NFL: Power Ranking: New tail light and new number 1

Only Ndamukong Suh is left of the Star Free agents – the defensive tackle still takes his time in the team search after his release in Miami. But before the drafting gets underway, SPOX editor Adrian Franke presents the first power ranking of the new league year! Included: A new tail light, a new leader, crashed heavyweights – and an incredibly wide midfield with several interchangeable teams.

Indy undoubtedly has the potential to climb many places here – but that depends solely on the health of Andrew Luck. After the numerous promises made in this regard last off-season, not only Colts fans have become more cautious when team owner Jim Irsay says that everything will be all right now. Either way, Luck hasn’t played for a very long time and no one can expect him to come right back and be the old guy again at the push of a button. Detached from Luck’s ongoing theme, Indianapolis was surprisingly inactive in the Free Agency despite a lot of cap space. On the one hand, this concerns their own commitments – so far only Defensive End Denico Autry – but also their own free agents: Rashaan Melvin and Donte Moncrief were let go of the two top candidates, and Johnathan Hankins was also fired. This approach gives an idea that patience is needed for the Colts upheaval; the offensive line and the receiving corps are and will remain big construction sites, even if Luck is really fit for the start of the season. Indy’s already talking about 2019, not 2018.

A radical change is all very well, and Miami has a squad with a little more depth in some positions after the first week of free agency. But the big question for the Dolphins after the decisions of the last days is: Where are the stars? Where are the players who make the difference? Or to put it another way: Why do you create Cap Space through restructuring and some “smaller” layoffs – just to let the most athletic players on both sides of the ball go at the same time as Jarvis Landry and Ndamukong Suh? Suh’s cap hit was enormous, of course, but ultimately due to the poor contract structure implemented by Miami. Nevertheless, Suh was still the best Dolphins player and a huge guarantee that the front had firepower despite huge linebacker problems. Replacing Suh with Quinn is a massive downgrade, one that would not have been necessary from a financial perspective. On the other side, Ryan Tannehill returns to an offense after his cruciate ligament rupture, in which Landry will be missing along with Jay Ajayi.

Before Bills fans take out the torches and the folding tables: This power ranking is of course only a snapshot and nobody knows what will happen in the draft. For the moment, however, we have to assume that A.J. McCarron or Nathan Peterman is the starting quarterback – and whichever one it is, he has one of the weaker wide receiver corps of the league at his disposal: Several receivers had expiring contracts, reinforcements have not been reported so far. With Trent Murphy, Star Lotulelei and the return of Kyle Williams, Buffalo has a very good, deep defensive line together, although the departure of Linebacker Preston Brown hurts. Offensively, however, it’s clear: upheaval and a new start with a rookie quarterback are the order of the day.

Well – what do you do with the Browns now? Mr De Marco has already put the brakes on euphoria, and I can only agree with that. Cleveland is far from the point where the upheaval is complete. But you’re on the right track: Tyrod Taylor gives the Browns the first at least average quarterback in years, Taylor’s skills as a game manager should stand in stark contrast to what the pitiful DeShone Kizer has shown for much of last season. The defensive line is already in the upper third of the league, the offensive line has several good pillars – although the retirement of Joe Thomas leaves a huge hole here of course. But the Browns have a talented receiving corps, Carlos Hyde has signed a dynamic running back duo and the trade for Randall finally allows Jabrill Peppers to get closer to the line of scrimmage. Of course, a lot can still happen in the draft, especially with the browns, but on paper this is already a team that at least looks average. A huge step forward. The question remains: What will coaching 2018 look like?

The jets have issued some quite respectable contracts in the Free Agency, but after losing out in the race for Kirk Cousins (despite the presumably better offer), the Cap Space was unquestionably available. To sum up: Gang Green has improved considerably over the past few days. While Mo Claiborne remains, Trumaine Johnson has also been hired. In combination with the young safety duo, this gives the jets a very good secondary on paper. Spencer Long and Mike Pennel make New York stable on the line of scrimmage, Avery Williamson replaces Demario Davis and Quincy Enunwa was held via tender. The quarterback dynamics are also exciting: Josh McCown returns after a very good pre-season and should start first. Ideally, however, his role changes to that of Teddy Bridgewater’s mentor – or from the number 3 pick. This should put an end to the inglorious Christian Hackenberg era.

Maybe Gruden has success with his decisions and punishes me lies – but I am no fan of the Raiders offseason so far. Not at all. Gruden, who spoke quite frankly at the Combine about “bringing the game back to 1998”, then followed up his words with action: Carrier and Smith were two blocking tight ends, Keith Smith a fullback and Doug Martin an additional running back. Marshawn Lynch should stay anyway, but Cordarrelle Patterson is a very good special teamer. Ultimately, everything depends on Gruden getting Derek Carr and his receiver corps back on track after a desolate pre-season, here the exchange of Michael Crabtree for Jordy Nelson is definitely no upgrade, at least in sporting terms. Will Gruden Nelson possibly use it as a slot receiver in its West Coast Offense? Defensively, the Raiders have to show that they look better against the pass in the coming season.

Sam Bradford’s commitment gives Arizona a potentially very good interim solution if – and this is a big question for Bradford – he stays fit. With newcomer Justin Pugh, Mike Iupati, who was held after a reduction in salary, and D.J. Humphries, who returns after his injury, should the offensive line appear at least clearly improved, receiver amplifications are urgently still needed. Either way it seems clear: In the coming draft a quarterback will come to the desert early. Otherwise there is still a good core in Arizona. Patrick Peterson and Chandler Jones are among the best players in their league, just like David Johnson. Larry Fitzgerald is still one year behind and was again one of the most productive slot receivers in the pre-season, plus defensive puzzle pieces like Markus Golden, Deone Bucannon, Budda Baker and Haason Reddick. An exciting question on this side of the ball will be: How serious will the switch from the 3-4 to the 4-3 front be?

Quo vadis, Washington? I constantly pushed the team from the capital from top to bottom and back again, simply because I lacked the imagination of what to do with this team. One thing is clear: Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller’s departures make the Redskins considerably weaker in defensive terms, the recently signed Orlando Scandrick offers at least one possible alternative. The quarterback swap from cousins to Alex Smith is at least a risk. Yes, Smith was better last season, but one can argue that cousins fit better into the skins-open. In the Receiving Corps it’s now supposed to be Paul Richardson’s turn after the failed Pryor attempt, and he was rewarded princely – a player I would rather have seen behind a clear number 1. Added to this are departures from the Interior Line, which was already a problem in the previous season. In short: I don’t think Washington has much in store for the coming season.

Page 1: The places 32 to 25

Page 2: The places 24 to 17

Page 3: The places 16 to 9

Page 4: The top group – with new number 1 and clear NFC dominance