NFL Future Power Rankings: 2027-29 projections for 32 teams - ESPN

Aaron Schatz ESPN Writer

Aaron Schatz is an NFL analyst for ESPN.com. He has more than 20 years of experience working in NFL analytics and is the creator of the DVOA and DYAR metric. He also serves as the Chief Analytics Officer at FTN Network.

Ben Solak joined ESPN in 2024 as a national NFL analyst. He previously covered the NFL at The Ringer, Bleeding Green Nation and The Draft Network.

- ESPN NFL Analyst

- 12-year NFL scout and Director of Pro Personnel

- Played in the NFL for six years

- Graduated from University of Pittsburgh

Seth Walder ESPN Analytics

Seth Walder is an analytics writer at ESPN, specializing in quantitative analysis. He is also a regular on "ESPN Bet Live" and helps cover sports betting. Seth has been at ESPN since 2017. He previously worked at the New York Daily News covering the Jets and Giants. You can follow Seth on X via @SethWalder.

- Email

- Print

The 2026 NFL season kicks off in less than a month, and we'll have plenty of coverage about the race to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles. But we're also in the business of trying to predict the future.

In our annual Future Power Rankings, we're not focused on the outcome of this season. Instead, we're ranking all 32 teams by who is primed to be among the league's best from the 2027 through 2029 seasons.

To do so, we asked our panel of experts -- analysts Louis Riddick, Aaron Schatz, Ben Solak and Seth Walder -- to rate each team's quarterback situation, remaining (non-QB) roster makeup, front office and coaching staff using this scale:

50 and below: F (disastrous)

After averaging the results from the panelists, each of the four categories was weighted to create the overall score: quarterback (20%), roster (30%), front office (25%) and coaching (25%). The result is a comprehensive ranking based on how well each team is positioned for the future. Our experts then picked out reasons for optimism, reasons to worry, crucial stats/nuggets to know and bold predictions for all 32 franchises over that three-year span.

ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN

CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND

JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN

NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF

Note: Overall scores are rounded to the nearest 10th of a point.

1. Seattle Seahawks (Overall score: 88.7)

Reason for hope: The league has been looking for a young defensive counterstrike to the ascent of offensive masterminds Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan, and the Seahawks have finally found it! Coach Mike Macdonald has a stellar track record of defensive player development, and the emergence of WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, OT Charles Cross and QB Sam Darnold sets a high floor in Seattle for years to come. -- Solak

Reason for concern: The relationship between Darnold and former OC Klint Kubiak was an obvious net positive for the organization. For the future, what does that real-time relationship look like between Darnold and new OC Brian Fleury? Fleury is not just calling plays for the first time on the NFL level but also doing it with a roster that is set up to contend into the future. -- Riddick

Nugget to know: Including the postseason, the 2025 Seahawks finished with the highest DVOA of any team since the 2007 Patriots. The top-12 teams by DVOA since 2010 finished with an average of 10.9 wins the following season (prorated for a 17-game season). However, these numbers are dragged down by two injury-riddled 49ers teams (2020 and 2024). Remove those teams, and the average is 11.9 wins. -- Schatz

Bold prediction for 2027-29: Darnold will not be on the Seahawks in 2028. He started last season red-hot and finished fairly strong in Seattle's Super Bowl run. But from Weeks 10 to 18, he ranked 27th out of 30 quarterbacks in QBR. The Super Bowl win certainly will buy Darnold time. But if he stumbles in 2027, I don't think there are guarantees that he will be re-signed. -- Walder

2. Philadelphia Eagles (Overall score: 88.1)

Reason for hope: Even in an offseason of tumult, with A.J. Brown traded and the transition to a new offensive system, the Eagles rank very highly in our future outlook. Why? Because general manager Howie Roseman has proved over the past decade that nobody builds contenders more quickly. The Eagles' star-studded young defense is proof alone. -- Solak