Ranking NFL teams within each division: Ravens, Eagles, Rams unanimous frontrunners; AFC West wide open

Meanwhile, opinions are split in the NFC North

Zachary Pereles

Mar 24, 2026

1:22 pm ET

•

6 min read

Getty Images

The first major waves of NFL free agency are in the past, and while there are several impact players still available -- Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs, Joey Bosa and Aaron Rodgers chief among them -- the top 33 of Pete Prisco's top 100 free agents are off the board. Plenty of major trades went down, too, but the most recent -- Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos -- is now a week old.

Looking forward, the NFL Draft is still a month away. Teams are deep into their preparation regarding that phase of the offseason while still monitoring the free agency landscape. So while it's a very busy time for front offices and coaches, it's mostly internal work. The news cycle has slowed down. Don't worry too much: If the NFL has taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected and be ready for a big story at any moment. Things may pick up ahead of the draft, too, when teams look to have a clearer picture of their roster before the draft begins.

Still, this time allows for analysis of where teams stand. More than 450 free agents signed contracts this offseason, with beyond $5 billion spent across the NFL, per Spotrac. The Titans, Commanders and Raiders all surpassed $300 million in total free agency expenditures. Will that move any of them up in their respective divisions after difficult 2025 seasons? We polled our NFL experts to rank the teams in each division.

(VOTERS: Tyler Sullivan, Jared Dubin, Carter Bahns, Zach Pereles, Joel Magaraci, Kyle Stackpole)

AFC East

Average rank

1.2

1.8

3.2

3.8

The Bills were a near-unanimous top pick here, even though they're not the reigning division champs. That title belongs to the Patriots, who added Romeo Doubs and Alijah Vera-Tucker. Make no mistake: The Bills made some big moves, too, including trading for DJ Moore to boost an otherwise-lacking receiving group. Buffalo, transitioning now into the Joe Brady regime, won five straight division titles from 2020-24, and for now at least, our experts like them to return to that status in 2026. The Jets have had a big offseason, signing veterans to help steady the ship after a rocky first year for Aaron Glenn. That, plus the Dolphins entering a major rebuild, moves New York out of the division's cellar for now.

AFC North

Average rank

2.2

2.8

The Ravens earn the unanimous top spot here despite a strange, rollercoaster offseason. Baltimore agreed to trade two first-round picks to the Raiders for Maxx Crosby, backed out of the trade after a failed physical and, hours later, signed Trey Hendrickson. The Ravens did a decent job filling out some other spots, too, but also lost all of their top free agents, including center Tyler Linderbaum. The Bengals added Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook and Jonathan Allen to their defense but have otherwise been quiet. The Steelers acquired Michael Pittman Jr. from the Colts and added Jamel Dean, but Rodgers' status remains up in the air. If he retires, where does that leave Pittsburgh at the game's most important position?

AFC South

Average rank

1.3

1.7

3.2

3.8

The AFC South produced two playoff teams for the first time since 2020 and very well may have had three had Daniel Jones stayed healthy. Looking to 2026, the Texans have the top spot. Houston reshuffled its offensive line, but Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller could be significant upgrades. The David Montgomery trade should very much help an underwhelming run game, too. The Jaguars have experienced some significant losses in Travis Etienne Jr. and Devin Lloyd. The Colts brought back both Jones and Alec Pierce, but with Jones coming off an Achilles and questions at several spots, Indianapolis is down to third.

AFC West

Average rank

1.5

2.2

2.3

The Broncos, Chargers and Chiefs all earned at least one first-place vote, but it's Denver on top for now. After earning the AFC's No. 1 seed last season, Denver saw Super Bowl hopes crash in excruciating fashion with an injured Bo Nix unable to play in a 10-7 AFC Championship Game loss to the Patriots. The Broncos hadn't done much this offseason before the Waddle trade, and now they have some much-needed juice at wide receiver opposite Courtland Sutton. The Chargers had a ton of money to spend this offseason but haven't been as aggressive as some may have thought. There's still time for that to change, though. The Chiefs will be looking to replace outgoing cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson and perhaps boost pass catcher and pass rusher. The Raiders still appear to be a distant fourth, but they've made major strides after last year's debacle under Pete Carroll.

NFC East

Average rank

2.2

3.2

3.7

Philadelphia became the first team to repeat as NFC East champion in more than two decades, and it remains on top of the division. The Eagles lost