NFL power rankings: Chiefs, Pats lead way in AFC

With a week before the NFL Draft, let’s take a look at where all the teams in the AFC stand after free agency finished up. Here’s the NFL power rankings for the AFC at this point in the year.

16. Miami Dolphins

This is by design. The Dolphins are tanking hard to build for the future.

15. Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati had the worst-rated defense a year ago and didn’t do a thing to improve it. Combine that with a first-year head coach and Andy Dalton, and you have problems.

14. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo added a bunch of guys in free agency, but did they get any better? This is the AFC version of the Detroit Lions.

13. Denver Broncos

The Broncos still have a solid defense, but the offense is a total mess beyond Phillip Lindsay and Courtland Sutton. Nobody is winning in Denver with Joe Flacco and a terrible offensive line.

12. Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are better, but the defense still has holes at all three levels. Also, are we sure Derek Carr is good enough to consistently win games?

11. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville did a nice job by landing Nick Foles, but he doesn’t have pieces around him. It’s all about the defense in Duval.

10. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens were harder hit than any team in free agency. Baltimore lost Michael Crabtree, John Brown, C.J. Mosley, Eric Weddle, Terrell Suggs and others. Signing Earl Thomas and Mark Ingram doesn’t fix all those losses.

9. Tennessee Titans

What is there to say? Marcus Mariota isn’t good enough, and neither are the weapons around him. Good defense, middling team.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh had a huge championship window, and it’s slammed shut now. What could have been.

7. New York Jets

With the additions of C.J. Mosley, Le’Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder, the Jets should contend for a wild card berth in the AFC.

6. Houston Texans

The Texans have a half-dozen stars and a ton of questions. Which of those will be the storyline headed out of net season?

5. Cleveland Browns

The talent is there for the Browns. Can they live up to the huge expectations?

4. Indianapolis Colts

After a quiet offseason, the Colts should load up in the draft and enter the 2019 season as favorites in the AFC South.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

The best roster in the NFL. The only question is whether they can coach, and score, with the Patriots and Chiefs in shootouts.

2. New England Patriots

The best head coach-quarterback duo in NFL history will be pushing for a fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes is the best player in football at the game’s most important position, and the Chiefs are brimming with talent around him. They are the best team going into the draft.