NFL power rankings after the NFL Draft: Packers and Bears continue to rise

The 2024 NFL Draft won't be forgotten in a hurry. Six quarterbacks went in the first round, the Chicago Bears won another offseason, and the Minnesota Vikings didn't get their reported top choice at quarterback.

Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers did what they always do: Build a solid if unflashy draft class. The Packers didn't land many "big names" but quietly improved their roster in areas of need with talented football players and great athletes. Is it enough for the Packers to reach the next level? Only time will tell.

With the draft and the first two months of free agency in the books, most of the NFL roster building is now complete. Moves will still be made across the league, but most will impact roster bubbles more than starting positions.

Following the 2024 NFL Draft, which teams are ready to compete, and who is trending in the wrong direction?

Packers among top teams in post-draft NFL power rankings

32. Carolina Panthers

Panthers fans must've felt sick watching the Bears use their pick to select Caleb Williams. Outside of that, it wasn't a bad weekend for Carolina, who got Bryce Young some help with wide receiver Xavier Legette and Jonathon Brooks. But it's hard for fans to forget that they could've drafted C.J. Stroud or not traded with the Bears and ended up with Williams.

31. New York Giants

There's a lot to like about the Giants' draft class, especially landing star wide receiver Malik Nabers. However, until they find their next starting quarterback, they will remain near the bottom of the NFC standings.

30. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee smartly upgraded the offensive line in Round 1 with tackle JC Latham, but this team is still a long way from competing in the AFC South.

29. New England Patriots

New England hopes Drake Maye is its answer at quarterback and smartly went almost all-offense for the rest of the draft, helping launch the rebuild.

28. Arizona Cardinals

Arizona built an impressive draft class, starting with future All-Pro wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The Cardinals found potential instant contributors with defensive lineman Darius Robinson, cornerback Max Melton, and running back Trey Benson.

27. Washington Commanders

The Commanders' arrow is pointing directly up after an impressive draft. Washington found its franchise quarterback with Jayden Daniels and added talent on both sides of the ball. Leaving the draft with Jer'Zhan Newton, Mike Sainristil, Ben Sinnott, and Luke McCaffrey is impressive work.

26. Las Vegas Raiders

Brock Bowers could be an outstanding player, but it made no sense for the Raiders, who needed help almost everywhere else on the roster.

25. Denver Broncos

Have the Broncos found their quarterback? It will be interesting to see Bo Nix working in Sean Payton's offense, especially as he is reunited with college teammate Troy Franklin.

24. New Orleans Saints

Despite having no picks in the third or fourth rounds, New Orleans quietly put together a solid draft class. Taliese Fuaga and Kool-Aid McKinstry were excellent picks, and the Saints found great value on Day 3 with Khristian Boyd. If Spencer Rattler becomes their QB1, this could be a home-run draft.

23. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts made several smart moves in the draft. They helped Anthony Richardson by selecting two offensive linemen and two wide receivers. Edge rusher Laiatu Latu has Pro Bowl potential.

22. Seattle Seahawks

Byron Murphy falling to No. 16 was a dream scenario for Seattle. The Seahawks also smartly added three offensive linemen—Christian Haynes is a Day 1 starter, and Sataoa Laumea in the sixth round is great value.

21. Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota added talent in the draft but didn't manage to trade into the top three for Drake Maye and only has four picks in 2025.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Packers "stole" two Buccaneers targets in the draft, but Tampa Bay still added talent on both sides of the ball. Graham Barton could be a home-run pick. Quietly, the Bucs are again in position to compete for a playoff berth.

19. Atlanta Falcons

As confusing as the Michael Penix Jr. pick was, the Falcons have a roster talented enough to win the NFC South. Kirk Cousins gives them a significant upgrade at quarterback, and he is surrounded by talent on offense. The only concern is their pass rush and secondary. If only they had the choice of every defensive prospect in the class at No. 8. Oh wait...

18. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars made a big-time addition on offense with LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., but the rest of their draft was a little underwhelming. Still, Trevor Lawrence gets a potential star receiver.

17. Los Angeles Rams

It's impossible to replace Aaron Donald, but the Rams got help along the defensive line and found the perfect complement to Kyren Williams in the backfield with Blake Corum. The Rams can compete in the NFC West this season.

16. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers passed on Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze, but they did land the best offensive tackle in the class with Joe Alt. That's the Jim Harbaugh way. And considering the run on tackles in the first round, they probably got it right.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have the building blocks of an outstanding offensive line, with top-two selections Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier joining second-year Broderick Jones. If Russell Wilson can get back to his best, this should be a playoff team.

14. Chicago Bears

Chicago will quickly rise up the power rankings if Caleb Williams makes a fast start to his NFL career. Throwing to the best receiving trio in football makes his life a lot easier. DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze are a scary combination. With an improving roster on both sides of the ball, the Bears could quickly become contenders.

13. Cleveland Browns

With only two top-100 picks and no first-rounder, the Browns were limited in the draft, but they still have arguably the best defense in football and should remain competitive in 2024.

12. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins got even faster by selecting a speed rusher and a running back who ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. Chop Robinson and Jaylen Wright are perfect for the Dolphins and can make an instant impact.

11. Buffalo Bills

The Bills added talent in the draft, but are they better this season without Stefon Diggs? Allowing the Chiefs to trade up for Xavier Worthy is a massive thumbs-down.

10. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys' offseason has been bizarre, to say the least, with Jerry Jones saying they are going all-in, only to do nothing that resembles going all-in. Dallas put together a solid draft class, but is this team any closer to making a Super Bowl run? Jordan Love may have broken the Cowboys.

9. New York Jets

Quietly, the Jets are having a great offseason. They already had a top-five defense. Now, they've upgraded the offensive line via free agency (Tyron Smith), trade (Morgan Moses), and the first round of the draft (Olu Fashanu). Along with the addition of Mike Williams, Malachi Corley, and Braelon Allen, the Jets should be among the best teams in the AFC.

8. Green Bay Packers

The Packers had a very Packers-y draft. There were no major surprises, with Brian Gutekunst building a class like he often does, focusing on athleticism, doubling and tripling down at positions of need, and adding prospects with positional versatility. Green Bay will likely be even younger than a year ago and will push Detroit in the NFC North.

7. Cincinnati Bengals

Protecting Joe Burrow is priority number one, and the Bengals made an investment for the future by selecting Amarius Mims in the first round. They also upgraded the defensive line with Kris Jenkins. These are the kind of moves required for this team to rival the Chiefs in the AFC.

6. Houston Texans

The Texans didn't have a first-round pick but still came away with Kamari Lassiter and Blake Fisher, continuing to build on the good work from last year. Led by C.J. Stroud, this is one of the most exciting teams in the league.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

It's easy to forget Philadelphia started 10-1 last season. Fixing the secondary was a must, and kicking off the draft with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean was a huge win. The Eagles should bounce back into contention in the NFC.

4. Detroit Lions

It's becoming annoying how well the Lions keep building their roster. Trading up to No. 24 for Terrion Arnold was a genius move, and he is joined by Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in a rebuilding secondary. Getting Christian Mahogany in the sixth round could become the steal of the draft.

3. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are still the team to beat in the NFC. Was the Ricky Pearsall pick a sign that either Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk is on the way out? Only time will tell. San Francisco has so much balance across the roster without many weaknesses.

2. Baltimore Ravens

As always, the Ravens made a bunch of smart decisions in the draft. Nate Wiggins, Roger Rosengarten, Devontez Walker, and T.J. Tampa can help the Ravens at premium positions. Baltimore remains in the mix as Kansas City's biggest challenger in the AFC.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The rich get richer. When will the league learn to stop letting the Chiefs trade up? Xavier Worthy can be a star in Kansas City's offense, Kingsley Suamataia is a future starter at either tackle spot, and Jalen Hicks never should've fallen that far. Great work from the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, who remain the team to beat.

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