NFL Power Rankings: Colts fall, Steelers rise, Redskins stagnate

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.

28. New York Giants – Previously 29. The Giants would be higher on this list if they were planning on starting Daniel Jones. But, they’re not because they are evidently devoted to Eli Manning. The team upgraded their offensive line but lost a lot of talent at receiver and on defense. They’re still building a team, but Jones’ performance in the preseason should do a lot to confirm that he is the most pro-ready quarterback from the 2019 NFL Draft class.

29. Oakland Raiders – Previously 30. Antonio Brown has been a big distraction so far this offseason, but if he can play well on the field, he’ll erase the concerns there. Still, there are a ton of personalities in that Oakland locker room and Jon Gruden may have a tough time handling them. Playing in the ultra-strong AFC West won’t help them much either, so they could be en route to another top-five pick.

30. Detroit Lions – Previously 26. Matt Patricia’s team has some good players on both sides of the ball, but they looked bad in the preseason. I know we shouldn’t read into this too much, but they had major issues blocking and given that Matthew Stafford struggled a bit last year, their offense could have a lot of trouble moving the ball. The Lions have the potential to regain their footing and win some games, but early indications are that they may not be able to do that this season.

31. Cincinnati Bengals – Previously 31. Cordy Glenn is about the only solid lineman on the Bengals’ offensive line. A.J. Green is still in a walking boot. Andy Dalton is in the final year of his contract. And the Bengals defense, which struggled immensely against the pass last year, got zero upgrades in the secondary. It could be a long first year for Zac Taylor, but he was brought in for the long haul. He’ll have his chance to rebuild the Bengals offense in the coming years.

32. Miami Dolphins – Previously 32. The Dolphins will never admit this, but they’re tanking. I can’t blame them for accepting the offer the Texans gave them for Laremy Tunsil, but their offensive line is atrocious right now. They won’t be able to run much and their quarterbacks will get hit a lot this season. But like Taylor, Brian Flores wasn’t brought in to turn things around in one season. He’ll hope his team can lose enough to get the No. 1 pick so they can draft a top quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa.

These rankings will be subject to change throughout the season. But ahead of Week 1, this is how I believe they stand. Feel free to comment with your thoughts below!