NFL team-by-team guide: Who are the Super Bowl contenders?

The caller NFL play is almost upon america arsenic erstwhile again 32 teams participate nan run afloat of dream of winning nan Super Bowl successful New Orleans successful February.

And acknowledgment to nan NFL Draft and net cap, teams tin quickly spell from zeroes to heroes, from also-rans to contenders, truthful nan play ever throws up a fewer astonishment packages.

The 1 changeless successful caller years has been nan Kansas City Chiefs, who pinch backmost Patrick Mahomes person won back-to-back Super Bowls and 3 successful nan past 5 years.

No squad has ever won 3 Super Bowls successful a statement and nan contenders are lining up to sound nan Chiefs disconnected their perch, pinch regular challengers joined by eager outfits led by superstar young quarterbacks.

So here’s a snapshot of each 32 sides successful nan NFL and their chances of going each nan measurement this play – listed successful finishing bid and their regular-season grounds from nan 2023 campaign.

Super Bowl winners

The NFL’s caller dynasty person appeared successful 4 of nan past 5 Super Bowls, winning three, pinch only 2 overtime defeats preventing them from reaching nan past six successful a row. Head coach Andy Reid knows really to support QB Patrick Mahomes and equilibrium nan remainder of nan broadside perfectly – truthful they stay nan squad to beat.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift will support them successful nan headlines disconnected nan field, while they could get a caller legion of fans successful Wales should Louis Rees-Zammit onshore a roster spot.

Player to watch: Patrick Mahomes

Dominating for illustration Tom Brady but successful a mesmeric style that has redefined nan position. Watch retired for a behind-the-back walk he's been perfecting successful pre-season…

Super Bowl runners-up

The 49ers person to woody pinch blowing a 10-point Super Bowl lead against nan Chiefs for nan 2nd clip successful 4 years, but they stay 1 of nan astir talented and well-balanced sides successful nan NFL. With statement problems though, their ‘window’ for occurrence could beryllium closing soon.

Player to watch: Christian McCaffrey

The all-action moving backmost had 2,000 full yards and 21 touchdowns past play arsenic a convention MVP finalist. QB Brock Purdy whitethorn get much headlines but ‘Run CMC’ is their main threat.

Championship Round

After decades successful nan doldrums they are now genuine contenders. Lost a 17-point lead successful nan NFC title game, but a first Super Bowl quality is now successful their sights acknowledgment to caput coach Dan Campbell's turnaround.

Player to watch: Amon-Ra St Brown

The Lions became conscionable nan 2nd squad to person 4 players people 10+ touchdowns past year. One of nan champion attacks successful nan convention is led by their lightning receiver.

Championship Round

The champion squad successful nan regular play by immoderate region were denied a Super Bowl spot by a reliable location nonaccomplishment to nan Chiefs. They added ascendant moving backmost Derrick Henry to their MVP backmost Lamar Jackson to effort to spell 1 better.

Player to watch: Lamar Jackson

A two-time MVP and a one-man item reel - nan Ravens will beryllium challengers arsenic agelong arsenic he stays fit, arsenic injuries person derailed their play before.

Divisional Round

Still 1 of nan champion teams successful nan convention but ever losing to nan Chiefs (three times successful nan past 4 play-off campaigns) puts a limit connected really acold they tin spell – particularly pinch Josh Allen losing his 2 champion receivers and their section looking a batch tougher successful 2024.

Player to watch: Josh Allen

He’s won 4 consecutive divisional titles and produced immoderate superhuman play-off efforts pinch his cannon of an limb and driving runs.

Divisional Round

They had nan apical violative and protect rookies past twelvemonth pinch CJ Stroud and Will Anderson starring successful a thrilling play-off tally by this entertaining outfit. Adding a prima receiver successful Stefon Diggs to thief Stroud debar nan dreaded 'sophomore slump' is simply a smart move. They'll beryllium a nosy watch again.

Player to Watch: Stefon Diggs

Former Bills receiver Diggs has six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and is connected a one-year woody to beryllium he tin do it again.

Divisional Round

The youngest squad successful nan NFL vanished 6-2 to make nan play-offs, hit Dallas and past conscionable came up short successful San Francisco – earning QB Jordan Love a immense caller woody and caput coach Matt LaFleur immoderate long-awaited plaudits. And they’ll amended this year.

Player to watch: Jordan Love

From Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Love, Green Bay person cracked nan QB codification but Love still has to beryllium himself worthy of that bumper contract.

Divisional Round

After sneaking into nan play-offs by winning an atrocious division, they hammered nan Eagles and matched nan Lions for 3 quarters, truthful should astir apt beryllium a spot much respected than they are successful astir rankings aft 4 consecutive post-seasons.

Player to watch: Baker Mayfield

A profession twelvemonth for nan much-travelled backmost that earned him a $100m statement and chance to beryllium it was nary fluke this year.

Wildcard Round

Top scorers successful nan NFL and a 3rd consecutive 12-win play counted for thing arsenic Dallas collapsed and burned successful nan play-offs yet again – meaning it is conscionable 5 post-season games won since their past Super Bowl occurrence successful 1996. Head coach Mike McCarthy and backmost Dak Prescott are successful nan last-chance saloon this play but still person a squad loaded pinch talent.

Player to watch: Micah Parsons

Not galore protect players tin tally games, but Parsons is simply a freak jock pinch freakish footballing expertise – he dominates games from wherever he lines up.

Wildcard Round

After a red-hot start, their play fizzled retired and they mislaid a frigid Kansas City play-off crippled to widen their hold for a first post-season triumph since 2000. They will people plentifulness of points but since only 1 of their 11 victories came against a broadside pinch a winning record, nan jury’s still out.

Play to watch: Tyreek Hill

Speedy receiver Hill tin genuinely people from anyplace and, ne'er shy, claims he could hit Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles successful a race.

Wildcard Round

Despite an injury-ravaged squad having to commencement 5 different QBs, thing not done for 40 years, Cleveland made nan play-offs down a stellar defence led by Myles Garrett. They’ll again beryllium arsenic bully arsenic it gets defensively but conscionable request much from QB Deshaun Watson to go genuine contenders.

Player to watch: Deshaun Watson

Cleveland handed Watson $230m afloat guaranteed successful 2022 but he has played conscionable 12 games since and shown only flashes of his expertise – that needs to alteration this year.

Wildcard Round

A one-point play-off nonaccomplishment successful Detroit was reliable - and losing Aaron Donald, arguably nan NFL's top ever defender, to status will beryllium moreover harder to woody with. Matthew Stafford tin still fling it and they did triumph it each conscionable a mates of years ago, truthful should not beryllium written off.

Player to watch: Puka Nacua

He smashed rookie receiving records past season, including his immense 181-yard crippled successful nan play-offs, and expect much of nan aforesaid this twelvemonth if afloat healthy.

Wildcard Round

Head coach Mike Tomlin someway maintained his grounds of ne'er having a losing play pinch past year’s squad, but caller QBs Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are not immense upgrades. They will beryllium a classical Pittsburgh squad this play – hard-hitting defence and tally dense successful attack.

Player to watch: TJ Watt

The first subordinate to lead nan convention successful charismatic sacks for 3 different seasons, TJ Watt causes complete havoc and will beryllium a awesome logic for immoderate Pittsburgh success.

Wildcard Round

From a 10-1 start, nan Eagles collapsed to suffer 5 of their past six, and past sewage blown retired by nan Bucs successful nan play-offs to time off leader Nick Sirianni clinging to his job. That was a large astonishment from what is still a hugely talented squad, truthful we should expect a bounce back.

Player to watch: Saquon Barkley

An intriguing move from divisional rivals New York – nan prima moving backmost will beryllium hopeless to beryllium a point.

When Joe Burrow plays a afloat season, nan Bengals are contenders - he made 1 Super Bowl and came wrong a crippled of different successful 2 completed campaigns. He missed 7 games past play and nan Bengals missed nan play-offs.

Player to watch: Joe Burrow

His immense assurance and swagger is only matched by his talent, but that wrist wounded will beryllium a immense worry.

Rookie QB Anthony Richardson played successful conscionable 4 games past season, looking spectacular astatine times arsenic a moving threat, but whether he tin enactment fresh for nan play is nan immense mobility tempering expectations.

Player to watch: Jonathan Taylor

The 2021 rushing champion has had injuries and statement issues nan past 2 years, but everything points to a comeback this season.

Another squad to collapse, nan Jags mislaid 5 of their past six to manus nan section title to Houston and miss nan play-offs altogether. The accent has been to toughen up connected defence to guarantee that doesn't hap again.

Player to watch: Trevor Lawrence

Their number 1 wide draught prime has been coagulated if unspectacular successful his first 3 seasons - nan Jags still handed him a immense caller woody this summer. Now he has to gain it.

A existent puzzle of a team, nan Saints had a +75 points differential but could not triumph nan adjacent games, and 1 of nan oldest rosters successful nan convention had small wiggle room complete nan summertime owed to net headdress issues.

Player to watch: Derek Carr

Their $150m QB vanished good but chiefly against bad teams, truthful overmuch for illustration their net headdress he has not sewage overmuch room to manoeuvre earlier nan unit builds connected his position.

Replacing 72-year-old Pete Carroll pinch 37-year-old Mike Macdonald arsenic caput coach gives Seattle a youthful outlook - and their caller leader put together a fearsome defence successful Baltimore, but this looks for illustration a rebuilding year.

Player to watch: DK Metcalf

Their immense receiver needs to nutrient much ascendant displays to thief QB Geno Smith elevate his play again.

Winning 8 games was a occurrence for coach Sean Payton but that looks nan ceiling again arsenic they struggle to still salary disconnected nan grounded Russell Wilson experiment. Defence was a existent rumor past twelvemonth and it's difficult to spot wherever they'll improve.

Player to watch: Bo Nix

First-round draught prime Bo Nix has been named arsenic nan 13th starting QB successful Denver since Peyton Manning near successful 2016. He should activity good pinch Payton but don't expect excessively much.

Young caput coach Antonio Pierce is focusing connected defence arsenic nan Raiders effort to find their measurement forward, and nan entertaining Gardner Minshew astatine QB should supply immoderate highlights successful what looks different reliable twelvemonth successful Vegas.

Player to watch: Davante Adams

A genuine superstar receiver, if Minshew tin get him nan shot he tin still make things happen.

If anything, nan hype is greater than past twelvemonth aft Aaron Rodgers' injury conscionable 4 plays into past season's opener. There's now nary room for correction pinch 1 past propulsion of nan dice connected nan 40-year-old QB. There's talent each astir him and an elite defence, truthful everything is group up for a Super Bowl run.

Player to watch: Aaron Rodgers

Who else? The Jets person built a awesome squad but make nary mistake, Rodgers has to play to a precocious level for nan afloat play to propulsion it each together.

Another squad connected nan hype train are Chicago, who person loaded up connected an array of violative talent up to thief number 1 draught prime Caleb Williams extremity nan Bears' 14-year hold for a play-off win. Fans successful nan Windy City tin hardly incorporate themselves.

Player to watch: Caleb Williams

He whitethorn not predominate from nan start, but he has talent, style, and nan characteristic to beryllium Chicago's first existent prima QB.

Selecting QB Michael Penix Jr successful nan first information of nan draught would not raise immoderate eyebrows - if nan Falcons hadn't conscionable splashed retired $180m to motion Kirk Cousins. It's a existent puzzler that will predominate their full season.

Player to watch: Kirk Cousins

Coming disconnected a superior injury, Cousins will now beryllium nether unit correct from nan off, pinch Penix lurking successful nan background.

Rookie QB JJ McCarthy suffered a season-ending wounded successful pre-season, but moreover pinch him not excessively overmuch was expected - barroom trying to beryllium a nuisance to Detroit, Green Bay and Chicago successful their division.

Player to watch: Justin Jefferson

The team's large star, he'll only person Sam Darnold throwing him nan ball, but specified a talented receiver tin still nutrient jaw-dropping plays.

A caller coaching unit and plentifulness of upheaval intends thing is imaginable for nan Titans, but it's a wait-and-see attack - particularly successful what is simply a sneaky reliable division.

Player to watch: Will Levis

Four touchdowns connected his debut and a comeback against Miami were highlights, but he showed plentifulness of unsmooth rookie QB edges. There is talent location though.

They regressed past twelvemonth and mightiness return a measurement moreover further backmost if their big-money bet connected QB Daniel Jones, who is coming backmost from a torn ACL, backfires.

Player to watch: Daniel Jones

The New York media marketplace is brutal. Jones has been so-so successful his profession truthful needs to deed nan crushed moving this season, aliases else...

Respected coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to yet person immoderate of nan Chargers' committedness into results, pinch nan Bolts connected a batch of sleeper lists for nan season.

Player to watch: Justin Herbert

As agelong arsenic he overcomes a ft injury, Herbert tin yet adhd much wins to nan stats he produces - arsenic his QB talent has ne'er been successful doubt.

Dan Quinn coached nan fantabulous Dallas defence truthful is simply a bully caput coaching hire. If he gets a akin tune successful Washington to adhd to breathtaking rookie QB Jayden Daniels, nan Commanders tin do thing of a Houston from past year.

Player to watch: Jayden Daniels

Picked 2nd down Caleb Williams conscionable gives Daniels that other spot connected his enarthrosis - and his pre-season shape has been eye-catching.

Jerod Mayo is successful a reliable spot replacing nan legendary Bill Belichick - who astatine slightest produced 2 losing seasons to make it conscionable a touch easier to follow. It's a settling successful twelvemonth for Mayo though.

Player to watch: Drake Maye

Third disconnected nan committee successful nan draft, Maye has nan arsenic unenviable task of trying to go a regular Patriots starting QB. He won't commencement consecutive distant and looks very overmuch a project.

A mediocre grounds but nan Cards astatine slightest played reliable astatine times and location are signs of dream astatine slightest connected nan violative side, pinch breathtaking QB Kyler Murray backmost from injury.

Player to watch: Marvin Harrison Jr

The Cards were fortunate that nan 3 teams supra them successful nan draught needed QBs, truthful they could drawback a receiver thought of arsenic a existent generational talent.

Trading for Bryce Young resulted successful conscionable 2 wins and Chicago getting Caleb Williams this year, and watching CJ Stroud flourish aft passing connected him successful nan draught will not person helped matters successful Carolina - wherever location are still large gaps successful nan squad.

Player to watch: Bryce Young

He had small thief past twelvemonth but should find a spot much this season. That has to consequence successful wins though, fixed nan unit associated pinch being a number 1 pick.