NFL Power Rankings: Eagles reign -- what about everyone else?
Published:
Updated:
Was Super Bowl LII the greatest of 'em all?
Hold on a second, partner. We'll get there.
It's time to look at how the teams stack up at the end of the 2017 season -- combined with an early outlook for 2018. How do coaching changes, impending free agents and available cap funds affect each organization? See below. Your hack writer did his best to juxtapose each factor without ignoring what we absorbed from the campaign that just saw its final act -- and what a final act it was!
All of us took in an absolutely thrilling Super Bowl. It's fair to say Eagles-Patriots belongs among the pantheon of the most memorable Super Sundays in NFL history.
Amazing game from start to finish.. Foles TD play the play of the game.
— Peter Hooper (@hammerpgh) February 5, 2018
Nice to see Peter checking in from the UK. You can't blame Steve for feeling the way he does. (Check his locale.) But while we're at it, here are my top five Super Bowls, based on the quality of the game and its legacy:
5) Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19. Great defensive battle, with the underdog Giants and a backup QB (sound familiar?) taking down the high-powered Bills. Wide right.
4) Super Bowl XLIX: New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24. No matter the latest news, Malcolm Butler made the play of the millennium in an outstanding matchup and game.
3) Super Bowl LII: Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33. Instant classic.
2) Super Bowl XLII: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14. The top front four in football bested a team considered unbeatable. And Tyree.
1) Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31. High-scoring affair for the era, with over 20 Hall of Famers on the field and on the sidelines. It decided the team of the decade.
I've changed my mind on the No. 5 Super Bowl many times. Ditto the rankings you see below. So many layers and so much subtext to all 32 teams as we head into an intriguing offseason. Also interesting? Your thoughts. Send along: @HarrisonNFL is the place.
Let the dissension commence!
PROGRAMMING NOTE: For more in-depth analysis on the updated league pecking order, tune in to NFL Network on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. ET for a special edition of the "NFL Power Rankings" show.
These are your newest
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) champs. Awesome stuff. While many folks on Twitter were keeping tabs on
[Tom Brady](/player/tombrady/2504211/profile)'s passing stats and wondering if he would surpass Norm Van Brocklin's 66-year-old record for passing yards in a game, a strange thing happened. Namely,
[Nick Foles](/player/nickfoles/2532842/profile), who made damn sure Van Brocklin could no longer be called the last
[Eagles](/teams/philadelphiaeagles/profile?team=PHI) quarterback to walk off the field a champion. Yep, that was in 1960 -- that's how long it's been since Philly won an NFL title. With
[Carson Wentz](/player/carsonwentz/2555259/profile) coming back in 2018 and all of the nucleus under contract, this is an easy No. 1.
Last year's champs fell in one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time. There's no shame in that. People can hate on
[Tom Brady](/player/tombrady/2504211/profile) all they want, but at the end of the day -- rather, the end of his career -- those same folks
*are gonna miss [Tom Brady](/player/tombrady/2504211/profile).* Other note: If
[Rob Gronkowski](/player/robgronkowski/497240/profile) were
[to hang up the cleats](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000914570/article/rob-gronkowski-mulling-football-future-after-loss) (and plan enough Gronk cruises to put the "Love Boat" to shame), he'd be a Hall of Famer -- right now. I don't care that he's only played eight seasons, or that he gets hurt, or that he would have walked away at 28. Whatever. The dude is unstoppable in one-on-one situations.
[Nick Foles](/player/nickfoles/2532842/profile) was the
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) MVP. Gronk was right behind him. What an effort on Sunday: nine catches, 116 yards and two touchdowns. That's the best overall day a TE has ever had in the
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl).
Too high for the Jags? False. They have the draft capital and some cap room to rectify the one spot on the team that you were thinking of eight seconds ago when you read the ranking. Their defense is chock-full o' talent, from stem to stern. As far as free agency goes, wide receiver is the group that presents the most concern. Both
[Allen Robinson](/player/allenrobinson/2543509/profile) and
[Marqise Lee](/player/marqiselee/2543475/profile) are set to hit the open market. Of course, who's throwing them the ball, or potentially throwing them the ball? That's the question everyone is underlining this offseason. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports that Jacksonville intends to head into 2018 with
[Blake Bortles](/player/blakebortles/2543477/profile) as the starter -- and that
[this was the plan](http://www.nfl.com/videos/jacksonville-jaguars/0ap3000000912363/Ian-Rapoport-Jaguars-planning-to-keep-Blake-Bortles-at-QB-in-2018) regardless of the wrist surgery that could lock in his 2018 contract (which is guaranteed for injury).
[Alex Smith](http://www.nfl.com/player/alexsmith/2506340/profile) would have been a nice fit, as many in the Twitterverse pointed out. Obviously that's not happening. Soon-to-be former
[Redskins](/teams/washingtonredskins/profile?team=WAS) starter
[Kirk Cousins](/player/kirkcousins/2532820/profile) would be a huge upgrade. Money would be an issue there. So, Bortles?
The
[Saints](/teams/neworleanssaints/profile?team=NO) aren't going anywhere.
[Nor is Drew Brees.](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000906917/article/drew-brees-ill-be-here-as-long-as-saints-want-me) Put another way, expect New Orleans to be right back in the mix for the NFC crown in 2018, with their 39-year-old quarterback firing the ball to
[Michael Thomas](/player/michaelthomas/2556370/profile) and whoever else on third down. Moreover, the
[Saints](/teams/neworleanssaints/profile?team=NO) became the first team to sweep the Rookie of the Year awards (with
[Alvin Kamara](/player/alvinkamara/2558019/profile) and Marshon Lattimore) since the 1967
[Lions](/teams/detroitlions/profile?team=DET) (Mel Farr and Lem Barney). Moreover Part II, the
[Saints](/teams/neworleanssaints/profile?team=NO) have enough cap space to keep who they need to keep. Brees aside, there are no contract-less stars on this team, and there
*are* enough studs on both sides of the ball to make Sean Payton's group a threat to be in
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) LIII. That's why the fleur-de-lis is batting cleanup here.
For all the
[Falcons](/teams/atlantafalcons/profile?team=ATL) fans who feel their team has been disrespected in this space, making the top five ain't too shabby, huh? Here's the deal: The
[Steelers](/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT) have limited capital, several needs and a huge question mark at RB1. As for the
[Vikings](/teams/minnesotavikings/profile?team=MIN), who's their quarterback? Atlanta, meanwhile,
[dusted the Rams](http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2018010601/2017/POST18/falcons@rams) -- in Los Angeles -- in the postseason. This will be Year 2 of Steve Sarkisian's offense, which should work out a helmetful* of kinks. (Though not the issue of all the free agents on the defensive line.)
*I'm talking about the old red helmets with a black falcon emblazoned on the side. Bring 'em back, please.
The greatness of
[Le'Veon Bell](/player/le'veonbell/2540175/profile) aside, would the
[Steelers](/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT) be better off not paying him this offseason? Bell has earned a big-money contract -- but you can make the case that the money he will command is not worthwhile, given how difficult Pittsburgh's cap situation is and how much help is needed on defense. Bell will earn somewhere in the mid-teens per year, a huge sum for a position that has been de-emphasized across the NFL. On the other hand, no one in the league touched the football more than Bell last year:
*406 times.* Usually, but not always, a running back's first five years -- not his next five -- are his best. Bell is entering Year 6. That's what makes the
[Steelers](/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT)' decision process here so fascinating. How far will they go?
Like the
[Steelers](/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT), the
[Vikings](/teams/minnesotavikings/profile?team=MIN) face some fascinating choices of grad-school-level difficulty.
[Case Keenum](/player/casekeenum/2532888/profile) played as big a role as any other player lifting the
[Vikings](/teams/minnesotavikings/profile?team=MIN) to their first NFC title game since 2009. How much money does Minnesota offer a career journeyman? And we can't assume that Keenum will be what he'd been before 2017 -- i.e., maybe what we saw this year is a player who has turned the corner. Can the organization bail now? The guess here is that
[Sam Bradford](/player/sambradford/497095/profile) is gone, which seems unfair, given how
[that Monday nighter in Chicago](http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2017100900/2017/REG5/vikings@bears) played out, with a banged-up Bradford making Joe Namath look like Richard Simmons in comparison. Minnesota might be able to retain
[Teddy Bridgewater](/player/teddybridgewater/2543465/profile)
[without the former first-rounder hitting free agency,](http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22291351/teddy-bridgewater-stint-2017-pup-list-decide-status-minnesota-vikings-next-season) based on time spent on the PUP list and whether the one-time franchise quarterback has accrued enough time to qualify as a free agent. That's a super complicated CBA question for the NFL and NFL Players Association to jazzercise over. Oh, goodie. Can't wait for that outcome.
For all intents and purposes, the
[Rams](/teams/losangelesrams/profile?team=LA) are in fantastic shape heading into the NFL
[Scouting Combine](http://www.nfl.com/combine), having just pulled off the NFL Honors triple crown. The front office has plenty of cap space with which to fill voids in what could be a challenging follow-up act for Coach of the Year Sean McVay.
[Aaron Donald](/player/aarondonald/2543485/profile) will have a much easier time repeating as Defensive Player of the Year if Los Angeles can retain corners
[Nickell Robey-Coleman](/player/nickellrobey-coleman/2540197/profile) and
[Trumaine Johnson](/player/trumainejohnson/2532877/profile) in the secondary. Also set to hit free agency: receiver
[Sammy Watkins](/player/sammywatkins/2543457/profile). Maybe he didn't enjoy Todd Gurley-like productivity, but that doesn't mean the former Clemson speedster wasn't impactful. Defenses have to respect him vertically, and for all the reliability of
[Robert Woods](/player/robertwoods/2540169/profile) and
[Cooper Kupp](/player/cooperkupp/2557898/profile), they don't scare defensive coordinators. Before we go, Gurley winning Offensive Player of the Year was awesome. Mainly because
*he* was awesome. His labors in the passing game, where he averaged more yards per catch and caught more touchdowns than any other running back, deserve more praise than a simple sentence here.
The
[Panthers](/teams/carolinapanthers/profile?team=CAR) gave the
[Saints](/teams/neworleanssaints/profile?team=NO) all they could handle in their
[NFC wild-card contest,](http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2018010701/2017/POST18/panthers@saints) proving not only that they belonged in the tournament, but that they could be a contender with a few more pieces. Those ancillary parts will likely come via the draft, as funds are not in abundance and Carolina has expiring contracts to address. That list starts with guard
[Andrew Norwell](/player/andrewnorwell/2550589/profile). Interior offensive linemen like that dude aren't available often. Retaining Norwell will cost team brass a pretty penny. New offensive coordinator Norv Turner could use a new wideout opposite
[Devin Funchess](/player/devinfunchess/2552458/profile), especially with tight end
[Greg Olsen](/player/gregolsen/2495700/profile) heading into Year 12. Hard to believe Olsen has been around that long. We're all old.
How did the
[Packers](/teams/greenbaypackers/profile?team=GB) end up in the top 10 after a dismal season? Because
*a dismal season* in Green Bay is 7-9, and even that mediocre record was more the result of
[Aaron Rodgers](/player/aaronrodgers/2506363/profile) getting injured than anything else. The Pack are not without holes, especially if safety
[Morgan Burnett](/player/morganburnett/496727/profile) inks a deal elsewhere. The offensive line will likely be addressed during the draft.
[Richard Rodgers](/player/richardrodgers/2550313/profile) is not under contract, but I don't think the personnel department is going to sit on
[Lance Kendricks](/player/lancekendricks/2495187/profile) as the TE1. The
*other* Rodgers is surely
[not planning on sitting under anyone](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000914970/article/aaron-rodgers-i-plan-on-winning-another-mvp) in the NFC North standings.
Staying conservative on the
[Chargers](/teams/losangeleschargers/profile?team=LAC). Every time you get jacked up about this group, something crappy happens. Not crappy:
[Keenan Allen](/player/keenanallen/2540154/profile) winning the Comeback Player of the Year award. That guy obviously worked diligently to recover his quickness after losing so much time the previous two years to injury. His moves off the line are better than those of a guy dancing in front of paid extras at a halftime show. Wait a minute. ... This club needs help in the front seven, particularly on the interior and with regard to stopping the run. Still, methinks the Bolts are the favorites in the AFC West. Me-also-thinks they really need to kick footballs through the uprights on a regular basis for that to hold true.
At first glance, Houston looks to be a playoff team in 2018.
[Deshaun Watson](/player/deshaunwatson/2558063/profile), quite possibly the MVP of the league while he was starting, will be back at full steam (remember, his knee injury came at midseason), while
[J.J. Watt](/player/j.j.watt/2495488/profile) and
[Whitney Mercilus](/player/whitneymercilus/2533049/profile) are primed to return, as well. At issue for Houston is what to do on the offensive line, where the
[Texans](/teams/houstontexans/profile?team=HOU) need much help quickly. Defensively, this team missed
[A.J. Bouye](/player/a.j.bouye/2541162/profile) -- who signed on with the
[Jaguars](/teams/jacksonvillejaguars/profile?team=JAX) last year -- as much as any team in the league missed a departed free agent. Not sure if Bill O'Brien
[stood outside Bouye's window with a jam box playing Peter Gabriel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5Y8tFQ01OY), but it wouldn't have been the worst idea. The
[Texans](/teams/houstontexans/profile?team=HOU) have a ton of cap flexibility, along with later picks in the draft, to rectify some of these issues.
With all the impending holes the
[Seahawks](/teams/seattleseahawks/profile?team=SEA) have, perhaps it is more than mildly surprising to see Pete Carroll hanging tight in his post. While Seattle's offensive line should be better (losing
[George Fant](/player/georgefant/2556524/profile)
[in the preseason](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000831725/article/injuries-seahawks-george-fant-tears-acl-out-for-year) was a heavy blow for the 2017 season), the defensive line could look vastly different in 2018.
[Cliff Avril](/player/cliffavril/1330/profile)
[(health),](https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-cliff-avril-tells-nfl-network-he-plans-to-try-to-play-again-but-contract-means-it-might-not-be-in-seattle/)
[Michael Bennett](http://www.nfl.com/player/michaelbennett/2507617/profile) (contract) and
[Sheldon Richardson](/player/sheldonrichardson/2540142/profile) (free agent) carry different issues. Which, in theory, places more pressure on the secondary. Which would be fine if
[Richard Sherman](/player/richardsherman/2495507/profile) and
[Kam Chancellor](/player/kamchancellor/494257/profile) hadn't ended the season on IR. The biggest genius in IT couldn't predict who will be the lead dog at running back in Seattle next season.
The
[49ers](/teams/sanfrancisco49ers/profile?team=SF) ended the 2017 season on a roll, winning five straight games with
[Jimmy Garoppolo](/player/jimmygaroppolo/2543801/profile) under center (and six of seven overall). The Niners carry several talented starters on defense and also are projected to have over $100 million in cap space. Read that last line again. No team has more money
[(reportedly)](https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space) to spend, which means that Jimmy G will ... well, the man will have
[*his own money*.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKGd8GAAb00) All that aside, San Francisco still needs major help at CB, with the pass rush and along the offensive line, with a couple free agents up in the air there. "Up in the Air." Strange movie.
The
[Titans](/teams/tennesseetitans/profile?team=TEN) are almost unrankable. This was a playoff team that raised an eyebrow or a million by
[upending the Chiefs](http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2018010600/2017/POST18/titans@chiefs) in the most unlikely of postseason victories. Yet, this is also a franchise that just let go of a head coach who took it to back-to-back winning seasons -- while earning a playoff victory -- for the first time since the Jeff Fisher-led
[Titans](/teams/tennesseetitans/profile?team=TEN) in 2002 and '03. Regardless of what you might think (or have heard) about former head coach Mike Mularkey, he
*did* set a tone in the organization that led to success. Mike Vrabel might be better at X's and O's or motivating players. That remains to be seen. The point here is that there is so much more that goes into being a head coach than scheming offense or defense and rah-rah speeches. Like Mularkey, Vrabel played in the league -- enjoying quite a successful career, complete with three
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) rings.
Too low for the
[Chiefs](/teams/kansascitychiefs/profile?team=KC), huh? Well, let's investigate. They imploded in the playoffs, having apparently decided that giving
[Kareem Hunt](/player/kareemhunt/2557917/profile) the football was like freebasing gluten. It was very Romeo Crennel-Jamaal Charles-ish.
[They got rid of their starting quarterback,](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000913035/article/winners-losers-of-the-alex-smith-trade-kirk-cousins-benefits) who led the NFL in passer rating and turned (rather, demolished) the table on the narrative he couldn't throw the deep ball. Even without
[Alex Smith](http://www.nfl.com/player/alexsmith/2506340/profile), Kansas City
[is near the bottom of the league](https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space) in terms of cap room, and the
[Chiefs](/teams/kansascitychiefs/profile?team=KC) have no first-round pick this year. The defense has many holes. They also need wide receiver help. Let's not forget that dealing Smith means they're putting a heckuva lot of faith in
[Patrick Mahomes](/player/patrickmahomes/2558125/profile). So that's kind of a lot to sort out.
From the Department of News that Was Less Regarded Than It Should Have Been: Ozzie Newsome is
[transitioning out of the traditional GM role](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000913592/article/ravens-gm-ozzie-newsome-to-step-down-after-2018) after the coming season. You can't overstate Newsome's impact on the franchise -- or the league in general. He helped build two
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) winners, yet more importantly, he was the first African-American general manager in the NFL, paving the way for other qualified candidates who might've been overlooked before. Oh, yeah -- Newsome was a
[Hall of Fame](http://www.profootballhof.com/) tight end, too. Not bad. Wonder if he can help this team find a tight end, plus a wideout or two while he's at it. The
[Ravens](/teams/baltimoreravens/profile?team=BAL) can't hope to return to the playoffs while getting less than 500 yards of production from their WR2, or with the tight ends failing to average 9 yards a catch.
[Joe Flacco](/player/joeflacco/382/profile)'s yards-per-attempt mark (5.7) was awful, too.
Imagine you were a
[Lions](/teams/detroitlions/profile?team=DET) fans watching
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) LII, partially excited to know that the bearded wonder on the
[Patriots](/teams/newenglandpatriots/profile?team=NE) sideline with the pencil behind his ear like your metal shop teacher in high school was going to be your next head coach. A top-notch defensive coordinator, ready to revive the dingy Detroit pass rush and get the Honolulu Blue back in the playoffs. Then said coach's unit, poised to make
[Nick Foles](/player/nickfoles/2532842/profile) look like Nick Lachey, instead allows the QB to go
[Aaron Rodgers](/player/aaronrodgers/2506363/profile) all over the New England defense. While the
[Lions](/teams/detroitlions/profile?team=DET) won't be able to grab a Leonard Fournette-type with their middle-of-the-road draft slot, it's time for a running engine overhaul in the Motor City. Back to Patricia: Still believe in this hire.
Admittedly, this is a low ranking for the
[Bills](/teams/buffalobills/profile?team=BUF). Yet, there are many holes on this team, starting at quarterback. Well, we don't really know who the quarterback is, do we?
[Tyrod Taylor](/player/tyrodtaylor/2495240/profile) says
[he's not taking a pay cut](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000913787/article/tyrod-taylor-not-open-to-another-restructuring-of-deal), so there is much speculation that he is gone. The spirit of this team, DT
[Kyle Williams](/player/kylewilliams/2506931/profile), might not be back.
[LeSean McCoy](/player/leseanmccoy/79607/profile) looked swift last year, but he's heading into Year 10. Needs are more abundant for this playoff team than any other, as Rotoworld.com's Evan Silva aptly pointed out in
[his piece this week](http://rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/77699/59/2018-nfl-team-needs). What's encouraging in Buffalo is the gratuitous amount of cap space and the gratuitous amount of draft picks (including two 1s and 2s).
The
[Cowboys](/teams/dallascowboys/profile?team=DAL) are dealing with myriad issues. That includes a quarterback problem. This is a prove-it year for
[Dak Prescott](/player/dakprescott/2555260/profile), made more complicated by
[Dez Bryant](/player/dezbryant/497278/profile)'s apparent decline (the degree of descent being the real conundrum), the presence of
*Just A Guy* at the "Z" (mostly) in
[Terrance Williams](/player/terrancewilliams/2539205/profile) and an aging
[Jason Witten](/player/jasonwitten/2505629/profile) manning tight end for the 16th year. Wow. Dallas could draft a wideout early and a Witten replacement on Day 2. Help on the offensive line (in terms of depth), at linebacker and on the defensive line must be considered. Contract needs for
[Demarcus Lawrence](/player/demarcuslawrence/2543490/profile) (who
[finished tied for second in the NFL with 14.5 sacks](http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=SACKS&conference=null&season=2017&seasonType=REG)) and
[David Irving](/player/davidirving/2553805/profile) are also on the immediate horizon for this team. The play-calling was lambasted on many occasions last season, particularly when the
[Cowboys](/teams/dallascowboys/profile?team=DAL) treated the ground attack like their least-favorite kid. Will Dallas return to the power running that served it so well in 2014 and 2016? If not, the
[Cowboys](/teams/dallascowboys/profile?team=DAL) could be staring at other jerseys on their flat screens in mid-January again.
The
[Raiders](/teams/oaklandraiders/profile?team=OAK) made the headlines in Divisional Round week without actually playing in it.
[The hiring of Jon Gruden](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000903491/article/oakland-raiders-hire-jon-gruden-as-head-coach) brings back much excitement while reinstating some tradition to the (for now) Oakland franchise. Does that mean an automatic leapfrog up the NFL pecking order? No. The
[Raiders](/teams/oaklandraiders/profile?team=OAK) are what they are -- a 6-10 team with a new head coach and a banged-up QB who took a step backward in 2017.
[Derek Carr](/player/derekcarr/2543499/profile) was faaaaaaaar from the main worry in Oakland last season, but the young vet saw his completion percentage, touchdowns and yards-per-attempt go down, while his interceptions went up. What of Beast Mode's future? Will the team pay to keep
[NaVorro Bowman](/player/navorrobowman/2508088/profile)? If
[Michael Crabtree](/player/michaelcrabtree/71269/profile) has played his last down for the
[Raiders](/teams/oaklandraiders/profile?team=OAK), Gruden and GM Reggie McKenzie must consider WR early in the draft.
There is hope. The other night, I watched the original CBS broadcast of a
[Cowboys](/teams/dallascowboys/profile?team=DAL) game from opening day of the 1981 season -- at RFK Stadium. Do you know which game that was? Joe Gibbs' debut. The
[Redskins](/teams/washingtonredskins/profile?team=WAS) would lose 26-10 that day, on their way to starting the season 0-5. Yet Washington would go 8-3 down the stretch behind a promising offense featuring Joe Theismann, Joe Washington, John Riggins, Art Monk and a very young offensive line. That group would spearhead a run to the Lombardi Trophy the next season, then repeat as NFC champs in '83. While I can't say I am a fan of letting
[Kirk Cousins](/player/kirkcousins/2532820/profile) walk, the
[Redskins](/teams/washingtonredskins/profile?team=WAS) won't be paying
[Alex Smith](http://www.nfl.com/player/alexsmith/2506340/profile) $30 million to play football under a franchise tag. Washington does have concerns with Smith's targets.
[Terrelle Pryor](/player/terrellepryor/2531332/profile) and
[Ryan Grant](/player/ryangrant/2543759/profile) are free agents, while
[Jordan Reed](/player/jordanreed/2540160/profile) is rarely healthy and
[Vernon Davis](/player/vernondavis/2495826/profile) is in his mid-30s.
The tandem of
[Jameis Winston](/player/jameiswinston/2552033/profile) and Dirk Koetter has one more season to propel the Bucs into the playoffs. More fans wanted to see Tampa go back to those
[sweet creamsicle duds with the swashbuckler decal](http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/30/images/tb_bucs_vinny450.jpg) than see Koetter return. That said, head coaches deserve more than a minute to turn around teams. He's 14-18 in two seasons, which isn't wonderful, but pretty much par for the course for Bucs head coaches as of late. Actually, better. In fact, Koetter's winning percentage is better than his three predecessors at One Buc Place, and not far off from Jon Gruden's last three seasons (22-26). Tampa has many funds to pull from the FA ATM. Let's see what these guys do.
With a freshman head coach, sophomore quarterback and a defense with upside, the sky's the limit. Maybe the Chicago skyline. The
[Bears](/teams/chicagobears/profile?team=CHI) are still several players away from being a legit threat in the NFC North. You can start with the talent, or dearth of talent, outside. (Hey, did anyone see
[Alshon Jeffery's sticky touchdown grab](http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/0ap3000000914247/Can-t-Miss-Play-Alshon-Jeffery-Mosses-Eric-Rowe-on-34-yard-TD-catch) in the first half Sunday? Beautiful. Too soon.)
[Cameron Meredith](/player/cameronmeredith/2553568/profile), coming off major injury, is a restricted free agent. The run game is in solid shape -- as is the offensive line, for the most part. What wonders Matt Nagy can work with Mitch Trubisky might be the difference between 5-11 and 10-6. Don't laugh at the latter record. If
[Nick Foles](/player/nickfoles/2532842/profile) can win the
[Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl) ...
Marvin Lewis returns for this 16th season running the
[Bengals](/teams/cincinnatibengals/profile?team=CIN). Sorry, that's not a cool way to start this blurb. Cincy fans are clamoring for a different approach with this team,
*anything* to get away from being just good enough to get beat when it matters. At least that's what the overall feeling seems to be. For now, it's business as usual with
[Andy Dalton](/player/andydalton/2495143/profile),
[A.J. Green](/player/a.j.green/2495450/profile) and Tyler Eifert(?) trying to put up enough points to keep the
[Bengals](/teams/cincinnatibengals/profile?team=CIN) afloat in the AFC North. The defense will look different without coordinator Paul Guenther, who is now officially the Bride of Chucky, as Jon Gruden's DC in Oakland. Teryl Austin, fresh from Detroit, should be an adequate replacement. Free agency/draft: Staring at the offensive line here. Thoughts, Cincy fandom? (
[@HarrisonNFL](https://twitter.com/HarrisonNFL))
The
[Dolphins](/teams/miamidolphins/profile?team=MIA) will certainly look different on offense next season.
[Ryan Tannehill](/player/ryantannehill/2532956/profile) will be back in the saddle. How difficult it is to get in and out of that saddle -- er, pocket -- bears watching. Tannehill missed all of last season with a knee injury, and no one knows for sure what to make of his career to this point. He is certainly an upgrade over
[Jay Cutler](/player/jaycutler/2495824/profile) and
[Matt Moore](/player/mattmoore/2507282/profile), both of whom are free agents. While we're at it, receiver
[Jarvis Landry](/player/jarvislandry/2543488/profile)'s also set to hit the open market. Tight end is a major need/black hole for this team. Yep, Miami's offense is gonna look different. Maybe they'll get Tony Romo to leave the booth this time around.
*Get excited, Jim!*
Slightly better prospects for the
[Giants](/teams/newyorkgiants/profile?team=NYG) now with Pat Shurmur on board and
[Odell Beckham](/player/odellbeckham/2543496/profile) Jr. back healthy. Big Blue is another team -- like the
[Bengals](/teams/cincinnatibengals/profile?team=CIN) and
[Seahawks](/teams/seattleseahawks/profile?team=SEA) -- that must take a long look at the offensive line as a whole in preparation for the free-agent feeding frenzy in March, and then the great college marketplace come April. With many draft pundits prognosticating that the
[Giants](/teams/newyorkgiants/profile?team=NYG) will draft
[Eli Manning](/player/elimanning/2505996/profile)'s successor, how about spending the second overall on Saquon Barkley? While New York fans will bristle at this comparison, Barkley is considered a talent at least equal to
[Ezekiel Elliott](/player/ezekielelliott/2555224/profile). Think how much that could open things up for
[the Manning-Swayze-Beckham-Grey connection](http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-york-giants/0ap3000000914416/Eli-and-Odell-recreate-famous-dance-scene-from-Dirty-Dancing). Ponder the net effect of ball control on a worn-out defense, tired of Manning trying to complete third-and-8s to
[Tavarres King](/player/tavarresking/2539235/profile) and some guy recently signed out of a Piggly Wiggly. The
[Giants](/teams/newyorkgiants/profile?team=NYG) were 29th in time of possession last year. 2016: 29th. Ick.
Despite the strong finish to 2017, the
[Cardinals](/teams/arizonacardinals/profile?team=ARI) rank here, given that they have a rookie head coach and no quarterback under contract, while their best player is coming off injury. And who knows about
[the future of Larry Fitzgerald](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000914136/article/larry-fitzgerald-to-decide-on-future-in-a-week-or-two)? All of this adds up to a desert mountain of uncertainty for what has been a mostly solid team over the last five years. Would Arizona be willing to make a play for
[Kirk Cousins](/player/kirkcousins/2532820/profile)? Don't think the Cards have
[the cap space](https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space/) to do so. Look for them to grab a kid in the draft.
More questions than answers for the
[Broncos](/teams/denverbroncos/profile?team=DEN) this offseason, from the top on down. Vance Joseph endured a rocky season as a rookie head coach, and he enters the 2018 season on the proverbial hot seat. Who's the quarterback?
[Kirk Cousins](/player/kirkcousins/2532820/profile)? Sure, if he wants to sign there and try to follow in the footsteps of the last marquee free-agent QB to land in Denver, Peyton Manning. Good luck with that. There are also several key free agents who could
*leave* this team, on both offense and defense. Cap room is actually not a huge problem. Thus, perhaps more than in any other offseason, John Elway's decision-making is the key to the future. At least
[Von Miller](/player/vonmiller/2495202/profile) isn't hitting the market.
Why so low? As well as the
[Jets](/teams/newyorkjets/profile?team=NYJ) competed last season, we saw how bad it could get sans
[Josh McCown](/player/joshmccown/2505076/profile), who could retire or sign elsewhere. No matter the case, New York must draft
*somebody*. High. No more of this
*taking a flier on a Baylor quarterback in the fourth round* stuff. Putting
[Bryce Petty](/player/brycepetty/2552369/profile) aside for a moment, the
[Jets](/teams/newyorkjets/profile?team=NYJ) would just as soon play Ken O'Brien as send
[Christian Hackenberg](/player/christianhackenberg/2555416/profile) out there. Another issue: Fifteen impending free agents are set to hit the marketplace. Thankfully, New York owns
[a TON of cap space](https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space/) with which to maneuver whimsically. Free agency and the draft could send Todd Bowles' outfit right back up the league hierarchy.
After agreeing to become the
[Colts](/teams/indianapoliscolts/profile?team=IND)' new head coach, Josh McDaniels pulled the ultimate Bumble move and
[ghosted the team](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000915131/article/josh-mcdaniels-withdraws-from-colts-coaching-job). A move like this, which is essentially a non-move, can leave many people in a precarious situation, but none more than Indy GM Chris Ballard. With the face of the franchise
[not throwing yet](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000912153/article/colts-andrew-luck-regaining-strength-close-to-throwing), the
[Colts](/teams/indianapoliscolts/profile?team=IND)' prospects for the 2018 season are as murky as ever. Remember that Indy dropped six of its final seven games to close the year, so Ballard has much work ahead of him this spring.
Sadly, we can't write about this franchise without acknowledging the sudden loss of Edwin Jackson. What a tragedy for his family. Just a terrible news item to see on the most celebrated day in football.
The
[Browns](/teams/clevelandbrowns/profile?team=CLE) have picks, a tub of spending money equal to whatever
[Jimmy Garoppolo](/player/jimmygaroppolo/2543801/profile) is going to make and no quarterback like ... uh ...
[Jimmy Garoppolo](/player/jimmygaroppolo/2543801/profile). Unless Hue Jackson works wonders with
[DeShone Kizer](/player/deshonekizer/2557983/profile) in Year 2, Cleveland acquires a name signal-caller via free agency or trade (another flirtation with
[AJ McCarron](/player/ajmccarron/2543497/profile)?) or the
[Browns](/teams/clevelandbrowns/profile?team=CLE) draft Sam Darnold first overall, it will be difficult for this franchise to pull out of neutral. (You were thinking "reverse" there. Can't go backward much from 0-16.) There's no reason for the
[Browns](/teams/clevelandbrowns/profile?team=CLE) not to take Darnold, given that they also own the pick that comes three slots later. Noticed Cleveland
[draws the NFC South](http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-2018-opponents-are-set/03bb44f5-66a7-428b-9721-bc34b8e458e5) -- the top division in football in 2017 -- in the coming season. Whew boy.
*Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter @HarrisonNFL. *