2023 NFL Roster Rankings

Over the last couple of months, our team has been ranking every position group around the league from 1 to 32. Eight position groups, 32 teams. That gives us a nice little look at the strengths and weaknesses of each roster around the league.

So today, I’m looking at how the rosters all stack up. Which rosters are the most balanced? Which are stars-and-scrubs? Who is going to struggle the most? By putting every position group ranking in one place, we can easily see the breakdown.

One note, just to be clear: This is not an overall strength. This method puts special teams and backfield on the same level as quarterback. We aren’t weighting the system at all. This is just “Put the rankings together and see where a roster is weak.” If a roster is rankings No. 1 at quarterback, offensive line and in the secondary, but 32^nd in the backfield and special teams, well, that team can see where it could stand to improve, but also it’s likely in much better shape than a team with the opposite situation. 

Follow along with our whole position group rankings series: Quarterback | Backfield | Pass-Catcher | Offensive Line | Defensive Line | Linebacker | Secondary | Special Teams

Check the table below for the full results, and then we’ll go team-by-team to investigate strengths and weaknesses below.

And now let’s look at the rankings 1-32.

2023 NFL Roster Rankings 

Below is every team ranked 1-32 by how their roster shapes up for 2023.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (average score: 6.8)

Biggest Strengths

Backfield (18): If you’re going to be “weakest” somewhere, backfield and special teams are the way to do it. And if the Eagles’ offseason additions of D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny can stay healthier in 2023 than they have in their career to this point, combined with Jalen Hurts, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott, this is an underrank. But health is a real concern.

Special Teams (14): Arryn Siposs has an underwhelming yardage average as a punter (38.7 net yards), though he’s solid at pinning opponents deep and, with an offense as good as Philadelphia’s, the punter having a tactical leg is probably more important than a booming one.

2. San Francisco 49ers (8.1)

Pass-Catcher (2): Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are an above-average duo at wide receiver, but adding in one of the best pass-catching tight ends in George Kittle and one of the best receiving backs in Christian McCaffrey really pushes this unit to another level. There’s not a lot of depth, but the top of the heap is elite.

Linebacker (2): Oren Burks shined in his first year in San Francisco after coming over from Green Bay, putting up a 79.2 PFF grade and playing every game for his third straight season. And he’s the clear weak link on this unit. Just as strong as it comes.

Biggest Weaknesses

Quarterback (18): The 49ers have the best No. 3 quarterback in the league. The problem is that we don’t really know who that is, because you could scramble Brock Purdy, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold in basically every order and, right now at least, no one could argue that much. 

Backfield (12): You’ll never be able to fully separate the part of the 49ers’ running game from what Kyle Shanahan can do with those parts with his scheme. Christian McCaffrey is 27 now and just had a career-low 15.4% forced missed tackle rate. Kyle Juszczyk is 32. Deebo Samuel fell from 8 rushing scores to 3, and also he’s a wide receiver. Trey Lance might not have a job. Good unit? Absolutely, without question. But is it the players’ or is it Shanahan’s?

3. Baltimore Ravens (9.5)

Biggest Strengths

Secondary (2): Even the departure of Marcus Peters (who remains a free agent) isn’t that crushing, somewhat offset by the signing of Rock Ya-Sin. The Ravens have maybe the best group of safeties in the league, and Marlon Humphrey remains an elite cornerback.

Special Teams (2): Justin Tucker’s worst season in a while drags the Ravens all the way to … No. 2. He turns 34 this year, so maybe worse days are coming, but until we see it, he remains one of the game’s best kickers.

Biggest Weaknesses

Backfield (19): Lamar Jackson is still one of the game’s best rushing quarterbacks — maybe the best — though his health has been an issue, with 10 games missed the last two years. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are both good on the ground, though neither has ever shown much of anything as a receiver in the NFL.

Pass-Catcher (18): This is probably the unit with the widest range of potential outcomes in 2023, with an oft-injured first-rounder (Rashod Bateman), a veteran who just missed an entire season (Odell Beckham) and a rookie who is new to the NFL (Zay Flowers). They could be an elite group, or they could disappoint in a big way. Of course, Mark Andrews is still around, and he’s as reliable as it comes.

4. Cleveland Browns (12.0)

Biggest Strengths

Backfield (1): Maybe Deshaun Watson can be a good rushing quarterback this year. Maybe Jerome Ford comes through on his sleeper upside as the No. 2. But this ranking is really just about Nick Chubb, who is 27 and probably the best pure ball-carrier in the league.

Offensive Line (5): The Browns line was among the top two or three for the last several years in a row, but it slides a little this year after Jack Conklin and (especially) Jedrick Wills had uncharacteristically bad 2022 seasons. Still good, but suddenly some signs of worry.

Biggest Weaknesses

Linebacker (23): Can Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah flash more consistent upside than he has over his first two seasons? If so, this unit will climb. If not, there are a bunch of wild cards here who could combine to have some excellent games but also some absolutely clunkers.

Special Teams (23): It’s a little bit of an upset that Cade York (for now at least) remains the kicker here after only a 75% success rate on field goals last year, with 3 misses inside 40 yards. And the team’s expected primary return man, Jakeem Grant, turns 31 this year and just missed a season with an Achilles tear.

5. New York Jets (13.1)

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Secondary (4): This ranking might already need to fall a little bit after Chuck Clark tore his ACL in minicamp. The team snapped up Adrian Amos almost immediately after Clark’s injury, but that’s still a big dropoff. But even setting the Clark situation aside, the team has a host of above-average defensive backs. And of course they could have the best cornerback in the game in 2023 if the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year stays as good as he was last year or improves.

Quarterback (6): It’s Aaron Rodgers. If you know anything about football, you know about Rodgers. Yes, he turns 40 this year, but even a diminished Rodgers is an improvement on what the Jets rolled out last year. And if he can return to what he flashed in 2020-2021, the sky’s the limit.

Biggest Weaknesses

Pass-Catcher (24): Garrett Wilson has the potential to be a superstar after his Rookie of the Year performance in 2022. But behind him, there are a bunch of decent-not-great options, both at receiver (Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Corey Davis) and at tight end (Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah). There’s depth, but the upside could be lacking.

Offensive Line (20): The Jets are relying on a 38-year-old in Duane Brown, a rookie in Joe Tippmann and a 24-year-old who has played one game the last two seasons in Mekhi Becton. There’s upside here, but if things go wrong this is a bottom-three unit.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (13.4)

Biggest Strengths

Pass-Catcher (4): Keenan Allen and Mike Williams remain above-average (but not elite) weapons, even as Allen becomes a 31-year-old. Austin Ekeler is maybe the game’s best receiving back, and Gerald Everett is a competent pass-catcher at tight end. If rookie first-rounder Quentin Johnston becomes a factor right away, this is among the game’s elite units.

Special Teams (4): Gone are the days of Chargers teams ranking first on offense and first on defense but falling short in part because of a disastrous special teams. Cameron Dicker and JK Scott both debuted with the Chargers last year and helped fix a lot of woes.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (31): With Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa landing as linebackers in this exercise, the Chargers’ D-line is … uninspiring. Morgan Fox, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson combined for all of 3.0 sacks last year, and they also are a huge part of the reason why this unit struggled so badly against the run.

Secondary (22): J.C. Jackson swears he’ll be ready for the start of the season, and if he can even slightly resemble his Patriots self, this is an underrank. But it was late October when he ruptured his patella tendon, meaning planning on him being elite is tough. Asante Samuel and (especially) Derwin James are good, but this unit could really use a healthy Jackson.

7. Kansas City Chiefs (13.5)

Biggest Strengths

Quarterback (1): It’s Patrick Mahomes. He’s already a Hall of Famer. He’s the best quarterback in the game. Next.

Linebacker (9): That’s right, the defending Super Bowl champions only have one unit other than quarterback with a single-digit ranking. Nick Bolton is a superstar, and Willie Gay and offseason addition Drue Tranquill make for a stout linebacker unit, but this is the one team in the NFL whose fates rise and fall on the backs of a single player (and their coach, to be fair).

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (22): Chris Jones had an argument to be the Defensive Player of the Year last year, but he’s the anchor on a unit that could use some improvement otherwise.

Secondary (18): This is a young group. L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie both exceeded expectations last year, which will be good if they can build on that success but less if they were over their heads. Juan Thornhill’s departure hurts as well.

8. Miami Dolphins (13.6)

Linebacker (1): Patrick Mahomes at No. 1 at quarterback was probably the single easiest No. 1 in this exercise, but the Dolphins’ crew at linebacker is in the conversation. Trading for Bradley Chubb at the deadline last year was just the capper.

Pass-Catcher (5): If this were just a ranking of top pass-catching duos, the Dolphins would have probably been the No. 1 (with only the Bengals having an argument). Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are elite. But behind them, the team has not much at receiver (Chosen Anderson or Braxton Berrios?) and tight end (Durham Smythe?). But oh, the top two.

Biggest Weaknesses

Special Teams (27): If you kept Jason Sanders inside of 45 yards or so, he’d be one of the game’s better kickers. But he’s 4-of-12 from 50-plus the last two years. Ex-Patriot Jake Bailey is coming off his return season. On the positive side, Berrios’ arrival could help the return game.

Defensive Line (20): In a three-man unit, one weakness can be killer. Raekwon Davis struggled mightily in 2022, dragging this group down.

9. Buffalo Bills (13.9)

Biggest Strengths

Quarterback (4): Josh Allen remains one of the game’s best quarterbacks. The closest things to a knock on him are that he’s arguably a little better for fantasy than for real football, and he had some down games last year when dealing with an injury. But those are the nitpickiest nitpicks.

Defensive Line (4): Is Von Miller going to be healthy and resemble his old self? If so, this is a great unit. If not, this is a high-floor group that lacks a true difference-maker.

Biggest Weaknesses

Linebacker (28): Tremaine Edmunds’ departure is a big deal, with his replacement third-round rookie Dorian Williams. Williams had an excellent final season in college, but he’s no guarantee to replace Edmunds’ play yet.

Offensive Line (25): The Bills keep trying to piece together the offensive line, and they keep getting an average-to-below result. Rodger Saffold was last year’s attempt, and it went very poorly. This year, they signed Connor McGovern and drafted O’Cyrus Torrence. That has a shot to work better, but no guarantees.

10. Seattle Seahawks (14.3)

Pass-Catcher (1): If you take DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and add the first receiver off the board in the draft in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, what do you get? Well, you get the No. 1 pass-catching unit in the NFL, even if there isn’t much receiver depth behind those three and the tight ends are underwhelming.

Secondary (7): This unit ranked 31^st in these rankings last year, before Tariq Woolen was a rookie monster despite fourth-round pedigree and before the team drafted Devon Witherspoon fifth overall this year. It was a weakness. Now it’s a big strength.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (30): Seattle added Dre’Mont Jones in free agency, but that’s the kind of move that works if your line is elite elsewhere, and this one … isn’t. It’s a good thing their secondary is very stout, because it’ll have to be.

Special Teams (18): Jason Myers and Michael Dickson are a solid if unspectacular kicker/punter duo. DeeJay Dallas isn’t terrible as a return man. But there’s no tentpole here.

11. New England Patriots (14.6)

Biggest Strengths

Secondary (1): The names change, but the Patriots having an elite secondary remains the same. That said, we’ll definitely have to monitor Jack Jones’ status as he deals with legal troubles. He’s not the cornerstone here, but any absence would be notable.

Linebacker (3): Matthew Judon was a Pro Bowler in his last two years in Baltimore, and he’s been a Pro Bowler in his first two in New England. He anchors an elite unit.

Biggest Weaknesses

Pass-Catcher (27): Swapping out Jakobi Meyers and Jonnu Smith for JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki is probably an upgrade, but it’s hardly a huge one. That said, this unit will shoot up if the Patriots are the ones to land DeAndre Hopkins.

Defensive Line (24): Given the rankings of the secondary and linebacker groups, defense will certainly be the Patriots’ strength in 2023, but the defensive line is the weakness of that strength. Deatrich Wise is the headline here.

12. Detroit Lions (15.1)

Biggest Strengths

Offensive Line (2): If Halapoulivaati Vaitai can return from strong a missed 2022, this is the No. 1 unit. If he can’t … Graham Glasgow is a totally acceptable backup, considering what else they have.

Secondary (11): The Detroit secondary a strength? It’s true, despite jettisoning Jeff Okudah this offseason, as the team signed Emmanuel Moseley, Cameron Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to go with 2022 breakout rookie Kerby Joseph.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (27): Aidan Hutchinson was good as a rookie, but otherwise this unit leaves a lot to be desired, and the Lions didn’t use either of its first-rounders this year to bolster it.

Backfield (20): Are Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery an upgrade on D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams? You could argue that one either way. If so, are they a significant upgrade? Certainly not. And so much of the credit for Williams’ success last year goes to the line he was running behind.

T13. Cincinnati Bengals (15.6)

Quarterback (2): Joe Burrow has followed through on the promise that was implied when he was the no-doubt first overall pick in 2020. You can quibble with whether he and the Bengals unit should be second or third or fourth, but it’s firmly in the “almost but not quite Patrick Mahomes” tier.

Pass-Catcher (6): Ja’Marr Chase is one of the best receivers. Tee Higgins is one of the best No. 2 receivers. Tyler Boyd is one of the best No. 3 receivers. There’s not much else there (unless the long-awaited Irv Smith breakout happens), but you can’t really go wrong with those as your top three.

Biggest Weaknesses

Backfield (31): Joe Mixon was a rumored cut this offseason after declining production and off-field concerns, but it not only didn’t happen, the Bengals also didn’t really bring in any competition. It’s Mixon’s job, for better or (more likely) worse.

Secondary (28): Nothing gold can stay, Ponyboy, and maybe no position group exemplifies that more than the Bengals, who saw Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell, Eli Apple and Tre Flowers all leave this offseason.

T13. Dallas Cowboys (15.5)

Biggest Strengths

Defensive Line (3): DeMarcus Lawrence has been one of the best for a long time. Micah Parsons has been one of the best for a much shorter time. This is a handing-of-the-baton situation, except right now they both have it.

Offensive Line (8): Maybe this isn’t the top of the heap unit it used to be, but it’s not far from that, and if Tyron Smith can stay healthy (multiple games missed for seven straight years, including 13 in 2022 and 14 in 2020), even better.

Biggest Weaknesses

Linebacker (26): This is partly a classification issue, as Micah Parsons could theoretically qualify here and boost this unit, but then the D-line would take a hit. Leighton Vander Esch is a perfectly fine anchor, but the rest of this line is iffy.

Special Teams (25): The Cowboys let Brett Maher go after his famously disastrous postseason, but bringing in Tristan Vizcaino, who has been on eight teams a combined 11 times in three seasons and is only 75% career on extra points, might not be an upgrade.

T15. Minnesota Vikings (15.9)

Linebacker (4): Za’Darius Smith came in, played well and left, like a guest star appearing in a TV show just long enough for a guest actor Emmy nomination. But the Vikings replaced him with Marcus Davenport, which is just fine.

Pass-Catcher (7): Maybe the best receiver in the league in Justin Jefferson is the headline here, and last season’s trade acquisition T.J. Hockenson is a fine co-star. There are question marks after that (Is K.J. Osborn ready for a feature role? How will Jordan Addison fare as a rookie?), but that top two is very strong.

Biggest Weaknesses

Secondary (31): Patrick Peterson is nowhere near the elite corner he used to be, and despite that, his departure still hurts.

Backfield (30): Alexander Mattison might be a fine fantasy option as a back (emphasis on the “might”), but he’s not an anchor back who will elevate a unit, and with question marks behind him and stone-footed Kirk Cousins at quarterback, this rushing game could leave a lot to be desired.

T15. Green Bay Packers (15.9)

Biggest Strengths

Backfield (3): Even coming off a relatively disappointing 2022 for AJ Dillon, the Packers’ thunder-and-lightning 1-2 punch of Dillon and Aaron Jones remains the envy of most of the league.

Offensive Line (7): If David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins can stay healthy for 2023, there’s not much to complain about here, especially after their 2022 injuries let the team find some hidden gems and configurations.

Biggest Weaknesses

Quarterback (26): I’m not sure if Jordan Love is the single biggest wild card in the NFL in 2023, but he’s on the short list. The Packers either have their quarterback of the future or they’re in a lot of trouble.

Pass-Catcher (25): Making matters worse for Love is that the team hasn’t gone out of its way to surround him with elite weaponry. This could be one of the top units in the league in, say, 2025, but there could be growing pains on the way.

17. New York Giants (16.1)

Defensive Line (6): If A’Shawn Robinson is a success as a free agent signing, this might be the No. 1 unit. As it is, Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams keep it ranked high.

Special Teams (8): Graham Gano just turned 36, but he also just had one of his best seasons, including a career-high 8 field goals from beyond 50 yards. 

Biggest Weaknesses

Offensive Line (28): Andrew Thomas has definitely come into his own in the NFL, and the Giants need to hope 2022 draftee Evan Neal can do the same, because his debut year was underwhelming.

Pass-Catcher (22): If you can’t find a single elite receiver, why not try to build one out of a dozen competent ones? That’s the Giants’ goal after having Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins, re-signing Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard and signing Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder. The team also traded for TE Darren Waller. Sure things? None. Potential? Actually, lots.

18. New Orleans Saints (16.8)

Defensive Line (9): The next time Cameron Jordan fails to make the Pro Bowl will be the first time since 2016. He’s played exactly 16 games 12 years in a row. He turns 34 in July, but who cares?

Pass-Catcher (12): Chris Olave could have been the Offensive Rookie of the Year last year, Rashid Shaheed flashed as an unheralded rookie, and Alvin Kamara remains a good receiving back. But the question here is Michael Thomas. If he can even somewhat resemble his peak self, this ranking will improve.

Biggest Weaknesses

Offensive Line (23): Ryan Ramczyk remains elite or close, but otherwise there are more questions on this line than there has been in some time.

Backfield (21): Alvin Kamara has slipped and is facing a suspension. Jamaal Williams was a revelation in 2022, but how much of that was his offensive line? And Kendre Miller was a Day 3 pick. 

19. Denver Broncos (16.9)

Biggest Strengths

Secondary (5): Pat Surtain might be the best corner in the league. There aren’t stars around him, but there are competent-to-better defensive backs all over.

Linebacker (8): Even the departure of Bradley Chubb last year wasn’t enough to knock this group out of the top 10.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (26): Free agent signee Zach Allen should really help this unit, but it needed him and then more after Jonathan Harris and D.J. Jones struggled in 2022.

Special Teams (26): Denver’s spending spree this offseason forced the team to let longtime Bronco Brandon McManus go. Even as he’s gotten a bit worse, McManus is still better than his presumed replacement Elliott Fry, who has been on nearly twice as many NFL rosters (11) as he has career field goal attempts (6).

T20. Atlanta Falcons (17.1)

Offensive Line (3): This line made a big leap last year, and drafted Matthew Bergeron to replace Matt Hennessy. If 2022 was the real thing, this is a huge foundation point for a team on the rise.

Backfield (7): The Falcons love to run the ball, and now they’re putting one of the best RB prospects in a generation behind one of the game’s best offensive lines. And they have multifunction weapon Cordarrelle Patterson and 1,000-yard rookie Tyler Allgeier behind Bijan Robinson to boot. Wheels up.

Biggest Weaknesses

Quarterback (32): It’s a good thing the line and backfield are so strong, because Desmond Ridder’s performance in 2022 left a bit to be desired. There is plenty of room for improvement from the 2022 rookie, but he’ll need to start showing in a hurry.

Linebacker (30): The addition of Titans castoff Bud Dupree should help, but the rest of this linebacker group is pretty underwhelming.

T20. Pittsburgh Steelers (17.1)

Pass-Catcher (10): Diontae Johnson will score more in 2023 than he did in 2022, if only because he kind of has to. George Pickens could have a second-year leap, and Pat Freiermuth/Darnell Washington has the potential to be an elite TE duo. Does Allen Robinson have anything left?

Linebacker (10): T.J. Watt will take this unit wherever it goes. And considering he managed 5.5 sacks last year despite missing half the season with (and recovering from) a torn pec, he can take it a long way.

Biggest Weaknesses

Special Teams (30): Chris Boswell remains the Steelers kicker despite being 32 now and coming off a season where he fell to a 71.4% field goal percentage. And Gunner Olszewski was an All-Pro in 2020 but hasn’t come close to repeating that since.

Quarterback (25): There were occasional flashes from Kenny Pickett as a rookie in 2022, but he’ll need to put that together much more often — and much more consistently — if he is really to be the Steelers’ long-term solution.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (17.6)

Biggest Strengths

Special Teams (6): The Broncos’ loss is the Jaguars’ gain, with Brandon McManus heading to Florida after a successful Denver tenure. Of course, not kicking at altitude hurts, but otherwise this helps. Also helping? Excellent punting from Logan Cooke and one of the game’s best return men in Jamal Agnew.

Quarterback (8): Has Trevor Lawrence taken the leap, or is there more still to unlock? Either way he’s top 10, but he could crack the top four or five pretty easily.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (28): DaVon Hamilton is good. Maybe very good. After him … there isn’t much here.

Offensive Line (26): Anton Harrison better be good right away, because otherwise this line could be the anchor that sinks an otherwise fairly lofty Jaguars ship.

23. Chicago Bears (18.1)

Backfield (2): This ranking might stand out as strange until you consider that our backfield rankings included any running from the quarterback, and of course the Bears have Justin Fields and his 1,143 rushing yards (in 15 games) to bolster a running back unit that is long on names (after signing D’Onta Foreman and drafting Roschon Johnson) but short on sure things.

Linebacker (5): Maybe Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards weren’t the ideal players to splurge on for a team that needed help almost everywhere (they seem more like icing signings after the rest of the cake is baked), but they do make this linebacker unit extremely strong.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (29): The new strength of the Bears’ linebackers only underscores the weakness on the defensive line, which really doesn’t have any stud to hang its hat on.

Special Teams (29): The Bears actually aren’t terrible in the kicking game (Cairo Santos is solid if unspectacular, while Trenton Gill was good as a rookie), but the team could use a boost in its return game. Long gone are the days of Devin Hester.

24. Indianapolis Colts (18.4)

Special Teams (3): Rigoberto Sanchez should return healthy, and adding Matt Gay in free agency was crucial for a Colts team that had one of the worst special teams last year.

Backfield (5): This ranking hinges on two things: Jonathan Taylor being his 2021 self more than his 2022 self, and Anthony Richardson taking over the starting job sooner rather than later. If those happen, the Colts will run over everyone. If not … it could be another long year in Indy.

Biggest Weaknesses

Pass-Catcher (29): Michael Pittman is an above-average receiver, but his best virtue has been being the top man in an underwhelming pass-catching unit, and that remains true in 2023.

Quarterback (28): The Colts will be rolling out either journeyman Gardner Minshew or the wild-cardest of wild cards in rookie Anthony Richardson. Either way, this position needs to prove itself before it will climb in the rankings.

25. Tennessee Titans (19.3)

Biggest Strengths

Defensive Line (1): The Titans might be bottoming out elsewhere, but this defense — and especially the line — remains elite. Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry might be the best pair in the league.

Backfield (11): Derrick Henry is 29 now, and there were some worrying signs last year, but he also led the league in carries and had his third 1,500-yard season in the last four years. Bet against him at your peril.

Biggest Weaknesses

Pass-Catcher (32): If Treylon Burks and Chigoziem Okonkwo are your Nos. 3 and 4 receiving options, in some order, that ain’t bad. But they are the Titans’ clear Nos. 1 and 2, and that’s … very worrying.

Special Teams (31): Their kicker played one game last year. Their kick returner played six. Their punt returner played four. But hey, Ryan Stonehouse was a good punter as a rookie.

26. Houston Texans (21.3)

Biggest Strengths

Special Teams (9): Do you remember Ka’imi Fairbairn leading the league in field goals in 2018? He converted on 37 of 42 attempts that year. He only got to attempt 31 field goals last year, though. That said, he converted at a career-best 93.5% rate and was perfect from beyond 50 yards.

Defensive Line (13): The Texans paid a big price to take Will Anderson at 3, so he had better be good right away. This is a solid line regardless.

Biggest Weaknesses

Pass-Catcher (31): The Titans had maybe the worse receiver room last year, and the Texans decided to bring in a guy who they dumped (Robert Woods) as their headline offseason receiver addition. Maybe John Metchie can pop after missing his rookie season, but this unit is bad.

Quarterback (29): What will C.J. Stroud be as a pro? That’s the key question, though at least the Texans have two backups in Davis Mills and Case Keenum with plenty of starting experience.

T27. Las Vegas Raiders (21.4)

Biggest Strengths

Special Teams (1): Daniel Carlson and AJ Cole form probably the league’s best kicker/punter duo, and bringing in DeAndre Carter in free agency should help the team’s return game.

Backfield (4): The main concern about Josh Jacobs right now is workload, as he had 393 touches last year, fifth most in the last decade and most since Derrick Henry in 2020. But he was elite in that work, his third year in the top 10 in broken tackle rate.

Biggest Weaknesses

Linebacker (32): Is there anyone in this group who could be as tarter on a playoff team? Maybe Divine Deablo, but that’s about it.

Quarterback (31): Any time your entire future is pinned to a quarterback as mid as Jimmy Garoppolo, your situation hasn’t gone to plan. And if Garoppolo can’t go because of his injuries, then it’s … Brian Hoyer? Or a desperation call to Tom Brady?

T27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21.4)

Biggest Strengths

Secondary (8): The Buccaneers are weird, because despite tearing down so many other parts of the team, there are some definitely elite spots, and that includes the secondary, where Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis form a stout duo.

Pass-Catcher (9): Also a stout duo: Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. They might not be Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins at this point, but they’re still excellent, and Russell Gage is a strong No. 3. That’s about it, but that’s a great starting point.

Biggest Weaknesses

Backfield (32): Rachaad White had flashes as a rookie, but now he’ll have to with Leonard Fournette gone and Chase Edmonds and Ke’Shawn Vaughn his primary backups.

Quarterback (30): If Baker Mayfield can’t even beat out Kyle Trask, then the story really is over for the No. 1 overall pick. And the fact that we have to wonder if he can do it means it probably already is.

29. Washington Commanders (21.9)

Biggest Strengths

Defensive Line (10): If Chase Young can return to his pre-injury form, this unit will climb, with Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Montez Sweat maybe the best foursome on a pure talent level. But we’ll need to see it.

Pass-Catcher (11): Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson might not be the best threesome at receiver, but you could argue they offer the most versatile skill set.

Biggest Weaknesses

Offensive Line (31): Andrew Norwell and Chase Roullier moved on this offseason, which means the best part of this line is … Charles Leno? It’s not stout, not anymore.

Backfield (29): Brian Robinson’s story was about as good as it gets, but the story was wrapped in his return, not his actual performance, which was … fine. Under 4 yards per carry, only 2 rushing scores. There’s room for growth, but he’ll need to start showing it. And Antonio Gibson appears to be sliding over to be more of a receiving back at this point.

30. Carolina Panthers (22.9)

Biggest Strengths

Offensive Line (18): The Panthers line has a high floor but maybe a low ceiling. There’s no definite weak spot across this unit, but only Ikem Ekwonu has shown enough to maybe grow into a stud. 

Defensive Line (18): The headline for the Panthers defense is really the coaching staff, as David Tepper spent big to overhaul the guys on the sidelines. On the field, there’s a bunch of solid-but-unspectacular here.

Biggest Weaknesses

Pass-Catcher (30): Who is the No. 1 receiver here? Is it Adam Thielen, half a decade past his peak? Is it DJ Chark, four years past his? Or Terrace Marshall or Laviska Shenault, who have never had a peak? Maybe it’s second-round rookie Jonathan Mingo or free agent tight end Hayden Hurst. Short answer: There’s not a No. 1 receiver here. 

Secondary (29): The addition of Vonn Bell this offseason should help, but this is a collection of upside options (Jaycee Horn, Jeremy Chinn) with disappointments otherwise.

31. Arizona Cardinals (24.1)

Biggest Strengths

Linebacker (17): Kyzir White comes over after a good season in Philadelphia, and rookie second-rounder BJ Ojulari comes with a lot of potential. But there’s nothing to build on here.

Quarterback (22): It’s hard to believe that one of this team’s “strengths” is a quarterback unit consisting of a player who might not play until midseason, if at all, and a journeyman who hasn’t started more than four games in a season since 2011. Hard times in Arizona.

Biggest Weaknesses

Defensive Line (32): Ask the average Cardinals fan to name an Arizona defensive lineman, and they will fail. Ask the average professional Cardinals reporter to do it, and they might fail. It’s bad here.

Backfield (28): With Kyler Murray shelved for a good chunk of the year, and likely to be less of a runner than normal whenever he is around, there’s not going to be much QB running in Arizona. And while James Conner is a good enough runner, he’s increasingly brittle, and the team has not put much at all behind him in this backfield.

32. Los Angeles Rams (26.0)

Biggest Strengths

Quarterback (11): Obviously, this comes down to Matthew Stafford’s health, after an injury-plagued 2022 and plenty of murmurs that he might not get better. But it’s his job for now, and he’s only a year removed from above-average play and a Super Bowl title.

Defensive Line (15): Aaron Donald. Put the first two or three readers of this article around him and it’ll still be a competent line. (The Rams didn’t do that, but, uh, they could’ve.)

Biggest Weaknesses

Offensive Line (32): The big offseason addition was rookie second-rounder Steve Avila. The Rams are banking on healthy returns Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen, but they weren’t exactly stars even pre-injury.

Secondary (32): These weren’t even the only two Rams units ranked 32^nd, as their special teams came in last as well. But with Jalen Ramsey out of town, there’s nothing exciting in the Los Angeles secondary.