" Martindale will continue to get the most out of their talent," he said. "Though players win games, don't underestimate the impact of a quality coaching staff.

"By the way, Daboll and Co. have a little more to work with this year than they did in 2022. This offseason, the Giants acquired Waller from the Las Vegas Raiders, drafted a speedy wideout in Jalin Hyatt, signed middle linebacker Bobby Okereke and their rookie cornerbacks, Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III, have looked impressive over the summer.

"When you combine those additions with the potential growth of quarterback Daniel Jones, right tackle Evan Neal, edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and the presence of their core players, running back Saquon Barkley, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, left tackle Andrew Thomas and safety Xavier McKinney, Big Blue has a solid squad that can return to the playoffs."

The Pittsburgh Steelers don't lose—at least not a lot. Over Mike Tomlin's entire tenure with the team, it hasn't posted a single losing season.

However, the Steelers also haven't been winning of late, at least not at the rate the franchise is accustomed to. The last time Pittsburgh won a playoff game was way back in 2016.

There are numerous keys to ending that drought this year, with improved play by the offensive line and secondary chief among them.

However, if Pittsburgh is going to contend in the AFC North this year, one thing has to happen: Second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett has to play better.

The 25-year-old has shined in training camp and the preseason, but he told reporters that praise for playing well in games that don't count doesn't much matter to him.

"It is preseason, man," he said. "Nothing counts, so it is kind of easy to remain motivated because we haven't done anything yet. Everybody understands that."

The Steelers have weapons on offense in wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth. Pittsburgh has long fielded a solid defense anchored by, arguably, the NFL's best defensive player in edge-rusher T.J. Watt.

But in a division that contains at least two superstar quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Pickett is going to have to up his game in Year 2 for the Steelers to have a chance to be relevant in the AFC North.

"The Steelers were perfect during the preseason," Sobleski said. "Well, Pittsburgh's first-string offense was perfect with five touchdowns on five total drives. Pickett appears poised to make a leap in his second season. The AFC North is going to be brutal on all four teams.

"The Steelers are often viewed as the division's least-talented squad because of who is behind center. If Pickett does elevate his game, Mike Tomlin's squad will be one of the most difficult to face each week."

There are certain annual rites of passage in the NFL: The Thursday night opener, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving, and at least one national media member talking up the Cleveland Browns as a contender coming off yet another miserable season.

This year, it's Kyle Brandt of Good Morning Football, who said recently that the Browns shouldn't be overlooked in the AFC North (h/t George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal):

"And that AFC and specifically the AFC North is going to cannibalize itself one way or another. If the Browns can tread water, win, win, win and the Deshaun (Watson) thing takes off and he resembles who he looked like three years ago, he's not an old man, not coming off an injury. He's fresh, rested, studied, ready. He could be fantastic."

The Browns aren't without impact players. The team has, arguably, the league's best running back in Nick Chubb, the AFC's best offensive line and one of the NFL's best edge-rushers in Myles Garrett.

However, Davenport isn't pulling another Charlie Brown and buying into the Browns again.

"Do the Browns have the potential to be a good team? Sure," he said. "Cleveland completely overhauled the defensive line around Garrett and added Elijah Moore to compliment Amari Cooper at wide receiver.

"But there's no guarantee whatsoever that Watson will ever be the quarterback he was in 2020 again. Granted, if he is, the Browns will be a tough out. But if Watson's the erratic, rusty mess we saw last season again in 2023, then Cleveland is a last-place team—and the five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed deal the Browns gave him will go down as the single worst contract in the history of the NFL."

The Seattle Seahawks were one of the NFL's most surprising teams last season, largely because quarterback Geno Smith was one of the league's most surprising players.

After trading Russell Wilson, the Seahawks were supposed to be a rebuilding team with Smith as a bridge starter. Instead, he finished inside the top 10 in a number of statistical categories on his way to being named Comeback Player of the Year and Seattle made the playoffs.

Of course, in the NFL, what you have done isn't nearly as important as what you will do. Head coach Pete Carroll told reporters that he believes the 32-year-old is equal parts determined and ready to build on what he accomplished in 2022.

"There really is a quality coming back. His seriousness about taking advantage of all the steps along the way to get prepared and to be right," Carroll said. "He knows how he needs to connect with his teammates and players that he's going to go to."

Smith isn't hurting for weapons. The Seahawks have added wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back Zach Charbonnet to an offense that already included wideouts DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, plus running back Kenneth Walker III.

The big question in Seattle is whether the return of linebacker Bobby Wagner and the addition of players such as defensive lineman Zach Allen will provide a sizable enough boost to its 26th-ranked defense to give the San Francisco 49ers a run for their money in the NFC West.

Sobleski is a believer.

"If any NFC squad can give the Philadelphia Eagles a run for the conference, the Seattle Seahawks are built to do so," he said. "Geno Smith's redemption arc doesn't include just one chapter. He's ready to write more after the Seahawks upgraded the rest of their roster around the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year.

"While Smith-Njigba is dealing with a wrist injury, he'll play sooner rather than later. The running game should be potent. On defense, Wagner is back to lead the way. Seattle plays the style of football that translates to the postseason."

We have some breaking news for you: Aaron Rodgers is the new starting quarterback for the New York Jets.

It's OK. Take a minute to process the shock.

Between the arrival of Rodgers and the team's appearance on HBO's Hard Knocks this summer, there may not be a more hyped team in the league in 2023 than the Jets. Fans of the team are more excited than they have been in...well, it's been a while.

As Moton wrote, the Jets have the makings of a legitimate playoff contender on paper. But with that status comes something else there hasn't been in New York in some time: expectations.

"Over the course of the offseason, Gang Green assembled a dream team with four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers set to throw to 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson and his former Green Bay Packers teammate, Allen Lazard," he said. "In the backfield, four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook will share touches with Breece Hall, who's back from a torn ACL. On the offensive line, 2020 first-rounder Mekhi Becton won the starting right tackle job. Defensively, the Jets maintained their core group and added rookie first-round edge-rusher Will McDonald IV, so they shouldn't see a drop-off from the unit that ranked fourth in scoring and total yards last year."

"The Jets are built for a playoff run—anything less than a postseason appearance and at least one victory in January would be an utter failure."

The Los Angeles Chargers have talent galore on both sides of the ball.

There's a star quarterback in Justin Herbert. An excellent running back in Austin Ekeler. A formidable trio of wideouts in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Quentin Johnston. A solid offensive line. Two high-end edge-rushers in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. A pair of the league's best defensive backs in cornerback J.C. Jackson and safety Derwin James.

And all that has added up to absolutely nothing the past two years.

In 2021, the Chargers needed a Week 18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders to make the postseason and blew it. Last year, they were up 27-0 over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round and proceeded to blow the third-largest lead in postseason history.

The Chargers brought in a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore in an effort to take Herbert's game to a new level, and Dan Graziano of ESPN believes the quarterback could be headed toward an MVP-caliber season:

"Moore helped build Dak Prescott into a top NFL quarterback during his time in Dallas. It's no insult to Prescott to say Herbert has more raw talent, because Herbert might have more raw quarterback talent than anyone. Chargers coach Brandon Staley told me that he thinks Moore excels at not bogging down the QB with ancillary stuff, and that it will allow Herbert to play faster and more aggressively this season. The Chargers believe they saw evidence of this throughout camp and that their fourth-year signal-caller could be headed to another level."

The 25-year-old could lead the league in passing yards and win Most Valuable Player, but if that doesn't also translate to success in the playoffs, 2023 will be viewed the same way as 2021 and 2022.

"At what point does potential turn into production? The Los Angeles Chargers are often viewed as one of the league's most talented teams," Sobleski said. "Yet they've only made the playoffs once in the last five years.

"Head coach Brandon Staley enters a make-or-break year, where his team must prove its among the AFC's best with Justin Herbert leading the way. Otherwise, change could be forthcoming."

It's been quite the eventful offseason for the Baltimore Ravens, whether it was the signing of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. or contract kerfuffles with quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back JK Dobbins.

However, as the season opener approaches, Jackson is all smiles after getting his megadeal. Dobbins hasn't been paid yet, but he reported to camp and is getting healthier by the day.

Meanwhile, Beckham can hardly contain his excitement about the season to come, as he told The Rich Eisen Show:

"To be on Lamar Jackson's team, I always joke with him and be like, 'I'm on Lamar Jackson's team.' We're really on the same team. It's just crazy to me that this opportunity ended up happening. I remember when I was watching him in college. Just being on his team and watching from afar, I've always had respect for him. I've always had a lot of love for him. I knew that I've seen a lot of hate when it came to him. Can he throw? Can he not throw? He's got a cannon. He's got a crazy arm."

In Beckham, tight end Mark Andrews and wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, the Ravens have surrounded Jackson with the best passing-game talent of his career. Baltimore's defense was 10th in the league a year ago.

If Jackson can stay healthy in 2023, the Ravens could be a threat to more than just the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North.

They could be a threat to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVIII.

On paper, the Miami Dolphins have a roster capable of unseating the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle may be the best wideout tandem in the league. Even with the absence of Jalen Ramsey, the team has weapons on defense in cornerback Xavien Howard, edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.

However, the Ramsey injury underscores what has derailed the Dolphins in recent years. Last year, it was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who missed a chunk of the year with multiple concussions, although he told reporters he spent the offseason attempting to ensure that won't happen again:

"Everything that I did this offseason entailed what would keep me on the field for the entirety of the season. We understand that freaky things can happen. It's football. It's a physical sport. Not everything that you prepare for is what you're going to get. So, I did the best that I could to get myself ready and prepped for this season as far as injuries go."

Of course, there's no way to guarantee injuries won't strike. But with a loaded roster and what should be an improved defense under veteran coordinator Vic Fangio, a healthy Dolphins team could be a force to be reckoned with in 2023.

It's been a long time since the Jacksonville Jaguars entered a season with this sort of buzz.

This isn't just a team expected to be the favorites in the AFC South, it's a team some believe could threaten the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs for supremacy in the entire AFC.

The engine that makes the Jaguars go is third-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who made huge strides in 2022 after a disastrous rookie season.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson told Sky Sports he thinks Lawrence has only scratched the surface of what he's capable of in the NFL (h/t Chantz Martin of Fox News):

"The biggest thing that I've seen with Trevor, now going on two years, from where we had him a year ago in the offseason to today, just his confidence is incredible. It's off the charts. He's put the past behind him, he's focused on the future, and really embraced this opportunity with this football team. The confidence level with him is extremely high, as it should be."

"With Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk at wide receiver, Evan Engram at tight end and Travis Etienne in the backfield, Lawrence has as good a supporting cast as any in the NFL," Davenport said. "Whether it's edge-rusher Josh Allen, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun or safety Rayshawn Jenkins, the Jaguars have talent at all three levels of the defense.

"These Jaguars gave the Chiefs a run for their money last year in the playoffs. If they can avoid major injuries and Lawrence takes the next step as a quarterback this season, they can't be ruled out as a Super Bowl contender. Ain't that a thing to say."

The Dallas Cowboys haven't been as far as the NFC Championship Game since 1995, but that doesn't stop the team from entering every season with one goal and one goal only: To win in the Super Bowl.

After yet another postseason disappointment in 2022, the Cowboys parted ways with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Brian Schottenheimer was brought in to replace him, but it will be head coach Mike McCarthy who calls the plays in what could be a make-or-break season for his future.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb told reporters he likes what he's seen from the new offense so far:

"You have to make it simple for the players because once again you play fast, you get the most out of everybody. The thing that they've done is you get more options out of the simple plays ... just knowing your responsibility and your place, you can line up wherever you want. He's [McCarthy] added his twist to a few things, it's not that different, but it's simple. It's easy to catch on, it's not complex. It makes it easier to get to something else when in coverage. You always have to have a Plan A and Plan B in this league."

The talent is there in Dallas, whether it's Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Tony Pollard on offense or edge-rusher Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs on defense. To date, though, production hasn't met potential with this iteration of the team.

If it doesn't happen in 2023, McCarthy could find himself looking for a job next spring.

Back in 2021, the San Francisco 49ers traded three first-round picks to Miami for the rights to draft quarterback Trey Lance.

Fast-forward to 2023, and the Niners all but gave Lance away to the Dallas Cowboys and handed the keys to the offense over to the last pick of the 2022 draft.

There was no bigger surprise at the quarterback position in the NFL last year than Brock Purdy, who led the team to the NFC Championship Game before injuring his elbow.

Former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith told CBS Sports that he believes Purdy has what it takes to replicate last season's surprise success:

"Brock, man, I couldn't tell you how impressed I've been with his demeanor. I was out at some practices this summer. He looks phenomenal. He's just built (for this). It's not a fluke. You know, at the combine, we love the measurables. We love to measure height, weight, 40 times. But in the end, if you can't process information and you're not accurate, you're not gonna make it in the NFL. Brock has both those things."

The 49ers have a Super Bowl-caliber roster: Offensive firepower, offensive line and one of the NFL's top defenses. It's all there. But without solid quarterback play, they aren't dethroning the Eagles in the NFC.

"With the Trey Lance drama now in the rearview mirror, the 49ers can open up the throttle with Brock Purdy driving this team," Sobleski said. "Purdy's surgically repaired right elbow will be carrying a significant amount of weight, though.

"Last year's Mr. Irrelevant proved to be one of the NFL's best stories. Now as San Francisco's established starter, he'll need to prove himself all over again. The rest of the league now knows what he can do. Will he continue to orchestrate the Niners' scheme as well as he previously did?"

That isn't the only question looming in San Francisco. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa remains away from the team while seeking a new contract, and per the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, it will take a "significant breakthrough" to get a deal done before Sunday's season opener in Pittsburgh.

Playing games without their best defender wouldn't be ideal start to the season for a 49ers team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The Buffalo Bills won the AFC East for a third straight season in 2022, but the season came to an inglorious end courtesy of a home beatdown in the playoffs courtesy of the Cincinnati Bengals.

That defeat has led some to speculate that Buffalo's Super Bowl window could be closing. But quarterback Josh Allen has made it clear the team has its sights firmly set on one goal: A trip to Las Vegas and Super Bowl LVIII.

"One thing I do know is it's hard to win in this league, it's hard to win consistently in this league," he told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio. "But the type of men that we have in this facility, in this locker room, it's a special group. So, I don't really hear all that outside noise. I know the type of guys that we have, the energy and the juice that we can bring and how special this team can be."

The Bills certainly appear to have what it takes to make a deep playoff run—they ranked second in total offense, second in scoring offense, sixth in total defense and second in scoring defense a year ago. This is a well-rounded, talented football team.

But in an AFC loaded with talented teams and superstar quarterbacks and a division that may be the NFL's toughest, the Bills are going to have to bring their A-game on a weekly basis.

The Cincinnati Bengals have already dodged disaster once this offseason. When Joe Burrow went down with a non-contact injury, that could have been it. Game over. Try again in 2024.

But the quarterback's calf has healed to the point that he's back at practice. And even while "Joe Cool" was sidelined, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan saw a player who is growing into a true leader of the team.

"He's been way more vocal this year in general," he told Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media (h/t Greg Wilson of Bengals Wire). "From the start of the offseason program through training camp, he's still involved in all that stuff. He coaches pretty actively now, probably more than he ever has."

Burrow has already led the Bengals to two AFC Championship games and a Super Bowl, and it's a foregone conclusion that sometime soon he'll become one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

However, with the best supporting cast around the LSU product that he's ever had, Sobleski thinks this could be the year when the Bengals bring the Lombardi Trophy to the Queen City.

"A person can look at the Bengals' roster for some time and struggle to poke holes in their lineup," he said. "The squad is legitimately solid-to-great at every single position now, which is a change of pace after years of worrying specifically about the offensive line.

"The biggest hurdle for Burrow has been remaining upright. With Orlando Brown Jr.'s signing and Jonah Williams flipping over to right tackle, the Bengals have their best front five in years. Give Burrow time, and he'll slice and dice opposing defenses."

The Philadelphia Eagles came up short of football's ultimate goal last year, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts told reporters he wasn't hearing talk of a "Super Bowl hangover" and nor did he say he needed any extra motivation after losing that game:

"It depends on what type of competitor you are. It doesn't take much to fuel me and motivate me. I think it's about the type of competitor that you are. Obviously, everyone wants to go out there and be the best. That's what we work for. That's what we try to be intentional towards in doing that."

Hurts has millions of reasons to play well after signing a major extension in the offseason. But there are a couple of reasons for a measure of concern with these Eagles.

The 70 sacks and 27 takeaways the team piled up last year on defense are going to be awfully hard to duplicate a second consecutive season. And where injuries were concerned last year, Philly was very fortunate—a fact that general manager Howie Roseman noted:

"I think it was unique. We don't take it for granted the health of our team last year. That was a unique situation. I think for us to expect the same results as last year would be naïve at a minimum. So, we've got to prepare to understand that for the amount of games that we want to play...It is a long season."

With that said, the Eagles are probably the most balanced team in the NFC, if not the entire league. There aren't a lot of holes on this roster.

And if they play at close to the level they did in 2022, they will be right in the Super Bowl mix again this year.

Hail to the king(s).

It's hard to rank any other team ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs given what they have accomplished in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Kansas City's dominance of the AFC West extends to before Mahomes even took over under center—the Chiefs have won the division every year since 2016.

In Mahomes' five years as the starter, the Chiefs have hosted five straight AFC Championship games. They have played in three Super Bowls and won two, including last year's victory over the Eagles.

The 27-year-old has started 80 regular-season games in his professional career and won 80 percent of them. He has been named the NFL MVP twice. He's already regarded in some circles as one of the all-time greats at the position.

Yes, the contract impasse with star defensive tackle Chris Jones is an issue. Yes, the team watched their No. 1 wide receiver from a year ago (JuJu Smith-Schuster) leave in free agency. So did left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.

But it isn't like the Chiefs haven't experienced roster turnover and injuries these past five years. And yet they just keep winning, because they are led by the greatest quarterback of his generation and a Hall of Fame coach.

"There's just no way to start this season's Power Rankings any other way than with the Chiefs at No. 1," Davenport said. "Are they the best team in the NFL on paper? Nope. But they have the league's best quarterback. The league's best coach. And the biggest of stages and brightest of lights is routine at this point for Mahomes and company.

"The Chiefs aren't guaranteed a February trip to Las Vegas. A lot can happen between now and then, and the AFC has no shortage of really good teams. But until one of those teams knocks Kansas City off the top of the mountain, the title of best team in the NFL is theirs."