NFL Power Rankings (OTAS 2019)

The NFL Draft has wrapped up and rookies have finally started to take the field for their new squads. Initial impressions about high draft picks can set the tone for a teams whole training camp. Additionally, several teams have made post-draft additions and subtractions by cutting expensive veterans and/or picking up available free agents. With all 32 teams looking to establish a solid foundation early, it's as good a time as any to take a look at which teams are entering the season in prime position to contend and which teams are falling behind.

*Note: This is the first article of a series of power rankings that will be done monthly until the regular season, when they will be done weekly. They are strictly my personal opinions based on what I've seen and heard about each team*

32. Miami Dolphins

There aren't too many teams that have been accused of deliberately tanking as much as the Dolphins were prior to the draft; their trade for Josh Rosen perhaps complicates that narrative because just one year ago he was a top prospect and looked like a surefire franchise QB. However, this is still a team led by an inexperienced quarterback and a first-year head coach. This team also lacks top end talent and depth at the skill positions and in the front seven.

31. New York Giants

Did any team have a more catastrophic draft than Big Blue? Dave Gettleman looks to have bungled the entire offseason by trading star wide out Odell Beckham Junior to the Browns for a relatively minimal return. He also allowed star safety Landon Collins to walk to the division rival Redskins. Worst of all, he reached for a project quarterback in Daniel Jones when a proven winner in Dwayne Haskins was staring him in the face. This team is far more likely to contend for next year's number one pick than Superbowl 54.

30. Cincinnati Bengals

Oh the Bengals, the NFL's best example of eternal mediocrity. They did manage to improve somewhat just by firing longtime disappointment Marvin Lewis, but the hiring of the inexperienced Zac Taylor is questionable. Their draft was fine and Jonah Williams will be a great fit in their O-Line, but with Andy Dalton as their franchise QB this team won't make the playoffs in a stacked division.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa had a rather successful offseason, hiring former NFL Coach of the Year Bruce Arians and drafting elite linebacker prospect Josh Allen. There are still big questions haunting this team, the most important being Jameis Winston's future with the organization. If Arians cannot turn the former number 1 overall pick into the stud he should be, this team is in for another mediocre-at-best season. While new additions like Ndamukong Suh will help, they also lost Adam Humphries and Kwon Alexander. Overall, this club has a long way to go before they can be taken seriously.

28. Oakland Raiders

While they are one of the most interesting teams in the NFL, they certainly will not be one of the best. Yes, there were many additions like Antonio Brown and three first round picks that addressed critical positional needs. However, Clelin Ferrell was a massive reach with the fourth pick and the defense is still suspect at all three levels. Derrick Carr is also a question mark and needs to seriously step it up in his second year under Gruden. This team's biggest issue is a combination of big egos and poor management, and Gruden, Brown, Vontaze Burfict and owner Mark Davis are a volatile mixture waiting to combust.

27. Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray was the right pick for this team under Kliff Kingsbury, but several issues still remain. The redbirds significantly lack depth on the offensive line and Murray will likely have to run for his life and roll out of the pocket more often than he'd like. They also have a lack of talent on defense and their best corner is facing a PED suspension.

26. Buffalo Bills

The Bills had a productive offseason, drafting Ed Oliver and making modest improvements to their offense by signing veterans like Cole Beasley. Unfortunately for the BIlls Mafia, they still play in the same division as the New England Patriots who have owned them for almost two decades. Josh Allen would have to take a massive leap forward for them to contend.

25. Denver Broncos

This is a team that could easily be better than they look on paper. After all, their defense is full of studs like Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, and Chris Harris. But, their quarterback situation is still highly questionable after replacing the underwhelming Case Keenum with the underwhelming Joe Flacco. If Flacco struggles early on, expect Drew Lock to start sooner than the Broncos would hope.

24. New York Jets

The Jets are a much-improved team on paper as they finally have high end talent on offense and defense. Quinnen Williams, Le'veon Bell and C.J. Mosley were all great additions. And yet, this team still seems to have a dark cloud hanging over its head. Mike MacCagnan, who largely built this team, was recently fired and replaced by new head coach Adam Gase. This franchise continues to be plagued by internal turmoil and most of their star players are not experienced enough to win in the face of constant adversity.

23. Detroit Lions

This team is perhaps the most "meh" of any in the NFL. Just about everything can be described as good but not great. The quarterback? Productive but not a proven winner. The coach? Probably the latest Belichick guy to flame out on his own. The defense? Some solid pieces but definitely not one of the league's top units. Overall? probably looking at yet another 6-10 or 7-9 season.

22. Washington Redskins

Make no mistake about it: Dwayne Haskins is the best quarterback on this team and will start week 1. The offense as a whole is above average, but the defense is still nothing special. Their season was derailed by injuries last season, so they could definitely improve just by staying healthy. Unfortunately, their schedule is not kind and they will have to face the Eagles and Cowboys twice each.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars

Some people are extremely high on this team and have them winning the AFC South. Personally, I expect this team to lose more games than they win. I don't buy Nick Foles as a legit franchise QB and think the offense still lacks any dynamic playmakers at receiver or tight end. This team is so dependent on Leonard Fournette to get their offense going that if he gets injured again they could easily slide to the bottom of the league.

20. Carolina Panthers

This is a team that could really go up or down from this spot. Cam Newton's health is a giant factor in determining the success of this team, but its good to see Christian McCaffrey quickly turning into one of the NFL's top backs. The Panther's Defense is not spectacular, but could be solid enough to make a playoff push.

19. San Francisco 49ers

No team had their season tanked by injuries quite like the 49ers last year. It's easy to forget that this team has not only Jimmy Garoppolo but also Jerrick McKinnon returning from torn ACLs. This team also has perhaps the best D-Line in the league after drafting Nick Bosa. This team is definitely trending upwards but is likely still a ways away from competing with the division rival Rams and Seahawks.

18. Green Bay Packers

Just how far can Aaron Rodgers alone take a team? Last season proved that perhaps the NFL's best quarterback still needs help to take his team to the playoffs. Matt LaFleur is an interesting hire, and it remains to be seen what he can do to improve the Packer's stagnant offense from last season. They did have a solid draft and the pick of Rashan Gary at 12 will go down in the books as a steal.

17. Tennessee Titans

The Titans, like the Lions, are a good but not great team. Marcus Mariota is good enough to win, and Derrick Henry looked more like Todd Gurley at times last season. Second-year head coach Mike Vrabel is a good defensive mind but even he will have challenges containing Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson.

16. Minnesota Vikings

The big question that will determine the trajectory of this team's season is Kirk Cousin's play at QB. He needs to earn his massive contract by beating quality opponents in and out of the division for the first time in his career. The defense is still a solid unit coached by a great head coach in Mike Zimmer, so this team still has a shot at the playoffs.

15. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons had horrible injury luck last season, and its hard to imagine they won't improve in 2019 just by getting healthy. Their biggest problem last year was Steve Sarkisian's sluggish offense, but if new O.C. Dirk Koetter can help Matt Ryan and Julio Jones to return to their old form this team could be dangerous.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers lost two out of their three Killer Bs this offseason, but it might actually be a blessing in disguise. Bell and Brown were both distractions and malcontents in their final season in Pittsburgh, so allowing James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster to step into their roles is smart. They also made a great pick by trading up to take Devin Bush, who fills their biggest need at middle linebacker.

13. Baltimore Ravens

There is a lot to like about this team, but also a lot to question. Lamar Jackson was very effective before running into the Chargers in the playoffs. There is a good chance that with more film on him opposing teams figure out how to force him to make uncomfortable throws. If Jackson can improve his accuracy, though, this will be a scary offense and a gritty defense.

12. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are a very good team, and that might just be enough to win their division. Their formula to success is still pounding the rock with Zeke Elliott, and Jason Witten's return gives them another reliable target for Dak Prescott. The defense is solid as well, so this team could definitely compete for a playoff spot.

11. Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson recently became the highest paid player in the NFL, and he earned every dime of it. The combination of him and Pete Caroll has been the most consistently successful duo other than Brady and Belichick since he took over. They did take a big hit with the retirement of Doug Baldwin and the trade of Frank Clark, but this team has enough young talent on offense and defense to still field a winner.

10. Houston Texans

Deshaun Watson is one of the best young QBs in the league, their defense still has elite playmakers like J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, and Bill O'Brien appears to have figured out how to field a playoff team consistently. They just need to stay healthy and figure out a plan to overcome their division rival Colts and the defending champion Patriots if they want to finally make it past the divisional round.

9. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles season is almost entirely dependent on the health of Carson Wentz. He could easily have another MVP-caliber season or he could go down with some ailment and leave the Eagles hopeless. They lost their security blanket in Nick Foles as well as two solid edge rushers in Michael Bennett and Chris Long. Despite all these question marks, they still have one of the NFL's best rosters on paper and are firmly in contention to win the NFC East.

8. Chicago Bears

The Bears defense was elite last year and that trend is likely to continue. The Bears did not have a first round pick this year, but they appear to have enough depth to still be the favorites in the NFC North. If Mitch Trubisky can continue to improve there is no limit to what this team can do- provided they resolve their kicker problem.

7. Los Angeles Rams

Yes, this is a relatively low spot for the team that won the NFC last year and did not lose many significant pieces. Yes, the Rams have a loaded roster and a great head coach. But, this team could also see a significant step back in 2019. Jared Goff looked like a deer in the headlights against the Pats D for the whole Super Bowl, and Todd Gurley has a lingering knee issue. If those two issues worsen, this could be a much worse team than we last saw.

6. Cleveland Browns

At long last, Cleveland finally has a football team worth rooting for. No team has been more hyped up than the Browns this offseason, but the hype is warranted. This may very well be the best offense in the NFL, featuring *inhales* Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and David Njoku *exhales*. If defensive studs Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward continue to improve, Freddy Kitchens may just have a division winner.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

This team is maybe the most balanced in the NFL. There is not a single position group where they do not have at least some high end talent. Phillip Rivers is playing as well as he ever has in his late 30s, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen are a great receiver tandem, and Melvin Gordon is good in his role as a power back. On defense, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram may be the best duo of edge rushers in the league. There is a whole lot for fans to like about this team (if only they had fans anymore).

4. Kansas City Chiefs

Some people have Kansas City all the way at the top of their power rankings, and its easy to see why. MVP Patrick Mahomes had a Hall of Fame caliber season last year and may very well be the best quarterback in the world. But, this team is not quite the same as the one that almost advanced to the Super Bowl. Tyreek Hill may still be suspended or released, and they lost Eric Berry and Dee Ford on defense. This team is still scary on offense, but the defense is suspect entering 2019.

3. Indianapolis Colts

No team has gone from mediocrity to Super Bowl contender as quickly as the Indianapolis Colts have. Chris Ballard and Frank Reich have built a winner by drafting and developing great players for two years in a row. It also doesn't hurt to have one of the NFL's most elite quarterbacks who would've been league MVP last year if Mahomes didn't have an otherworldly season. This team is as legit as they come in 2019 and should win the AFC South before challenging the Pats, Chargers and Chiefs for the conference title.

2. New England Patriots

Of course the defending champions are up here; its impossible to not look at what they have done over the last twenty years and not think they are capable of doing it one more time. Yes, they had many losses this offseason including future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski. But they drafted well, signed inexpensive free agents, and still have the best quarterback-coach duo of all time. They may decline in some areas, but they will adapt and overcome like they always do.

1. New Orleans Saints

The poor Saints can't seem to catch a break recently. In 2017 they lost on the ridiculous Minneapolis Miracle play and in 2018 they lost because of an egregious blown call. Well, this might finally be the year that New Orleans finally earns their deserved conference title. Their offense will be elite as long as Brees, Thomas and Kamara are healthy. The defense will continue to thrive if Marshon Lattimore continues to be a shutdown corner. This team has the best combination of talent, coaching, track record, and depth of any team in the league right now, earning them the first number one spot in these power rankings.