Post-Draft 2024 NFL Power Rankings: Bears inching closer to top 10

Now that the 2024 NFL Draft is over, the bulk of most teams’ roster work is too. There will still be some activity in free agency, especially once rosters are cut from 90 to 53, but we have a pretty good idea of how each team will look in 2024.

That makes this a good time for a way-too-soon NFL power rankings.

Each team must still prove itself on the field when the season starts, and there will be some surprising teams as usual, but looking at the rosters on paper will give us a decent idea of where each team will fall.

Here’s my first crack at a 2024 NFL Power Ranking. Enjoy (and leave your thoughts in the comments below).

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Back-to-back defending champs start at the top of the list. That’s just the rule.

2. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens looked unstoppable for much of last year, and they just had a terrific draft. Watch out for this team.

3. San Francisco 49ers

Despite speculation that they would be traded away, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are still 49ers. If they’re in San Francisco with Coach Kyle Shanahan calling plays, the 49ers will be the favorites to win the NFC.

4. Cincinatti Bengals

If Joe Burrow can stay healthy, this team will be one of Kansas City’s biggest roadblocks en route to a third straight Super Bowl.

5. Houston Texans

CJ Stroud had the greatest rookie quarterback season of all time, and they’ve done nothing but add playmakers around him this offseason. The Texans are early favorites to win their division and make a deep playoff run.

6. Detroit Lions

The Lions did a great job addressing the few weak spots on their roster in this draft. Another berth in the NFC Championship Game should be the minimum expectation.

7. Buffalo Bills

The Bills lost a lot of key players this offseason and will take a small step back, but as long as Josh Allen is slinging the rock, they’ll be serious playoff contenders.

8. Philadelphia Eagles

The loss of Jason Kelce will hurt that legendary offensive line, but the Eagles still have a loaded roster. They won’t be an easy out in 2024.

9. New York Jets

This one is a bit of a projection because we still haven’t seen how this team looks with Aaron Rodgers under center. Assuming he stays healthy in 2024, I think the Jets will be dark-horse Super Bowl contenders.

10. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins floundered in the playoffs once again, but this team is too well-coached and has too many stars to leave out of the Top 10.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars

A nagging injury hurt Trevor Lawrence’s production in 2023, but I expect him to rebound with his best season yet, especially after the Jaguars drafted Brian Thomas Jr. as his likely WR1.

12. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons made one of the biggest quarterback upgrades of the year when they signed Kirk Cousins. Their decision to draft Michael Penix Jr. was baffling but didn’t hurt them in 2024. They should win the NFC South handily.

13. Green Bay Packers

The Packers had a roller-coaster season that started hot, plunged into scary depths, and ended with them in the playoffs. They look set to make a similar run in 2024, but a 2024 slump isn’t off the table.

14. Los Angeles Rams

Losing arguably the greatest defensive tackle of all time is a tremendous blow to this defense, but they still have Sean McVay and Matt Stafford leading the way, and they drafted a pair of great defensive linemen. The Rams will have a shot at a deep playoff run.

15. Chicago Bears

This is one of the hardest teams to rank. If rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is everything he’s been billed to be, then this is way too low, and they’ll be playing meaningful football well into January. If he struggles like a typical rookie, this may be too high. I’m leaning towards the former.

16. Los Angeles Chargers

Despite losing Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, the Chargers made a huge upgrade at head coach this offseason when they hired Jim Harbaugh, and they still have Justin Herbert under center. They can still compete for a playoff spot.

17. Dallas Cowboys

I’m really worried about the Cowboys. It feels like they’re on the edge of a steep fall from glory, which ends with a regime change at quarterback and head coach.

18. Cleveland Browns

The Browns are a well-coached team with the best defense in the league, but count me as an ardent doubter of DeShaun Watson. That insane, fully-guaranteed contract is the only reason he’s still on the roster, dragging the team down.

19. Indianapolis Colts

Similar to the Bears, this ranking will either be way too high or far too low. Quarterback Anthony Richardson missed almost all of last season with an injury, so he’s still basically a rookie. If he balls out, the Colts will go blow for blow with the Jaguars and Texans for the division. If not, it could be another long season for Indy.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers signed Russell Wilson in free agency and traded for Justin Fields. They’ll go as far as their quarterbacks take them, which, unfortunately, may not be nearly far enough.

21. Arizona Cardinals

If Kyler Murray stays healthy and returns to pre-injury form, the Cardinals will show major improvements over 2023. They have a generational receiver in the room now, but the team still has a lot of question marks.

22. Seattle Seahawks

With the loss of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, I expect Seattle to be the team they were supposed to be in 2022. It was a fun ride with Geno Smith, but that train is coming to a stop.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Like the Seahawks, I think last year was more likely a one-off than the beginning of sustained success. I’ll be rooting for Baker Mayfield to continue his career renaissance, but I’m not expecting much.

24. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are a scrappy team with plenty of offensive firepower, and they just nailed their draft. They got their quarterback and they’ve dropped him into a “Land of Plenty”. Now it’s up to J.J. McCarthy to prove he wasn’t just along for the ride at Michigan.

25. New Orleans Saints

The Saints did a good job addressing their needs in the draft, but this team will not be scaring anyone for now. The Derek Carr addition last year looked like a bad fit, and I don’t see why that should change for the better.

26. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders added arguably the most explosive weapon in the 2024 NFL Draft in Brock Bowers, but will new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy get the most out of him? That’s something I’ll have to see to believe.

27. Tennessee Titans

I like what the Titans did this offseason, and I think they’ll surprise many people. They’re still looking at a Top 5 draft pick, but they’ll be a tough out.

28. Denver Broncos

The Broncos will just start their climb out of the Russell Wilson/Nathaniel Hackett era, and it will not be short. This rebuild could be an ugly one.

29. New York Giants

The Giants needed a new quarterback. Unfortunately for them, giving Daniel Jones that contract extension last offseason made that impossible. Sure, they added Malik Nabers, but they lost Saquon Barkley. I’m not loving this team at all.

30. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers will still be a bad team, but they won’t be the worst team. If Bryce Young looks better while the team still loses, there may be hope for this franchise. If not, at least in 2025, they’ll actually get to use their first-round pick.

31. New England Patriots

The Patriots lucked out and got Drake Maye in the draft. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the rest of the roster is in shambles. If Maye starts immediately, he’ll be thrown into a trial by fire.

32. Washington Commanders

I’ve said it all offseason: Jayden Daniels will get his GM fired. He will not have nearly as much offensive firepower in Washington as he’s used to and he won’t be able to take off and run as easily, either. This will be an ugly season for Washington and they’ll only have themselves to blame.