NFL Preseason: Where is your team? Analysis and key pressures

The 2025 NFL season is just around the corner, and with it, the need to reassess the prospects of all 32 teams. We analyze how absences, revelations, and injuries have impacted our rankings since the post-draft list. Preseason games conclude on Saturday and the cut day is August 27, so this is the last preseason edition of the Power Rankings. In addition to our ranking from 1 to 32, NFL Nation reporters named a coach, player or executive from each team who is under the most pressure this season. Let’s start with the current Super Bowl champions. Our expert panel, made up of more than 30 writers and editors, evaluates how NFL teams compare to each other, ranking them from 1 to 32. Previous rankings: Post-Super Bowl, Post-free agency, Postdraft. Jump to a team: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Postdraft classification: 2 Who is under the most pressure: Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo The Eagles are well-established, coming off a Super Bowl victory. But there was a significant change at offensive coordinator, where Patullo replaced Kellen Moore and will serve as the play-caller full-time for the first time in his career. Patullo has been coach Nick Sirianni’s right-hand man since 2021, and the offense isn’t expected to change much, facilitating a smooth transition. But with so much offensive talent, the bar is high, and Patullo will shoulder some of the responsibility if the unit doesn’t perform as expected. — Tim McManus

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Postdraft classification: 1 Who is under the most pressure: Wide receiver Rashee Rice Although he is no longer expected to be suspended for the first four games of the season, Rice will still be under pressure to prove he can be the No. 1 receiver again. In training camp, Rice showed his explosiveness and his ability to gain yards after the catch. If he excels in September, the Chiefs could get off to another good start. If Rice struggles, Kansas City will have to place much of the passing attack on the shoulders of 35-year-old Travis Kelce. — Nate Taylor

3. Buffalo Bills

Postdraft ranking: 3 Who is under the most pressure: Defensive end Joey Bosa This is a great season for the pass rusher, who signed a one-year, $12.6 million contract with the Bills in the offseason after spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Chargers. Bosa, 30, is on a prove-it deal after missing a substantial amount of time in the last three seasons due to injuries. If he can stay healthy and have a solid season, a big contract could be waiting for him. — Alaina Getzenberg

4. Baltimore Ravens

Postdraft classification: 5 Who is under the most pressure: Tight end Mark Andrews Entering the final season of his four-year, $56 million contract after dropping a critical two-point conversion in a 27-25 divisional-round loss to Buffalo. Andrews led all TEs with 11 touchdowns last season but averaged 39.6 receiving yards per game in 2024, his worst total since his rookie season in 2018. — Jamison Hensley

5. Detroit Lions

Postdraft ranking: 4 Who is under the most pressure: Quarterback Jared Goff

It seems like every season is “make or break” for Goff if he doesn’t lead this team to the Super Bowl. He had an MVP-worthy 2024 season, but the Lions fell short in the NFC divisional round against Washington when Goff struggled and ended up with four turnovers. Goff and the Lions will try to put last year’s playoff failure behind them. As the face of the team, the veteran quarterback again has high expectations to maintain the growing momentum. — Eric Woodyard

6. Washington Commanders

Postdraft ranking: 6 Who is under the most pressure: Cornerback Marshon Lattimore Washington traded multiple picks for him at the deadline last season, and a hamstring injury limited Lattimore to two regular season games (and three in the postseason). He has only played in 26 games in the last three combined seasons. Lattimore has looked better this offseason, but he needs to be durable and productive to get a contract extension. — John Keim

7. Green Bay Packers

Postdraft ranking: 8 Who is under the most pressure: Cornerback Keisean Nixon He said after last season that he wanted to be a No. 1 CB. Now that Jaire Alexander is gone, Nixon could get that opportunity. Sure, the Packers signed Nate Hobbs in free agency, and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley plays a lot of zone coverage, but Nixon will be counted on to stop opposing receivers. The question is, can he deliver? — Rob Demovsky

Caption: 1:38Stephen A.: Jordan Love needs to step up come playoff timeStephen A. Smith analyzes Jordan Love’s ability as a quarterback and challenges him to show his full potential in the playoff games.

8. Los Angeles Rams

Postdraft ranking: 7 Who is under the most pressure: Cornerback Darious Williams Williams has two seasons left on his three-year, $22.5 million contract that he signed in 2024. The veteran cornerback, in his second stint in Los Angeles, is scheduled to count $8.6 million against the salary cap in 2026, but has no guaranteed money after this season. The Rams have a young cornerback room and could opt to save money at that position after 2025. — Sarah Barshop

9. Cincinnati Bengals

Postdraft ranking: 10 Who is under the most pressure: Coach Zac Taylor The Bengals didn’t make the playoffs last season despite the career years of quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, and defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Taylor has proven to be a coach capable of leading the Bengals to the Super Bowl. It’s time for Cincinnati to show that potential once again. — Ben Baby

10. Minnesota Vikings

Postdraft rating: 9 Who is under the most pressure: Vikings draft process After signing contract extensions to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell and assembling a roster of proven veterans, the team has no one prominent on the bench. But they might need to review their draft process in 2026 if they don’t see more production from recent picks. Wide receiver Jordan Addison was the only starter last season who was selected between 2022 and 2024. The Vikings need big contributions from quarterback J.J. McCarthy (2024), linebacker Dallas Turner (2024) and guard Donovan Jackson (2025), at least, to validate their current process. — Kevin Seifert

11. Denver Broncos

Postdraft ranking: 14 Who is under the most pressure: Coach Sean Payton He has solid job security, a group of owners with many resources to support him, and a proven personnel department to build a roster. But Payton has been the most expressive during training camp about the worthiness of his team for the Super Bowl. He believes the Broncos are good enough, if they do the work, to play for the Lombardi Trophy. It’s good for conversation now, but could be at risk if the Broncos have any stumbles or major injuries in 2025. — Jeff Legwold

12. Houston Texans

Postdraft ranking: 13 Who is under the most pressure: Linebacker Christian Harris Entering the final year of his rookie contract and showing good potential: he proved it when he caught a pick-six in the 2023 wild-card victory over the Browns. But Harris hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and he hasn’t practiced at training camp either. If that continues, he could be out by the time 2026 rolls around. — DJ Bien-Aime

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Postdraft ranking: 12 Who is under the most pressure: Cornerback Jamel Dean It has $15 million against the salary cap in 2025 and almost $16 million in 2026. The Bucs selected two cornerbacks in Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish in 2025. Dean has struggled to stay on the field due to injuries, missing 18 games in six seasons, including nine in the last two. — Jenna Laine

14. Los Angeles Chargers

Postdraft ranking: 11 Who is under the most pressure: Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman Roman is known for designing some of the most creative and dominant ground offenses in league history, but his critics have questioned his play calling and passing concepts. Roman’s offense didn’t look promising last season. The Chargers constantly faltered in the second half, and ultimately ended the 2024 season in the first round of the playoffs. With improvements across the Los Angeles offense, all eyes will be on Roman’s group to produce in 2025. — Kris Rhim

15. San Francisco 49ers

Postdraft ranking: 15 Who is under the most pressure: Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk

Trade rumors surrounding Aiyuk began more than two years ago and don’t seem to be dissipating despite him signing a large contract extension in 2024. Aiyuk is expected to return from his knee injury at some point this season, and his future in San Francisco will likely be determined by how he performs from there. The Niners would have to spend a significant amount of money with little return to part ways with him during or after this season, but if he can’t return to health and productivity, they might decide it’s time to move on and reallocate resources. — Nick Wagoner

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

Postdraft ranking: 17 Who is under the most pressure: Coach Mike Tomlin For the second consecutive season, Tomlin was the driving force behind bringing in a veteran quarterback to lead the franchise. This time, he courted Aaron Rodgers. Tomlin is placing his trust in Rodgers and the rest of his offense so they can accelerate the integration process and produce early in 2025. Realistically, Tomlin, under contract through the 2027 season, isn’t going anywhere regardless of the outcome of this season. But the fanbase will undoubtedly become restless if another season passes without a playoff win. — Brooke Pryor

17. Seattle Seahawks

Postdraft ranking: 16 Who is under the most pressure: Running back Kenneth Walker III He is among the six starters from the Seahawks’ 2022 draft class who are playing for a new contract in 2025, and like many of them, he still has something to prove. When healthy, he is a tough runner. But Walker has missed 10 games in three seasons and portions of this offseason with ankle and foot injuries. The always reliable Zach Charbonnet has impressed the Seahawks in his absence, giving the organization a pivot if Walker can’t stay healthy and produce in 2025. — Brady Henderson

18. Dallas Cowboys

Postdraft ranking: 19 Who is under the most pressure: Coach Brian Schottenheimer Now, this doesn’t mean the coach is going to be a one-season coach. It’s just that there’s a lot for a first-time coach to deal with for any job, but especially with the Cowboys. Schottenheimer is making the players believe in his message right now, but what will happen if they lose a few games in a row? Will they still believe? They play in the same division as the two NFC finalists (Eagles and Commanders). They have a difficult schedule to close out the season. All of this makes a good start a must. — Todd Archer

Caption: 2:18Why Stephen A. dislikes Jerry Jones’ negotiating tacticsStephen A. Smith and Damien Woody explain why Jerry Jones’ negotiating tactics are not effective in today’s NFL.

19. Atlanta Falcons

Postdraft classification: 18 Who is under the most pressure: Tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. It’s a one-year contract for Pitts, who is auditioning for a big payday if he can return to a semblance of his rookie form from four seasons ago: 1,026 yards on 68 receptions and the first rookie Pro Bowl selection by a tight end since 2002. Pitts’ future with the Falcons and how much he would get as a free agent depends on how the No. 4 pick of 2021 performs this season. — Marc Raimondi

20. Miami Dolphins

Postdraft ranking: 20 Who is under the most pressure: Coach Mike McDaniel The fourth-year coach has reached the playoffs in two of his first three seasons, but Miami still hasn’t won a playoff game in a quarter-century. Owner Stephen Ross said last season he wasn’t satisfied with the status quo, and the locker room underwent a self-proclaimed cultural reset this offseason. But with a roster selected for its coach, the responsibility will fall on McDaniel to succeed. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

21. Chicago Bears

Postdraft ranking: 21 Who is under the most pressure: Quarterback Caleb Williams It’s hard to believe that a second-year quarterback learning a new offense is under the most pressure, but Williams needs to perform well while advancing weekly in mastering coach Ben Johnson’s scheme. The No. 1 pick of 2024 will likely experience growing pains, but for a franchise that might have the answer at quarterback after decades of searching, the pressure is on Williams to prove the team right. — Courtney Cronin

22. Arizona Cardinals

Postdraft ranking: 22 Who is under the most pressure: General Manager Monti Ossenfort Entering his third season with the Cardinals, Ossenfort completed his three-year roster rebuild. Now, it’s time for that roster to win. He rebuilt the defensive line but barely touched the offense, a move that could be risky. If the defense doesn’t meet expectations or the offense has holes he could have addressed, Ossenfort’s seat will start to get hot. — Josh Weinfuss

23. New England Patriots

Postdraft ranking: 23 Who is under the most pressure: Left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson Rookies are projected starters. According to ESPN Research and Elias, the Patriots will become the second team in the last 25 years to have two rookies starting on the left side of the offensive line (the 2016 Ravens are the other team). — Mike Reiss

24. Jacksonville Jaguars

Postdraft ranking: 25 Who is under the most pressure: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence Entering its fifth season with its third coach. Lawrence still hasn’t played consistently well for a full season, and injuries marred his last two years. New coach Liam Coen is changing his footwork, and the Jaguars improved the interior offensive line and added a playmaker in WR/CB Travis Hunter. Lawrence has the players to help him emerge, and the hope is that Coen will do for Lawrence what he did for Baker Mayfield last season. — Mike DiRocco

25. Las Vegas Raiders

Postdraft ranking: 26 Who is under the most pressure: Defensive end Tyree Wilson The 2023 first-round pick took steps last season with 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble, but it’s time for him to be an integral player in the trenches. Without Christian Wilkins on the team, Wilson’s versatility to play on the defensive line and as a pass rusher allows him to do so. — Ryan McFadden

26. Indianapolis Colts

Postdraft ranking: 24 Who is under the most pressure: General Manager Chris Ballard Entering his ninth season and has only two playoff appearances and one postseason win. The Colts have never won the AFC South under his direction. Much of Ballard’s tenure was affected by the sudden retirement of franchise quarterback Andrew Luck in 2019, but failed quarterback moves after Luck’s departure have hurt the franchise. Is it playoffs or bust for Ballard? — Stephen Holder

27. Carolina Panthers

Postdraft ranking: 27 Who is under the most pressure: Quarterback Bryce Young The first selection of the 2023 draft has to build on the last three games of last season and produce wins. The Panthers selected elite receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the first round to help Young take the next step, and they didn’t lose a starting offensive lineman in the offseason. Young has to prove that the organization didn’t make a mistake when it made that memorable trade with Chicago for the No. 1 pick in 2023. Young is 6-22, and that won’t be enough. — David Newton

28. New York Jets

Postdraft ranking: 30 Who is under the most pressure: Quarterback Justin Fields This is his third team in three seasons and probably his last real chance