Butanmok: 2023 NFL power rankings: Chiefs, Eagles lead our initial list

David Helman

Dallas Cowboys Insider

Football is back, and what time-honored tradition is more fun than ranking the NFL from best to worst?

We haven't conducted power rankings since the draft, and somehow it feels like everything has changed. Six weeks of practice and a handful of exhibition games have drastically altered our perception of at least half the league, and it's all going to get flipped on its head again when the games begin.

Before that happens, let's take one last look at where things stand and how well or poorly our preseason expectations are going to age.

1. Kansas City Chiefs
The reigning champs have done more than enough to deserve the top spot for Week 1. They addressed their losses at tackle by signing a solid duo of free agents in Donovan Smith and Andrew Wylie, and they've stockpiled young receiver talent. The only real question is how long Chris Jones' ongoing holdout will last. The Chiefs belong here. But if they play a large chunk of the season without one of the league's best defenders, it's bound to have an effect.

2. Philadelphia Eagles
Philly has done a phenomenal job of replacing their losses from the roster that reached Super Bowl LVII. Now, it's time for those guys to step up. Can new coordinators Brian Johnson and Sean Desai keep things humming with Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon off to head coaching jobs? Can the Bird Dawgs — Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean and Nolan Smith — step up and star for a defense that lost five starters? I fully trust that the Eagles' stars will shine, but the performance of the reinforcements is a crucial story to watch.

3. Cincinnati Bengals
Is this the last ride for the Bengals squad we've gotten used to? Obviously, Joe Burrow isn't going anywhere. But that imminent contract extension will make it tougher to keep this team together, and both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are entering contract seasons, with Ja'Marr Chase a year away. Don't overlook the losses of Jessie Bates III and Von Bell in the secondary, either. This is still one of the best rosters in the league, but there should be a sense of urgency to strike while the iron is hot in Cincinnati.

4. Buffalo Bills
There's been a lot of hand wringing about Buffalo's window closing, but let's pump the brakes. The Bills have bolstered their offensive line and given Josh Allen a few new weapons to work with. This should still be one of the best offenses in the NFL. True, there's a bit more uncertainty surrounding the defense, but this team should fully expect to contend in a loaded AFC.

5. San Francisco 49ers
It's insane that a team without a settled quarterback situation is one of the league's best, but that's a testament to the roster they've built in Santa Clara. Even knowing what he did as a rookie, it's hard to rank Brock Purdy highly among contending quarterbacks. But that's not a problem if your offense is loaded with All-Pros and your front office added Javon Hargrave to a defense that was among the league's elite. All that's missing is Nick Bosa, who will hopefully get his contract extension soon. Purdy doesn't have to be great to get this team where it wants to go.

6. Baltimore Ravens
It all looks so, so fun on paper. Finally, an electric talent like Lamar Jackson is teamed with weapons like Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers. In reality, the big question is how quickly Jackson and his playmakers can jell with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. If they can hit the ground running, this could be one of the most entertaining attacks in the league. They'll need to be in order to offset their lacking pass rush, not to mention Marlon Humphrey's lingering foot injury.

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7. New York Jets
The 2022 Jets scored 10.7 points per game in their 10 losses. They'd have been a playoff team with even mediocre quarterback play. Even approaching 40 and even with a suspect offensive line, Aaron Rodgers can deliver. I'm not sure how good it's going to look, but with a defense like this, it shouldn't matter. Anything less than ending the longest playoff drought in the league would be a disappointment.

8. Dallas Cowboys
If not now, when? That's the question I keep coming back to with this Cowboys team. They added to both sides of the ball by trading for Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore. They're bringing back all their stars. They have a veteran coach, a veteran quarterback and not much in the way of excuses. If Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy can't find a way over the hump this year, it's hard to imagine when it'll happen.

[NFL young talent rankings: No. 2 Cowboys have emerging superstars. Can they pay them all?]

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9. Miami Dolphins
If you can promise me Tua Tagovailoa plays the whole season, I'm all-in on the Dolphins. The offense is explosive and the defense is loaded. Even with Jalen Ramsey expected to miss a big chunk of the season, Miami has Pro Bowl-caliber play at all three levels, with Vic Fangio calling the shots. If the quarterback is healthy, I think the sky is the limit. If he's not — well, we've seen how that goes.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars
I expect the Jags to climb this list, and quickly. Jacksonville didn't do much to address their defense in the offseason, but the offense should be incredible with Calvin Ridley joining what was already a fun unit. If Trevor Lawrence is ready to take the next step, I agree with Peter King that the Jags are capable of grabbing the AFC's No. 1 seed.

11. Los Angeles Chargers
Somehow, the Chargers managed to turn a playoff berth into a disappointment — which feels like Peak Charger Behavior. Kellen Moore is now on hand to unlock the offense, and his track record gives plenty of confidence that he will. Moore is going to find that there are much fewer eyeballs on him here than there were in Dallas, but the expectations should feel familiar. For Justin Herbert, nothing less than a real playoff run will suffice.

12. Seattle Seahawks
I'm not ready to hand the NFC West to San Francisco. Seattle added Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet to an offense that was already among the league's best, and the defense is now working with Dre'Mont Jones, Devon Witherspoon, Bobby Wagner and (hopefully) a healthy Jamal Adams. The Seahawks aren't getting as much shine as the Cowboys, Eagles and 49ers, but they're not far behind.

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13. Detroit Lions
Finally, it's time to put up or shut up. No Lions team in history has been as anticipated as this one, as evidenced by their spot in the Thursday night season opener. I have questions about the skill players behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, and I can't wait to see if the defense picks up where it left off last season. Fortunately for the Lions, it's easier to believe when you look at their competition in the NFC North.

14. New Orleans Saints
I try not to overreact to preseason football, but I'm buying a little Saints hype after seeing Derek Carr in action with his new team. There's always going to be concern about the age and injury history of this roster. But the Saints have the best quarterback in the NFC South, the easiest strength of schedule in the league and a ton of veteran production. It's not going to be surprising if they win a lot of games, even if they're not quite as good as the league's elite.

15. Minnesota Vikings
I'm curious to see what Brian Flores can do in his first season as Vikings defensive coordinator. Even with Dalvin Cook off to New York, I'm not worried about the offensive production — especially with Jordan Addison joining the fold. Defensively, though, the Vikings are asking a lot of a bunch of unproven players. If Flores can coach better production out of this group, the Vikings are a sleeper.

16. New York Giants
The Giants were a year ahead of schedule in Brian Daboll's first season. Can they keep it up? Credit to them, they haven't been idle. Darren Waller will help, as should a big-time rookie class. Everyone expects the Giants to be feisty, but it'll be truly impressive if they can take another step forward and truly contend to win a loaded division. They have an early opportunity to make an impression, as the Giants have not beaten Dak Prescott since his rookie year, way back in 2016.

17. Cleveland Browns
Make no mistake, the Browns are only this low because of what they looked like the last month of 2022. This Cleveland team reminds me of last year's Eagles in the sense that they have all the pieces in place — except for a big question mark at quarterback. Obviously, the circumstances aren't the same. Jalen Hurts was a young guy looking to take the next step, while Deshaun Watson is trying to regain his form after off-field issues sidelined him for roughly two years. If he plays like a $230 million quarterback, the Browns are just as capable of making a run as any team in the AFC.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers
I keep repeating to myself that it's just preseason ball, but man, it was exciting watching Kenny Pickett and George Pickens in August. If those two play like that when the results matter, this is an awfully feisty group. We know the defense is strong. T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are on the short list of the league's best defenders. If Pickett is merely good, they won't be an easy out. If he's better than that, who knows?

19. Green Bay Packers
Who knows how it will go, but it just feels fun that things are different in Green Bay. I was a sophomore in high school when Aaron Rodgers was drafted, and I was a sophomore in college when he took over as the Packers' starter. Now, as my back pain gets worse and I inch perilously close to 40, it's Jordan Love's turn. Is it weird if I have more faith in the young, unproven offense than the defense that's famously loaded with eight first-round draft picks?

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20. Carolina Panthers
I had really high hopes for what the Panthers might be in Bryce Young's rookie season, but it's hard not to be scared by the offensive line's performance this preseason. For the millionth time, we shouldn't overreact to what we see in the preseason, but the Panthers' offense just doesn't have enough talent to help Young overcome leaky protection. Factor in a possible Brian Burns holdout, and the vibes in Charlotte don't feel great right now.

21. Denver Broncos
The roster looked good on paper last summer and the Broncos turned in one of the ugliest seasons in NFL history. Even with Sean Payton calling the shots, seeing is believing for these guys. The top priority has to be determining if Russell Wilson still has gas in the tank. If Payton can't get usable football out of the $240 million man, nothing else is even relevant.

Russell Wilson is reportedly 'on a really short leash' with Broncos this season

22. Atlanta Falcons

A lot of smart people are high on the Falcons because they have a good offensive line, fantastic skill players and some strong new additions on defense. That all sounds great as long as you're willing to overlook the most important position in the sport. It's not that I think Desmond Ridder is bad, it's just that I need to see him do more before I can put Atlanta any higher than this.

23. New England Patriots
If the Pats played in almost any other division, I think we'd feel much differently about them. The defense figures to be one of the NFL's best once again. Nothing about the offense wows you, but there are some serviceable pieces. And the smart bet is that Bill O'Brien will at least help Mac Jones play competent football. It's not a bad recipe for success — unless you play in the loaded AFC East, where this just doesn't feel like enough to get the job done.

24. Washington Commanders
The Commanders remind me a lot of the Falcons. They have intriguing talent all over the roster, except the most important position of all. It would be quite a coup if Sam Howell turns into a player, because the rest of this team is ready. Washington boasts one of the most ferocious defensive fronts in the game, an underrated receiver duo of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson as well as a talented secondary. Best-case scenario, Howell rises to the occasion and the Commanders surprise some people. Worst-case scenario, he doesn't and this new ownership regime knows what it needs to look for. Not a bad spot for an up-and-coming team, either way.

25. Chicago Bears
They call Chicago the City of Broad Shoulders, and Justin Fields is going to need them to carry the weight of these expectations. I don't think there's a player in the NFL facing this much hype — which is kind of crazy considering the Bears finished with the worst record in the league last year. Hopefully, Fields makes a leap now that there's talent around him on offense. If nothing else, Bears GM Ryan Poles needs to see that, or he needs to hunt for a new QB in the spring. If Fields can answer that question, the season is a success. I know the NFC North is down, but a playoff push feels like it's at least a year away.

[Vitali: Can Justin Fields make the 'Jalen Hurts jump?' Context for Bears' young QB is important]

26. Las Vegas Raiders
It's hard to know what to do with the Raiders. Their big-ticket names like Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs and Maxx Crosby are as good as anyone's. And Jimmy Garoppolo has won plenty of games in his nine years. The issue is the rest of the roster — particularly the defense, which lacks talent behind Crosby and Chandler Jones. Now remember that Vegas shares a division with Patrick Mahomes & Co., and it's hard to find the optimism.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If Baker Mayfield has some magic left in him, the Bucs could be sneaky good. A lot of the guys that helped them win Super Bowl LV are still around, and most of them are still playing at a high level. If Mayfield can re-discover his form from 2020, when he led the Browns to a playoff win, then maybe Tampa can surprise some people. The problem is that we've seen a large sample size that suggests Mayfield isn't up to the task. If that's the case, things get could ugly quickly.

28. Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans gets to play with house money in Year 1 as a head coach. All that matters is that C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. play like top-five picks; the rest is gravy. Of course, given Ryans' defensive pedigree, it would also be fun if he could mold the Texans' young defense into a formidable unit.

29. Indianapolis Colts
The same logic applies in Indy as it does in Houston — except the vibes are considerably weirder. All the talk around the Colts should be about Anthony Richardson making his much-anticipated debut. Instead, we're all stuck in this strange contract standoff between Jonathan Taylor and Colts owner Jim Irsay. Not only did the Colts not trade their disgruntled running back, but they didn't take him off the Physically Unable to Perform list — which means he won't be able to help Richardson for at least a month. Richardson will be must-see TV, but it's hard to feel excited about much else.

Surprised Colts gave RB Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade?

30. Tennessee Titans
I'm not giving Mike Vrabel enough credit for being a hell of a coach, but it's just hard to see the vision. As much as the Titans like to pound the rock and rely on play action, their offensive line is a wreck and I'm not sure Peter Skoronski is enough to fix it. The defense is going to be good because Vrabel is coaching them, but is that enough?

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31. L.A. Rams
Earlier in the offseason, you could have convinced me the trio of Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford was good enough to drag this team to a respectable record. Here in September, Kupp is already dealing with an injury and Stafford is supposedly having trouble connecting with all his young teammates. If the Rams can find a handful of quality players among all these rookies, the season will be a success. Hard to see much more than that.

32. Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals fans, start spending your Saturdays watching Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Yes, Kyler Murray will eventually be back from injury, and he has a massive contract. But if things go as poorly in Phoenix as it looks like they might, the Cardinals will find a way to figure that out. If they tank their way into the No. 1 pick in 2024, odds are they won't pass on a newer, younger QB.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.

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