Free agency won’t begin until March 12, and the draft in Green Bay follows on April 24, so teams have significant roster moves to make before the 2025 season begins in September.
But that hasn’t stopped Yardbarker NFL writers from evaluating the Super Bowl potential of NFC teams for next season. (2024 regular-season records are in parentheses.)
Here’s a way-too-early rundown:
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-10) | Putting up with the Joneses | Owner Jerry Jones spoke at length about his own accomplishments during a news conference to introduce new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. At that same news conference, son Stephen used “air quotes” when discussing the team’s 29-year Super Bowl drought. The Cowboys won four games without starting QB Dak Prescott last season, and they’ll send four players to this year’s Pro Bowl, but given current leadership, the team’s dry spell should continue through 2025.
NEW YORK GIANTS (3-14) | Eli Manning ain’t walking through that door | Unless Philadelphia sends Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s leading rusher, back to East Rutherford, the Giants should struggle to match the three wins they had in 2024. With no QBs on the roster aside from Tommy DeVito (an exclusive-rights free agent) and little else beyond first-round receiver Malik Nabers, New York’s struggling defense won’t get the team anywhere near Santa Clara, California for Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14-3) | Run it back | Putting one of the NFL’s best running backs behind one of the most dominant offensive lines proved to be too much for the rest of the NFC this season, as Saquon Barkley carried Philadelphia to Super Bowl LIX with a franchise-record 2,005 yards rushing. It’s foolish to expect those numbers in 2025, but the Eagles clearly know what they’re doing on offense, and unless their top-ranked defense comes undone, Philadelphia should enter next season as a Super Bowl favorite.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (12-5) | Seems like old times |
Thanks to record-breaking play from rookie QB Jayden Daniels and steady hand of new head coach Dan Quinn, the Commanders finished the 2024 season two wins away from holding their first Lombardi Trophy since the 1991 season. Assuming GM Adam Peters continues to push the right buttons in his second year with the team, there’s no reason to think Washington can’t get back to the NFC Championship Game next season. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-9) | Let’s focus on the playoffs first | The Cardinals took a big step forward in 2024 under second-year coach Jonathan Gannon, hanging around in the division race for most of the season. But before we can start talking about the Super Bowl with this team, the Cardinals should set the sights lower and focus on simply getting into the playoffs. Arizona hasn’t made the postseason since the 2021 season.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-7) | It depends on Matthew Stafford | There is a lot to like about the Rams, especially young stars on the defensive line (Jared Verse and Braden Fiske). But the make-or-break player in terms of Super Bowl contention is QB Matthew Stafford, who plans to return next season. If he plays well, as he did in 2024, a Super Bowl is possible.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-11) | You may have missed your window | For a solid five years, the 49ers had the best roster in the NFL and kept knocking on the door of a championship. But a terrible 2024 season may be the start of a downward trend. The core is older, and players such as QB Brock Purdy want more money, thus inhibiting roster building.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-7) | You’re still a QB away | The Seahawks have been stuck in the middle of the NFL standings for a few seasons, winning nine or 10 games and running into a ceiling that is either the first round of the playoffs or no postseason at all. The coaching staff has turned over, and the roster features high-level players on both sides of the ball, but QB Geno Smith caps how far this team will go. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS (5-12) | Ben Johnson isn’t enough … yet | The Bears are on the upswing after nabbing the hottest head-coaching candidate of the past few years, but Johnson doesn’t make this team a Super Bowl contender right away. QB Caleb Williams still has some developing to do, and GM Ryan Poles hasn’t proved he knows how to build a winner.
DETROIT LIONS (15-2) | Championship or bust until further notice | The Lions, despite their disappointing exit in the divisional round this season, still have one of the more talented rosters in the NFL. Plus, in 2025, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will be back after missing 2024 with a knee injury. The big worry will be replacing OC Ben Johnson (now Bears HC) and DC Aaron Glenn (now Jets HC).
GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-6) | Are we sure Jordan Love is the guy? | Love is consistently compared to Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, but he’s not even close to that tier of Packers QBs yet. The QB is only 18-15 with 25 interceptions in 33 regular-season starts, so he must improve for the Packers to contend for a Super Bowl.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (14-3) | Missed their best chance | The Vikings rode their loaded roster to a stunning record this season, but they’re likely to take a step back considering their pending unrestricted free agents have the highest percentage of snaps of any team in the NFL (h/t: SI.com via Over The Cap). Minnesota also has a decision to make regarding pending free-agent QB Sam Darnold and QB J.J. McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season in 2024 with a knee injury. Neither option inspires much confidence in 2025. — Jack Dougherty
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS (8-9) | Penix to win it? | The Commanders proved what a difference a QB makes, as rookie QB Jayden Daniels nearly led them to their first Super Bowl since the 1991 season. Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. had a promising limited sample size at the end of 2024, and he could provide a similar jolt as Daniels in 2025.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-12) | Pump the breaks | Few stories were better than Bryce Young’s growth from unplayable to earning the starting QB job in 2025 with an impressive end to the regular season. But he’s still a long way from being a Super Bowl-caliber QB, and don’t even get us started about Carolina’s defensive problems.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-12) | Likelier to march to the No. 1 overall pick than sniff the playoffs | Super Bowl?! It’s time to dust off our best Jim Mora impersonation because the thought of the Saints even making the playoffs in 2025 is preposterous. However, New Orleans’ grim outlook comes with a silver lining, as the worse it is next season, the closer it will get to having its pick of the top 2026 QB prospects.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-7) | Pulse found | The Bucs have reached the postseason for five consecutive years, the longest span in franchise history. Tampa has Pro Bowl talent at several key positions — QB Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans, offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, defensive tackle Vita Vea and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. — giving it the best odds in the division of winning a Super Bowl next season. — Eric Smithling
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