3 Year Future NFL Team Rankings

[corta765]

I wanted to put together my rankings of the 32 teams for the next 3 years future wise with a sentence explaining why. Feel free to say what you agree with, hate, why I am dumb, etc all of it haha. Criteria wise I am looking at the roster, front office, potential aging, development of young players, and overall success recently.

 

Tier 1. Superbowl or Bust- any of these teams I would say feel they missed their goal if the SB is not their end of season destination which is fair:

 

Buffalo- As we currently wallow after 13 seconds, the future is still relentlessly bright with a QB who the possibilities are endless. Mix in a solid coaching staff, good roster, and smart front office it is win or go home

KC- ditto ^ with acknowledgement that the cap is going to crunch them a bit so the draft will matter big time

LAR- in the SB currently they really have 3-5 years tops before Stafford ages out so time is the present. People make a big deal about having less draft picks, but the Rams actually are very good at getting comp picks and have had good player development

CIN- I actually think they arrived a year early with a little luck, but hey who cares and Burrow is great to watch. They need to improve the line so he doesn't die in the next 3 years but otherwise they have a good base.

BAL- they had a historically bad year with injuries, but make no mistake the talent is there and the coaching and front office have always been good. Lamar is divisive for some

DAL- I think Dallas literally has about 3 years before this core starts to break down a bit. They have had regular season success but the post season has been a bugaboo and their coaching is questionable. That said when they are clicking they are a SB caliber team and expectations will be as such

 

Tier 2. Solid rosters that could take the next step as a true SB contender:

 

ARZ- Kyler Murray is dynamic and they at least broke through to the playoffs, they also flamed out the back half of the last two seasons and some big name additions haven't worked out. Regardless a bit more growth and seasoning could push them to the next level

TEN- They have been the class of their division for a few years now, but every time they seem to take the next step they fall back. Tannehill has been exposed the last two years in the post season after good regular seasons. If Henry is truly healthy I could see them grinding their way to a title assuming Tannehill can just not implode.

LAC- I mean one of these times they will break though right? The offense is sublime and will be good for a long time. The defense was not very good but they seem to always have injuries. Regardless Hebert makes this teams window pretty large and I won’t be surprised if they figure it out and overtake KC at points.

 

Tier 3: Whose the QB will decide everything:

WAS- Taylor Henicke honestly isn't bad but I doubt they keep him long term. The roster and coaching staff is solid and a true franchise QB could elevate them quickly

TB- Even with Brady gone and some cap losses they have talent, a good GM, and a good coach. The NFC South looks pretty open so maybe they get Jimmy G? Either way a solid QB can elevate them

SF- Trey Lance played little but showed flashes. The roster is strong, coaching is pretty good minus clock mgmt, and front office has been solid for years now. If Lance can turn it on they will vault to Tier 1

DEN- Since Manning left Denver has routinely had a pretty solid roster… and the QB play has been anything but solid.

PIT- Both sides of the ball has talent ready to be used. Can they get a QB to maximize it?

CLE- Baker healthy has shown he can drive the ship alright for CLE. The problem is he hasn’t been very healthy and even when he was the skill guys he had didn’t mesh well. I would honestly love to see the Vikings and Browns swap QB’s to see what each team looks like. The rest of CLE roster is ready for the big lights.

SEA- If Wilson stays they always have the potential to win 10+ games. The question is will he as it looks like he is ready and the team also for him to join a new destination

IND- They have been trying to bandaid the position ever since Luck left. The roster has enough talent that good QB play makes this team far better like Rivers in 2020. Just average QB play like Wentz you get 2021. It may be a small step back but the time has come that they should consider drafting a QB and letting him grow even if record takes a one year hit.

 

Tier 4: Roster needs help despite having some pieces

NE- If you believe in Mac Jones growing big time then they move up to the 2nd tier. If you believe he stays as a Chad Pennington clone his ceiling isn't far away and much of what they saw last year. The offense needs an elite player or two at the skill position spots to infuse some life on that side of the ball. The defense is always solid and BB maximizes what it can do.

VEG- Vegas got a bit lucky this year between winning a bunch of one score games and some tiebreakers to make the playoffs. The roster needs some real work in a bunch of areas and if Carr leaves they have a QB hole to fill

MIA- The turmoil seems constant and it is hard to believe much coming out of there which makes roster mgmt. a mess. Advanced stats has shown Miami has gotten fat for two seasons on weak opponents and a defense getting opportune pieces. Tua has been the definition of up and down. The roster needs a better o-line and skill players, but the QB position will dictate whether they need full turnover or just retooling

MIN- Their offense has a lot of talent but the defense needs a lot of work so the offense can have an off day from time to time. Kirk Cousins is probably the most maddening QB in the league as he probably is closer to being a Top 10 guy then given credit for, but his cap hit has made him dispensable

ATL- Like many rebuilding teams there are some pieces that just need more seasoning and help, but were nearing a point were Matt Ryan is more a deterrent that asset moving forward.

PHI- Credit their coach for selling out on offense for what they are good at to make the playoffs. Truth came once the Wildcard game happened as an aging defense was exposed for needing reinforcements and the offense is not there yet despite some talent. I actually would like to see them run back for a bit longer with Hurts but I can understand if they want a more pure passing QB.

 

Tier 5. Roster needs a lot of work, but QB growth can move them quickly:

JAX- No team is more maddening then the Jags. They wasted a year of Lawrence so Urban Meyer could be a creep. Get a coach who can actually do the job and help grow a QB and some true depth on the roster and they look more competent quickly.

NYJ- They need talent in the worst way and better injury luck. Wilson had an uneven year at best and really needs some help at skill positions. The defense isn't as bad as the record. They need to do a 2019 Bills and get Wilson some WR's who catch everything and a line that give him time. They are the Jets though so most likely in 3 years they are in Tier 5.

CAR- They just feel like a hodgepodge of ideas everywhere. The defense has some pass rushers and if CMAC is healthy he is good. But they need a true solution at QB and with their current coach I don’t buy he gets the most out of this lineup or can elevate it.

CHI- Justin Fields showed flashes but he is now with a defensive head coach and how they help him will dictate the fortunes big time. Give Fields an O-line and a guy or two who catch the ball and see if he can carry the load for real, the defense is reasonably decent.

NOLA: Realistically the Saints are going to have to eat a down year or two as they reset their cap and lineup. The plus side is if they can get up high in the draft they could fire the heir replacement to Brees as they reset their team a bit.

DET: I honestly love what Campbell is doing here and truly hope he can turn the Lions around for real. They still need talent though and they need to get a QB this year or next to ride or die with.

 

Tier 5. Ground floor rebuilds:

NY Giants- Despite the Flores lawsuit they I think made two good moves at GM and coach. But their cap needs a reset, the talent is unknown due to the prior coaches failures, and they will probably need to find a QB

Houston- This roster has very little talent, the draft picks are light this year, and culturally there are question marks. Amazing how fast this flipped in just a few years.

 

Tier 6: Green Bay – They are their own category because its two options: 1. Rodgers comes back, the cap issues get kicked a year down the road, and they give it another shot to lose in the NFC title.  2. Rodgers leaves, Adams leaves, and their cap wrecks the roster as they imploded into a bottom 10 team.

[Big Blitz]

I don't know if I could do a 3 year futures window.  Would anyone had said 2 years ago the Bengals will be in the SB by 2022?

 

I'll do the AFC going into 2022 and 2023 (and they're in 2022 power order) but I think it's not too far off from the OPs ranks.

 

 

Elite/Win Now Mode:

Bills

Chiefs 

Bengals

Titans 

 

Could miss playoffs/Could go to SB:

Chargers 

Ravens

Browns 

 

Good but QB questions:

Colts 

Patriots 

Dolphins 

Broncos

Steelers 

 

McDaniels:

Raiders 

 

Will be everyone's dark horse in 2022:

Jags

 

Horrendous:

Jets 

Texans 

 

 

[MJS]

Dallas can't even win a playoff game. They shouldn't be in the top tier.

[Big Blitz]

Just now, MJS said:

Dallas can't even win a playoff game. They shouldn't be in the top tier.

 

 

Neither did the Titans - both teams benefit from playing in awful divisions. 

 

Pencil them in for the 2023 playoffs.  

 

Some would say so do the Bills.  I think the AFC East is underrated - going 11-1 against it the last 2 years will do that but the Dolphins and Patriots have been .500 or better teams and the Patriots made the playoffs.  

 

Divisions ranked:

 

NFC West

AFC West 

AFC North 

AFC East

NFC North

NFC East

NFC South 

AFC South 

 

[Gugny]

Elite/Win Now Mode:

Bills

Chiefs 

Bengals

Titans 

Chargers

 

Make Playoffs and Win at Least One:

Ravens

Browns 

Colts

Raiders 

 

Good but QB questions - Making Playoffs Would Be a Successful Season:

Patriots 

Dolphins 

Broncos

Steelers 

 

Horrendous and Should Be Happy to Hit 9 Wins:

Jets 

Texans 

Jags

 

[TBBills]

Titans are not elite

[MJS]

12 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

 

 

Neither did the Titans - both teams benefit from playing in awful divisions. 

 

Pencil them in for the 2023 playoffs.  

 

Some would say so do the Bills.  I think the AFC East is underrated - going 11-1 against it the last 2 years will do that but the Dolphins and Patriots have been .500 or better teams and the Patriots made the playoffs.  

 

Divisions ranked:

 

NFC West

AFC West 

AFC North 

AFC East

NFC North

NFC East

NFC South 

AFC South 

 

Who is underrating the AFC East? People are still on the Pats train. Before the season people expected the Dolphins to be a lot better. Obviously, the Bills are viewed as a top tier team. I think most people who follow the league would think the AFC East is a relatively strong division, albeit with a bad Jets team.

 

As for the titans, they have won playoff games in recent seasons, but the Cowboys haven't.

Edited February 8, 2022 by MJS

[Ethan in Cleveland]

17 minutes ago, Gugny said:

Elite/Win Now Mode:

Bills

Chiefs 

Bengals

Titans 

Chargers

 

Make Playoffs and Win at Least One:

Ravens

Browns 

Colts

Raiders 

 

Good but QB questions - Making Playoffs Would Be a Successful Season:

Patriots 

Dolphins 

Broncos

Steelers 

 

Horrendous and Should Be Happy to Hit 9 Wins:

Jets 

Texans 

Jags

 

I agree with this list. I think Pats are closer to playoff team than the others with QB issues. I might exchange Titans for Ravens as Ravens have better QB, better HC, and more cap room. 

Chargers will win 12 games next year and push KC for the division 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Ethan in Portland

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, corta765 said:

I wanted to put together my rankings of the 32 teams for the next 3 years future wise with a sentence explaining why. Feel free to say what you agree with, hate, why I am dumb, etc all of it haha. Criteria wise I am looking at the roster, front office, potential aging, development of young players, and overall success recently.

 

Tier 1. Superbowl or Bust- any of these teams I would say feel they missed their goal if the SB is not their end of season destination which is fair:

 

Buffalo- As we currently wallow after 13 seconds, the future is still relentlessly bright with a QB who the possibilities are endless. Mix in a solid coaching staff, good roster, and smart front office it is win or go home

KC- ditto ^ with acknowledgement that the cap is going to crunch them a bit so the draft will matter big time

LAR- in the SB currently they really have 3-5 years tops before Stafford ages out so time is the present. People make a big deal about having less draft picks, but the Rams actually are very good at getting comp picks and have had good player development

CIN- I actually think they arrived a year early with a little luck, but hey who cares and Burrow is great to watch. They need to improve the line so he doesn't die in the next 3 years but otherwise they have a good base.

BAL- they had a historically bad year with injuries, but make no mistake the talent is there and the coaching and front office have always been good. Lamar is divisive for some

DAL- I think Dallas literally has about 3 years before this core starts to break down a bit. They have had regular season success but the post season has been a bugaboo and their coaching is questionable. That said when they are clicking they are a SB caliber team and expectations will be as such

 

Tier 2. Solid rosters that could take the next step as a true SB contender:

 

ARZ- Kyler Murray is dynamic and they at least broke through to the playoffs, they also flamed out the back half of the last two seasons and some big name additions haven't worked out. Regardless a bit more growth and seasoning could push them to the next level

TEN- They have been the class of their division for a few years now, but every time they seem to take the next step they fall back. Tannehill has been exposed the last two years in the post season after good regular seasons. If Henry is truly healthy I could see them grinding their way to a title assuming Tannehill can just not implode.

LAC- I mean one of these times they will break though right? The offense is sublime and will be good for a long time. The defense was not very good but they seem to always have injuries. Regardless Hebert makes this teams window pretty large and I won’t be surprised if they figure it out and overtake KC at points.

 

Tier 3: Whose the QB will decide everything:

WAS- Taylor Henicke honestly isn't bad but I doubt they keep him long term. The roster and coaching staff is solid and a true franchise QB could elevate them quickly

TB- Even with Brady gone and some cap losses they have talent, a good GM, and a good coach. The NFC South looks pretty open so maybe they get Jimmy G? Either way a solid QB can elevate them

SF- Trey Lance played little but showed flashes. The roster is strong, coaching is pretty good minus clock mgmt, and front office has been solid for years now. If Lance can turn it on they will vault to Tier 1

DEN- Since Manning left Denver has routinely had a pretty solid roster… and the QB play has been anything but solid.

PIT- Both sides of the ball has talent ready to be used. Can they get a QB to maximize it?

CLE- Baker healthy has shown he can drive the ship alright for CLE. The problem is he hasn’t been very healthy and even when he was the skill guys he had didn’t mesh well. I would honestly love to see the Vikings and Browns swap QB’s to see what each team looks like. The rest of CLE roster is ready for the big lights.

SEA- If Wilson stays they always have the potential to win 10+ games. The question is will he as it looks like he is ready and the team also for him to join a new destination

IND- They have been trying to bandaid the position ever since Luck left. The roster has enough talent that good QB play makes this team far better like Rivers in 2020. Just average QB play like Wentz you get 2021. It may be a small step back but the time has come that they should consider drafting a QB and letting him grow even if record takes a one year hit.

 

Tier 4: Roster needs help despite having some pieces

NE- If you believe in Mac Jones growing big time then they move up to the 2nd tier. If you believe he stays as a Chad Pennington clone his ceiling isn't far away and much of what they saw last year. The offense needs an elite player or two at the skill position spots to infuse some life on that side of the ball. The defense is always solid and BB maximizes what it can do.

VEG- Vegas got a bit lucky this year between winning a bunch of one score games and some tiebreakers to make the playoffs. The roster needs some real work in a bunch of areas and if Carr leaves they have a QB hole to fill

MIA- The turmoil seems constant and it is hard to believe much coming out of there which makes roster mgmt. a mess. Advanced stats has shown Miami has gotten fat for two seasons on weak opponents and a defense getting opportune pieces. Tua has been the definition of up and down. The roster needs a better o-line and skill players, but the QB position will dictate whether they need full turnover or just retooling

MIN- Their offense has a lot of talent but the defense needs a lot of work so the offense can have an off day from time to time. Kirk Cousins is probably the most maddening QB in the league as he probably is closer to being a Top 10 guy then given credit for, but his cap hit has made him dispensable

ATL- Like many rebuilding teams there are some pieces that just need more seasoning and help, but were nearing a point were Matt Ryan is more a deterrent that asset moving forward.

PHI- Credit their coach for selling out on offense for what they are good at to make the playoffs. Truth came once the Wildcard game happened as an aging defense was exposed for needing reinforcements and the offense is not there yet despite some talent. I actually would like to see them run back for a bit longer with Hurts but I can understand if they want a more pure passing QB.

 

Tier 5. Roster needs a lot of work, but QB growth can move them quickly:

JAX- No team is more maddening then the Jags. They wasted a year of Lawrence so Urban Meyer could be a creep. Get a coach who can actually do the job and help grow a QB and some true depth on the roster and they look more competent quickly.

NYJ- They need talent in the worst way and better injury luck. Wilson had an uneven year at best and really needs some help at skill positions. The defense isn't as bad as the record. They need to do a 2019 Bills and get Wilson some WR's who catch everything and a line that give him time. They are the Jets though so most likely in 3 years they are in Tier 5.

CAR- They just feel like a hodgepodge of ideas everywhere. The defense has some pass rushers and if CMAC is healthy he is good. But they need a true solution at QB and with their current coach I don’t buy he gets the most out of this lineup or can elevate it.

CHI- Justin Fields showed flashes but he is now with a defensive head coach and how they help him will dictate the fortunes big time. Give Fields an O-line and a guy or two who catch the ball and see if he can carry the load for real, the defense is reasonably decent.

NOLA: Realistically the Saints are going to have to eat a down year or two as they reset their cap and lineup. The plus side is if they can get up high in the draft they could fire the heir replacement to Brees as they reset their team a bit.

DET: I honestly love what Campbell is doing here and truly hope he can turn the Lions around for real. They still need talent though and they need to get a QB this year or next to ride or die with.

 

Tier 5. Ground floor rebuilds:

NY Giants- Despite the Flores lawsuit they I think made two good moves at GM and coach. But their cap needs a reset, the talent is unknown due to the prior coaches failures, and they will probably need to find a QB

Houston- This roster has very little talent, the draft picks are light this year, and culturally there are question marks. Amazing how fast this flipped in just a few years.

 

Tier 6: Green Bay – They are their own category because its two options: 1. Rodgers comes back, the cap issues get kicked a year down the road, and they give it another shot to lose in the NFC title.  2. Rodgers leaves, Adams leaves, and their cap wrecks the roster as they imploded into a bottom 10 team.

 

The problem with the Rams, KC, and Tampa (with Brady gone their window likely closed regardless) is they have a number of upcoming FA.  There was an article I read couple weeks back and listed the top 50 potential upcoming free agents.  Those three teams had to easily have a dozen of them on the list between them.

 

Also in the Rams case they traded picks for players who will become free agents this year; Von Miller, Sony Michel and OBJ and their LT may retire. Plus not much cap space.

 

KC also has a number of starters and backups potentially leaving, at least they didn't also give up many draft picks too.

[Bangarang]

1. Bills

2-32: Everyone else

[Mr. WEO]

lol, Dallas

[corta765]

3 hours ago, MJS said:

Dallas can't even win a playoff game. They shouldn't be in the top tier.

My point is more expectations and potential

[Nextmanup]

I haven't looked at what the OP wrote, but I don't know how in the world you can project out 3 seasons in today's NFL.

 

Maybe 1 or 2, tops, with a few exceptions.

 

 

 

 

[Mr. WEO]

3 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

I agree with this list. I think Pats are closer to playoff team than the others with QB issues. I might exchange Titans for Ravens as Ravens have better QB, better HC, and more cap room. 

Chargers will win 12 games next year and push KC for the division 

 

They were a playoff team this season with a rookie QB who had a better year than Tannehill

[corta765]

51 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I haven't looked at what the OP wrote, but I don't know how in the world you can project out 3 seasons in today's NFL.

 

Maybe 1 or 2, tops, with a few exceptions.

 

 

 

 

It’s the off-season im bored lol

[MJS]

1 hour ago, corta765 said:

My point is more expectations and potential

I think they are perennially overrated, personally. Regardless of expectations, I think they are not a top tier team in terms of talent, potential, or results. They have big names who should not be as big as they are. Dak is overrated, Cooper is overrated, Elliot is overrated, etc. They play in a below average division, too.

 

I think part of why they are overrated is because of which franchise it is and media talking heads.

[ProcessTruster]

yeah, whatever.   Barring a rash of serious injuries or Beane screwing up the cap (both pretty unlikely) Bills will be right there for the next 3 years, no matter what any other team does.   Works for me.   Give me a solid winning program worthy of getting (with breaks, which every SB winner gets the year they win it) to the SB, and I'm happy.  Going for broke to win it once (and then go 10 years in the wasteland, like LA) is crazy when you have such a loyal fanbase to feed.   LA can do it , bc their fans would just as soon go to the beach.  

[Don Otreply]

Good enough list, I would contend that Dallas is highly over rated, it’s a team made up of personal stat guys, who don’t play well as a team , and have choked away most every opportunity they have gotten, and will continue to do so as long as Jura continues to play arm chair GM/HC .They have no chance to succeed. 
 

…and I’m good with that…, 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Don Otreply