NFL Power Rankings with OTAs underway and heart of the offseason in the rearview

For the most part, the players on the field at OTAs as NFL teams get the heart of offseason workouts underway are the ones that we'll see come Week 1. Free agency and the draft have left us with plenty to evaluate, enough for us to determine the winners and losers of the offseason. At the same time, that means nothing on the field, and winning the offseason still only moves teams up so much when it comes to NFL Power Rankings. Teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders had stellar offseasons, but they don't even crack the top 10 of our power rankings.

Who is in that top 10, though? And which teams are fighting to crack the top of the NFL Power Rankings or make a big rise this season? Let's also not forget about the teams that have established more than enough to be at the top of the hierarchy as well. We're checking in on the league with our rankings for every team in the league and wonder how much things can change between now and training camp.

NFL Power Rankings with OTAs underway this offseason

Rams, Seahawks and Broncos are a clear-cut Top 3

When we were in the heart of the NFL Playoffs last year and eventually got the NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, I didn't hesitate to call that game the real Super Bowl (even if I had too much time to think and then dumbly pivoted to picking the Patriots in the Super Bowl itself. What an idiot.). Frankly, I still feel quite similarly about these two teams going into the 2026 season as well.

In the case of the reigning champions, it's fair to say that they might've taken a slight step back this offseason. Losing Kenneth Walker III and replacing him with Jadarian Price by reaching a bit in the draft is curious. Meanwhile, they tried to shuffle the defense around after some losses as well. But for me, the biggest loss was Klint Kubiak going to the Raiders, which now raises real question about what's next for Sam Darnold and that side of the ball.

While that may be the case in Seattle, the fact of the matter is that this infrastructure remains exceptionally strong, especially with Mike Macdonald continuing to man the defense as the head coach. Saying that the Seahawks are going to experience any dramatic drop-off would be foolish.

At the same time, the Rams have overtaken their NFC West rivals this offseason. The core pieces like Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, the offensive line, Jared Verse and so on are set to run it back, but this is also a franchise that aggressively upgraded arguably its biggest weakness this offseason, trading for Trent McDuffie and signing multiple new pieces to rebuild the secondary. They were a contender last year, and they got better — even if I still don't understand the Ty Simpson pick in the midst of that as a move eyeing the future with everything else about LA screaming "win now".

Joining those two at the top of the power rankings, though, has to be the Denver Broncos. Though they lost the AFC Championship Game to the Patriots for that spot to face Seattle, it's obvious, but we can't forget that was Jarrett Stidham and not Bo Nix at the helm. While he's still recovering from injury, Jaylen Waddle has been added to the fray and there are no signs that Denver is going to take any meaningful step back. They should be considered the class of the AFC going into the season, at least as things currently stand.

Cowboys, Chiefs headline fascinating NFL middle class

It's always fun to talk about contenders, but especially in the middle of the offseason, it's even more intriguing to look at the proverbial swing states of the NFL. These are the teams that could seemingly go either way in the NFL Power Rankings throughout the season depending on the breaks that they get here and there. And it so happens that teams like the Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs, two of the league's biggest drawers, fit into that category.

For the Cowboys, I couldn't be a bigger fan of their offense. They wasted a truly terrific offensive performance last season from Dak Prescott and Co. with an abysmal defense. So, naturally, they focused on fixing that side of the ball while maintaining their high-level core on offense, most notably by franchise tagging George Pickens (which was the right call given that there's still much to prove before handing him a market-setting long-term contract).

Caleb Downs was a gift in the first round, Jalen Thompson and Rashan Gary are ideal fits in new defensive coordinator Christian Parker's defense — and he's a big addition in his own right — while I also love Malachi Lawrence's fit on the edge. But it's hard to fully bank on that. There's absolutely a world wherein Dallas' defensive upgrades take immediately and they level up. But it's also not a guarantee that happens immediately, nor is it certain the offense plays to the same ceiling again.

As for the Chiefs, this was a team that truly seemed to have the season from hell while also paying the penance of some poor roster decisions. But Kenneth Walker III adds an explosive element back to the offense, there should be more confidence in a restructured offensive line, and the pieces on defense seem to fit more seamlessly under Steve Spagnuolo now, even with parting with Trent McDuffie via trade. Depending on Patrick Mahomes' health, it's not hard to imagine Kansas City leveling back up, but that's something that we also need to see before we fully buy in.

Other teams in this same category are teams like the Chicago Bears in year two of Ben Johnson, the Baltimore Ravens under a new coaching regime, or the Detroit Lions trying to re-right the ship. Things could go different directions for all of these teams with some baked-in uncertainty, but the upside is quite clearly present.

Raiders, Giants and Bengals could be massive risers

Speaking of teams that could potentially play a bit above expectations this season, there are some teams in or around the bottom-third of the power rankings that fit that bill. For me, the Raiders, New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals most cleanly fit into that mold for the 2026 season.

The Raiders have the potential to be a pseudo version of last year's Patriots. Adding Fernando Mendoza as a stable quarterback situation and a young leader and cornerstone for the organization is huge in its own right. But Vegas also had a smart offseason, being aggressive to fill holes and simply give this team a higher baseline than last year's misguided moves, though someone like Ashton Jeanty feels like a much better asset now with the moves made than he was last year. And again, Kubiak is a huge addition, and things should be looking up immediately for the Silver and Black.

When it comes to the Giants, this is simply a team that finally seems to be rowing in a wise direction. Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa are both immediate impact players that will help both sides of the ball, John Harbaugh should provide an adult in the room that was seemingly missing, and let's not forget about a loaded room of pass rushers along with Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers as offensive cornerstones. Playing in a tough NFC East is going to be tough, but the pieces are starting to be put in the right places for the G-Men, which could precede a nice jump in performance.

As for the Bengals, I'm not going to say that I believe that the defense is going to elevate from one of the worst units in the league to one of the best. But they absolutely could be average given what they've added with Dexter Lawrence and Co. We know what the offensive core of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are capable of, and if they have a defense that won't simply put them behind the 8-ball every week, there's every reason to believe Cincy is on the up and up now.

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