Free company will not start till March 12, and the draft in Inexperienced Bay follows on April 24, so groups have vital roster strikes to make earlier than the 2025 season begins in September.
However that hasn’t stopped Yardbarker NFL writers from evaluating the Tremendous Bowl potential of NFC groups for subsequent season. (2024 regular-season data are in parentheses.)
Here is a way-too-early rundown:
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-10) | Placing up with the Joneses | Proprietor Jerry Jones spoke at size about his personal accomplishments during a news conference to introduce new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. At that very same information convention, son Stephen used “air quotes” when discussing the group’s 29-year Tremendous Bowl drought. The Cowboys received 4 video games with out beginning QB Dak Prescott final season, and so they’ll ship 4 gamers to this 12 months’s Professional Bowl, however given present management, the group’s dry spell ought to proceed via 2025.
NEW YORK GIANTS (3-14) | Eli Manning ain’t strolling via that door | Except Philadelphia sends Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s main rusher, again to East Rutherford, the Giants ought to wrestle to match the three wins they’d in 2024. With no QBs on the roster other than Tommy DeVito (an exclusive-rights free agent) and little else past first-round receiver Malik Nabers, New York’s struggling defense received’t get the group anyplace close to Santa Clara, California for Tremendous Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14-3) | Run it again | Placing one of many NFL’s greatest operating backs behind probably the most dominant offensive traces proved to be an excessive amount of for the remainder of the NFC this season, as Saquon Barkley carried Philadelphia to Tremendous Bowl LIX with a franchise-record 2,005 yards dashing. It is silly to count on these numbers in 2025, however the Eagles clearly know what they’re doing on offense, and except their top-ranked defense comes undone, Philadelphia ought to enter subsequent season as a Tremendous Bowl favourite.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (12-5) | Looks like previous occasions |
Thanks to record-breaking play from rookie QB Jayden Daniels and regular hand of recent head coach Dan Quinn, the Commanders completed the 2024 season two wins away from holding their first Lombardi Trophy because the 1991 season. Assuming GM Adam Peters continues to push the correct buttons in his second 12 months with the group, there’s no cause to suppose Washington can’t get again to the NFC Championship Sport subsequent season. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-9) | Let’s give attention to the playoffs first | The Cardinals took an enormous step ahead in 2024 underneath second-year coach Jonathan Gannon, hanging round within the division race for many of the season. However earlier than we are able to begin speaking concerning the Tremendous Bowl with this group, the Cardinals ought to set the sights decrease and give attention to merely entering into the playoffs. Arizona hasn’t made the postseason because the 2021 season.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-7) | It depends upon Matthew Stafford | There’s a lot to love concerning the Rams, particularly younger stars on the defensive position (Jared Verse and Braden Fiske). However the make-or-break participant by way of Tremendous Bowl rivalry is QB Matthew Stafford, who plans to return subsequent season. If he performs nicely, as he did in 2024, a Tremendous Bowl is feasible.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-11) | You will have missed your window | For a strong 5 years, the 49ers had one of the best roster within the NFL and stored knocking on the door of a championship. However a horrible 2024 season would be the begin of a downward development. The core is older, and gamers resembling QB Brock Purdy need extra money, thus inhibiting roster constructing.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-7) | You’re nonetheless a QB away | The Seahawks have been caught in the course of the NFL standings for just a few seasons, successful 9 or 10 video games and operating right into a ceiling that’s both the primary spherical of the playoffs or no postseason in any respect. The teaching employees has turned over, and the roster options high-level gamers on either side of the ball, however QB Geno Smith caps how far this group will go. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS (5-12) | Ben Johnson isn’t sufficient … but | The Bears are on the upswing after nabbing the most well liked head-coaching candidate of the previous few years, however Johnson doesn’t make this group a Tremendous Bowl contender straight away. QB Caleb Williams nonetheless has some growing to do, and GM Ryan Poles hasn’t proved he is aware of the best way to construct a winner.
DETROIT LIONS (15-2) | Championship or bust till additional discover | The Lions, regardless of their disappointing exit within the divisional spherical this season, nonetheless have one of many extra gifted rosters within the NFL. Plus, in 2025, defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson can be again after lacking 2024 with a knee harm. The large fear can be changing OC Ben Johnson (now Bears HC) and DC Aaron Glenn (now Jets HC).
GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-6) | Are we positive Jordan Love is the man? | Love is constantly in comparison with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, however he’s not even near that tier of Packers QBs but. The QB is just 18-15 with 25 interceptions in 33 regular-season begins, so he should enhance for the Packers to contend for a Tremendous Bowl.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (14-3) | Missed their greatest probability | The Vikings rode their loaded roster to a surprising report this season, however they’re more likely to take a step again contemplating their pending unrestricted free brokers have the best proportion of snaps of any group within the NFL (h/t: SI.com via Over The Cap). Minnesota additionally has a call to make concerning pending free-agent QB Sam Darnold and QB J.J. McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season in 2024 with a knee harm. Neither possibility evokes a lot confidence in 2025. — Jack Dougherty
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS (8-9) | Penix to win it? | The Commanders proved what a distinction a QB makes, as rookie QB Jayden Daniels practically led them to their first Tremendous Bowl because the 1991 season. Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. had a promising restricted pattern dimension on the finish of 2024, and he might present the same jolt as Daniels in 2025.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-12) | Pump the breaks | Few tales have been higher than Bryce Younger’s progress from unplayable to incomes the beginning QB job in 2025 with a formidable finish to the common season. However he’s nonetheless a great distance from being a Tremendous Bowl-caliber QB, and don’t even get us began about Carolina’s defensive issues.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-12) | Likelier to march to the No. 1 total choose than sniff the playoffs | Tremendous Bowl?! It’s time to mud off our greatest Jim Mora impersonation as a result of the considered the Saints even making the playoffs in 2025 is preposterous. Nevertheless, New Orleans’ grim outlook comes with a silver lining, as the more severe it’s subsequent season, the nearer it would get to having its choose of the highest 2026 QB prospects.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-7) | Pulse discovered | The Bucs have reached the postseason for 5 consecutive years, the longest span in franchise historical past. Tampa has Professional Bowl expertise at a number of key positions — QB Baker Mayfield, broad receiver Mike Evans, offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, defensive deal with Vita Vea and security Antoine Winfield Jr. — giving it one of the best odds within the division of successful a Tremendous Bowl subsequent season. — Eric Smithling
