With the 2017 NFL Draft about to take place, it's important to note where exactly teams stand in comparison to everyone else. Did they make the right moves in the offseason? Will their draft picks pan out? Each organization works tirelessly to set itself up for the coming season(s). Keeping draft position and picks in mind, here is my power ranking for the 2017 NFL season from first to worst:
1). New England Patriots
New England only got better this offseason, and Tom Brady is still sticking it to Father TIme.
2). Oakland Raiders
I truly believe that Derek Carr will recover from that tibia injury without any setbacks, and last season I thought Oakland was only a few players away from the Superbowl. They could get those players in this year's talent-stocked draft.
3). Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers didn't lose much this offseason, and Big Ben still has a few years left to give his organization some wins.
4). Atlanta Falcons
Although they retained almost everybody in FA, nobody crumbles like that in the Superbowl and doesn't regress a bit.
5). Green Bay Packers
The Packers lost some key veterans this offseason, but never underestimate the powers of Aaron Rodgers. Having said that, the defense needs to get better throughout the season.
6). New York Giants
With two deadly wideouts and an elite defense, this New York team has no excuses this season.
7). Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot will has slight sophomore slumps, but Dallas should be more worried about their defense. The veterans they lost should've gotten more attention.
8). Tennessee Titans
If Marcus Mariota fully recovers from his leg injury, this Titans team will quickly become an AFC superpower.
9). Tamp Bay Buccaneers
Jameis Winston is set to take that next big step as a young quarterback, and the signing of Desean Jackson will certainly help spark the offense.
10). Detroit Lions
As much as the Lions seem to love losing in the playoffs, I'm confident that this is the year it starts to come together. Matthew Stafford now has a scary good offensive line to be proud of, they should be productive.
11). Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs lost some veteran leadership this offseason, but I still think their defense gets them in playoff position.
12). Seattle Seahawks
The era of dominant defense and exciting plays from Russel Wilson is coming to an end. The Seahawks are still a good team, but are no longer a top-tier talent.
13). Miami Dolphins
If Jay Ajayi can produce like he did last year, the Dolphins will be ok. If Ryan Tannehill finally plays to his potential, they'll be even better.
14). Denver Broncos
The defense is still scary good, but Denver needs to rediscover its offensive identity.
15). Houston Texans
The defense is scary without J.J. Watt, and absolutely terrifying with him. But the Texans can't get any better without a decent quarterback.
16). Baltimore Ravens
They won't be challenging Pittsburgh for the division anytime soon, but you can never count out the Ravens to have a surprisingly good season.
17). Washington Redskins
If Kirk Cousins plays with a chip on his shoulder due to the franchise tag, the offense for the Redskins could be dangerous. Aside from that, this team should win often, but it won't be exciting.
18). Jacksonville Jaguars
This has to be the year, it just has to. As long as Blake Bortles doesn't regress any further and the defensive spending pays off, the Jags could be playoff bound.
19). Arizona Cardinals
The drive to play doesn't seem to be there anymore for Carson Palmer, and the team already started showing signs of slowing down. Tyrann Mathieu hasn't been the same since his injury, and he was the heart of the defense.
20). Carolina Panthers
This team is old, and Cam Newton just had surgery on his throwing shoulder. I expect the age to catch up with both sides of the ball, and it still seems that Newton is more concerned with showing off than winning.
21). Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck is being forced to do it by himself, and he doesn't have the supporting cast around him to do so successfully. That doesn't bode well for an organization on the verge of needing a rebuild.
22). Buffalo Bills
This team probably should be higher on this list, but Sammy Watkins can't stay healthy. Without him, the offense goes nowhere through the air.
23). Minnesota Vikings
The offensive line is horrible, and Sam Bradford has proved he wasn't worthy of being a first round pick. The defense was supposed to be better, but let everyone down. With Adrian Peterson gone, look for this team to be even worse in 2017.
24). New Orleans Saints
If you have a quarterback carry the team like Drew Brees does, why would you trade away his favorite target? Similar to the Colts, the Saints are in a situation in which the quarterback is the only one capable of leading the team forward.
25). Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals organization had one of the worst offseasons in recent memory, and that doesn't hint towards a good 2017 season.
26). Philadelphia Eagles
I expect Carson Wentz to take a step back in 2017, even with his new cast of wide receivers. This team should probably be higher, but I just have a feeling that 2017 will be a difficult season for Philadelphia fans.
27). Chicago Bears
They can build off the running game, but the signing of Mike Glennon was ridiculous at best. The only reason Chicago is this "high" is because there are somehow worse teams.
28). Los Angeles Chargers
I expect Philip Rivers to show signs of aging this year, and although Melvin Gordon could have a good year, it won't be enough.
29). Los Angels Rams
This team needs improvement pretty much everywhere. Jared Goff is looking like a bust already, but he'll never get any more comfortable behind an offensive line like the one he has.
30). San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers couldn't possibly be any worse than they were last year. That being said, Kyle Shanahan isn't a magician, and this roster needs a lot of work before it is going anywhere.
31). Cleveland Browns
The Browns are still a poor team, but they have a lot of draft picks this year and should be able to put together a young, solid roster.
32). New York Jets
From the looks of this offseason, it seems like the Jets won't even try this season. The front office dumped everyone with a high cap number, and it looks like they are only focused on 2018 and beyond.
