The major pillars of roster-building this offseason have come and gone with the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft last week. Now, we have a rough view of how these teams across the league will look once Week 1 kicks off. While we are still months away from meaningful football being played, this is as good of a time as any to take a snapshot of where things stand for each team currently with rosters taking their relative shape.
We already ranked every team in the NFC following the draft and now it’s time to see where each club in the AFC stacks up. As you might expect, the defending back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs still remain the top dog in the conference (and the NFL as a whole), but there are some teams on the ascent that should be on your radar as we enter the summer months.
Here’s a look at the latest power rankings in the AFC.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2023 record: 11-6 (won Super Bowl LVIII)
Kansas City will likely be in this No. 1 spot for the foreseeable future so long as Patrick Mahomes is under center. The Chiefs spent the offseason solidifying their wide receiver room, which was their biggest weakness in their Super Bowl-winning campaign last year. Adding Hollywood Brown and first-round rookie Xavier Worthy should inject some much-needed speed back into the offense. The Chiefs also retained star defensive lineman Chris Jones and extended Travis Kelce, keeping their core intact. Trading away L’Jarius Sneed will put a dent in the secondary, but the Chiefs should once again be in the thick of the Super Bowl conversation.
2023 record: 13-4 (reached AFC Championship)
I do think we should be paying attention to Baltimore losing defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and how that may impact the unit after a stellar season. Even with that in mind, however, the Ravens are a legit contender in the conference. Lamar Jackson should be even better as he enters his second season with OC Todd Monken and will now have Derrick Henry with him in the backfield. Zay Flowers ascending in his second season and getting Mark Andrews back healthy also is a plus on offense. Defensively, they were able to retain Justin Madubuike and added Clemson corner Nate Wiggins to help out the secondary.
2023 record: 11-6 (reached divisional round)
Buffalo’s offense is going to look a lot different in 2024 with the departure of both Stefon Diggs (traded to Texans) and Gabe Davis (signed with Jaguars in free agency). That said, the franchise still has Josh Allen under center, who rivals as the best quarterback that the league has to offer. Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman are an intriguing young duo of pass catchers, so Allen should be able to make this work. Losing Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White in free agency also shakes up the secondary.
2023 record: 7-10
I’m bullish on the Jets in 2024. Aaron Rodgers is returning from his Achilles tear and, so long as he’s even 80% of the player he was pre-injury, he’s the best quarterback they’ve had in decades. New York spent this offseason addressing its weaknesses by adding three new offensive tackles and adding wideout Mike Williams to pair alongside Garrett Wilson. With Rodgers pulling the strings on offense and a defense that has top-five upside, the ceiling for the Jets is extremely high. Head coach Robert Saleh remains the biggest question mark.
2023 record: 9-8
So long as Joe Burrow can stay on the field, the Bengals have a Super Bowl ceiling. The problem is that he’s struggled to do so at times, which has them a bit lower in the power rankings than their talent warrants. Adding Trent Brown and rookie Amarius Mims to compete for the starting right tackle spot opposite Orlando Brown Jr. was a welcomed sight. It will be interesting to see how they deal with the trade requests of both wideout Tee Higgins and pass rusher Trey Hendrickson throughout training camp. In any event, the Bengals are firmly in a Super Bowl window.
6. Houston Texans
2023 record: 10-7 (reached divisional round)
The Texans will be the sexy pick to come out of the AFC this year. C.J. Stroud was tremendous as a rookie and there are really no signs that indicate that he’ll go through a sophomore slump. In fact, he could be even better with the additions of wideout Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon this offseason. They are knocking on the door of being a top-five team in the conference already and could be in the top three by this time next year.
2023 record: 11-6 (reached wild card)
Cleveland was able to reach the playoffs in 2023 despite having five different starting quarterbacks. If Deshaun Watson can stay healthy, the infrastructure around him is good enough to push for the playoffs yet again. If Watson can even somewhat reclaim the player he was in Houston, their ceiling is even higher than that. They also added Jerry Jeudy to help bolster the offense. Defensively, they are stacked headlines by Myles Garrett. Really, the success of the Browns rests solely on Watson, but the talent across the roster is there.
2023 record: 11-6 (reached wild card)
Miami has arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Their backfield is also lightning-quick with Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane and rookie back Jaylen Wright. However, the big question on offense is the offensive line. Terron Armstead has struggled to stay healthy and could prove to be their Achilles’ heel once again in 2024. On defense, rookie Chop Robinson is a much-needed addition off the edge to help deepen the unit as Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb continue to recover from season-ending injuries in ’23. The signing of Jordan Poyer was another savvy move that should improve the secondary.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
2023 record: 9-8
The Jaguars have the talent to be among the top teams in the conference, but they need to start showing it before we can start believing in them. They had an epic meltdown in the final stretch of the season last year that had them outside of the playoff picture. Offensively, I like the addition of Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis to cushion the blow of losing Calvin Ridley in free agency. Keeping pass rusher Josh Allen was also a major win for them this offseason. Now, it’s time for Trevor Lawrence to start elevating his team like a No. 1 overall pick should.
2023 record: 5-12
The Jim Harbaugh era has begun in Los Angeles. Arguably the biggest hindrance for the Chargers in recent seasons had been questionable coaching decisions, which should be fixed with the arrival of Harbaugh. This club still had Justin Herbert, who has the talent to be a top-three quarterback in the league. However, his offense will look quite different this year with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler all gone. He’ll now need to build up some chemistry with second-round rookie Ladd McConkey, who could end up being his top target alongside Quentin Johnston
2023 record: 10-7 (reached wild card)
Pittsburgh has enjoyed a strong offseason, which was capped off with a stellar showing at the draft. They addressed several key needs, including the offensive line. The big question with this team surrounds who’ll end up starting for them. The Steelers signed Russell Wilson to a one-year deal and then traded for former Bears quarterback Justin Fields. How that position ultimately shakes out will determine how the season turns out.
2023 record: 6-11
Similar to Pittsburgh, the Titans have turned in a strong offseason as they continue to build around second-year QB Will Levis. They added Tony Pollard to the backfield to replace Derrick Henry and signed Calvin Ridley in free agency to pair with fellow receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Tennessee also used its first-round draft pick on offensive tackle JC Latham to address that key need. On defense, they also acquired L’Jarius Sneed in a trade with the Chiefs to help anchor the secondary. The pieces are in place for the Titans to make a jump in 2024, but it all centers around what Levis develops into in Year 2.
2023 record: 9-8
Anthony Richardson is coming back healthy after injuries derailed his rookie season. In the limited viewing we saw of the former first-round quarterback, Richardson flashed elite potential as a dual-threat option for Indy. The Colts also retained Michael Pittman Jr. and drafted Adonai Mitchell to ensure Richardson has weapons at his disposal in Year 2. Pass rusher Laiatu Latu will also be fascinating to watch develop in his rookie season as the top defensive player drafted last week. The Colts are an ascending team but are probably still a year or two away from true contention.
2023 record: 8-9
Las Vegas missed out on the QB run in the draft, so it’ll either be Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell starting for them in 2024. While serviceable, that doesn’t exactly give the Raiders a high ceiling on offense. Adding Christian Wilkins to the defensive line should create a devastating pairing with Maxx Crosby.
2023 record: 4-13
Even if Jacoby Brissett starts the entire year at quarterback as No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye develops, the Patriots will likely have better play at the position than they did a year ago. Still, it’s only a matter of time before new head coach Jerod Mayo inserts the rookie under center as the potential face of the franchise. New England still has some key questions at wide receiver and left tackle, so the offense could still struggle in 2024. Defensively, the Patriots should be feisty, especially with Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez coming back from injury. This rebuild is still a few years away from turning the corner.
2023 record: 8-9
Is it Bo Nix, Zach Wilson, Jarrett Stidham or Ben DeNucci who starts for the Broncos? Does it matter? While Sean Payton will likely be able to squeeze every drop of talent from whomever ultimately is under center for him this season, the ceiling doesn’t seem to be particularly high for any of them. Denver’s weapons on offense also leave little to be desired outside of Courtland Sutton.
2024-05-03 13:04:41
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