In 2025, the NFL will look different than it does now. Some of the greatest quarterbacks in the game’s history will either be retired or on their last legs by the mid-2020s, opening the door for younger passers to slide into marquee roles. Patrick Mahomes is already there.
This exercise is designed to identify which franchises will be best positioned to compete for championships in five years; which teams have major questions to answer before determining if they can escape the middle class; and which teams’ long-range outlooks are bleak. The primary considerations behind these placements are ownership, front-office talent, coaching staffs, quarterbacks and recent history, but other factors went into the rankings as well.
“Educated guesswork” obviously is required in a league that sees contention opportunities change frequently. Here’s a projection of how the NFL hierarchy could look in five years:
SCROLL DOWN OR GO TO YOUR TEAM:
TIER 1: Wide-open Super Bowl window (90-99 points):
Chiefs | Ravens | 49ers | Seahawks
TIER 2: Solid 2020s contender (80-89 points)
Patriots | Bills | Eagles | Saints | Rams | Packers | Cowboys | Texans
TIER 3: Upside but uncertainty (65-79 points)
Colts | Steelers | Dolphins | Titans | Browns | Broncos | Cardinals
TIER 4: Major questions (50-64 points)
Raiders | Falcons | Vikings | Panthers | Chargers | Bears | Jets | Giants
TIER 5: History not on their side (0-49 points)
Bengals | Lions | Jaguars | Washington | Buccaneers
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By Sam Robinson | Last updated 2/13/20
