As the NFL offseason heats up, fans and analysts alike are already looking ahead to next season’s Super Bowl contenders. While free agency and the draft will shake things up, these 10 teams are currently the most likely to hoist the Lombardi Trophy next year.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Champs reign supreme, and this team’s entire core is returning. With Jalen, Saquon, AJ, DeVonta, and that offensive line, there is no reason this team can’t return to the Super Bowl. As long as they retool the defense and find another great offensive coordinator to replace Kellen Moore, the Eagles will fly high in 2025.
2. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is coming off an MVP season and a devastating loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. I expect him to have an even better season and go on another MVP run. Few players will get their team to wins as Josh Allen does. Pair that with a restocked roster and returning weapons like James Cook and Dalton Kincaid, and the Bills’ Super Bowl window is wide open.
3. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson and Derek Henry are back. Have fun dealing with that for another 17 games. One of the most physical football teams in the league is led by the most spectacular athlete the quarterback position has ever seen. The road to the AFC North crown goes through Baltimore once again.
4. Washington Commanders
Jaden Daniels is an alien. His moxy and poise in his first year were something special to watch. This entire roster wasn’t great, and Dan Campbell did wonders with it. I fully expect the Commanders to win 12ish games next year, compete with the Eagles for the division crown, and end up in the playoffs once again. Don’t be surprised if they end up with a first-round bye.
5. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are still the Chiefs. Despite getting pounded in the Super Bowl by the Philidelphia Eagles, they still have Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Steve Spagnuolo, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, etc. They have Rasheed Rice coming back healthy and an entire offseason to reload. Xavier Worthy, coming off an insane game, is going to run wild in his sophomore year. They should still be the favorites to win the best division in football, and nobody will be surprised if they’re in the Super Bowl once again.
6. Detroit Lions
Losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn isn’t great, but the roster is incredible, and Motor City Dan Cambpell’s culture seems to be set in stone. This season will ride on Jared Goff and how he adapts without his genius offensive coordinator roaming the sideline. It’s hard to see the Lions not figuring out a way to win 10 games.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase are coming off incredible seasons that will be mostly forgotten because they weren’t in the playoffs. Chase won the NFL’s triple crown award and is set to become the highest-paid non-QB in the entire league. How will this affect the rest of the roster? Hard to tell, but as long as Burrow and Chase are playing at an elite level, this team will forever be in the playoff hunt.
8. Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh has the boys humming. Another first-year coach – QB duo taking their team to the playoffs. The roster is going to get stronger, and Justen Herbert is going to continue to shine. But the dog fight that is the AFC West makes it tough, someone might have to win 14 or 15 games to take this division.
9. Denver Broncos
Bo Nix took a middling roster to the playoffs during Sean Payton’s second season as head coach. The Russel Wilson trade left them with an $80-something million salary cap hit, and they still figured it out. They will only get a stronger roster as Bo Nix continues to get better. The only reason they’re not higher is that they’re in the same division as the Chiefs, Chargers, and Pete Carroll’s Raiders.
10. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have quietly built a strong roster, and they’re going to have Geno Smith back, who is the most underrated passer in the entire league. There was a lot of contention for the 10th spot, but all the other teams in consideration don’t have a quarterback quite on the same level as Geno.
