NFL Power Rankings: Updated league rankings after roster cuts

The NFL preseason has come and gone. Roster cuts and last-minute trades have been made. The Los Angeles Rams have added yet another superstar to their roster.

It's time to put the pencils down. The 2026 NFL season is finally about to begin.

Teams are officially going to be making preparations for their Week 1 opponents as they hit the practice field with their rosters now official, depth charts being solidified, and all of the offseason talk about to turn into something we can actually evaluate on the field.

We don't have many more chances to plant our flags in the ground of what could be this upcoming season, but now that roster cuts are in the rearview, let's take a look at some fresh league-wide NFL Power Rankings with the preseason complete.

NFL Power Rankings: Rams entrenched in #1 spot as the regular season looms

32. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are in the last spot on these NFL Power Rankings because they have the worst QB situation of any team in the NFL right now. I still cannot believe they are going to trot out Deshaun Watson as the starter, but at this point, I'm expecting that to be short-lived.

It has to be the first time in NFL history that an owner of a team has publicly called the acquisition of a quarterback a mistake, and then that player goes on to start for the team a year later.

The Browns have talent on their roster, so they'll still be a fun team to evaluate this season. But the QB position is a mess.

31. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins had to have set an NFL roster cutdown record with a whopping 7 waiver claims. This is a team that is very clearly and very obviously rebuilding. They're setting culture under new head coach Jeff Hafley.

Maybe it's just because I'm a sicko and will take any football I can get at this point, but I'm actually really interested by the Dolphins this season. Malik Willis showed well in his relief stints with the Packers. The Dolphins' 13-player draft class features some intriguing weapons. This team has invested in the trenches.

It's going to be a work in progress, but dare I say a fun work in progress?

30. Arizona Cardinals

Just like most of the teams near the bottom of this list, the 2026 season is shaping up to be an evaluation year for the Arizona Cardinals.

How long is Jacoby Brissett going to be this team's starting QB? On a related note, how quickly will we see Carson Beck get a chance? Is Jeremiyah Love going to be able to stay healthy during his rookie season? Can Marvin Harrison Jr. live up to lofty pre-draft expectations (finally)?

The Cardinals have an equal amount of questions like that defensively. Which players can step up this season and become part of the foundation for the future?

29. Las Vegas Raiders

After watching throughout the preseason, it's become abundantly clear that the Raiders made the right choice in naming Kirk Cousins the starting QB for the 2026 season. Not that Fernando Mendoza didn't show his talent and potential, but he is also joining a team that picked #1 overall in the draft for a reason.

Affording Mendoza time to learn, watch, and let the roster grow is a good plan from head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders might be without star running back Ashton Jeanty to open the year, but they got a nice breakout in the preseason from 4th-round pick Mike Washington Jr., who looks like a stud.

Let's see how all the pieces come together for this team in the first year of a new era.

28. Tennessee Titans

I'm going to be the first one to admit it -- I've got to pump the brakes on the Tennessee Titans.

Everything I have said over the offseason about the Titans, I still believe. This is a promising team that added a ton of talent this offseason. Not only did the Titans get some nice young players in the NFL Draft, but they added some notable veterans in the defensive trenches.

When you combine the additions defensively with the arrival of head coach Robert Saleh, you can see where the excitement for this team's projection comes from. But the development of Cam Ward puts all excitement on pause for the moment. Ward looked rough at times in the preseason, but whenever he does take that next step, this teams is going to be a problem.

27. New York Jets

I've been saying this all offseason, but if the New York Jets can get a version of Geno Smith that isn't taking a sack every third dropback or throwing an interception (or two) every game, they might have a little something cooking.

General manager Darren Mougey has done a great job over the past couple of offseasons accumulating assets, building a foundation, and getting a much-needed influx of talent on both sides of the ball.

It's possible that 2nd overall pick David Bailey is the least-talked about 2nd pick in recent memory. He had a good preseason for the Jets, looking as-advertised (and then some), and having an impact rusher like him can do wonders for that whole defensive unit.

26. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons' preseason was a bit discouraging. Maybe even more than a bit.

I'm still clinging to the idea that this team's core of offensive weapons can carry them a decent amount, but the quarterback situation and loss of two key pass rushers has this team's stock arrow pointing straight down.

Tua Tagovailoa is being compared on NFL Twitter to Brucie in The Longest Yard. Losing Jalon Walker for the season is horrendous. James Pearce's suspension, albeit expected, is a back-breaker. I'm as low on the Falcons as I have been all offseason.

25. Washington Commanders

It feels like every time we talk about the Commanders, we have to bring up the fact that this team made it to the NFC Championship Game in the 2024 season. It's almost as if that accomplishment forces a subconscious need to put them much higher in our rankings than they deserve.

But honestly, what they did in 2024 doesn't matter at all anymore.

The Commanders had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season. Jayden Daniels struggled with injuries and his durability remains a serious concern. And not only is it a concern because of his body type and playing style, but because of the concerns on the Washington offensive line.

24. Minnesota Vikings

I'm not a Minnesota Vikings believer yet.

I've been wrong about this team before, to be certain. During the 2024 season, I was skeptical of them every single week as Sam Darnold led them to 14 wins in the regular season. All I could do was wait for the carriage to turn back into a pumpkin, but it never really did.

Even last year with their QB struggles, the Vikings won 9 games. It's more than reasonable to expect them to be better this year with Kyler Murray at QB. But until I see it, I'm not believing it.

23. New Orleans Saints

Very quietly, the New Orleans Saints had one of the best defenses in the NFL last season, and one of the best offseasons of any team in the NFL in 2026.

The combination of factors has me believing this is a team that could legitimately win the NFC South. I'm not going to put them too high on the Power Rankings list just yet, but just know that this is a team I've been high on all offseason.

I'm buying all the Tyler Shough stock right now. I'm buying what Kellen Moore was selling last year. This team could be one of the most improved in the league.

22. Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers deserve some respect for winning the NFC South last year, but let's be real about it: They had a losing record.

Although we saw some marked improvements on both sides of the ball, we need to see more from this team. The variance of outcomes on a week-to-week basis was too significant. When you look at the matchups the Panthers had last season with the Los Angeles Rams, you can see the upside this team has.

You can see the upside Bryce Young has.

With Young eligible for a contract extension, it's going to be fascinating to see whether this team keeps on the upward trajectory. I'm betting they will.

21. New York Giants

Give me all the Jaxson Dart stock.

If you're a football fan who is also a sports card collector, you know how coveted Jaxson Dart has been over the last year. This is one of the most promising young players in the NFL, and I'm not sure everyone realizes just how impressive he was last season. In 14 games, and with so many negative factors surrounding him, Dart racked up 24 total TDs (15 passing, 9 rushing). He got one of the biggest coaching upgrades of the offseason.

The Giants need some good luck in the health department, but they could be another surprise team this season.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

After an entire offseason of being extremely low on the Steelers, I've somewhat come around to them still being a contender in the AFC North this season.

It seemed like it would be poetic for the Steelers to have a losing record in the first year without Mike Tomlin, but this team has so many key veteran players on both sides of the ball, it's hard to see their floor being all that low.

Mike McCarthy is a good head coach. The oddsmakers currently have the Steelers with an over/under of 8.5 wins this season. With the level of talent they have in the trenches on both sides of the ball, 9 or 10 wins shouldn't be out of reach.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a ridiculous collapse in the second half of the 2025 season. That collapse has firmly placed head coach Todd Bowles on the hot seat this season, and it led to some significant friction between Baker Mayfield and the organization in contract negotiations.

There are some dark clouds looming over this team right now, but it's impossible to deny that the Bucs have enough talent to be contenders in the NFC South. I don't know that this is a Super Bowl contending team, but they are certainly going to come into this season with a chip on their shoulders.

Maybe nobody more so than Mayfield. How far can he lead this team, and how much can his performance this season "tax" the organization on his next contract?

18. Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are another team I've had to pump the brakes on a little bit this offseason.

Of course, I still believe that the core of players the Bengals have offensively can take them to a Super Bowl. We saw it early in Joe Burrow's career, and we have evidence to believe he can get through any gauntlet the AFC can put before him.

Unfortunately, we haven't seen it since the 2022 season. The Bengals haven't made the postseason since then, which seems inaccurate, but it's not. The upgrades they made on the defensive side of the ball this offseason need to come through, and Burrow needs a clean bill of health this season.

17. Kansas City Chiefs

There seem to be two extremes when it comes to projecting the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2026 season.

Some seem to think that their return to the elite class of teams in the AFC is inevitable. After losing so many one-score games last year, people expect the Chiefs to come back this season with a vengeance, and for Patrick Mahomes to return from his knee injury looking like prime Tom Brady.

Others seem to think that the Chiefs have been in a downward spiral for a couple of years roster-wise, and the dynasty is never going to be the same.

I tend to fall somewhere in the middle. I have a respect and reverence for the Chiefs that won't allow me to believe they are "dead". But the roster holes and issues are too significant to simply ignore and think they're going to be running the AFC again immediately.

16. Indianapolis Colts

Before Daniel Jones went down with an injury last season, the Colts were one of the best teams in the entire NFL.

The offense was looking like a well-oiled machine, and then it all came crashing down.

There is undoubtedly a lot of pressure on Shane Steichen this year to not only get to the playoffs, but show that the Colts can contend in the AFC South to the end. They feel like one of the most underrated teams in the NFL right now, although skepticism is probably warranted given the nature of Jones's injury and the total collapse they had down the stretch.

15. Dallas Cowboys

I'm a big believer in the Dallas Cowboys this season. The problem is, I said that last year as well, and they made me look bad.

Still, the Cowboys have made significant changes (much-needed changes) to the defensive side of the ball this offseason, starting with getting Christian Parker in the fold as their defensive coordinator. The arrival of Parker, along with all of the personnel changes on that side of the ball, have seriously renewed optimism for this team in 2026.

We know Dallas has one of the best offenses in the league. If their defense is even league-average this season, they should be able to contend with the Eagles in the NFC East.

14. San Francisco 49ers

For the first time this offseason, I've actually started to lose a little bit of faith in the 49ers this upcoming season. Losing Daejon Love is a massive blow to the offense, and the latest in a long line of issues at the wide receiver position.

Okay, we had to get that out of our system. All kidding aside, the 49ers have had a lot of bad press this offseason. They are probably one of the teams that can't wait to get on the field, start playing games, and prove to everybody that they're still a powerhouse in the NFC.

All of the talk about Catfishing, owner Jed York, and the electrical substation needs to get overshadowed by what this team can actually do on the field.

13. Los Angeles Chargers

The odds right now are favoring the "over" for the Chargers at 9.5 wins this upcoming season. It's easy to understand why.

The Chargers have a lot going for them:

• Ultra-talented quarterback
• Strong head coach
• Veteran-laden, proven defense
• Top offensive coordinator

There is a lot to like about the Chargers, but there are also reasons to remain skeptical. I'd say 10 wins is absolutely within reach for this team, but they are already having issues with health on the offensive line, and we're not even to Week 1 yet.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars coming in as the 12th overall team on these post-roster cut Power Rankings should not be viewed as a slight to them. There are so many good NFL teams this year, and that's something we've been discussing all throughout the offseason.

The field is deep. A team as strong as Jacksonville ranking 12th is more of a reflection of slim margins between the next handful of teams. And something else I've been talking about all offseason is the Jaguars' big losses this year: LB Devin Lloyd and RB Travis Etienne.

Replacing those two players is going to be mission critical, because Lloyd was a huge catalyst for that defense's success last season, and Etienne is leaving behind 1,399 yards from scrimmage and 13 total TDs.

11. Baltimore Ravens

Although the Baltimore Ravens were one of the most disappointing teams in the AFC last season, the idea of this team bouncing back in the first year under new head coach Jesse Minter seems very realistic.

The Ravens added Trey Hendrickson to the defensive front this offseason. Nnamdi Madubuike seems to be on track to return for the first week of the season. Lamar Jackson is one of the most dynamic playmakers at the QB position in the NFL.

We know this team can run the ball, and even with a new OC in Declan Doyle, I'm buying their stock this season. They have an over/under of 11.5 wins this season, which feels incredibly high. But that just goes to show how confident the oddsmakers are in this team returning to prominence in the AFC.

10. Detroit Lions

The Lions are sort of in the same boat as the Baltimore Ravens. They are AFC-NFC mirror versions of each other in a lot of ways.

Last year was an inexplicable regression year for Detroit. After winning 15 games in 2024, the Lions looked like they were going to be a powerhouse in the NFC for the foreseeable future, and then they missed the playoffs completely.

This offense is simply too talented to get left out of the playoffs again. The Lions may not have the perfect defense on paper, either, but they have studs at every level when healthy. I'm expecting them back in the contender conversation in the NFC this season.

9. Philadelphia Eagles

It feels like the NFL consensus is too low on the Eagles for this season. Their offense was really disappointing last year, but this is one of the best-coached defenses in the league, and they added even more this offseason.

Once again, the Eagles feel like they're simply a lock for at least 11 wins. And if Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley can bounce back? They will be even more dominant.

The loss of AJ Brown definitely hurts on paper, but how will newcomers like Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon step up in his absence? Is it possible that having Brown gone could be addition by subtraction?

8. Green Bay Packers

Injuries were the only reason the Green Bay Packers didn't compete throughout the whole month of January in the NFC, maybe even the reason they didn't represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Losing Micah Parsons was a back-breaker for this team, and obviously they are going to have to start the 2026 season without him. Thankfully, they've been preparing for that scenario all offseason.

This is going to be another fascinating year of in-house player development for the Packers, who lost a lot this offseason, but also had a lot of young guys waiting in the wings. They desperately need breakout years from guys like Matthew Golden, Lukas Van Ness, and MarShawn Lloyd, but the talent of this team is ridiculous. And Jordan Love should be an MVP candidate.

If they can weather the storm until Parsons returns, they have a chance to be the most dangerous second half team in the NFC.

7. Chicago Bears

I'm giving the Bears their due credit for the dramatic rise they had last season under head coach Ben Johnson. Johnson is truly one of the elite offensive minds in the NFL and he proved that last season in Chicago.

Johnson was able to unlock Caleb Williams, and seeing Williams play with so much conifdence reminded everyone why he was considered a "generational" prospect coming out of USC. The Bears also saw the development of young players like Colston Loveland and Luther Burden, who will once again be crucial pieces of the offense in 2026.

The defense is the primary concern for Chicago. They have lived and died in the takeaway department. I'm not sure they have the personnel to truly raise the floor on that side of the ball, which could cause them to stumble.

6. New England Patriots

The reigning AFC Champions added AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs as weapons for Drake Maye this offseason. They should be even better than they were a season ago, right?

I'm not so sure.

I'm not typically one to knock teams for beating the teams in front of them. I'm more of the opinion that you are what your record says you are. In the case of the 2025 Patriots, however, we saw this team dominate one of the "easiest" schedules in recent history, as well as struggle badly offensively in the playoffs.

The Patriots were able to win some tough defensive battles and prove themselves situationally in the playoffs, but this season -- a target on their back and a tougher schedule -- is going to test them significantly.

5. Houston Texans

It's possible the Houston Texans have the most well-rounded roster in the AFC. They are in close competition with a couple of teams there.

I don't think there's any doubt about one thing: The Texans have the best defense in the NFL.

That can take them really far, and if CJ Stroud can build on the progress he made last season, this team can legitimately contend for a Super Bowl. The addition of David Montgomery is going to help raise the floor of the offense tremendously, and I'm expecting second-year back Woody Marks to make a huge impact on the passing game as well.

4. Buffalo Bills

The Bills are in yet another Super Bowl or bust season. Every year that passes by without Josh Allen winning or even making it to a Super Bowl is a disappointment for this franchise.

That's why, despite a ton of regular season success, Sean McDermott was let go after the 2025 season and disappointing finish in the Divisional Round against the Broncos. The Bills are putting some serious faith in young coaches to get them to the mountaintop.

Joe Brady is a rookie head coach. Jim Leonhard is a rookie defensive coordinator. The Bills have a really strong overall roster and great player leadership, and they're going to need it this season. Allen will need his Superman cape handy all throughout the season, but this team has to find a way to stay hot when it matters most.

3. Denver Broncos

There isn't a better roster in the AFC -- maybe the NFL -- than the Denver Broncos. The Broncos don't have the star power the Rams have, so maybe they're a close second heading into the season.

It's been remarkable to see what this team has been able to accomplish despite having (at the time) the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history after cutting Russell Wilson. The ascent of Bo Nix has been incredible to watch, and the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league.

This is a team with remarkable continuity, bringing back 94 percent of their snaps from last season. They added Jaylen Waddle to the mix, and he already looks like he's going to be an absolute game-changer for that offense. If the Broncos can find more consistency on that side of the ball, as well as be more explosive, they are going to be tough to beat.

2. Seattle Seahawks

The reigning Super Bowl champions deserve to be at least 2nd in these NFL Power Rankings, and some would argue they have to be taken out of the #1 spot once the games are being played.

The reality is, the Rams have been such an overwhelming winner of the offseason, it's impossible not to put them in that 1st overall slot. But the Seahawks are still going to be right there next to them.

There are certainly some question marks with this team, especially how the offense will look after losing Klint Kubiak (and Kenneth Walker). Playing in the toughest division in football, the Seahawks are going to have a heck of a time defending their title, but they have the right combination of head coach, defense, quarterback play, and roster talent to do it.

1. Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams officially have the craziest defensive front in NFL history with the arrival this offseason of both Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald.

It's hard to say, at this point, that the Rams are a well-oiled machine. That would be an assumption. But that's exactly what I'm assuming they're going to be. They have new pieces just like the rest of the NFL, but their combination of impact additions and continuity is as enviable as it gets.

Nobody could have realistically imagined a roster like this could be assembled. It simultaneously makes the Rams one of the most interesting teams in the NFL but a team with the biggest target on their backs.