The Denver Broncos are so close to breaking through even more in the AFC. Let's power rank the conference as preseason comes to an end. Not only did Denver add the necessary talent this offseason to take another leap forward, but this team has top-notch depth.
That depth has been on display in their two preseason blowouts, so heading into the regular season, it's really hard to find a notable flow with this roster. A ton of credit goes to Sean Payton for being able to world in tandem with George Paton to fix this roster over the past three offseasons.
The Broncos are close to actually becoming a legitimate contender in the AFC, and it's evidenced in our latest power rankings.
AFC Power Rankings: Denver Broncos are trending in the right direction
16. Cleveland Browns
Maybe one of the worst teams we've seen in the NFL in quite some time, the Browns are last in our AFC power rankings. With a dysfunctional QB room, beaten and battered roster, and no franchise QB in sight, the Browns are in for a brutal 2025 season.
15. Tennessee Titans
A bad team that could be trending in the right direction, the Tennessee Titans are 15th in our power rankings but might have something going for them with first overall pick Cam Ward. Denver hosts Tennessee to open up the 2025 season.
14. New York Jets
The New York Jets have a first-year head coach in Aaron Glenn and a bottom-7 QB in Justin Fields, so their 2025 season is going to go as you expect. Justin Fields is going to hold this team back until GM Darren Mougey finds a franchise QB.
13. Indianapolis Colts
Outside of QB, the Colts have one of the better rosters in the AFC, but GM Chris Ballard has truly botched the QB situation, and it's going to bring this team down in a big way in 2025. Indy is 13th in our power rankings.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars
A fun team, possibly, the Jacksonville Jaguars are 12th in our power rankings. Liam Coen is a great offensive mind and could squeeze every bit of juice out of that unit in 2025. The roster itself still needs some work.
11. Las Vegas Raiders
A hollow team at best, the Las Vegas Raiders have roster holes all over the place but still managed to get better by adding Pete Carroll, Geno Smith, and Ashton Jeanty in the offseason. This team can win eight games at best.
10. Miami Dolphins
If nothing else, Tua Tagovailoa has never finished a season with a losing record, so the Dolphins have that going for them, but the RB room is already banged up, and the rest of the roster is just below-average.
9. New England Patriots
One of my favorite teams to breakout in 2025, the New England Patriots could end up being a legitimate playoff team as soon as 2026. They've got the head coach and QB in place in my opinion.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are again trying to make it work with a veteran QB, and this time, it's Aaron Rodgers. Do you remember when the Denver Broncos (maybe) almost traded for Rodgers?
7. Cincinnati Bengals
A flawed team at best, the Cincinnati Bengals are going to suffer the same fate in 2025 if they can't get Trey Hendrickson back on the field, as the defense needs him. Furthermore, the offensive line is still a concern.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
With Rashawn Slater out for the year and the LA Chargers not really getting that much better from 2024, it's hard to be high on them for the 2025 NFL Season. This is a good team, yes, but they aren't going to be better than last year's squad.
5. Houston Texans
Totally remaking their offensive line this offseason, the Houston Texans could honestly boom or bust in 2025. If their OL changes were the right ones, Houston is going to become a contender. On paper, this is a very good team with a high ceiling.
4. Denver Broncos
I could argue that the Denver Broncos have the best depth in the AFC. The defense is the most talented in the league, and if Bo Nix makes a leap in year two, Denver will absolutely join Kansas City, Baltimore, and Buffalo as a 'Big 4' in the conference.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs really don't have as good of a roster as some people think. The offensive line has some question marks, and they're missing key talent in the secondary, at running back, and even at wide receiver. However, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes still exist...
2. Baltimore Ravens
Maybe the best roster in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens fire on all cylinders in the regular season, but tend to collapse in the postseason. This franchise has not won multiple games in the playoffs since 2012...
1. Buffalo Bills
Could the 2025 NFL Season actually be the year for the Buffalo Bills? With the reigning MVP in Josh Allen and them returning many of the same players from 2024, Buffalo has run out of excuses to not make a Super Bowl run.