The 2024 NFL season is in the books, and while the Eagles are still picking confetti out of their hair, others are licking their wounds and swearing that next year is their year.
With the offseason chaos underway and rosters shifting, let’s take a completely scientific (and totally subjective) look at the 10 most promising teams heading into 2025. Will this list hold up by midseason? Probably not. But that’s half the fun.
10. Denver Broncos
Sean Payton’s first season was a rollercoaster, but things really turned around last season thanks to the addition of rookie quarterback Bo Nix. With more experience under his belt, there’s a solid chance the Broncos will change the Chiefs for that AFC West title.
9. Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud might already be the best QB in franchise history (no offense, Matt Schaub). With DeMeco Ryans working his defensive magic and Stroud throwing dimes, the Texans feel like a team that’s only getting started. Just get the man another receiver, and Houston could be terrifying.
8. New York Jets
Yes, we’ve done this before. Every year, we hear how this is finally the season the Jets figure it out. But if Aaron Rodgers actually plays more than four snaps, if their O-line holds up, and if the defense continues to play like a pack of wolves, they could be a legitimate threat. Or, you know, just very entertaining in a dumpster-fire kind of way.
7. Detroit Lions
Dan Campbell’s Lions are no longer the NFL’s cute underdog story. They’re legitimate contenders, and they play with the kind of aggression that makes you feel like you need an ice bath just from watching. Can Jared Goff keep it up? Will the defense level up? Either way, the Lions are must-watch TV.
6. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson keeps proving he’s elite, the defense remains stout, and John Harbaugh is one of the steadiest coaches in the league. The only reason the Ravens aren’t higher is because their postseason heartbreaks are starting to feel like a yearly tradition. But if they finally get over that hump? Look out.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
Coming off of their Super Bowl victory, the Eagles looked poised to continue their dominance. Jalen Hurts is still a superstar, and that roster is loaded with talent.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow’s 2024 season was up and down, to say the least, but if Burrow stays upright and Ja’Marr Chase keeps cooking secondaries, the Bengals will be a Super Bowl threat. Their window isn’t closing yet, but it’s time to make another deep run.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Oh, look, the Chiefs are in the top three. Shocking. As long as Patrick Mahomes is breathing and Andy Reid is on the sideline, this team is a problem for everyone else. But let’s be honest: Travis Kelce isn’t getting younger, and that receiver room needs to stay healthy. Still, counting out Mahomes is how people end up looking dumb.
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2. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan has the ability to build a team that looks like it was assembled in a football lab. Brock Purdy is proving doubters wrong, and the Niners have stars at nearly every position, but they need to stay healthy in 2025. .
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1. Buffalo Bills
Yes, I know, the Bills?! But hear me out. Every time we’re ready to write them off, they claw their way back. Josh Allen is still a freak of nature, and if Buffalo finally gets over their self-inflicted playoff disasters, this could be the year. Maybe. Probably. Okay, no one really knows, but let’s give them this one.
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