Ranking NFC teams following 2025 NFL Draft: Ben Johnson-led Bears on the rise, Eagles still reign supreme

With the 2025 NFL Draft behind us, we’ve reached a point in the offseason where roster building takes a backseat. Now, clubs are transitioning to on-field workouts to gear up for OTAs, minicamp and eventually training camp later this summer. While there will almost certainly be some additions for various teams between now and Week 1, we have a good grasp of what teams will look like now that the free agent cycle and the draft have concluded. 

In the NFC, it’s been a fascinating offseason. The Seattle Seahawks shipped away Geno Smith and replaced him with Sam Darnold, while the Minnesota Vikings are handing the keys to their high-powered offense to second-year signal-caller J.J. McCarthy. Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Rams flirted with the possibility of moving on from Matthew Stafford before agreeing to a new deal. However, the organization did say goodbye to one of its pillars, releasing former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, who ended up in Seattle.   

And that’s merely scratching the surface of what has been a frantic offseason for the conference. 

With most of the roster reshuffling behind us, now is as good a time as ever to take stock in how the NFC stacks up. Below, you’ll find out early power rankings for the NFC. 

Are you ready for some Tyler Shough? Because that’s who it feels like will be New Orleans’ starter in 2025. Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury that reportedly has his season in jeopardy, creating a rough start for first-year head coach Kellen Moore. That could lead to the Saints handing the offense over to the second-round rookie Shough, which doesn’t instill a ton of confidence. New Orleans didn’t do a ton in free agency due to their cap constraints, and didn’t bring in any game changers for a roster that desperately needs them. 

The Giants may be toward the bottom of these power rankings, but there is promise of a brighter tomorrow. They’ve added some short-term quarterback help in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, while trading back into the first round of the draft to bring in and develop Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart. If Brian Daboll is afforded time to mold Dart, he could become the latest Rebel to lead the franchise. With the quarterback situation being at least a little more stable, New York made great strides on defense. They selected Abdul Carter at No. 3 overall to slot him along a defensive line that features Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence. The club helped out the secondary as well with free agent additions, Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland. The Giants should be a lot peskier in 2025 than they were in 2024. 

The massive question surrounding the Panthers is whether or not Bryce Young’s run at the end of last season was a flash in the pan or a turning of the tide. If it’s the latter, the Panthers are somewhat frisky. After all, if you take Young’s final 10 games from 2024 (when he reclaimed his starting job) and project them over a full season, he’s throwing for over 3,500 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Meanwhile, he’s rushing for 379 yards and nine touchdowns. But there’s a chance he turns back into a pumpkin, which keeps them lower in the power rankings. Carolina added to its defense in free agency and on Day 2 of the draft, while spending its first-rounder on Tetairoa McMillan, giving Young a big-bodied receiver. 

13. Seattle Seahawks

I think Seattle downgraded at quarterback. Yes, Sam Darnold (27) is significantly younger than Geno Smith (34), but I fear that Darnold’s high level of play in 2024 was mostly due to the unbelievably favorable situation he found himself in with Minnesota. Just about any quarterback should be able to put up numbers with that collection of talent. What we saw in Week 18 with the No. 1 seed on the line and then in the one-and-done appearance in the playoffs is maybe more of who Darnold is. That could get exposed with a Seattle team that moved on from DK Metcalf and has a lesser offensive line, even if I do like the selection of Grey Zabel. 

Jonathan Gannon brought in a familiar face in edge rusher Josh Sweat, whom he coached in Philadelphia, via free agency. Along with Sweat, the Cardinals put a lot of emphasis on the defensive line by retaining Baron Browning and drafting Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen in the first round. If healthy, they also may have gotten a steal in Michigan corner Will Johnson, whom they selected No. 47 overall. Meanwhile, the offense is largely the same, but if Marvin Harrison Jr. takes a Year 2 leap, Arizona could climb on this list as the season progresses. 

The Cowboys have talent, but will first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer be able to pull the right levers to help them reach their potential? Fortunately, they’ll have Dak Prescott back healthy, but there are still some big concerns surrounding Dallas. How will the Micah Parsons contract situation play out? Will they find an answer at WR2 opposite of CeeDee Lamb? Is Javonte Williams really the answer to their running game? Again, there’s talent on the roster, and I loved their Day 2 of the draft when they brought in edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku and corner Shavon Revel Jr., but can they come together is the big question. 

I’m looking forward to the Michael Penix Jr. era in Atlanta. The numbers didn’t tell the entire story from his three starts last season, but he seemed to pass the initial eye test for me. He has the weapons to continue to progress in Year 2, headlined by Drake London and Bijan Robinson. The Falcons also completely overhauled their pass rushing room, adding Leonard Floyd in free agency and then drafting Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in the first round. They shouldn’t have any more difficulty disrupting the quarterback. So long as the Kirk Cousins QB2 saga doesn’t become too distracting, the Falcons should rival to be above .500 for the first time since 2017.

The Chicago Bears have done precisely what a team should do when they have a promising young quarterback on his rookie deal. First off, they gave him an offensive-minded head coach in Ben Johnson. Then, they crafted a tantalizing offense around him, primarily by shoring up the interior of the offensive line by inserting Joe Thuney at left guard, Drew Dalman at center and Jonah Jackson at right guard. They also gave Caleb Williams tight end Colston Loveland and wideout Luther Burden III to work with in the passing game via the NFL Draft. Grady Jarrett was a strong addition along the defensive line as well. Even in a tough NFC North division, don’t sleep on Chicago’s upside. 

Ranking the AFC following the 2025 NFL Draft: Ravens best Chiefs for top spot; Cam Ward not enough for Titans

Jordan Dajani

8. Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy is the big question mark here. Minnesota selected McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he missed his rookie year due to a meniscus tear in his right knee. That eliminated the possibility of McCarthy rivaling Sam Darnold for the starting job in Year 1, but he’s been handed the offense for 2025 after Darnold departed for Seattle in free agency. Given all the weapons around him and Kevin O’Connell in his ear, McCarthy has a great chance to succeed. If he does, the Vikings should continue to aim for double-digit wins, especially after adding Will Fries and Ryan Kelly in free agency to solidify the offensive line along with first-rounder Donovan Jackson.  

A lot has been made about the mass exodus out of the Bay Area for the 49ers this offseason, but I think it’s a tad overblown. Sure, not having Deebo Samuel as the Swiss Army knife of the offense will sting a bit, but the unit still boasts Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall. With Kyle Shanahan still lurking on the sideline and Brock Purdy under center, they should still be able to put up points. And last I checked, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa are still on the defensive side of the ball. So long as the pillars of the depth chart can stay healthy, they should continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the conference. 

For a minute, it felt like Tampa Bay was going to lose Chris Godwin, but it found a way to keep the star receiver along with linebacker Lavonte David. I loved the addition of Emeka Egbuka in the first round, giving Baker Mayfield another high-powered receiving weapon. It also did well to address the secondary on Day 2 with corner Benjamin Morrison out of Notre Dame and Kansas State corner Jacob Parrish. It’s no surprise the Bucs remain the favorite to win the NFC South and make the playoffs for the sixth straight year. 

I still have my concerns about Green Bay’s cornerback room, even after the Packers signed Nate Hobbs and are reportedly looking to salvage their future with Jaire Alexander. That said, this is still a strong top-to-bottom roster with Jordan Love as the centerpiece. They’ve given themselves a higher ceiling in the wide receiver room by selecting Matthew Golden in the first round. Green Bay also invested in the offensive line, signing guard Aaron Banks to a $77 million deal in free agency and then drafting interior lineman Anthony Belton out of NC State in the second round. 

4. Los Angeles Rams

L.A. nearly blew it up by allowing Matthew Stafford to seek a trade this offseason, but the two sides came to the wise realization that they are better together than apart. Last season, they took the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles to the brink of elimination, and they should be even better in 2025. They swapped out Cooper Kupp for Davante Adams and retained offensive tackle Alaric Jackson. Their Day 2 picks should become immediate contributors with Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson proving to be a target for Stafford in the passing game, while edge rusher Josaiah Steward can be a pass-rushing specialist. The thing I’m most excited about with the Rams in 2025 is the continued ascent of Jared Verse into superstardom. 

What will Jayden Daniels do for an encore after one of the most impressive rookie seasons we’ve ever seen? The Commanders did a strong job continuing to build around their young quarterback this offseason, pulling off blockbuster trades for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, along with wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Moreover, Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. continues to help build a wall in front of Daniels, and Trey Amos is an interesting piece for Dan Quinn’s secondary after taking him in the second round. With better protection for Daniels and a continued boost on defense, there’s no reason to expect a second-year slump from Washington. 

The biggest loss for the Lions came on the coaching staff, losing both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (Bears) and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (Jets) to head-coaching jobs. How the club rebounds from their departures will be the key storyline for Detroit in the early goings of the season. That said, this is a loaded roster that was the No. 1 seed in the NFC a year ago. How D.J. Reed slots in over Carlton Davis — who left in free agency — is the most notable change on the roster. 

Until the crown is knocked off their heads, the Super Bowl champions remain at the top. Similar to Detroit, it will be interesting to see how the offense changes (if at all) with Kevin Patullo ascending as the offensive coordinator after Kellen Moore left for the Saints head-coaching job. In free agency, Philly did retain Zack Baun, but losing Josh Sweat and Milton Williams was less than ideal. At the draft, Howie Roseman continues to let the board come to him and somehow scooped up Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell even after trading down a spot in the first round. Even with the losses on defense, this team is a juggernaut ready to try and run it back.