New blog post by Martin Futter! Pre-season NFL Power Ratings
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The long wait for American Football to return is nearly over as in just over a month the greatest show on turf is back! Long time members of BTC will know that myself and Ryan are huge NFL fans.
Much in the same vein as the 'Premier League Power Ratings' we have created an NFL version. This should help us when trading games and looking for value in the Superbowl outright market.
So without further ado here are the positions for each team in our opinion, let us know your thoughts! Last season's finishing positions will be bracketed next to the current position.
1. (1) Philidelphia Eagles - When the current Superbowl MVP is your backup QB this season, you know you are strong. Wentz could improve further and until they show otherwise there is no reason to knock them from their perch.
2. (10) LA Rams - Talib, Peters, Suh, Cooks have been brought in so need I say more? Goff should continue his improvement and no-one will want to face them this year.
3. (4) Jacksonville Jaguars - Norwell at guard is a huge addition and their run game will be nigh on impossible to stop. I don't like Bortles re-signing but I guess it's a safer option than a rookie gamble. Should have won the AFC last year and look stronger this year.
4. (2) New England Patroits - They have lost a lot of talent this year, Solder, Amendola, Cooks and Lewis. Brady is entering unkown territory at 41 years old when the season starts. Fortunately, they have by far the easiest division in the league.
5. (3) Minnesota Vikings - Dalvin Cook will be back to bolster that rushing attack but how quickly will Cousins settle?
6. (6) New Orleans Saints - Kamara and Ingram are the best running back core in the league and with Drew Brees at QB anything is possible.
7. (5) Pittsburgh Steelers - Losing Bryant was not great and they need to sort this Bell situation out before it becomes a real distraction.
8. (19) Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers being back will boost them back to where they were but I don't like the cutting of his favourite target Jordy Nelson. Jimmy Graham adds an option in the middle of the field and helps the wideouts but I still don't rate that defence.
9. (16) San Diego Chargers - Bosa and Ingram are formidable defensive ends and with Derwin James in at safety no-one will be safe. Rivers needs to deliver on his talent in the playoffs and I think they get there this year. Sturgis is a big upgrade at kicker and fills a massive need this team have had for years.
10. (7) Atlanta Falcons - Drafting a WR made some sense but it was hardly a pressing need with Julio Jones and Sanu on the roster.
11. (29) Houston Texans - Deshaun Watson stays healthy and they should make the playoffs. Honey Badger is a huge signing and a healthy JJ Watt is enough to scare anyone.
12. (24) San Fransisco 49ers - Shanahan and Garoppolo finished the season so strongly that they have a real shot of contending this year. McKinnon and Sherman are great free agent signings and if Reuben Foster can keep out of trouble for more than five minutes they could make the playoffs.
13. (8) Tennessee Titans - Picking up Butler at cornerback was a great piece of business, he will have a chip on his shoulder that should motivate him this year. Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis could form the kind of dual back threat that the Saints did last year.
14. (9) Carolina Panthers - I don't really like what they have done this offseason other than drafting DJ Moore at wide reciever which was a glaring hole. Norwell is a big loss and Cam has not found his best form of late.
15. (17) Baltimore Ravens - Crabtree is a great pickup and this team had a winning record last year despite some uninspiring performances. Always a solid team who I think will improve a little. Could Lamar Jackson replace Flacco and have a Watson-like impact?
16. (13) Detroit Lions - Blount and Kerryon Johnson could be great pick ups if they can do the seemingly impossible and get the Detroit running game going. Tough division is their biggest issue to face.
17. (14) Dallas Cowboys - Letting Bryant go may be a mistake, Prescott could do with some more weapons if he struggles to recapture his rookie season magic again this year.
18. (11) Kansas City Chiefs - Mahomes is untested but with Hunt, Hill, Kelce and Watkins as options to throw to KC could have a great year. Losing Smith may hurt though.
19. (15) Seattle Seahawks - Massive clearout and a really strange draft, Wilson may have to try and win this thing on his own. Sherman, Richardson and Graham are big unreplaced losses.
20. (20) Washington Redskins - A steady team now has the steadiest of QBs in Alex Smith, the problem is their lack of big play makers.
21. (31) New York Giants - Solder and Stewart are good signings but it is Barkley who will be the one hoping to lift the team back into relevance. We have seen the impact of first round RBs recently with Elliot and Fournette, so maybe Barkley is the answer?
22. (23) Oakland Raiders - Strange offseason but they have some serious talent, Jordy Nelson is a good pickup but the loss of Crabtree totally offsets it.
23. (18) Arizona Cardinals - Honey Badger is a big loss but Sam Bradford should steady the ship until Rosen is ready to play.
24. (28) Denver Broncos - What has happened to the 2016 Superbowl winners? Chubb at defensive end will make that unit even more imposing but signing Keenam after one good season as a back up come starter seldom pays off in a big way.
25. (12) Buffalo Bills - What on earth were they doing getting rid of Tyrod Taylor? AJ McCarron will have to learn fast.
26. (21) Cincinnati Bengals - Very uninspiring offseason but always a fairly solid team.
27. (32) Cleveland Browns - Surely it is time for a couple of wins this season? Baker Mayfield may have to wait as Tyrod Taylor should start and probably see out the season. The addition of Chubb and Hyde at running back adds a fear factor to the run game. Ward and Landry should start right away and this team could surprise a few this season.
28. (22) Miami Dolphins - All in on Ryan Tannehill after not drafting a QB. Losing Landry, Ajayi, Pouncey and Suh will not be easy to replace. Quinn, Gore and Amendola will have a lot to do.
29. (26) Tampa Bay Bucaneers - WInston out for 3 games is a nightmare start for the Bucs and I really am not sure he will be there next year. Vea is a solid draft pick but it is tough to see them doing anything special this year.
30. (25) Chicago Bears - They have found help at wide reciever picking up Allen Robinson from the Jags but I still feel Trubisky needs at least another season before realising his potential.
31. (27) New York Jets - Darnold may not start straight away but he may as well, rebuilding year again for the Jets.
32. (30) Indianapolis Colts - If you take Andrew Luck off this roster I think that it is the worst in all of football, where are the world class talents? Sadly, I am not hearing anything that makes me think Luck will return quickly, or if he does, that he will capture anything like his old form for a long time.
