Four candidates to be NFL's surprise contender in 2025 

Without fail, every single NFL season sees at least one team come out of nowhere. The "worst to first" story has been an ongoing tale in the NFL for years. 

And after an active offseason, several teams could be candidates to be that surprise story for 2025. 

New England Patriots 

Years removed from the last remnants of their two-decade-long reign of terror over the NFL, the Patriots are embarking on a new era with Mike Vrabel back in New England as head coach. 

Vrabel's track record as a coach has already provided a new jolt for Patriots fans who watched their team fall to being one of the worst teams in football during a miserable 4-13 season in 2024. 

But in addition to a belief in Vrabel, New England put in work to improve the roster as well. The Patriots brought in a veteran wide receiver in Stefon Diggs to assist Drake Maye's ascension and also added key pieces in Milton Williams and Carlton Davis III on defense. 

If Maye can take a step forward in his progression, the Patriots could at least look to double their win total this year. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Another team that underwent a facelift after a 4-13 season, the new-look Raiders could be poised to bring more excitement to Las Vegas.   

If nothing else, Geno Smith, who the Raiders traded for and then awarded a new contract, sounds extremely confident in his new team. 

"I don't want them to see us coming. We're just working in the shadows right now, getting our game right, and when it's time to go in those bright lights, I think we'll be ready," Smith said while appearing on NFL Network's "Inside Training Camp Live" on Monday.

Part of Smith's confidence stems from his reunion with Pete Carroll, a coach who has a long history of winning at both the college and professional levels. 

Factor in rookie Ashton Jeanty balancing the offense and taking pressure off Smith and several moves to shore up the defense alongside Maxx Crosby, and the Raiders may be on the verge of returning to glory sooner rather than later. 

Atlanta Falcons 

Atlanta opened the 2024 season imagining a deep postseason run with freshly signed Kirk Cousins. Its plans quickly changed, and Michael Penix Jr. ended up taking over for Cousins toward the end of the season. 

Now, due to some signs of promise Penix showed as a rookie — he threw for 775 yards with three touchdowns in three starts — and other moves made throughout the offseason, the Falcons are thinking about the playoffs all over again, especially since the NFC South rarely has a repeat division champion. 

Chicago Bears 

The Bears are a team to watch as quarterback Caleb Williams enters his sophomore season. Chicago believes it has arguably the most talented signal-caller in franchise history, and that's triggered a frenzy of moves, most notably bringing in offensive linemen Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney for protection. That should put Williams in a position to have success. 

Despite the team's 5-12 record last season, Williams earned valuable playing time. He threw for 3,541 yards while completing 62.5 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns to only six interceptions. 

With offensive guru Ben Johnson now in charge, Williams has the support and mentorship that should allow him to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump and be even better in Year 2.