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ESPN updates NFL Power Rankings following NFL Draft, ranking teams from 1-32

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Suzanne Halliburton | Last updated 5/16/23

League teams signed free agents, selected rookies and added players who got ignored in the draft. So with weeks to go for training camp, there’s a base there for NFL Power Rankings as selected by ESPN.

Until a team takes away the Lombardi Trophy from Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs will remain the team atop the NFL Power Rankings. This isn’t a special formula. It’s going with facts. It’s difficult to see Kansas City dropping from its lofty perch. But then again, that’s why they play games. Projections, especially in May, have a short shelf life.

But who may topple K.C? The NFL Power Rankings lean towards another Midwestern team with a dynamic quarterback. Joe Burrow will be back. His main objective is to win the AFC Championship game again. The Bengals and Chiefs have tangled in the past two, with Mahomes and Burrow winning one each. And score one for Burrow this off season. The Bengals signed Orlando Brown, the Chiefs top offensive lineman a year ago, during this free-agent season.

So who else may challenge the Chiefs for NFL supremacy? The Power Rankings suggest Philadelphia at No. 3. That’s up a spot from the last poll. The Eagles lost by a field goal in February’s Super Bowl. Since then, Philadelphia went big with the Georgia Bulldogs during the draft. And if the Eagles aren’t up to the task, then the Buffalo Bills should be. The team got quarterback Josh Allen a new tight end in the first round to give him even more options.

So what are the other interesting morsels about the NFL power rankings? It places the 49ers as the second best team in the NFC. That’s not unusual, considering that San Fran made it to the NFC title game. The poll also is big on the Dolphins, with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. But the poll also noted how much the Dolphins did to retool their defense. So Miami stays ahead of Dallas, with Miami at six and the Cowboys at seven.

And for the moment, the power rankings aren’t high on the Ravens after Lamar Jackson finally got the contract he wanted. Baltimore is eighth, with props for upgrading at receiver.

If you’re wondering how ESPN does the power rankings, it says “Our power panel is a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities that evaluates how NFL teams stack up against each other, then ranks them from 1 to 32.“

To check out the entirety of the NFL power rankings, click it here.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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