We are ALMOST to training camp in the NFL, which means we will finally start to see the impact from each team’s off-season moves! Some teams appear to be in much better shape than others, on paper, but how it all will pan out is still a mystery. Ergo, we are left simply with the vibes emanating from the front offices of 32 different team organizations. My friend Simon and I took the liberty of ranking each team’s off-season on his podcast, and we used the vibes for each team to finalize our list before the start of training camp. See below for the top half of the league.

The Top 3 – Good, Good, Good, Good Vibrations

  1. Chicago Bears

Of course, this is all riding on Caleb Williams, and no rookie quarterback is a guarantee, but during vibes season, we rely on the analysis that had him drafted first overall. Then, you add a potentially top-10 defense and a receiving corps that is the perfect blend of experience and upside. This Bears team should be itching to get the season started.

2. Detroit Lions

They were one game away from the Super Bowl last year and have Dan Campbell vibes for days. They extended Jared Goff, somehow retained the services of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and viciously attacked their deficiencies in the secondary, their biggest hole. The Lions are vibin’ high.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

I’m not going to say that Jim Harbaugh is the best coach ever, but on heels of the last regime, this could be the welcome culture shift that Herbert and Co. need to start contending. All of the players are feeling the Harbaugh hype, and this Chargers team looks ready to compete.

Numbers 4 & 5 – Smart Decisions, Still Have Questions

4. Philadelphia Eagles

By all accounts the Eagles should be in every discussion for teams who could represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. And yet, Nick Sirianni is on the hot seat? This team has been so good, but sputtered at the end of last season. They are riding the vibes of credibility at the moment, but will need to come out of the gates strong to quell the fears of fans in Philadelphia.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are in the top five due to their epic defense, great coaching, and an amazing draft. They did everything they could to put their best foot forward, yet that best foot will step forward while having to trust Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. The Steelers should indeed feel good about themselves, but the questions about their QB room cannot be ignored.

Teams 6 – 8 – Scrappy, Not Crappy! (Well, actually they will probably be crappy, but in an “up-and-coming” sort of way)

6. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals, by sheer volume, have to have brought in enough players to make their defense fun. And who knows, maybe they’ll be decent? If they are, they will indeed be scrappy with a healthy Kyler Murray throwing to the greatest receiver in NFL history who has yet to catch a pass.

7. New England Patriots

I’m not going to go on record saying the Patriots will surprise anyone, because I honestly don’t expect them to. But they got my QB 2 in Drake Maye, and they are doing the right things that rebuilding teams should do. They may win a game or two they aren’t supposed to, but at the bare minimum, they are heading in a better direction.

8. Las Vegas Raiders

I still don’t trust their quarterbacks, and I can only give them credit for so long for how much the players love playing for Antonio Pierce. That said, they have a nasty defensive line after bringing in Christian Wilkins to work alongside Maxx Crosby, and they definitely won’t be pushovers.

Teams 9 – 12 – Playoff Bound Built On Last Year’s Ground

9. Baltimore Ravens

If I’m a player for the Ravens, I’ve lost so much sleep after last year’s conference championship loss that I cannot wait to get back to work. This team was a contender last season, and there’s really no reason to doubt their presence again late in the post-season. They have top-tier talent all over the place, and they will build on last year’s foundational vibes to prepare for this season.

10. Houston Texans

This team was a year or so ahead of schedule last year, and so the vibe train is flying down the tracks in Houston. The one argument to contradict their positive vibes is the possibility of a sophomore slump from guys like Tank Dell and C.J. Stroud, but I think most of the world expects them to only get better. Happy times in Houston!

11. Green Bay Packers

As much as I don’t LOVE the Packers, Jordan Love proved himself viable to me last season. He has reportedly gotten better, and the vibes surrounding this young offense are rocking. The best addition from the off-season, though, could be new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. He has plans to take their current roster and employ the players in ways that better fit their styles, and this defense should also improve.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I still don’t think they should be “running it back.” But, they’ve fully committed, and for now I’ll let them have their positive beach vibes in the Florida sun. They have a lot of key returning contributors from last season, and they addressed a variety of positions through the draft and free agency. If new OC Liam Coen can improve this offense from last year as well, then the Bucs can win the NFC South and make another playoff run.

Less Pressure, More Fun – Vibes For Teams 13 – 16

13. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts (and all of us) missed out on a full year of development for Anthony Richardson last season, and it was very sad. He is, however, a “full-go” for training camp this summer, and I hope we get to see him play a full season. This roster in Indy is pretty solid overall as well, so they could make a bit of noise if Richardson can tap into some of his upside. I am predicting a QB/RB duo “showdown,” if you will, between Richardson and Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis, versus Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in Baltimore, in terms of total rushing yards by the duos.

14. Los Angeles Rams

They got the Stafford Super Bowl to justify the trade and made sure that Aaron Donald could retire a Champion. They weren’t supposed to be so competitive last season, and yet the excitement surrounding Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams is intense. There should be little pressure on the horns of these Rams, and they should be feeling good as an underdog team in their division.

15. Minnesota Vikings

My Vikings are in really good shape (I don’t know how much of this is personal bias, in all honesty). Brian Flores is back to help continue this defense’s improvement, and we have a young quarterback of the future to develop. We got Jettas his deal, as well, so there should be no drama in Minnesota come July. On top of that, Cam Bynum has summed up the mentality that all fans want their players to have, and so it’s hard not to be optimistic for the Vikes upcoming season. SKOL to the bowl (sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

16. Tennessee Titans

Rounding out the top half of the league in terms of off-season vibes is a team that I am ultra-impressed with. While I fully expected them to clean house and go rebuild mode after last season, I did not expect them to be so aggressive in accelerating their rebuild. It would be too much to write out, so here’s a checklist of all of the positive producing plays they have made this off-season.

  • Weapons for Will Levis? Check. (Ridley, Hopkins, Boyd)
  • Addressed the defense in FA and the draft? Check. (L’Jarius Sneed signing, drafting T’Vondre Sweat, among others)
  • Protection for Levis? Check. (JC Latham)
  • Making sure their fans don’t have to sit through years of a SLOW rebuild? Check. The Titans have one of the more revamped rosters going into this season.

The Titans are by no means perfect, but if I was a fan in Nashville I would be pretty psyched about their efforts heading into training camp.

What Say You About This List Of Vibes?

It’s fun to take a break from statistics, analytics, and the more logical side of analysis to rank teams based on vibes. So, do you agree with this list? Let me know on X, and stay tuned for teams 17 – 32 coming soon, as not all vibes are good!

Also, be sure to stick around Bite Size Sports for more great content, and head over to the Bite Size YouTube channel as well!


Leave a comment

Trending