Mike Greenberg says Aaron Rodgers still has ability to succeed in the NFL
ESPN commentator Mike Greenberg chats with Mackenzie Salmon about what’s left in the tank for Aaron Rodgers as he searches for a new team.
Sports Seriously
NFL power rankings with the 2025 free agency period largely played out (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): The triumph is still fairly fresh – and we’re also in an era when spinning ahead has greatly trumped a little old-fashioned reflection – but how great were the 2024 Eagles? For my money, the 2013 Seahawks are still the most impressive single-season squad of the 21st century. But last season’s Philly squad has a strong case as the next best – for one year – over the past quarter-century. And unlike the Legion of Boom’s unrealized dynastic hopes, the Eagles have a shot to sustain this success for a minute, especially after the retention of All-Pro LB Zack Baun. And while this roster took the typical hit most Super Bowl champions experience, the young talent in the pipeline is impressive, and EVP/GM Howie Roseman is sure to add more during the draft … if not a surprise at some other point.
2. Buffalo Bills (3): Have last season’s AFC runners-up pulled ahead of the bugaboo Chiefs in recent weeks? At minimum, Buffalo’s perch atop the AFC East seems virtually guaranteed to extend to a sixth straight year following the extensions for QB Josh Allen and DE Greg Rousseau and the jolts from ex-Bolts DE Joey Bosa and WR Josh Palmer. Given the issues elsewhere in the division, the cherished No. 1 playoff seed seems quite feasible in 2025.
3. Baltimore Ravens (4): By and large, the AFC North champs are running it back in 2025 – and why not? Two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson somehow seems to consistently improve year over year and now has DeAndre Hopkins as his No. 3 wideout. The Ravens looked like the best team in the league for periods of time last season, and who knows what happens if TE Mark Andrews doesn’t drop that would-be two-point conversion in the playoff loss at Buffalo? Yet a team that lost twice to last-place clubs in 2024 remains too prone to self-sabotage.
4. Los Angeles Rams (10): Good as the Eagles were, no team pushed them closer to the playoff brink than this one … at Lincoln Financial Field … in the snow … amid something of a youth movement. QB Matthew Stafford, 37, and newly signed WR Davante Adams, 32, certainly aren’t wet behind the ears but are on board for a Super Bowl push with what should be one of the NFC’s bona fide contenders.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (2): They found a way to keep RG Trey Smith, LB Nick Bolton, WR Hollywood Brown and RB Kareem Hunt and should get WR Rashee Rice back (for most of) next season. But some key players also departed, namely All-Pro G Joe Thuney, and the left side of an O-line that utterly collapsed in the Super Bowl loss currently seems as suspect as ever.
6. Washington Commanders (5): They’re loading up with accomplished veterans – and older, flawed ones – like LT Laremy Tunsil and WR Deebo Samuel in a bid to maximize their championship odds before QB Jayden Daniels becomes the league’s richest man (in 2027 or 2028). The trades leave Washington’s next two drafts at least partially compromised, but the 2021 Rams recently proved that picks can be overrated.
7. Detroit Lions (6): The NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2024 will return largely intact … between the lines. But how much will they miss OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn, who both took head coaching jobs this offseason?
8. Green Bay Packers (8): By the numbers, the 2024 squad improved noticeably compared to the 2023 version. But that didn’t hold during the playoffs, where the decimated Pack went one-and-done in Philadelphia. But if Green Bay has all of its dudes in 2025 – and maybe one more substantive weapon on offense – Draft Town could very conceivably wind up as Titletown yet again.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7): The seemingly perennial NFC South champions have quietly become one of the league’s models of consistency – a reputation only bolstered by WR Chris Godwin’s decision to take (far) less money to remain in Tampa than sign elsewhere.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (11): For a team that was embarrassed in the playoffs, sure feels like more talent has been going out the door than coming in – wideout and cornerback particular areas of concern.
11. San Francisco 49ers (17): Perhaps no organization is facing a wider variance of potential outcomes than this one, the Niners banking on comeback seasons by QB Brock Purdy, RB Christian McCaffrey and WR Brandon Aiyuk (if not on departed – to Green Bay – G Aaron Banks). But once and future DC Robert Saleh has a lot of work ahead of him with a younger, seemingly less-talented unit.
12. Seattle Seahawks (15): A 10-win team in 2024 has already gotten as big an overhaul as any club in 2025 – which was probably necessary if second-year HC Mike Macdonald’s vision for it was going to be fulfilled. However, speaking of outcome variance, much will depend on new QB Sam Darnold remaining at his Pro Bowl polarity from last season as opposed to his career’s other extreme.
13. Cincinnati Bengals (12): Can you imagine how far QB Joe Burrow could go if he had a packed-to-the-gills supporting cast like Minnesota’s … rather than the financially top-heavy one he demanded in Cincy?
14. Minnesota Vikings (14): Can you imagine how far this loaded roster could go if it had a proven quarterback like, say, Burrow?
15. Arizona Cardinals (16): They doubled their 2023 victory total to eight in 2024. With de facto Super Bowl MVP Josh Sweat now in tow, the Cards might be good enough to add another four to the win column in 2025 … if they didn’t have to navigate such a nasty division.
16. Chicago Bears (21): Fool me once, shame on you. But with the arrival of Johnson to spark QB Caleb Williams’ development, not to mention an entirely upgraded interior to the offensive line – to say nothing of the D-line reinforcements … we can’t get fooled again.
17. Denver Broncos (13): If new additions Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw and Evan Engram can remain healthy – hardly a given – these new edition Broncos could be quite formidable.
18. Houston Texans (9): A team that’s probably still the AFC South’s best could also be worse than all eight NFC North and NFC West clubs. But with a struggling offense changing coordinators while deporting Tunsil, its best – by far – blocker, reason to be concerned with the way things are trending for QB C.J. Stroud.
19. New England Patriots (18): They’ve allocated nearly $300 million contractually to free agents over the past week or so and will get a premium talent atop the draft board, where they don’t have to force a quarterback choice. But the arrival of Pats Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel as the new head coach could be what restores this franchise to competitive status far more quickly than some might expect.
20. Dallas Cowboys (20): Even if their Big Three – QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb, LB Micah Parsons – perform up to specs, can the other 50 guys give rookie HC Brian Schottenheimer enough juice to end the playoff absence of “America’s Team” at one year?
21. Miami Dolphins (19): Question – what do you get when you tie up a ton of money into a quarterback and No. 2 receiver frequently short-circuited by injuries to go with an otherworldly (if often moody) WR1? Answer – Bengals South … which means the softer, less imposing version.
22. Atlanta Falcons (23): They’ve got the most expensive backup quarterback ever … which basically defeats the purpose of having a QB1 on a rookie deal.
23. Carolina Panthers (25): QB Bryce Young had a passer rating of at least 100.0 in his final three starts last season … after hitting that benchmark twice during his first 25 NFL starts. If he and the rest of this roster can sustain their 2024 progress, don’t be surprised if 2025 ends with a playoff miracle.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (22): If rookie HC Liam Coen can do for QB Trevor Lawrence what he did for Baker Mayfield in Tampa, then the Jags could have a legitimate shot to return to the top of a seemingly winnable AFC South.
25. New York Jets (27): New QB Justin Fields is a low-risk, high-ceiling addition – one that might finally settle the NYJ behind center … or put them in position for Arch Manning in the 2026 draft.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers (24): Let us know who the quarterback is, and we might have a more positive outlook for the 2025 season … though Russell Wilson clearly isn’t the correct answer.
27. Cleveland Browns (30): Let us know who the quarterback is, and we might have a more positive outlook for the 2025 season … though Deshaun Watson and Kenny Pickett clearly aren’t the correct answers.
28. Indianapolis Colts (26): Let us know who the quarterback is, and we might have a more positive outlook for the 2025 season … though could Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones truly be the correct answer?
29. New Orleans Saints (32): Possibly aside from rookie HC Kellen Moore, this already feels like another offseason of lateral moves for a franchise that’s been moving laterally – at best – since QB Drew Brees retired four years ago.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (28): New-ish minority owner (Tom Brady), new GM (John Spytek), new (old actually) coach (Pete Carroll) and, now, a new QB1 (Geno Smith) in the fold. What does it all mean? Probably another last-place finish and continued absence from postseason, in the near term anyway.
31. Tennessee Titans (29): Whether they take QB Cam Ward atop the 2025 draft or deal out, feels like a long road to relevance from Nashville.
32. New York Giants (31): Whether they trade up to take QB Cam Ward atop the 2025 draft or not, feels like a long road to relevance from East Rutherford, N.J.
All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.
