The 2019 NFL preseason is underway. And with that, it’s time to see where the Washington Redskins rank among other teams in the league in our latest NFL Power Rankings.
The NFL preseason is underway, and you know what that means. Yes, it’s a first chance to get a look at the players that you’ve been reading about all offseason, but it’s also the perfect time to get a look at the current NFL landscape.
The NFL is usually a constantly changing league, but over the course of the summer, major acquisitions usually come to a halt. That wasn’t necessarily the case this year, as Antonio Brown was traded during the summer while several free agents lingered on the open market as well. But when training camp and the preseason begin, that begins to change our notions about some of the things we thought would be true entering the season.
Of course, training camp performance is more notable than the small sample size of the preseason, but the point is that on-field work can do a lot to improve or hurt the outlook for certain teams.
With that said, it was high time for us to do another batch of NFL Power Rankings. These are still based mostly off the major offseason acquisitions in relation to how the team performed last year, but training camp notes have been taken into account too and, when necessary, some minor preseason notes as well.
Here’s a look at where the Redskins fall among the NFL’s 32 teams. We get started with the teams best suited to be Super Bowl contenders in 2019.
Super Bowl Contenders
These are the teams that should be considered the favorites to challenge for a Super Bowl. They’re not the only teams league-wide that could win one, but they are the favorites at the moment.
1. Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia has the best offensive line in the league and a fully-healthy Carson Wentz, so their offense should hum. Their only potential weakness comes on defense in their young cornerback group. But getting Ronald Darby back from injury should help there and given how well their young guys played at the end of last season, they should continue to be fine, especially if the pass rush is even more potent thanks to the presence of Malik Jackson.
2. New England Patriots. The Patriots may have lost Rob Gronkowski and no longer have a strong receiving corps, but they do have the greatest quarterback to ever play the game in Tom Brady. He will manage the run-heavy offense while the team’s defense, and particularly, the secondary, look strong enough to potentially carry them to another title.
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3. Indianapolis Colts. If Andrew Luck’s calf becomes a problem, this ranking could change. But the Colts look very strong at the moment. Their offensive line is fantastic and Luck will be able to make use of the weapons around him (namely T.Y. Hilton, Devin Funchess, and Eric Ebron). Matt Eberflus’ defense may not have a lot of name recognition, but they have some serious talent on that side of the ball. Adding Justin Houston and the rock-solid Rock Ya-Sin should only help to strengthen things on that side of the ball.
4. Chicago Bears. The Bears defense saw a couple of downgrades this offseason going from Adrian Amos to Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at safety and Bryce Callahan to Buster Skrine at nickel corner. But they still have a lot of talent, including Khalil Mack, so that unit should be great once again. Their full potential can only be reached with growth from Mitchell Trubisky, and he is the key to making the offense a solid unit. Adding guys like Riley Ridley and David Montgomery to help him should end up strengthening the team overall.
5. Atlanta Falcons. This may be a surprise to some, but the Falcons are a sneaky-good Super Bowl contender. They are playing 13 regular season games indoors, which Matt Ryan loves. Their offensive weaponry (Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Mohamed Sanu, et al) is excellent. They upgraded their offensive line with first-round picks Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary. And best of all, their defense is fully healthy after dealing with numerous key injuries last year.
If the Falcons can stay healthy, they are the type of all-around team that could surprise and emerge from the pack in a tough NFC South. That may do just enough to make them a Super Bowl contender, especially if they can earn the one or two seed and get home-field advantage.
Playoff Contenders
Nobody would be surprised if these teams went on Super Bowl runs, but they just might not have the ammunition to get it done this year.
6. Kansas City Chiefs. As long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback of the Chiefs, they should be competitive. He seems unlikely to match his historic first season as a starter, but he will lead a very strong offensive attack.
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However, the team downgraded the trenches on both sides of the ball and switched to a 4-3 defense and sent some of their best players (Dee Ford and Justin Houston) packing as a result. Frank Clark will help replace them, but this defense still doesn’t intimidate many. The offense will allow them to keep pace, but the defense may blow a couple of close games and that could keep them from winning a title.
7. Green Bay Packers. With Aaron Rodgers back behind a healthy offensive line, the Packers look better on paper than they did at the end of last year. Especially with Davante Adams becoming one of the league’s most consistent receivers. They have improved on defense as well, signing Preston Smith, Adrian Amos, and Za’Darius Smith to help out on that side of the ball. They are an all-around solid team with few holes. Their only weakness is their lack of overall depth, which could become an issue if injuries strike.
8. Los Angeles Chargers. I initially had the Chargers in the top-five on this list, but I’ve moved them down because of their lack of stability on the offensive line. Russell Okung is still on the NFI list after recovering from a pulmonary embolism. That, coupled with Melvin Gordon’s holdout, creates some questions about the offense. Still, Philip Rivers should be able to competently lead this unit while the defense appears to be very strong on paper.
9. New Orleans Saints. Some may be surprised to see the Saints ranked this lowly, especially given that the team nearly made the Super Bowl last season. However, the team has suffered some big losses this offseason. RB Mark Ingram, DT Sheldon Rankins, and C Max Unger stand out, but Unger’s loss will be the biggest. He will be replaced by talented rookie Erik McCoy, but it could take time for him and Drew Brees to develop chemistry at the line of scrimmage. If so, the offensive line could be worse than expected. Additionally, Rankins’ Achilles injury weakens their pass rush, so that could negatively impact their defense.
The Saints can still win the Super Bowl, but their team certainly has regressed a bit since last year.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers lost Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, but that should give them more unity in the locker room. Adding Devin Bush and Mark Barron to play linebacker should greatly improve the defense. So will the addition of cornerback Steven Nelson, so perhaps the demise of the Steelers is overexaggerated. They are still going to be very hard to beat in the AFC North.
11. Los Angeles Rams. The Rams made the Super Bowl last year, but it may be hard for them to get back there. They still have plenty of receiving weaponry and a brilliant coach/coordinator duo of Sean McVay and Wade Phillips. But the team downgraded two positions on the offensive line (left guard and center) and now that unit is shaky, especially with Andrew Whitworth turning 38 in December. Todd Gurley’s knee issues also could have an impact here and if the running game isn’t as strong, the passing game could suffer. The Rams are still playoff contenders, but I don’t think they’re as strong as they were last season.
Fringe Playoff Contenders
These teams could easily make the playoffs and go on a run, but there are some questions surrounding them that have them teetering on the brink of the postseason.
12. Dallas Cowboys. If Ezekiel Elliott does follow through on his threat to hold out for a new contract, the Cowboys would drop substantially on these rankings. However, if he plays, the team’s offense should hum nicely, as Elliott and the team’s strong offensive line, which is getting Travis Frederick back, should carry the unit. Meanwhile, on defense, Leighton Vander Esch will continue to improve and the team is returning most of the talent that led them to a Top-7 defense in terms of both yardage and points allowed per game.
13. Carolina Panthers. We talk a lot about how the Redskins were 6-2 last year before Alex Smith’s injury. The Panthers were actually also 6-2 before enduring a seven-game losing streak. Cam Newton dealt with a shoulder injury during that time, but if he’s fully healthy, the Panthers should be a solid team. Switching to a 3-4 defense should help them out and the new talent they added — Bruce Irvin, Brian Burns, and Tre Boston — should upgrade things on that side of the ball. The offensive line is also better and the growth of D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel should greatly improve the receiving corps.
14. Cleveland Browns. The Browns are getting a lot of love this season as Baker Mayfield is looking like a true franchise quarterback. I still have questions about how Freddie Kitchens will do as a first-year head coach and how he’ll be able to manage the personalities of Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. as well as the team’s downgraded offensive line. But, they look strong all-around save for that unit, especially after their drubbing of the Redskins defense in the first preseason game (Yes, I know it’s the preseason, but the first drive was effortless). If their young guys on defense can step up, this team could quickly take control in the AFC North.
15. Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks rely on two players to carry their team. Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner. Wilson carries the offense by making key passing plays and operating the team’s ground-dominant attack (the most run-skewed offense in the NFL last season). Wagner is the quarterback of the defense and is a true sideline-to-sideline playmaker. As long as those two players are healthy, the Seahawks will have a chance to make the playoffs. The only issue is that they lack quality starters on the offensive line and possess only an average-at-best defense outside of Wagner.
16. Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens lost quite a few players in free agency including Eric Weddle, C.J. Mosely, Terrell Suggs, and Za’Darius Smith. They have a lot of young players ready to step up and replace them (or in the case of Weddle, another veteran in Earl Thomas) but they certainly aren’t as strong as they were last season. Lamar Jackson’s potential improvement could help the offense and the addition of Mark Ingram will give them an excellent running attack. But their lack of receiving weapons (pending the development of draft picks Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Miles Boykin) leaves them teetering on the edge of postseason contenders especially given the state of the AFC North.
Postseason Hopefuls
These teams could end up making the playoffs but also have some weaknesses that could prevent them from making the run this year.
17. New York Jets. Don’t sleep on the Jets this year. While other second-year quarterbacks (namely Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Rosen) have gotten more attention than Sam Darnold, he seems poised to grow under Adam Gase’s tutelage. Plus, the team has upgraded their offense by signing RB Le’Veon Bell, WR Jamison Crowder, C Ryan Kalil, OL Alex Lewis, and trading for LG Kelechi Osemele. That unit could see a spike in production as a result.
Meanwhile, the additions of LB C.J. Mosley, CB Trumaine Johnson, and No. 3 pick DL Quinnen Williams should be upgrades for the squad as well. Gregg Williams’ aggressive mentality could have a nice effect on the defense as well, so that’s a positive for the Jets. They may not quite reach the postseason this year, but they’ll have a chance to be effective playing in one of the league’s weakest divisions.
Washington Commanders
18. Houston Texans. The Texans were the third seed in the AFC last year. This year, they may have a tougher time making the playoffs. Simply put, the Texans have an awful offensive line and have done little to fix it in recent seasons. They signed Matt Kalil, who is currently penciled in as a left tackle despite being woeful for Carolina last year, and overdrafted the raw Alabama State product Tytus Howard in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. If Deshaun Watson gets sacked another 62 times this year, expect the Texans offense to sputter despite their relatively strong receiving options.
Houston’s rock-solid defense should help them out a bit, but if they can’t block on offense, they will have trouble winning games. Bill O’Brien and company should have done a better job of building the offensive line and it will be an issue unless they trade for a guy like Trent Williams.
19. Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota clearly overpaid for Kirk Cousins, as he failed to get a stacked team to the playoffs last year. The Vikings have made some changes to their offensive line, but it remains to be seen if they will be able to protect Cousins enough to make a difference. Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and a strong defense will keep the Vikings competitive, but Cousins’ deficiencies should limit the squad playing in a tough NFC North.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars disappointed last season, but they should be in better shape ahead of the 2019 season. They have replaced the ineffective Blake Bortles with former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles at quarterback. Foles hasn’t always succeeded in the regular season, but his postseason performance gives hope that he can become a solid starter. And he’s definitely an upgrade over Bortles. He can help keep the team’s strong defense fresh, though that unit isn’t as strong as it has been in the past due to the losses of Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith, and Tashaun Gipson.
21. Tennessee Titans. Marcus Mariota has yet to live up to his billing as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft as he has had injury issues during his career. The Titans almost made the playoffs with Blaine Gabbert starting last season but ultimately fell short. Ryan Tannehill will be better as Mariota’s insurance, but it’s unclear if he could elevate this team to playoff contention if Mariota is hurt or struggles. However, their receiving weapons are merely average so their Top-6 defense from last season will have to carry them despite being somewhat thin at the pass rusher position. Mike Vrabel is a good head coach, but he’ll have his work cut out for him this year.
Average-at-best Teams
All of these squads have some solid aspects of their team, but they simply aren’t built for postseason success as currently constructed.
22. Denver Broncos. Denver has made some improvements to their offense, but not in the form of Joe Flacco. They fixed the right side of their offensive line by adding second-round pick Dalton Risner and former Miami Dolphin Ja’Wuan James to improve their blocking. That should help Flacco to stay upright a bit more than Case Keenum was able to last season, but the results should be similar.
On defense, the team improved their corner situation by signing Kareem Jackson and Bryce Callahan so that should strengthen the back end a bit. Von Miller will help to make this a potential top-tier unit, but they are a little thin elsewhere in the front-seven. Overall, the Broncos are a nice-looking team with a high floor but a low ceiling.
FanSided
23. Buffalo Bills. The Bills entirely remade their offensive line this year and invested in many weapons for Josh Allen to target (Cole Beasley, John Brown). Now the question is, will he be up to the challenge? Allen flashed a cannon of an arm and great mobility last season, but he still needs to improve his accuracy. He has the tools around him to succeed and one of the league’s most underrated defenses helping his cause as well. But there could be growing pains for Allen this year, and he could limit the Bills until everything finally clicks for the Wyoming product.
24. San Francisco 49ers. The common theme among the teams listed here are questionable-to-average quarterbacks. Jimmy Garoppolo falls into the former category. He has only started 10 career games and has been solid but at times, unspectacular. He has the raw abilities needed to be a franchise quarterback though, so the 49ers will be happy to have him this year. They did a good job of adding weapons to the offense in the form of Deebo Samuel and Tevin Coleman, but there are questions about their defense that will need to be answered. Dee Ford and Nick Bosa figure to help improve the edge rush, but both are nicked up now. If they can’t play, that could really hurt the 49ers’ top-end potential.
25. Arizona Cardinals. Everyone is rightly excited about the potential of Kyler Murray, and he is the main reason that the Cardinals aren’t in the bottom of the barrel in these rankings. Kliff Kingsbury has provided him with a number of young weapons to grow with, but the team’s offensive line is still a nightmare outside of Marcus Gilbert. They made some veteran additions to the defense to pair with Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson, including former Redskins safety D.J. Swearinger, but this squad is not quite ready to make a playoff push.
26. Detroit Lions. Matt Patricia has stressed the importance of creating “Lions Culture” and has added a number of veterans in free agency, including big-money free-agent signing Trey Flowers. They have undoubtedly improved their roster, but it remains to be seen if it will all come together under Patricia.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bruce Arians should have a chance to continue the success Tampa Bay’s passing offense had under Todd Monken last year. But, he still was gifted with a poor offensive line and no running game. The team went defense-heavy in the draft, but they are still a developing unit switching to a 3-4 style under Todd Bowles. Eventually, Bowles will get them on track, but for the time being, the Bucs are a one-dimensional, pass-heavy team with major questions on the defensive side of the ball.
28. Washington Redskins. I’m leaving the Redskins here for the time being because they have the potential to be a middle-of-the-pack team. However, their offensive line is a major problem with Trent Williams out. The unit we saw in the preseason opener didn’t feature any of the right-side starters, but the left side is so weak without Williams. If they can’t block, Case Keenum is going to have trouble quarterbacking the team, as evidenced when he was under pressure in the preseason opener.
Keenum is favored to start at the moment because Dwayne Haskins didn’t look ready to start yet in his first preseason action. He showed flashes of potential, but the team may give him more time to develop moving forward before throwing him into game action. That could change in the next few preseason games, but for the time being, Haskins can’t be counted on as an X-factor for the team just yet.
While the Redskins have talent on defense, their offense simply isn’t going to be able to score enough to consistently win. If Williams returns, that could certainly change. But without him or a viable replacement, they have to slip in the rankings.
Bottom of the Barrel
These teams aren’t likely to be contenders this season barring something miraculous. They will likely be picking early in the 2020 NFL Draft.
29. New York Giants. The Giants are better than many are giving them credit for. Daniel Jones was a reach at No. 6, but I do think he can become a very good pro quarterback. And while trading Odell Beckham Jr. was questionable, the team did add Kevin Zeitler to help fix the problematic right side of the offensive line. That said, the Giants simply don’t have much proven talent on defense and they lack offensive playmakers outside of Saquon Barkley.
And, oh yeah, if they choose to start Eli Manning to kick off the season, their passing game will be an unmitigated disaster. If Jones continues to play like he did on his lone preseason drive, he should get a chance to start and give the Giants some hope for the future.
30. Oakland Raiders. Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock are trying to remake the Raiders, but their vision seems unlikely to come together this year. There will be a lot of clashing personalities in the Raiders’ locker room from Gruden to Antonio Brown to Vontaze Burfict to Richie Incognito. I’m among the skeptics of this team as a result, especially since Derek Carr looked no better than a game manager in Gruden’s offense last season.
31. Cincinnati Bengals. The presence of rookie head coach Zac Taylor could spark the Bengals on offense a little bit, but their offensive line is bad and A.J. Green is dealing with an injury that will likely cost him a couple of outings at the least. They have some intriguing young talent in the secondary on defense, but they lack depth overall and their linebackers are in tough shape. Expect this to be the last year of seeing an Andy Dalton-led Bengals squad.
32. Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have very little talent on their roster and are clearly rebuilding. Josh Rosen will eventually get a chance to start at quarterback for them, but they are lacking talent on offense and everywhere on defense. They have a few solid players, but it won’t be enough to keep them from being one of the league’s worst teams.
These rankings are obviously subject to change, but this is a snapshot of how the league looks right now. We’ll have a much better idea of who the actual contenders and bottom-barrel teams are once the season actually gets underway come September.