Best- and worst-case scenarios for every NFL team in 2025: Chiefs back on top? Bears to end playoff drought?

The 2025 NFL season is still months away, and plenty of important position battles have yet to be decided as all 32 teams continue offseason programming, including mandatory minicamp. Still, we have a pretty firm idea of how each team will look going into the new campaign, given that the big waves of coach and player movement are in the books.

The real question is, what are proper expectations for each of those teams? Everyone anticipates recent contenders like the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles to remain in the title hunt. But what about the rest of the NFL? Which clubs deserve more attention? Which deserve, dare we say, even less hype than they might be getting?

We decided to run through the entire landscape and offer best- and worst-case scenarios for each team going into 2025. Is your favorite team a safe bet to make it to the playoffs? Or is that a pipe dream? How about a run for the Lombardi? Here’s how we see it as the summer rolls on and the real games draw closer:

Best-case scenario: Kyler Murray makes real strides as a passer, staying upright late in the season, and Jonathan Gannon’s restocked defensive front helps power Arizona to its first playoff appearance in four years.

Worst-case scenario: Murray struggles to elevate the aerial attack without reliable secondary weapons, and Arizona can’t keep up with the rest of the NFC West, finishing under .500 for the seventh time in the last 10 years.

Best-case scenario: Michael Penix Jr. proves to be an explosive downfield thrower in his first full year as the top quarterback, and coach Raheem Morris buttons up his in-game decision-making to help the Falcons steal the NFC South.

Worst-case scenario: Penix flops in full-time duty replacing the demoted Kirk Cousins, failing to maximize young weapons like Bijan Robinson and Drake London, and Atlanta suffers an eighth straight losing season.

Best-case scenario: Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens’ receiving corps stay healthy to remain one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses, and John Harbaugh finally guides the group over the hump to Super Bowl stardom.

Worst-case scenario: Jackson and Henry’s heavy workloads take a physical toll, forcing them out of action, and defensive rookies Mike Green and Malaki Starks don’t make an early impact, rendering Baltimore a banged-up wild-card hopeful.

Buffalo Bills

Best-case scenario: Josh Allen’s Superman act is even better supported by the growth of youngsters like James Cook, Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid, and Buffalo finally exorcises playoff demons to reach — and win — the Super Bowl.

Worst-case scenario: The absence of a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver plagues Allen as he tries to carry Buffalo’s offense, and Sean McDermott’s shuffled secondary can’t hold up as the Bills go one-and-done for the first time since 2019.

Best-case scenario: Bryce Young parlays his confident 2024 finish into an even heavier workload under center, leaning on a deep rushing game and strengthened defensive front to eke out a winning record and hang around the wild-card picture.

Worst-case scenario: Young goes backward, once again saddled with unproven weapons out wide, including two young starters in Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan, and Carolina is forced to consider a bigger-picture pivot.

Best-case scenario: Ben Johnson meshes with Caleb Williams, unlocking the quarterback’s gunslinging gifts while keeping him in check behind a much-improved front, and Chicago sneaks into the playoffs for the first time in five years.

Worst-case scenario: No amount of veteran blockers and weapons can keep Williams on schedule against a tough schedule; the former No. 1 pick proves a dangerous caretaker of both the ball and his body as the Bears finish last again.

Best-case scenario: Joe Burrow keeps slinging it to Ja’Marr Chase, this time behind an even more settled-in front, and gets real defensive support from Al Golden’s direction, to surge all the way to their second Super Bowl in five years.

Worst-case scenario: One of Cincinnati’s “Big Three” — Burrow, Chase, Tee Higgins — misses extended time yet again, and Golden’s touch can’t offset an overmatched pass rush, as the Bengals play second fiddle to the Ravens.

Best-case scenario: One of Cleveland’s younger quarterbacks — likely Kenny Pickett (27) or Shedeur Sanders (23) — emerges from a crowded room and stripped-down offense to give the city much-needed long-term hope under center.

Worst-case scenario: Quantity doesn’t equate to quality at quarterback, and the Browns cycle through passers. Journeyman Joe Flacco again looks like their best bet at age 40, but his momentary spark worsens the club’s draft position for 2026.

Best-case scenario: Jerry Jones’ offensive investments (i.e. George Pickens, Tyler Booker) reinvigorate Dak Prescott, and new coach Brian Schottenheimer is a locker-room hit, launching Dallas to its first playoff win in three years.

Worst-case scenario: Schottenheimer’s familiar messaging rings hollow, and Prescott leans into his worst instincts while trying to appease the volatile Pickens, forcing the ball as the always-dramatic Cowboys miss the postseason entirely.

Best-case scenario: Sean Payton masters the old-school approach, leaning on a tough front, RJ Harvey-led run game and imposing defense to buoy the confident Bo Nix, and Denver even manages a playoff win despite so-so pass targets.

Worst-case scenario: Denver forgoing a splashy wide receiver addition puts a cap on Nix’s playmaking upside, and the second-year signal-caller endures a dip in ball control, foiling Payton’s plans in a last-place finish in the tight AFC West.

Detroit Lions

Best-case scenario: The legend of Dan Campbell expands as the coach takes a firmer grip on the offense, allowing Jared Goff to feed his plethora of playmakers to the point Detroit — so used to taking big blows — finally reaches the Super Bowl.

Worst-case scenario: Goff can’t shake the sour end to 2024 behind a shuffled front and without coordinator Ben Johnson, and Campbell’s aura isn’t enough to outlast a tough schedule in the NFC North; they dip to wild-card territory.

Best-case scenario: The influx of young pass catchers, led by Matthew Golden, emboldens Jordan Love while coach Matt LaFleur keeps the Josh Jacobs ground game rolling, and Green Bay reaches its first Super Bowl in 15 years.

Worst-case scenario: Love can’t contain his inner Brett Favre, forfeiting the rock to frustrate LaFleur, and the youthful receiving corps remains too mercurial to go deep in January as the Packers barely miss the playoffs in the tough North.

Best-case scenario: C.J. Stroud rediscovers his rookie-year authority with a fresh play-caller and more help for Nico Collins out wide, and DeMeco Ryans‘ defense scares the rest of the NFL en route to another early-round playoff win.

Worst-case scenario: Ryans’ defense, now featuring C.J. Gardner-Johnson, proves incredibly undisciplined, and Houston’s dependence on aging, banged-up vets like Nick Chubb and Christian Kirk leaves Stroud flailing in a losing season.

Best-case scenario: Anthony Richardson finally pairs his supersized athleticism with smarter, sharper passing, also remaining on the field long enough to confirm Indianapolis still has a dynamic quarterback of the future on the roster.

Worst-case scenario: Neither Richardson nor Daniel Jones can hold the job for more than a few games at a time, and the Colts are left to face a teardown — without premium draft positioning — under new owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon.

Best-case scenario: Trevor Lawrence finally feels at home with Liam Coen calling the shots and Travis Hunter joining Brian Thomas Jr. out wide, and the Jaguars capitalize on a weak AFC South by pouncing to the top of the division.

Worst-case scenario: Coen proves out of his league as a head coach, Hunter struggles to translate his two-way gifts to the NFL stage, and Lawrence still can’t control the rock as Jacksonville remains an offensive laughingstock.

Kansas City Chiefs

Best-case scenario: Patrick Mahomes‘ O-line recovers from an ugly Super Bowl, a freshened-up pass catching corps led by Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice reignites the deep attack, and the dynasty captures yet another championship.

Worst-case scenario: The line is reworked but no less unstable, forcing Mahomes to scramble more than he’d like, and Andy Reid’s scheming can’t undo lingering injuries. They fail to make the Super Bowl for the first time in four years.

Best-case scenario: The Raiders culture is remade by Pete Carroll, with Ashton Jeanty’s powerhouse running and Geno Smith’s fearless gunslinging reengaging fans and allowing Vegas to sneak into the postseason behind the rival Chiefs.

Worst-case scenario: Goff can’t shake the sour end to 2024 behind a shuffled front and without coordinator Ben Johnson, and Campbell’s aura isn’t enough to outlast a tough schedule in the NFC North; they dip to wild-card territory.

Best-case scenario: Jim Harbaugh’s championship fortitude sinks deeper into the franchise, unlocking a more resilient Justin Herbert, whose balanced setup and punishing run support helps L.A. all the way to the AFC title game.

Worst-case scenario: Harbaugh gets physical but sluggish results from a run-heavy approach, Herbert still can’t quite translate his tools to do-or-die moments down the stretch, and the Bolts once again go one-and-done in the dance.

Best-case scenario: Davante Adams‘ team-up with Puka Nacua gives Matthew Stafford his best tandem in years, and the young Jared Verse-led defense helps Sean McVay reach another Super Bowl — his first since 2021’s triumphant finale.

Worst-case scenario: Stafford’s age (37) catches up to him as he struggles to stay upright, forcing the Rams to lean on Jimmy Garoppolo for an extended time. The defensive secondary also proves too vulnerable to produce a playoff berth.

Best-case scenario: Tua Tagovailoa avoids injury and makes a major leap in off-script composure, returning the Tyreek Hill-Jaylen Waddle duo to highlight-reel heights, helping an overlooked roster return to the playoffs.

Worst-case scenario: Tagovailoa fails to stay on the field and/or grow as a clutch decision-maker behind a still-iffy line, Miami’s stripped-down defense still lacks a tone-setter, and Mike McDaniel faces intense heat after another losing campaign.

Best-case scenario: Kevin O’Connell gets instant results from J.J. McCarthy, who plays point guard for Justin Jefferson and the rest of their elite group, and Minnesota survives a brutal slate to make a second straight postseason bid.

Worst-case scenario: McCarthy is swallowed up by both a tough schedule and inflated expectations, at some point even prompting Sam Howell to enter under center, and Vikings fans are somehow forced to lament Sam Darnold’s exit.

Best-case scenario: Drake Maye confirms himself as the face of the franchise with Stefon Diggs as a safety valve, and Mike Vrabel’s touch maximizes a reloaded defense, vaulting the Pats all the way back into the playoffs.

Worst-case scenario: Maye’s big-play upside is overshadowed by loose ball control alongside a still-unreliable supporting cast, and Vrabel is once again set into a cycle of overseeing scrappy if totally unspectacular wild-card hopefuls.

Best-case scenario: Rookie Tyler Shough’s age and college experience, paired with veteran help (i.e. Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave), leads to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a surprise playoff bid under new coach Kellen Moore.

Worst-case scenario: Moore can’t find a reliable short- or long-term project under center between Shough, Spencer Rattler, etc., and New Orleans is once again stuck with aging cornerstones as it straddles the line of mediocrity.

Best-case scenario: Russell Wilson has just enough juice to give Brian Daboll the play-action ball-controller he needed for a 2022 playoff bid, but Jaxson Dart develops behind the scenes to give New York true long-term quarterback hope.

Worst-case scenario: Wilson is solid enough to keep Dart off the field but sluggish enough to pull New York out of good 2026 draft position, and young building blocks like Malik Nabers grow disenchanted in the drama of it all.

Best-case scenario: New coach Aaron Glenn brings some stability to an organization long beset by drama, and Justin Fields‘ physical gifts enable New York to make unexpectedly quick strides, a la Darnold with the Vikings in 2024.

Worst-case scenario: Glenn’s fiery personality inflames rather than extinguishes locker-room discord, Fields remains too erratic when unleashed as a playmaker, and the Jets are back to square one of their big-picture rebuild come 2026.

Philadelphia Eagles

Best-case scenario: The all-world offense remains a force, and Vic Fangio’s defense gets even scarier with the growth of young stalwarts like Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, helping the Philly machine wins its third title of the last nine years.

Worst-case scenario: Saquon Barkley breaks down after leading the 2024 charge, and their offensive leaders get chippy while trying to compensate under a new coordinator, resulting in a one-and-done post-Super Bowl hangover.

Best-case scenario: The legendary mishmash of Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin proves magically gritty, with A-Rod’s gravitas, DK Metcalf’s playmaking and Tomlin’s defense resulting in Pittsburgh’s first playoff win in nine years.

Worst-case scenario: Rodgers can’t move going on 42, requiring relief under center, and the reality-TV headlines that lately accompany both he and the organization exacerbate another dismal Steelers finish, this time without playoffs.

Best-case scenario: Overlooked after their injury-riddled 2024 flop, the 49ers’ top leaders — Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle — return to health, and Robert Saleh’s “D” powers San Francisco all the way back to the Super Bowl.

Worst-case scenario: Purdy’s big-money extension draws fair critique as the quarterback struggles to shake hiccups while trailing, and continued bumps and bruises to McCaffrey and Co. leave Kyle Shanahan straining for answers.

Best-case scenario: They get the best of both worlds: Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp make enough splash plays to get their short-term offense into the playoffs, while Jalen Milroe, Grey Zabel and their rookie class promise future stardom.

Worst-case scenario: Darnold quickly flames out, his more skittish tendencies coming to light behind a work-in-progress front, and coach Mike Macdonald can’t squeeze enough out of his patchwork pass rush to sniff 2024’s 10-7 finish.

Best-case scenario: Todd Bowles finally settles in after quietly claiming three straight NFC South titles, letting both the gunslinging Baker Mayfield and a restocked pass rush loose, and the Bucs go all the way to the NFC title game.

Worst-case scenario: Mayfield’s gusto finally gets the best of him under new coordinator John Grizzard, and Bowles’ defense proves way too stale and long in the tooth at its core, dropping Tampa below .500 and out of the South lead.

Best-case scenario: The big-play bravado of rookie Cam Ward, coupled with savviness from vets like Tony Pollard, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett, launches Tennessee into wild-card territory out of the wide-open AFC South.

Worst-case scenario: Ward is splashy but just as reckless as predecessor Will Levis, once again forcing coach Brian Callahan to produce answers he doesn’t have, and Tennessee’s occasionally scrappy defense can’t pick up the slack.

Best-case scenario: Adam Peters’ big swings (i.e. Deebo Samuel, Laremy Tunsil) only serve to highlight Jayden Daniels‘ infectious magic, and Washington’s dynamic quarterback wins the nation’s capital its first Super Bowl since 1991.

Worst-case scenario: Daniels’ do-it-all gifts come with a cost, as the dual threat can’t stay on the field to meet lofty Year 2 expectations, and Dan Quinn is subsequently left to lean on aging placeholders as the rival Eagles stay rolling.

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Author: Cody Benjamin
June 11, 2025 | 9:10 am