2026 NFL Power Rankings: Post-Draft Edition
Many publications have already posted their post-draft power rankings. I decided to wait to see if any teams signed more notable free agents after they learned what holes they still needed to fill. Only a few did anything, but we’re here anyway! I won’t have “previous rankings” listed because these are my first 2026 NFL power rankings. Last year’s record will be stated for reference though. Teams with more than 17 games have their playoff results included, and I also state how far they advanced in the postseason. Don’t be alarmed if your team is ranked very differently than you expect. Plenty will change as we move ahead!
32. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
Teams don’t usually get this much worse this quickly. It starts at QB, where Miami’s new Packers brain trust replaced Tua Tagovailoa with Malik Wills. I expect that to be a disaster, and it won’t even necessarily be Willis’ fault. WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are gone, as are OLB Bradley Chubb and S Minkah Fitzpatrick. The guys who replaced them are…not important. Miami gave no free agent a deal longer than a single year. They have fully committed to a rebuild, and to their credit, they drafted really well in April. It’ll be years before they reap any potential benefits though, so enjoy RB De’Von Achane and nothing else.
31. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
As with Miami, the Cardinals paid their QB (Kyler Murray) to go away, but handing the reins to Jacoby Brissett was an upgrade last season and should be so again. Assuming he shows up of course. DE Josh Sweat isn’t reporting either. Still, Arizona’s problems go deeper than their talent-poor roster. They play in the NFC West, which featured 3 of the best teams in the NFL last year (and still does if you believe these power rankings). New HC Mike LaFleur should exceed Jonathan Gannon, but he has his work cut out for him. I think fans will at least feel some hope if he unlocks the talented but mercurial Marvin Harrison Jr.
30. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
I didn’t have Cleveland this low when I started writing these rankings. Then they traded DE Myles Garrett. I thought that was a good trade for the future of the franchise, but the Browns are undoubtedly worse in the here and now. This team was counting on their defense to carry them despite hiring another new offensive HC in Todd Monken. Improbably, Deshaun Watson is likely to be the week 1 starting QB, which tells you that the Browns have punted on 2026. They had a really good draft class, but everything seems to be about 2027 and beyond, when Watson’s albatross of a contract will be off the books. This year’s product may suffer.
29. New York Jets (3-14)
The good news is that the Jets can’t possibly have a worse pass defense than last year’s edition, which set a dubious record of going an entire season without a single INT. Unfortunately, the bad news is that they are among the teams banking on 2027, not 2026. To that point, New York traded for QB Geno Smith as a stopgap option because no QB in this class was to their liking. Few teams saw a better infusion of rookie talent, as the Jets had 3 first-round picks. The headliner was DE David Bailey, who should help the defense rebound. I wouldn’t call the Jets #1 pick contenders, but they’re certainly not a very good team either.
28. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
For the first time thus far in these power rankings, we’ve got a team that has a glimmer of hope. Despite the awful circumstances around him, QB Cam Ward showed flashes as a rookie and started to make strides by the end of the year. New coach Robert Saleh is a proven defensive architect, so you can expect to see a swarming Titans defense in the next year or two. While I didn’t agree with spending the #4 pick on WR Carnell Tate, he’ll definitely help Ward. Tennessee had far too many holes to fill in just one offseason. However, they improved, which is more than several other teams can say. The rebuild is ongoing.
27. Washington Commanders (5-12)
I hate to say “I told you so”, but I nailed Washington’s regression last year. Their fall from darling status felt obvious to me. The Commanders drastically overachieved in 2024, and slender QB Jayden Daniels suffered numerous injuries during his sophomore campaign, and WR Terry McLaurin joined him on the shelf at times. Numerous defensive veterans grew old in a hurry, and the team suffered as a result. The silver lining here is that instead of patching holes with tape, the Commanders can build their roster in a more sustainable manner. Expect some more growing pains in the meantime, however.
26. Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
An 8-2 mirage of a start to last season didn’t fool me, and I hope you didn’t fall for it either. Indianapolis’ heavily back-weighted schedule portended their subsequent collapse, but an Achilles tear for QB Daniel Jones really did them in. Overpaying Jones and WR Alec Pierce in free agency means that the Colts had to say goodbye to solid players like WR Michael Pittman Jr, RT Braden Smith, and slot CB Kenny Moore. Expecting Jones to play well two seasons in a row burned the Giants, and I suspect Indy will suffer the same fate. The current regime needs to win now to save their jobs, so they better hope that I’m wrong.
25. New York Giants (4-13)
If coaching is really that important (spoiler alert: it is), then the Giants got the biggest upgrade of the offseason in John Harbaugh. Baltimore was foolish to cut ties, but several Ravens players weren’t, joining their former and current coach in New York. That alone is enough to make NYG better, but real improvement will come from the injury returns of WR Malik Nabers and RB Cam Skattebo, as well as smarter play from 2nd-year QB Jaxson Dart. Dart claims that he’s going to make better decisions while running to protect himself. Even if he stays on the field, the Giants are a middling team at best.
24. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
I hope the Raiders are telling the truth about sitting #1 pick Fernando Mendoza. Minority owner Tom Brady knows how much that learning experience can aid a young passer, and Kirk Cousins is a better option for week 1 anyway. New HC Klint Kubiak, C Tyler Linderbaum, and LBs Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean are just some of the new and helpful faces in Vegas. A challenging division is their biggest current impediment, but the Raiders are still early in their rebuild. The key will be to ensure that Mendoza is “the guy”. In the interim, the team is better equipped to surprise people if Cousins remains under center.
23. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
Last year’s late-season surge by the Saints was quite impressive. It’s important to note, however, that they did their damage against a very soft schedule. Another last-place slate is in store for them, which might hand them a few more wins than expected. Continued growth from second-year QB Tyler Shough will be the main focus, but a retooling on defense is necessary. Some long-time stalwarts like DE Cameron Jordan, utility man Taysom Hill, and LB Demario Davis are gone. There’s a bit of a youth movement going on in the Big Easy, as well as some cap clearing. That’s an encouraging sign for the future.
22. Carolina Panthers (8-10; L Wild Card Round)
This is not intended to be disrespectful toward Carolina’s NFC South win. Nor is it a slight against the improvement showed by QB Bryce Young. I simply don’t think the Panthers are actually very good. Yes, they play oddly well against the Rams. But they did win their division with a losing record. To be more positive, they are far from the basement of the league, which is where they were just a couple years ago. Young has more to prove, and the defense has to be better, but HC Dave Canales definitely has his team on the right track. Building on last year’s success isn’t impossible in a division that’s always totally up for grabs.
21. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
Credit HC Kevin O’Connell and DC Brian Flores for posting a winning season with JJ McCarthy at QB. The stop unit was better than the sum of its parts, and the Vikings became a tough out by the end of the year. WR Justin Jefferson mostly sat on the sidelines though despite actually playing. McCarthy simply couldn’t get him the ball. Kyler Murray should be an upgrade, albeit not a big one. Minnesota’s drop in the rankings is more about their lost defensive pieces, including S Harrison Smith and OLB Jonathan Greenard. That unit won’t be able to compensate for as many offensive shortcomings this time around.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
While the Colts had the biggest collapse, Tampa’s was more surprising. Injuries played a major role, but they went from one of the league’s best teams to a squad that couldn’t even beat the Saints with the division on the line. Key contributors are now gone, such as CB Jamel Dean and two franchise legends: Mike Evans (49ers) and Lavonte David (retired). HC Todd Bowles hasn’t done well on his side of the ball (the defense), though rookie first-round DE Rueben Bain should help. Bowles is probably coaching for his job this year and for good reason. A veteran team with solid talent shouldn’t be flaming out so fantastically.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-8; L Wild Card Round)
Based on this ranking, you might think that I’m down on the return of QB Aaron Rodgers. He’s well past his prime, but he can still manage a game. Maybe my issue is HC Mike Tomlin stepping down and Mike McCarthy taking over. Nope; McCarthy is a good coach. I’m actually really worried about the decline of Pittsburgh’s defense. Despite having a seemingly endless stable of pass rushers and talent elsewhere, the second and third levels of the defense are alarmingly poor. The Steelers have more big names than actual defensive production. A ball control offense only thrives with a strong defense, and Pittsburgh might not have one.
18. Green Bay Packers (9-8-1; L Wild Card Round)
Every year, Green Bay earns a 7 seed and then gets summarily bounced from the playoffs. Things could change this year, but by that I mean missing the postseason altogether. The biggest problem is the pass rush, where star edge rusher Micah Parsons may be out until at least October. Unexpectedly, the running game might suffer after domestic violence allegations surfaced against RB Josh Jacobs. It’s a shame because the Packers couldn’t have predicted the latter, and they could do nothing about the former. An otherwise explosive offense should make them a great watch, but their ceiling is capped until further notice.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
While major defensive improvement is expected, I’m taking a “believe it when I see it” approach. The big splash was Cincy’s trade for DT Dexter Lawrence, who provides a much-needed difference-maker in the middle. Free agent additions including edge rusher Boye Mafe, S Bryan Cook, and DT Jonathan Allen all rightly targeted the defensive side of the ball. Is DC Al Golden the right guy to coach them? Can an untouched LB corps learn to tackle? These are critical questions for a team that will likely possess a top-5 offense. I’m cautiously optimistic, but this team needs to show me something before I board this train.
16. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
Other power rankings seem to have Atlanta much lower. I really don’t see why, as at least on paper, they look like the class of the (admittedly bad) NFC South. Tua Tagovailoa should be a QB upgrade. He’ll bounce back from his final year in Miami thanks to pass catchers like WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts. RB Bijan Robinson and a stronger line led by LT Jake Matthews will also provide support. The James Pearce legal situation is a cloud hanging over the defense to be sure, but this unit is in good-enough shape to withstand a potential suspension. Most importantly, new HC Kevin Stefanski is way better than Raheem Morris.
15. New England Patriots (17-4; L Super Bowl)
Placing the Super Bowl runners-up this low may be criminal to some. However, I’ve been consistent in my opinion that the Pats only got as far as they did because of a cupcake schedule. Now they must contend with a first-place set of opponents. The offense will be better; WR AJ Brown more than makes up for the release of Stefon Diggs, and rookie tackle Caleb Lomu provides much-needed Will Campbell insurance. I’m not sure the whole Mike Vrabel scandal will hurt New England all too much, but it can’t help. Serious regression is in order here, but at least Drake Maye seems like a bona-fide franchise QB.
14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
Here’s another spot where many analysts and I don’t see eye-to-eye. To me, Baltimore got a good coach in Jesse Minter, but they fired a great one in John Harbaugh. They also lost C Tyler Linderbaum in a big blow to the offensive line. As usual though, the Ravens drafted well, and a healthier version of QB Lamar Jackson should make them better by default. With his running, Jackson is always an injury risk, but he gives Baltimore a high regular season floor. Defensively, the signing of DE Trey Hendrickson will be immensely helpful for the pass rush. I still think Baltimore is a good team, but they aren’t Super Bowl contenders.
13. Chicago Bears (12-7; L Divisional Round)
Ben Johnson did a fantastic job in his first year as the Bears’ head coach, taking them all the way to a division title. Staying there will be much harder. In addition to a tougher schedule, Chicago simply can’t count on repeating all their fluky wins and heroic comebacks. Winning in such games may be a skill, but history tells us that those outcomes don’t consistently go any particular team’s way. The secondary also required a complete overhaul after some free agency losses. Year 3 for QB Caleb Williams is the brightest hope for the Bears, as he greatly improved in year 2. We just need to hope that he doesn’t get cursed.
12. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
Kansas City was the toughest team to rank. On paper, this should not be a great team. They traded away CB Trent McDuffie and lost CB Jaylen Watson and S Bryan Cook in free agency. Superstar QB Patrick Mahomes is coming off a late-season ACL tear, and even when he played last year, the team struggled. Even with those points, I can’t see a team led by Mahomes and HC Andy Reid staying down for too long. Mahomes is gunning for a week-1 return, and a healthy Josh Simmons at LT should fix the protection issues the team had. The Chiefs could very well underperform these expectations, but I won’t be the one to predict their demise.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-5; L Wild Card Round)
Other than perhaps Miami, no team had a more severe talent exodus this offseason than the Jaguars. RB Travis Etienne and LB Devin Lloyd were the two big names to leave, but Jacksonville signed practically zero new players in their stead. They also had one of the worst drafts in the league. First-time HC Liam Coen did a fantastic job with QB Trevor Lawrence, but don’t sleep on the work DC Anthony Campanile did with the defense. That’s the unit that will sustain Jacksonville’s success from a year ago. The Jags showed some flaws in their playoff loss to the Bills, but they may still be an ascending team.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (11-7; L Wild Card Round)
Talent-wise, the Chargers can compete with just about anyone. They’re well-coached team that prioritizes the lines of scrimmage. On that front, injured tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will be back healthy, and it was those two injuries that sunk the Bolts’ season in 2025. Of course, these are the Chargers we’re talking about. They always find a way to somehow mess things up. Before the games are played though, hope springs eternal. LA possesses one of the best rosters, has a star QB in Justin Herbert, and hired a creative OC in Mike McDaniel. If they can exorcise their odd demons, this team can go quite far.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (11-7; L Wild Card Round)
Plenty of uncertainty abounds in the City of Brotherly Love. QB Jalen Hurts is hearing whispers about his viability as a franchise QB. His best pass catcher, AJ Brown, is gone. As they do every year, the Eagles got a new OC, but Sean Mannion was a terrible QB as a player. Those who can’t do, teach I suppose. Some of the change is good though, namely, a healthier offensive line. That unit is the backbone of the team, but it never looked quite right last year. More continuity up front should lead to a revival for RB Saquon Barkley, which in turn will open things up for the passing game. Philly is still in really good shape.
8. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
Unlike with the Bengals, I am immediately buying the expected improvement out of Dallas’ defense. DE Rashan Gary and S Jalen Thompson are both welcome additions, and the team must be thrilled that S Caleb Downs fell to them in the draft. Don’t sleep on fellow first-rounder Malachi Lawrence providing some pop off the edge either. We know what the offense can do, and WR George Pickens doesn’t appear to be pouting over his franchise tag. All it would take to make Dallas a real threat is an average defense, and I think they can get there. A team winning the NFC East 3x in a row would be wild, and Dallas can dethrone Philly.
7. Detroit Lions (9-8)
I won’t sugarcoat it: Detroit underperformed last year. Most of the issues resulted from defensive injuries, including about 20 members of the secondary (that’s hyperbole, but not by as much as you think). The offense was explosive as usual, but the line underperformed. As a result, All-Pro RT Penei Sewell will be switching to the left side, while rookie 1st-rounder Blake Miller will man the RT spot. This shift, along with added depth on defense, should better position the Lions for a full season of attrition. Even with their struggles, they finished 9-8, which was somehow last in the NFC North. So they also get an easier schedule!
6. Houston Texans (13-6; L Divisional Round)
A yearly tradition in these rankings is to voice concern about Houston’s offensive line. That unit is still their biggest question, but in a pleasant change of pace, the team could have some answers. New RT Braden Smith and G Wyatt Teller are major upgrades. First-round G Keylan Rutledge (penciled in at C right now) was a reach, but he fills a crucial need. It’ll now be up to QB CJ Stroud to move past his playoff meltdown. He hasn’t been the same since his rookie year, but he hasn’t been protected either. With the best and deepest defense in football, the Texans have sky-high potential. The offense simply needs to pull its weight.
5. San Francisco 49ers (13-6; L Divisional Round)
For any team, winning 13 games and reaching the Divisional Round is a great achievement. It’s even more impressive when you do that with some of your best players on IR. When players like DE Nick Bosa, 2025 1st-round pick Mykel Williams, and LB Fred Warner all return, it’s akin to having one of the greatest drafts ever. Cap constraints kept the 49ers from being too active in free agency, but they made a stunning splash with WR Mike Evans. While arguably only the third-best team in a brutal division, San Francisco is one of the strongest squads in football. Another 3-team postseason batch from the NFC West is probable.
4. Denver Broncos (15-4; L Conference Championship)
One Bo Nix ankle fracture stood between Denver and a Super Bowl berth. The good news is that this team is built to sustain their run for a little while. They’ve built one of the very best offensive lines in the league, and their defense is stout too. That combination is the foundation upon which all good teams are built. Denver didn’t have many draft picks, but they’re fine with that after trading for WR Jaylen Waddle to open up the passing game. The Broncos’ regular-season record last year was a little fluky, but they’re undoubtedly a quality team. It’s time to reload and make another run with a healthy Nix.
3. Buffalo Bills (13-6; L Divisional Round)
If not now, when for Josh Allen and this Bills team? That’s the question we all asked last year, and I suppose ownership felt the same way. They fired longtime coach Sean McDermott and promoted OC Joe Brady to the head role. A playoff appearance and a win or two isn’t good enough anymore, and everyone in Buffalo is on notice. New WR DJ Moore should provide a true #1 target in the passing game this time around, preventing the offense from stalling out against tougher defenses. We’ll ask the question from the start of this paragraph once more, as the Bills should be the class of the AFC, which is currently the weaker conference.
2. Los Angeles Rams (14-6; L Conference Championship)
“F**k them picks” is back huh? The Rams made two seismic trades. First, they sent the 29th pick in this past draft to KC for CB Trent McDuffie. That, along with the signing of fellow Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson, shored up the team’s lone non-ST weakness. Then they made a little move for a guy named Myles Garrett. MVP QB Matthew Stafford is back in the fold, making LA your clear Super Bowl favorites so long as he stays healthy. I may be the only power ranker without the Rams at #1, but they probably are the best team in the league. One personal rule of mine meant that another team had to be on top through…
1. Seattle Seahawks (17-3; W Super Bowl)
“They’re the champs until they’re not.” I preach that every year in these post-draft rankings, and I stand by it. Seattle didn’t make it easy though. In addition to the Rams clearly closing the gap, the Seahawks lost some crucial pieces. RB Kenneth Walker III, CB Tariq Woolen, edge rusher Boye Mafe, and S Coby Bryant all cashed in elsewhere during free agency. Rookie RB Jadarian Price will replace Walker, but the rest of that production will be tough to replicate. Regardless, this is a well-built team that has earned the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they won’t repeat, but they’ve proven the ability to win it all. Thus, they remain #1…for now.