Way Too Early 2026 NFL Power Rankings: Post-Super Bowl Edition
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Congrats to the Seattle Seahawks on winning their second Super Bowl championship with a dominant victory over the New England Patriots. Now, the page quickly turns to the 2026 season. With another epic season of football in the books, let’s dive into our way-too-early edition of the 2026 NFL power rankings.
Who are the top NFL teams in next season’s power rankings?
32. New York Jets
The Jets’ offseason took a big-time hit when Oregon QB Dante Moore announced his plans to return to college. With the Las Vegas Raiders sure to take Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, the Jets suddenly don’t have a hot-shot QB prospect to take at No. 2.
So, it’s anyone’s guess what Aaron Glenn and his reshuffled coaching staff will do at quarterback. Keeping Justin Fields would enhance their chances of tanking for Arch Manning, though.
31. Tennessee Titans
In a bit of a surprise, the Titans hired ex-49ers DC Robert Saleh as their head coach. Tennessee went against the trend of hiring a young, offensive-minded coach. Perhaps they were turned off after the failed Brian Callahan experiment.
Anyway, we’ll see if Saleh can make the most of his second head coaching gig. The real concern is if GM Mike Borgonzi can get creative and fix the many holes across the roster — namely the interior offensive line, wide receiver room, and secondary.
It doesn’t help Tennessee that they play in a division that suddenly boasts three Super Bowl contenders in the NFL power rankings.
30. Las Vegas Raiders
Well, the Raiders’ offseason is off to a nice start.
They aced the hire of now-former Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach. And with the No. 1 pick, Vegas is assured Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza — a slam-dunk pick for Tom Brady and company.
Word is that the Raiders and superstar defensive tackle Maxx Crosby are headed for a split. If that’s the case, the front office will likely have multiple first-round picks to work with in April’s draft. No pressure after the stink that was 2025!
29. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals hired Mike LaFleur as their new head coach after his successful stint as the Rams’ offensive coordinator. Presumably, he’ll be paired with a new starting quarterback.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Arizona brings back Kyler Murray. And he should have zero desire to return. The only reason Arizona isn’t lower on our rankings is? They have a nice nucleus to build around in Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., Paris Johnson, Josh Sweat, and Will Johnson.
28. Cleveland Browns
The Browns made the surprise decision to hire ex-Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their new head coach. Reportedly unhappy that he was snubbed for the HC vacancy, beloved defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz resigned.
So the Browns lose their most valuable assistant and bring in a guy who’s never been an NFL head coach. The QB position is the main focus entering this offseason, but don’t be surprised if competition is brought in for Shedeur Sanders.
27. Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn saw enough after one bad season to shake up his coaching staff. He moved on from OC Kliff Kingsbury in a surprise move and cut ties with DC Joe Whitt Jr. They were replaced by David Blough and Daronte Jones, respectively.
GM Adam Peters has a long offseason to-do list. The o-line needs help. More pass-catching weapons would be nice, too, if they don’t retain pending free agent Deebo Samuel. The defense needs upgrades across the board.
Other than that, it shouldn’t be a difficult offseason in DC. But this is where they currently stand in the NFL power rankings.
26. New York Giants
The Giants hit the jackpot by hiring John Harbaugh after his shocking firing from the Ravens. Not to jump the gun here, but this could be a surprise playoff contender if Jaxson Dart stays healthy in 2026.
Harbaugh inherits a promising young core led by Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and Abdul Carter. If GM Joe Schoen can ace just a couple more offseason moves, the G-Men will take a big step forward.
25. New Orleans Saints
The Saints made one noteworthy announcement after the regular season, committing to Tyler Shough as their 2026 starter after a solid rookie year. That means they won’t be in the market for a QB at the draft.
All Saints fans can hope for is that GM Mickey Loomis continues to build through the draft and not make a bunch of failed win-now moves that derailed the franchise from 2021 to 2024. The rebuild is on the right track. Keep building with young talent, not overpaid veterans.
24. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins wasted no time bringing sweeping changes. Jon-Eric Sullivan is the new GM. Jeff Hafley replaced Mike McDaniel as head coach. Sean Duggan and Bobby Slowik are the new DC and OC, respectively.
Now, we wait and see what the new Dolphins’ regime does at QB. Does Tua Tagovailoa get one more chance? Or is a change behind center on the horizon? Stay tuned for where they will stand at the start of the 2026 NFL power rankings.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In a move that baffled many Bucs fans, Todd Bowles was kept as head coach. Yet, they allowed him to clean house with his coaching staff. Yes, the guy who picked his staff that failed is still in charge of the operations.
Anyway, Bowles’ biggest move was hiring Zac Robinson as the OC. Now, GM Jason Licht has a long list of pending free agents to sort through, notably Mike Evans, Cade Otton, Lavonte David, Rachaad White, and Jamel Dean.
22. Atlanta Falcons
After John Harbaugh, our favorite coaching hire of 2026 was the Falcons’ savvy move to scoop up Kevin Stefanski. A two-time Coach of the Year inheriting an offense with Michael Penix Jr, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London? Where do we sign?
Atlanta only missed out on the NFC South crown via a three-way tiebreaker. Stefanski is a far better fit for this offense-driven team than Raheem Morris. Now, the focus shifts to the new President of football, Matt Ryan, and GM Ian Cunningham. Can they make the moves to end the club’s nine-year playoff drought in 2026?
21. Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones has two key pending free agents to retain in wide receiver George Pickens and running back Javonte Williams. Ideally, he’d spend some leftover funds to shore up the offensive line and secondary.
Jones also has not one, but two first-round picks to play with this year via the Micah Parsons trade. If Jones pushes all the right buttons, Dallas could re-emerge as a serious threat to Philadelphia for the NFC East division crown.
20. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow made many cryptic comments near the end of the season. Notably, he said, “You think about a lot of things” when a reporter asked him about potentially playing elsewhere.
Hopefully, Cincy’s cheap ownership and front office got the message. Enough of wasting Joe Burrow’s prime. Spend some flipping money this offseason. Make win-now moves. Show Joe you actually wanna win around him.
If things spiral again in 2026? Hard to imagine a scenario where Burrow doesn’t eventually request a trade.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin’s resignation wasn’t a surprise. The decision to hire Mike McCarthy was. But we also gotta be careful critiquing a franchise that’s only employed three head coaches since 1969.
With the coaching staff in place, the main question is the Steelers’ QB situation. If Aaron Rodgers wants to keep playing, will McCarthy reunite with him? Or do they go in another direction to improve their power rankings in the NFL? If it’s the latter, what direction do they choose?
Not a lot of options, which is why running it back with Rodgers may be Pittsburgh’s best bet — as much as Steeler fans don’t wanna hear it.
18. Carolina Panthers
Despite an eighth straight losing season, the Panthers’ 8-9 record was enough to claim the NFC South crown. They even gave the high-powered Rams a fight in the Wild Card Round, narrowly losing 34-31.
Things are trending up in Carolina. Bryce Young is finally putting it together, and Offensive Rookie of the Year award winner Tetairoa McMillan looks like the next big thing at wideout. Fix up the defense and offensive line, and Carolina could go from “best in a bad division” to an actual NFC contender.
17. Indianapolis Colts
The only real question is what the Colts do with Daniel Jones. Does he get an extended long-term contract? Franchise tagged? Do the Colts decide they don’t need Jones and let him sign elsewhere?
The likely scenario is that he returns to Indy in 2026, one way or another. The Colts looked like contenders before his unfortunate season-ending Achilles injury, so GM Chris Ballard doesn’t have to make too many roster changes.
16. Baltimore Ravens
Missing out on the postseason wasn’t acceptable in the watch of Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti. John Harbaugh was fired after an 18-year tenure. The coaching staff was entirely overhauled, with the Ravens settling on ex-Chargers DC Jesse Minter as their new head coach.
We’ll see if Minter can provide the spark this franchise needs, or if an ageing roster is the problem. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry aren’t getting any younger. But if Lamar is healthy, the Ravens remain the team to beat in the AFC North. Of course, “if healthy” are the key words.
15. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs moved on from Matt Nagy and brought back Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator. Now, what to do with the roster?
We don’t yet know if Patrick Mahomes will be ready for the start of 2026. So KC would be wise to bring in a competent backup just in case to stay afloat in the NFL power rankings. With limited cap space, GM Brett Veach has some difficult decisions to sort through. The o-line, running back room, wide receiver corps, and front seven especially need upgrades.
14. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings’ offseason got off to a nice start with defensive coordinator Brian Flores signing an extension. So, that side of the ball won’t be a problem.
Obviously, the Vikings are still kicking themselves for not retaining Sam Darnold last year. They don’t seem ready to move on from JJ McCarthy, but expect them to bring in an experienced veteran to at least challenge him for the QB1 job.
13. Los Angeles Chargers
It was no small task for Jim Harbaugh to lead the Bolts to consecutive playoff appearances, something they hadn’t done since 2008 and ‘09. But it was sure depressing to watch them lose 16-3 to a vulnerable Patriots team in the Wild Card Round.
Another year of Justin Herbert’s prime wasted. Maybe things would have been different if star bookends Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater were healthy. But also, it’s the Bolts. They’ll always find ways to underachieve.
We’re already wondering if this team has peaked under Harbaugh. Then again…maybe, just maybe, they’ll take a step forward with better health luck in 2026.
12. Detroit Lions
In some ways, it’s still hard to comprehend how the Lions missed the playoffs. But all they can do is learn from a frustrating season and apply the tough lessons learned toward the offseason.
They’ll have to shore up the interior offensive line, for starters. Boy, did that team miss Frank Ragnow after his shocking retirement. Getting some playmakers on D to help Brian Branch and Aidan Hutchinson wouldn’t hurt, either.
11. Houston Texans
CJ Stroud’s pathetic showing in the Texans’ Divisional Round loss to New England wasted a generational Houston defense. That is hard to swallow if you’re a Texans fan.
Houston will look to shore up its o-line and wide receiver corps in the offseason. But what if Stroud is the problem? His regression since a lights-out rookie year is impossible to understand. Thus, we’re left wondering if 2026 will be a make-or-break year for Stroud. The rest of the team is clearly good enough to win.
10. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia media and fans made it sound like this team won five games. Fact check: They went 11-6 and became the first NFC East repeat champion in 21 years. Oh, and they were a play away from reaching the “elite eight.”
The sky’s not falling in Philly. Nick Sirianni’s easy decision to move on from OC Kevin Patullo is a nice start to the offseason. AJ Brown is likely a goner, but Howie Roseman has aced the art of replacing five-star talent. So don’t act like the window has closed already, Eagles fans.
9. Green Bay Packers
Packers fans are still trying to wrap their heads around that brutal collapse against Chicago in the Wild Card Round. We’d also like to remind them how much different this team was when Micah Parsons, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft were all healthy.
We’re all waiting for the Pack to start winning in the playoffs again. But again, this team is that much better with Parsons on the field. Major roster changes aren’t necessary. They just need better health luck.
8. Chicago Bears
The Bears were one non-Caleb Williams overtime interception away from reaching the NFC Championship Game. In other words, it was a pretty damn good year in the Windy City — even if it ended in heartbreaking fashion.
Ben Johnson brought a winning culture to Chicago. The guys bought in. And Williams is just hitting his ceiling now. The Bears came out of “losing hibernation” and have re-emerged as an NFC heavyweight. Enjoy it, Chicago. You’ve waited a long time for your football team to be relevant again in the NFL power rankings.
7. San Francisco 49ers
No, it’s never fun getting blown out in the playoffs – especially against a heated rival. In the 49ers’ case, a 41-6 loss to the Seahawks in the Divisional Round. But Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers had nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s amazing how far they got despite an unbelievable string of injuries, namely to Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and. Ricky Pearsall. No Brandon Aiyuk all season, either.
With better health luck, the 49ers will be as dangerous as any NFC team next season.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags’ Wild Card Round loss to Buffalo especially stings more now. They could have totally won at New England in the Divisional Round. And yeah, they would have smoked the Bo Nix-less Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Liam Coen had a phenomenal first season as the Jags’ head coach. With a healthy version of Travis Hunter in 2026 and a full year of Jakobi Meyers, the ceiling is sky-high for this team. They’ll be in the mix again for years to come.
5. Buffalo Bills
The Bills made the head-scratching decision to fire Sean McDermott after a tough loss to the Broncos in the Divisional Round. They promoted OC Joe Brady to the head coaching duties. Only time will tell if this works out.
But we have a hard time seeing how Buffalo upgrades here. McDermott kept getting the most out of a mediocre roster built by GM Brandon Beane. The latter better make some big splashes for once this offseason, otherwise Buffalo’s championship window will rapidly close.
4. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were this-close to representing the NFC in the Super Bowl, but it wasn’t to be. The good news? They’ll be right back in the mix with MVP Matthew Stafford already committing to 2026.
LA has been there, done that once with Sean McVay. No reason they can’t be one of the top players for the Super Bowl again next year. Or in the NFL power rankings, too.
3. Denver Broncos
The Broncos would have certainly won the AFC Championship Game with a healthy Bo Nix and potentially Super Bowl 60. Indeed, his season-ending ankle injury will be a tough one for the Broncos and their fans to stomach for a while.
But on the more optimistic side: They were one non-QB injury away from winning the Lombardi Trophy. Clearly, this roster is more than good enough to win. They just need a healthy Nix to get there next season.
2. New England Patriots
The Patriots’ Cinderella season ended with a dejecting blowout loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. But this young group has nothing to be ashamed of. It’s only the start of what could be a very special era under Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye.
All the Pats can do is learn from their gut-wrenching loss and apply it as a valuable lesson going forward. But yes, they’re very much back in the game. And dangerous again.
1. Seattle Seahawks
After a painful 11-year wait, the Seahawks finally got their hands back on the Lombardi Trophy with a 29-13 shellacking of the Patriots in Super Bowl 60. What a wonderful feel-good story.
Sam Darnold completed the career redemption story by leading the Seahawks to an improbable Super Bowl triumph. Mike Macdonald’s lights-out defense and star running back Kenneth Walker III put on grade-A performances to put the finishing touches on a special season.
Victory tastes great the first time you experience it. Now, the Seahawks can turn their attention toward building a dynasty — something the previous Super Bowl-winning group could never achieve.
