Ranking the five NFL teams in the best long-term situations: Optimism in Houston with arrival of C.J. Stroud

More regularly than now not, luck in the NFL is fleeting. One second you’ll be the communicate of the league, pushing for deep playoff runs, and the subsequent you’ll be on the outdoor having a look in on the postseason fully. Sure, there are for sure exceptions to that with the elite teams at the very peak, however there are golf equipment robotically emerging and falling in a given 12 months. 

Below, we are going to take a forward-facing view of the NFL and establish a handful of teams which might be well-positioned now not only for the instant 2023 season, however for the future years. For the sake of this workout, we will be able to mix in some reputable Super Bowl contenders whilst additionally having a look at a pair of teams which might be laying down a robust basis to contend in the long run. 

We’re now not going to get lovable right here. The Chiefs don’t seem to be simplest placed to contend now however must be in the Super Bowl dialog for the foreseeable long run. Of route, the primary reason why for that’s Patrick Mahomes. Because of all the luck he is already loved, I do assume that it will get overpassed simply how a lot Mahomes has left in his profession. In reality, there is even a case to be made that he is simply now getting into his top at age 28. Given how quarterbacks are growing older in these days’s NFL, Mahomes may well be in the league and taking part in at an elite degree for any other decade, and he’s signed thru the 2031 season.  

Having a participant like Mahomes is a once-in-a-generation sort of piece that may have Kansas City vying for Super Bowls during his profession. Outside of Mahomes, the Chiefs have Andy Reid, who’s broadly thought to be to be amongst the best coaches in the NFL. The veteran trainer is 65 years outdated, so he most probably may not be in the league for the entirety of Mahomes’ profession, however it is fully imaginable he’s going to trainer for any other five years. 

Meanwhile, the Chiefs have all of their long run draft selections on Day 1 and Day 2 thru the subsequent 3 seasons and feature a entrance place of job led via GM Brett Veach that has in large part been cast at the NFL Draft, headlined via selections like George Karlaftis, Trent McDuffie, Isiah Pacheco, and Creed Humphrey. 

The largest worry surrounding the Chiefs long-term is at pass-catcher. Tight finish Travis Kelce has persevered to be amongst the largest avid gamers at his place of all-time however will flip 35 in October. Finding any other elite weapon for Mahomes can be of the utmost significance going ahead. Outside of that, there is not any reason why to be expecting that this staff may not be contending for Super Bowls over the subsequent five-plus years. 

At this level, how may just you now not put your religion in Howie Roseman? After profitable Super Bowl LII again in 2017, Roseman was once ready to reconstruct the Eagles and feature them again in the Super Bowl simply five years later with a distinct head trainer and a distinct quarterback. That on my own must have you ever feeling assured in Philadelphia’s long run regardless of the circumstance. That mentioned, the Eagles are in a great place going ahead.  

The membership has already locked in Jalen Hurts thru the 2028 season with a freelance extension, securing the 2022 MVP runner-up going ahead. They’ve additionally invested closely on the defensive facet of the ball by the use of the draft and would possibly have the subsequent nice line of defense duo with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. They even have superstar wideout A.J. Brown signed thru 2026, and will stay DeVonta Smith in-house during 2025 in the event that they pick out up his fifth-year possibility. 

That mix of younger superstar energy on either side of the ball paired with a 42-year-old head trainer in Nick Sirianni (28-12 common season document) creates the attainable for an enduring run for Philly in the NFC. 

And for a staff that has many of their superstar avid gamers underneath contract, they nonetheless have the thirteenth maximum cap house in the NFL this coming offseason and feature all of their vital draft selections going ahead, together with a 2024 2nd rounder by the use of the Saints.  

Detroit has constructed itself into a sound Super Bowl contender, beginning the common season with a 5-1 document. Over the previous couple of years, the entrance place of job has been stellar at the NFL Draft, bringing aboard avid gamers like Aidan Hutchinson, Penei Sewell, Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. While it is nonetheless early in their careers, the 2023 draft elegance additionally has the makings of a different workforce headlined via Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch. And that is not even citing the attainable quarterback of the long run in Hendon Hooker. You’ll be hard-pressed to seek out that sort of high-end younger skill core anyplace else in the league at the second. 

While Jared Goff won’t have the particular person ceiling of different elite quarterbacks, he’s taking part in at a excessive degree to this point this season inside Ben Johnson’s offense. Currently, Goff — who’s signed thru 2024 — is on tempo for a career-high in final touch share and passer score. As we discussed, the staff additionally has a imaginable substitute for Goff in the event that they come to a decision in opposition to extending him in the long run in Hooker, which means there are alternatives are that key place. 

Detroit additionally has the seventh-highest quantity of wage cap house subsequent offseason, which means they will have the ability to upload much more skill onto this roster. They even have all of their significant draft selections for the foreseeable long run. 

The key worry going past 2023 can be the imaginable mind drain at the training positions. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn might be sizzling commodities as head training applicants over the following couple of years, so it is still observed how Dan Campbell’s staff may well be impacted via their departures. 

The Texans appear to have finished the hardest job of any rebuild, which is discovering the quarterback. Through six video games, C.J. Stroud has appeared the section of a franchise quarterback, and first-year head trainer DeMeco Ryans has Houston taking part in at a excessive degree at 3-3 as they input their Week 7 bye, only one sport again in the AFC South standings. It’s imaginable that Stroud wins Offensive Rookie of the Year and Ryans wins Coach of the Year when the 2023 marketing campaign is all mentioned and executed, which is ready as just right as you must’ve requested for in case you are the Houston brass. 

With the ones key development blocks in position, the Texans are well-positioned to take a soar in 2024. They have the fifth-most cap house in the league and, in spite of buying and selling away their very own first-round pick out subsequent spring to the Cardinals for Will Anderson, they do have the Browns’ first-round variety so that they may not be ignored of the skill pool. They additionally lately have all of their significant selections in 2025 and 2026.

As for the roster outdoor of Stroud, they made the savvy resolution of locking up key items to its offensive line signing Tytus Howard, Laremy Tunsil, and Shaq Mason to extensions over the ultimate calendar 12 months. Houston additionally drafted nicely at the talent positions in contemporary years, discovering gem stones like Nico Collins (2021) and Tank Dell (2023) to develop with Stroud.  

Cincinnati’s early season struggles because of Joe Burrow’s calf harm will have them underneath the radar in those varieties of conversations at the second, however they must completely be a staff you would need to purchase inventory in over the long run. When wholesome, Burrow is the sort of quarterback who can lead a franchise to a couple of Super Bowls and he is simplest 26 years outdated. The Bengals additionally simply inked Burrow to a profitable contract extension that’ll have him connected to the franchise thru the 2029 season. His presence on my own must have other folks round the group really feel optimism about the place they’re going over the subsequent decade. 

Cincinnati — who has made it to the AFC Championship in each and every of the ultimate two seasons — additionally has sixth-most cap house getting into subsequent offseason, giving them the alternative to fasten in key avid gamers like Ja’Marr Chase, D.J. Reader, and perhaps Tee Higgins going ahead. The membership additionally has its complete draft capital in each and every of the subsequent 3 drafts. 

Similar to Detroit, there may be some worry on Zac Taylor’s body of workers of imaginable departures at the coordinator positions with each OC Brian Callahan and DC Lou Anarumo imaginable head training applicants this coming cycle. Naturally, that might be a blow to these aspects of the ball if one or each of them have been to go away, however the basis with Burrow and Taylor is robust sufficient to have this staff in the Super Bowl dialog for future years. 

We’ll throw the Bears in right here as an honorable point out for the easy incontrovertible fact that they’re a clean canvas with arguably the best equipment to springboard again to relevancy. If the season continues on its present trajectory, they’ll end with a deficient document that’ll have them with a top-five, perhaps even top-two variety at the 2024 NFL Draft. 

That’ll most probably result in a training trade and even perhaps a metamorphosis at GM, so there may be instability at the masthead which knocks them out of this top-five dialog. That mentioned, in the event you couple their very own pick out with Carolina’s first-rounder they won in the business to drop down from the No. 1 total pick out ultimate 12 months, and Chicago can have the No. 1 and No. 2 selections this 12 months. 

That’ll result in USC phenom Caleb Williams as their new franchise quarterback as he’s observed as a generational prospect. Chicago may just then use the No. 2 pick out to make a choice the peak non-quarterback (wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.?) or public sale it off to the easiest bidder who’s having a look to transport up to make a choice a signal-caller and acquire extra property. The arrival of Williams would additionally make Justin Fields expendable and so they may just business him for much more items to spark the rebuild. The Bears even have the maximum cap house in the NFL this offseason, developing much more avenues to inject skill into this roster. 

Again, there may be some instability at the trainer and GM positions, but when they rent the proper staff and push the proper buttons, the Bears are in a place to in reality make noise in brief order.