OTAs all around the NFL are starting this week. The Cleveland Browns kick things off on May 21 in Berea and will practice for three days before taking a break.
While they are voluntary, this is the first step toward the ultimate goal for all 32 teams — making it to the Super Bowl. But which teams have the best shot? We try and answer that in this NFL Power Ranking entering OTAs.
32. New York Giants
Signing Daniel Jones for $40 million per year looked bad after the Giants made the playoffs. It looked worse when they didn’t make it last year. Now in 2024 without Saquon Barkley to move the chains, it’s going to be a dumpster fire.
31. Carolina Panthers
C.J. Stroud should have been taken before Bryce Young. But hey, at least Stroud doesn’t have to deal with David Tepper.
30. New England Patriots
It’s weird seeing the Patriots so low but they’re starting a rebuild after being the premium franchise for decades. If Drake Maye is the answer at quarterback, that rebuild might not take too long. If he’s not, Browns fans know what that means. No QB means no chance.
29. Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson was so bad the Broncos ate more than $80 million to get rid of him. Bo Nix takes over following a collegiate career that spanned roughly 20 years but there’s not much help around him.
28. Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn takes over as Washington’s head coach after he spent the past three seasons re-inventing himself as the Dallas defensive coordinator. Considering he was solid for the majority of that time but laid an egg in his finale (playoffs against Green Bay), it’s safe to say he will likely be the same coach we saw in Atlanta.
27. Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray once appeared to be a star in the making. Now he’s trying to prove he can stay healthy and win games after missing 15 contests and leading the Cardinals to a record of 6-13 over the past two seasons.
26. Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry is gone which means the pressure will be on Will Levis. He looked good as a rookie but it’s hard to believe in him since he puts mayo in his coffee.
25. Las Vegas Raiders
It appears Gardner Minshew will take over as the Raiders quarterback. He is better than he gets credit for and Antonio Pierce was the right hire as head coach. Still, the AFC is stacked meaning it will be tough for them to contend, especially following the departure of Josh Jacobs.
24. New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr isn’t a bad quarterback. The Saints receiving corps, however, is bad. Outside of Chris Olave, they have a lot of questions.
23. Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh wins everywhere he goes and by the end of the season, this ranking might look ridiculous. Having said that, we need to see Justin Herbert and this offense show up consistently before buying in.
22. Minnesota Vikings
This is a transitional season for Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy takes over for Kirk Cousins and while McCarthy was solid at the Combine, he never did much in Michigan’s offense (by design since they loved to run). If he works out, they could be climbing in a hurry.
21. Indianapolis Colts
A loss in the final week to the Houston Texans kept the Indianapolis Colts from making the playoffs. They’re hoping for a better showing in 2024 but it all depends on the health of Anthony Richardson.
20. Seattle Seahawks
After 14 seasons and 137 wins, Pete Carroll is no longer the head coach in Seattle. Mike Macdonald was a great hire but the roster needs some work before they’re going to threaten anyone.
19. Chicago Bears
If Caleb Williams can be average as a rookie, the Bears can surprise a lot of people. They suddenly have an explosive offense and solid defense.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers
The QB drama could be fun to watch with Russell Wilson doing all he can to hand Justin Fields the job.
17. Los Angeles Rams
This was once the premier “up-and-coming” team but now they’re old and Aaron Donald retired.
16. Atlanta Falcons
It’s hard to see what the Falcons were thinking when they took Michael Penix. They just added Kirk Cousins and could have used that pick to really bolster the offense around him. At least Arthur Smith is gone though, so they can finally use Bijan Robinson the right way.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
Sometimes the Jaguars look to be on the verge of breaking out, other times they can’t buy a win. They need to find some sort of consistency this year or Doug Pederson will have some tough questions to answer.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield found new life with the Bucs. They’re the favorites in that division again after retaining Mike Evans.
13. New York Jets
If Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, the Jets could be a problem in the AFC. But he’s over 40 and coming off a ruptured Achilles so we need to see it before we get too excited.
12. Miami Dolphins
The No. 1 offense in terms of yardage just added Odell Beckham, Jr. as their WR3 and Jaylen Wright in the draft. This offense will be fun to watch but not fun to play against.
11. Cincinnati Bengals
We have to give the Bengals their respect. When Joe Burrow is on the field, they can beat anyone. Well, anyone but the Browns. They have his number.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Constantly hated, the Dallas Cowboys have been great in the regular season for the past three years. The playoffs, however, are a different story.
9. Detroit Lions
Dan Campbell keeps getting it done even though he’s full of unorthodox moves. We’ll see if he and the Lions can win the NFC North against the hot Packers this year.
8. Cleveland Browns
Someone seriously said the Cleveland Browns have a roster with almost no weaknesses and a depth chart that’s strong from top to bottom — only to say Andrew Berry was in the bottom half of GMs in the league.
Cleveland is fresh off an 11-win season and that happened despite multiple injuries. If they stay healthy, they can beat anyone.
7. Green Bay Packers
After a slow start, the Packers exploded in the second half of the season. They nearly took out the 49ers in the playoffs and are incredibly young. They’re going to be dangerous for a while.
6. Buffalo Bills
Trading Stefon Diggs was a wise move since he had one foot out the door. The problem is they also lost Gabe Davis and added just Curtis Samuel and rookie Keon Coleman. It’s all going to be on the shoulders of Josh Allen now, and we’ll see if he can deliver.
5. Houston Texans
This is not only a great roster but a young one as well. The Houston Texans are going to be good for a long time and they even added a legit No. 1 wideout in Stefon Diggs this offseason.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
Howie Roseman might be the best GM in the league. He’s remade the Philadelphia Eagles several times and there’s no reason to think they won’t rebound from their frustrating collapse in 2023.
3. Baltimore Ravens
The No. 1 seed in the AFC last year, the Ravens continue to be a threat. As annoying as it is to admit, they’re good from top to bottom.
2. San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco was the top seed in the NFC and represented them in the Super Bowl. They lost to the Chiefs but remain an elite franchise.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
It’s hard not to put the two-time champs at No. 1, especially after they solved their WR concerns with Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy.