The goal of each NFL team is to win now, but some franchises are also focused on the long term. In the annual Future Power Rankings, the teams that are poised to be among the best in the league in the next three seasons (2025-2027) were ranked.
To do this, a panel of experts (analysts) was asked to rate the situation of each team in terms of quarterback, remaining roster (excluding the quarterback), front office, and coaching staff using the following scale:
- 100: A+ (elite)
- 90-99: A (excellent)
- 80-89: B (very good)
- 70-79: C (average)
- 51-69: D (very bad)
- 50 and below: F (disastrous)
Fact to know: If we look at their 12 best defensive players (starting lineups for both base and nickel), the Eagles project to have the youngest defense in the NFL this season. Zack Baun will be the only starter over 26 years old. – Schatz
Bold Prediction: The Eagles will trade wide receiver A.J. Brown before the 2027 season. It will be a shock: Brown will be coming off two more seasons of exceptional play and will be considered a major asset for the team that wins now and acquires him, but general manager Howie Roseman will decide to move on and get draft assets before Brown’s decline begins. – Walder2. Baltimore RavensOverall score: 92.1Reasons for hope: A long history of excellent drafting and a world-class quarterback in Lamar Jackson make the Ravens’ future very bright. To top it off, they have perhaps the best defensive player in the NFL in safety Kyle Hamilton, and that’s like the icing on the cake that a team can have. – SolakReasons for concern: Last season, I was concerned about the offensive line’s ability to continue to drive the dominant force that is the Ravens’ running attack. But all it did was finish in the top five in run-blocking win rate (74%) and pass-blocking win rate (69.8%), and Derrick Henry tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns (16). Looking ahead, the concern is about the team’s mental state in the postseason and whether the Ravens can collectively play their best football when the stakes are high. Everything else is in place from a roster-building standpoint. – RiddickFact to know: The Ravens will have seven former first-round picks starting on their defense this season, from 29-year-old nickel cornerback Marlon Humphrey (2017) to rookie safety Malaki Starks (2025), who turns 22 in November. – SchatzBold Prediction: After three seasons in the league, Nate Wiggins will sign a contract extension that will set the market for cornerbacks during the 2027 offseason. He had a solid rookie campaign, allowing 0.9 yards per coverage snap (better than average) and minus 28 EPA allowed as the nearest defender (best among all outside cornerbacks), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. – Walder3. Kansas City ChiefsOverall score: 89.5Reasons for hope: When you have quarterback Patrick Mahomes, your future is bright no matter what. A healthy season from wide receiver Rashee Rice and the continued emergence of Xavier Worthy would help, but it’s worth wondering how many more seasons are left with coach Andy Reid. – SolakReasons for concern: What concerns me are the perimeter targets. While I believe tight end Travis Kelce will have a bounce-back season, this is the end of the road for him, and the Chiefs will need to be smart with his usage. Will Worthy become the dominant threat at receiver that they so desperately need to take this offense to another level? Also, will guys like Rice, Hollywood Brown, and rookie Jalen Royals become the kind of players who can be productive enough for Mahomes and Reid to win more Super Bowls? – RiddickFact to know: Although the Chiefs have an older offense (sixth in weighted age by snaps last season with 27.3), they have a young defense (28th in weighted age by snaps last season with 25.7). – SchatzBold Prediction: Rice will record consecutive 1,200-yard seasons. After a promising rookie season, a sophomore campaign that was cut short due to a knee injury, and then a 2025 season that could include a suspension, Rice will finally post big totals starting in 2026, and he won’t stop. – Walder4. Buffalo BillsOverall score: 87.7Reasons for hope: Buffalo’s offensive core has flourished around quarterback Josh Allen (running back James Cook, offensive tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, along with wide receiver Khalil Shakir), and the team just handed out big contracts to rising young defenders Greg Rousseau, Christian Benford, and Terrel Bernard. Of course, having Allen helps a lot. – SolakAreas of concern: Pass defense needs work. In particular, the Bills need to get off the field on third and long and prevent teams from getting crucial first downs when they put the ball in the air. Bobby Babich’s defense ranked 29th in first downs allowed (356) and third-down conversions (43.8%). The addition of veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa and the selection of Landon Jackson should make the pass rush more formidable. The key to it all could be the development and effectiveness of first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who has blazing speed and raw physical skills. – RiddickFact to know: The 2020-24 Bills had the highest average DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) of any team since 1978 that didn’t reach at least one Super Bowl. (The 2020-24 Ravens are second). – SchatzBold Prediction: The Bills will win the Super Bowl. The 2025 and 2026 postseasons will disappoint the Bills Mafia once again, but thanks to some youthful movement and an unwavering offensive line, Buffalo will finally be able to overcome it and win it all in 2027. – Walder5. Detroit LionsOverall score: 87.2Reasons for Hope: The Lions lost both coordinators this offseason, but Dan Campbell is one of the most reliable coaches in the league when it comes to elevating his team despite obstacles. Few teams can measure up to Detroit’s offensive goals, but don’t sleep on a defensive core of edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, cornerback Terrion Arnold, and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. – SolakReasons for concern: The ripe fruit is the amount of training brainpower that left the facilities, with former coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson getting head coaching jobs this offseason. But I’ll go in a different, but familiar, direction with Detroit: the pass rush. Once again, the Lions were near the bottom of the league in pass rush win rate (35.4%) and in sacks (37). It is absolutely imperative that Hutchinson returns to pre-injury form and that first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams succeeds running inside. – RiddickFact to know: By snap-weighted age last season, Detroit had the fourth-oldest offense (27.7) but the fourth-youngest defense (25.6). – SchatzBold Prediction: Hutchinson will win two Defensive Player of the Year awards between now and 2027. Before getting injured in 2024, he recorded a 35% pass-rush win rate in five games. No qualified player even reached 27%, let alone 35%. – Walder6. Green Bay PackersOverall score: 86.2Reasons for hope: As the youngest team in the NFL last season, Green Bay would likely rank high in a ranking that analyzes where teams will be in 10 years. Few teams deserve more trust for their draft and development, and the recent willingness to take greater risks from free agents is also a feather in the Packers’ cap. – SolakReasons for concern: My concern is with the health/availability/consistency at wide receiver. It’s been a combination of these factors that has prevented this team from fully exploding onto the scene. Specifically, Green Bay needs Christian Watson to return from his ACL injury and be better than ever. It also needs Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks to reduce their drops (combined for 18 in 2024) and for first-round rookie Matthew Golden to make an immediate impact. – RiddickFact to know: To expand on Ben’s point, the Packers were the youngest team last season by weighted snaps age (25.3 years old). They had the youngest offense (25.0), the second-youngest defense (25.5), and the fourth-youngest special teams (25.4). – SchatzBold Prediction: Tucker Kraft will finish the season as a top-four fantasy tight end. Kraft’s breakout in 2024 included 50 receptions for 707 receiving yards and the highest YAC score among tight ends. The rise will continue through 2027. – Walder7. Denver BroncosOverall score: 85Reasons for hope: The Broncos appear to have a solid starting quarterback in Bo Nix and possibly have the best offensive line and the best defense in the NFL, led by star cornerback Pat Surtain II. What a change for coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton! – SolakReasons for concern: Do the running backs have the ability to provide the physical and robust presence needed in December and January, when the running game becomes the focus? The combination of J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and Audric Estime needs to improve on the Broncos’ 1.63 yards after first contact per carry (25th in 2024). If this group gets going, Denver can challenge Kansas City for the AFC West title. – RiddickFact to know: Denver’s offensive line ranked No. 1 in both pass-blocking win rate (73.8%) and run-blocking win rate (74.9%) last season, but it’s a bit older than most other lines, ranging from guard Quinn Meinerz (27) to tackle Garett Bolles (33). – SchatzBold Prediction: Nix will lose his starting position during the 2027 season, which will be his last as a Bronco. There is optimism around him now, but there are reasons to be skeptical in the long run. As a rookie, his career led him to be decent in terms of efficiency. But he ranked 28th in completion percentage above expectations (minus 2.4%) and 22nd in yards per dropback (6.16) despite playing behind a top-tier offensive line. The roster around him is excellent now, but it won’t always be that way. – Walder8. Houston TexansOverall score: 84.1Reasons for hope: The Texans have won two playoff games in two seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans, and they’re still improving. Their young secondary core is unmatched in the entire league, they made a big change at offensive coordinator to improve their pass protection, and they added new targets for quarterback C.J. Stroud in the draft. Watch out! – SolakReasons for concern: I’m still concerned about the offensive line in general, both in the running and passing game. The Texans traded their best lineman by far, Laremy Tunsil, and didn’t replace him with anyone close to his level. The unit was among the worst in the NFL in both pass block win rate (57.7%) and run block win rate (68.1%) in 2024, and the effect it had on Stroud cannot be denied. – RiddickFact to know: The Texans are looking for receiving help beyond superstar Nico Collins. They hope to get a lot from 2025 draft picks Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Tank Dell is likely out for the season, while the other young receivers, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III, tied for 106th out of 116 wide receivers in ESPN’s receiver ratings last season. – SchatzBold prediction: Dell, who suffered a significant knee injury that required multiple surgeries, will not only stay with the Texans in 2027 (his contract expires in 2026), but will achieve stardom and record at least 1,100 receiving yards. He earned above-average open scores in each of his first two seasons. – Walder9. San Francisco 49ersOverall score: 83.5Reasons for hope: With a solid coaching staff and a history of getting great play from their rookie contract selections, the 49ers still have a promising future despite the roster reload. How good they are down the stretch will depend on these last two draft classes, from which many players have been thrust into starting roles. – SolakReasons for concern: I was concerned about the open receiver room a year ago, and that remains the case, with Brandon Aiyuk coming off a torn ACL and the roster turnover (Deebo Samuel now in Washington). But the defensive line, once the heart of this team, has had to be rebuilt and restocked. Yes, they still have Nick Bosa, but he is surrounded by three rookie linemen. Coordinator Robert Saleh returns in 2025 to get these new/young prospects up to speed quickly and improve a defense that finished 29th in points allowed (25.6) in 2024. – RiddickFact to know: The 49ers led all offenses in weighted age by snaps last season (28 years old). The only offensive starters under 27 years old this season will be quarterback Brock Purdy (26), guard Dominick Puni (25), and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (25). – SchatzBold Prediction: The 49ers will use their first-round pick on a tackle as they look to replace All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who will retire after the 2026 season. San Francisco is the only team currently over the salary cap in 2027 (according to OverTheCap.com), so the draft is the most likely place to get Williams’ replacement. – Walder10. Washington CommandersOverall score: 83.2Reasons for hope: In quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders have one of the best players to secure the future of the league. The roster is riddled with veteran plugs, so the draft and development are essential in the next two seasons if they want to move up in future power rankings. – SolakReasons for concern: For me, there is no greater concern than the quality of the skill position surrounding Daniels. The Commanders have no one on the roster who can come close to providing the type of impact that wide receiver Terry McLaurin has on the offense and, specifically, Daniels.
