The Cowboys ranked 21st in our power poll … before shipping out Parsons, arguably their best player.
Already our NFC pick for Super Bowl 60, where do Packers check in now ahead of opener vs. Lions?
Big as the Parsons trade is, the three teams atop our power poll remain unchanged.
NFL power rankings with the 2025 regular season set to kick off Sept. 4 … and Micah Parsons on the move (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): There’s little doubt they’re a legit threat to follow the Chiefs, whom they decisively vanquished in Super Bowl 59, as the second team to repeat in a four-season span. The early part of the season already seems to be breaking Philly’s way − the Eagles now set to open against a Cowboys squad devoid of Parsons, rather than the pitch-count version of Parsons, before heading to Arrowhead Stadium and catching the perennial AFC champions on the back end of their 10,000-mile roundtrip to Brazil in Week 1.
2. Baltimore Ravens (2): Looking for a flaw here? They didn’t manage to get in on the Parsons sweepstakes, otherwise … The biggest issue facing Baltimore presently might be avoiding boredom in September and October − and the Ravens have been known to strike some easily avoidable early schedule potholes in past seasons.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (3): You have to wonder just how engaged they’ll be during the regular season given how married they are to Super Bowl success.
4. Green Bay Packers (6): Some of the sager members of the NFL media corps had already picked them as the NFC’s Super Bowl 60 entry … not that anyone, cough, is looking for credit. But with Parsons now coming aboard in the kind of deal Pack fans rarely enjoy? Better buy another bandwagon. Or two.
6. Los Angeles Rams (5): A young team is hoping to pick up where it left off after last season’s resurgence refueled its Super Bowl aspirations. Unfortunately, that young team has an old quarterback with a creaky back who also effectively renders the entire operation a house of cards … all due respect to Jimmy Garoppolo.
7. Washington Commanders (7): They’ve eliminated one risk by resolving the contractual situation of longtime team captain Terry McLaurin. They’ve potentially invited another one by trading starting RB Brian Robinson to the Niners. FWIW, they’re also not going to be able to duck Parsons, drawing a Thursday night assignment in Green Bay in Week 2 − get ready, Laremy Tunsil.
8. Denver Broncos (8): They’re exactly why you don’t judge actual NFL teams by their fantasy football value. Denver arguably has the league’s best offensive line and defense. Who needs Bo Nix?
9. Detroit Lions (9): Much of the offseason focus has understandably been trained on their numerous coaching departures, including both coordinators. But let’s not forget that DE Aidan Hutchinson will be back wrecking shop in Week 1, either.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (10): It’s worth wondering how long it will take QB Aaron Rodgers to practically get a handle on this offense after he sat out the preseason. Conversely, unnecessary penalties or not, fun to see new DB Jalen Ramsey sending the message Pittsburgh’s defense is back.
11. Arizona Cardinals (12): A 5-2 start coming out of a Week 8 bye seems quite reasonable for a team that struggled to get out of the blocks during its first two seasons under coach Jonathan Gannon. It might also be enough to distinguish the Cards in what appears to be a tightly packed NFC West.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14): Similar to the Lions, let’s not try to obsess over the delayed 2025 debuts of LT Tristan Wirfs and WRs Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan − not to mention the departure of OC Liam Coen … which we’ve now mentioned. Instead, let’s focus on the opportunity first-round WR Emeka Egbuka now has to make a run at Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
13. San Francisco 49ers (11): In the event you’d lost track, Russell Gage, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robbie Chosen (the latter two on the practice squad) are now part of the Niners’ expanded − by necessity − suite of wideout options. If that seems problematic … yep.
14. Seattle Seahawks (16): In the event you’d lost track, Dareke Young, Cody White, Jake Bobo, Ricky White III and Tyrone Broden (the latter two on the practice squad) are now part of the Seahawks’ expanded − by necessity − suite of wideout options. If that seems problematic … well, Seattle still has Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp on what’s likely going to be a run-oriented offense that isn’t overly reliant on new QB Sam Darnold.
15. Minnesota Vikings (17): Their forecast was tempered at best at this time a year ago. So discount the Vikes at your peril. It also would have been crazy to wonder a year ago if J.J. McCarthy could fill Darnold’s shoes. Maybe the return of WR Adam Thielen, who will certainly ease the temporary absence of Jordan Addison, helps that cause.
16. Houston Texans (13): With RB Joe Mixon’s absence set to extend well into the fall, and his return nowhere in sight, an offense that already had a convulsive offseason has another major question mark going into Week 1 and beyond.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (18): With DE Trey Hendrickson sufficiently appeased (for 2025 anyway), this roster basically heads into the season intact, albeit a significantly more expensive version compared to the disappointing 2024 edition. Good luck with that.
18. Los Angeles Chargers (15): You don’t want to undersell a team coached by Jim Harbaugh. But there were enough concerns about portions of this roster before newly extended Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater blew out his knee.
19. New England Patriots (19): Exciting new head coach. Exciting free agent additions. Exciting rookie class. The new recipe may not coalesce immediately, but this team should be cooking with grease soon.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (22): Are we already souring on the grand Travis Hunter experiment now that he’s apparently already been sideswiped by injury before the games that count have even started?
21. Chicago Bears (20): After an offseason seemingly overflowing with justifiable optimism, the last few weeks have been something of a reality check as rookie HC Ben Johnson gets his sea legs under him while his players try to stay afloat in their new reality. Fun fact, Bears are actually great swimmers.
22. Atlanta Falcons (24): Amazing how (relatively) quiet RB Bijan Robinson 1,887 yards from scrimmage in 2024 were but good bet he breaks into the coverage of Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry in 2025.
23. New York Jets (23): Preseason was a mixed bag, similar to their new Nike ‘Gotham City Football Club’ uniforms. But even if the new-look offense struggles at times in 2025, which is probably a given, don’t expect the toughness rookie HC Aaron Glenn is injecting into this organization to take a day off.
24. Carolina Panthers (25): There’s fresh hope around this group after it finished 2024 on the upswing. But, wow, is QB Bryce Young’s receiving corps green following the trade of Thielen and release of Hunter Renfrow.
25. Dallas Cowboys (21): There’s no way to spin the departure of Parsons − at least to this locker room − as anything other than a gut punch. And what becomes of first-year coordinator Matt Eberflus’ defense, which has been stripped of Parsons, its linchpin, and DeMarcus Lawrence? Seems like the Cowboys could be morphing into Bengals West … without the same level of offensive firepower.
26. New York Giants (29): If the NFL crowned preseason champs, you’re probably looking at ’em. Alas. But nevertheless, even though it may not be reflected much in the 2025 win column, plenty of good feels around this team − primarily generated by rookie QB Jaxson Dart and LB Abdul Carter. Factor in WR Malik Nabers, and the Giants’ may just have the league’s premier trio of youngsters … at least based on what we saw in their dominant August. In a Parsons-less NFC East, maybe Big Blue now has a legit shot at third place.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (26): Maybe first-round RB Ashton Jeanty justifies the hype. Maybe Tyree Wilson, their top pick in 2023, is finally ready to help DE Maxx Crosby. Maybe QB Geno Smith won’t have to give way to recently obtained Kenny Pickett. Notice a theme of maybes?
28. Miami Dolphins (27): If this summer taught us anything, there are still concerns about what’s going on inside the building and also on the field. Factor in several key starters nursing training camp injuries, and a problematic team that usually starts well under coach Mike McDaniel may struggle to replicate even that.
29. Tennessee Titans (28): September could be tough, but don’t be surprised if this team becomes an incrementally tougher out as the season progresses … and rookie QB Cam Ward starts imprinting his unmissable stamp on the organization.
30. Cleveland Browns (31): There are some good players in this lineup. Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders isn’t one of them … and that will almost surely be the story until that changes.
31. Indianapolis Colts (30): Quarterback notwithstanding, this roster has plenty going for it. But despite how hard it is to trust Daniel Jones, Indy nevertheless decided he was a preferable option to Anthony Richardson as QB1 … so drumming up much optimism here is a tough ask.
32. New Orleans Saints (32): Maybe new QB1 Spencer Rattler, 24, has grown leaps and bounds after six ugly starts as a rookie in 2024. But the fact second-rounder Tyler Shough, 25, couldn’t beat him out just feels like this organization’s latest setback.
