Preseason NFL is now underway and it’s time for our first DolphinsTalk Power Ranking list for the week of August 4th.
Where do I have the Miami Dolphins ranked? Check out below…
1 San Francisco: Best Roster in the NFL at this current time. I know they have a couple of guys moaning and groaning about their contracts at the moment, but they will be there come Week 1.
2 Detroit: Never in my life would I have thought I would have the Lions this high on a Power Ranking list, but they deserve this spot. Awesome pass rush, awesome offensive line, great skill position players and a very good quarterback.
3 Baltimore: The addition of Derrick Henry will give Lamar Jackson some relief in that he won’t be asked to do everything. If they didn’t have to replace three starting offensive linemen and their defensive coordinator, I may have them ranked higher.
4 Kansas City: They got Pat Mahomes, so you can make a case I should have them ranked higher. The defense is amazing, but their skill position players aren’t anything to brag about. Kelece is legendary, but he will be 35 in October and getting older.
5 Green Bay: Jordan Love is the real deal; this team is very young and extremely talented. A new defensive coordinator will fix that side of the ball, and RB Josh Jacobs will do wonders for Love.
6. Cleveland: Yes, there are questions at quarterback with Watson, but put that to the side for a moment, and the other 52 guys on this roster may compile the best roster in the NFL. They are that damn good. Watson was improving game over game before he went down last season; if he can pick up where he left off, this team is dangerous
7 Houston: I have them here for now, but this one I don’t feel totally confident in just yet. Adding Diggs is huge, how they have built around CJ Stroud is great. I just worry CJ may have a bit of a sophomore slump. Houston is the “trendy” pick and sometimes those picks don’t live up to the hype.
8 Philadelphia: After a strong start last year this team fell apart. They have two need coordinators who I think will help alleviate some of the problems. Hurts, those WR’s, Barkley, that offensive line and playing in a garbage division I think has Philly set up for a big run in 2024.
9 Buffalo: I have to have them as the first team from the AFC East on this list because until someone can knock them off they are the kings of the division. Josh Allen is great; the defense will be above average. I think the running game will be very good, and they have two above-average tight ends. If they get anything from WR they will go flying up this list.
10 Miami: The quarterback position for the first time in decades has been solidified, and he has too many weapons to list around him not to be successful. The offensive line scares me; why do I have them 10th right now? I have questions on who will step up on defense in the absence of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb.
11. Cincinnati: If Joe Burrow is healthy, this team is dangerous. Elite pair of WRs he is throwing to, a very underrated head coach leading this team. The defense will be good. They are in a killer division and will be in some wars much like Cleveland and Baltimore.
12 LA Rams: Matthew Stafford is a top three QB in the NFC, and he has great weapons around him. With Sean McVay you never worry about that offense. They have a youth movement on defense and I think they will be “good enough” to have a winning season where they make the playoffs.
13 NY Jets: Ugh, pains me to say nice things about this team. The defense is elite, Wilson and Hall are two excellent players at skill positions on offense, and Rodgers even if 50% of what he was in GB will be a competent NFL QB. Plus they have a favorable schedule to open the year.
14 Chicago: This is really high for a team with a rookie QB but I love what they did in building this team. The WR room has been revamped and is excellent, Swift at RB was a below the radar signing. This team is a year away but may win 10 games this season.
15 Pittsburgh: Having all 4 AFC North teams in the Top 15 of this list may sound crazy but call me crazy. The QB situation will work itself out, I love the Steelers revamped offensive line, and Mike Tomlin will always have that defense ready to go.
16 Dallas: Some may think this is way too low for the Cowboys, but I think this team may finish under .500 this season. They have a brutal schedule, and their top 3 players want new contracts and are unhappy at the moment. They did NOTHING, like legit nothing, in the offseason to improve. Their running back room is awful. Thoughts and prayers, Jerry.
17 Tampa Bay: They brought everyone back on a team that won a playoff game and almost sneaked out a second playoff win. The NFC South is nothing to write home about, so they may be sneaky good in 2024.
18 Atlanta: Kirk Cousins may unlock a lot of the weapons they have on offense that have been under-used in previous years. I think they got a good guy to be their head coach as well and he will do well in turning this franchise around.
19 Jacksonville: This may be too low for them I do admit, I love their skill position players. I love their head coach. I just want to see Trevor Lawrence take another step forward and until I do I have them in “no mans land” on this list.
20 Seattle: A team that is always hanging around and in the mix it seems like no matter which players come and go on their roster. New head coach, the offensive line is always a mess, I don’t fully trust Geno Smith. This is a .500 level team.
21 Indianapolis: Anthony Richardson looked pretty good before his season was cut short and he has Jonathan Taylor to lean on. The roster is decent, the defense should be OK. This is a team that is a year or so away.
22 LA Chargers: The Justin Herbert camp injury makes me nervous, that may be one that lingers all season for him. I trust Harbaugh. He may not fix everything in year 1, but I have faith he will in time.
23 Minnesota: I am unsure if JJ McCarthy is the real deal, but with Jefferson and Addison as his top WRs he has a chance to be good. While I don’t think they are a playoff team, I think they will be decent enough.
24 NY Giants: Oh the Giants. Daniel Jones gets a bit of a bad rap. Not saying he is Phil Simms but Jones has no offensive line, no wide receivers, and now no running game to help him. I feel for the kid with such little support around him on offense.
25 New Orleans: I have given up on Derek Carr at this point and that offensive line has a ton of questions. The overall roster isn’t awful, but this team comes off as very “blah” heading into the season.
26 Denver: If not for Sean Payton as their head coach I may have them lower. Questions at QB are the main reason they come in at 26 and you can make a case they should be bottom 3 on this list. But literally Sean Payton bumps them up a few spots because he is so damn good.
27 New England: It gives me great joy to have them ranked so low. Their defense will keep them in games. The key there is “keep them in;” they don’t have an offense that will win them games.
28 Arizona: Kyler Murray is finally healthy, and when healthy, he is dang good. Marvin Harrison Jr is the next great NFL WR. Its early in a rebuild but they have pieces to pull a few upsets this year and surprise people.
29 Tennesse: Hopkins, Ridley, and Boyd at WR is a sneaky good group. Pollard at RB is solid. If Will Levis can improve this team may not be totally awful. I jus have questions if Levis is the guy and an NFL starter.
30 Washington: I think Daniels will be a good QB but he is behind an awful offensive line. Their WRs don’t really put fear into you, their running backs are just ok. The defense is ok at best. This is early in a rebuild to say the least.
31 Carolina: The owner is a crazy person, and in the NFL, crazy owners usually don’t win. Bryce Young looks so small and he has no skill position talent around him. These teams draft young QBs and give them no help it baffles me.
32 Las Vegas: This team stinks out loud. One of the only teams on this list who probably doesn’t have their QB of the future already on the roster. They will trade Adams by the trade deadline. They may even totally blow it up and trade Crosby as well. You have a division with Andy Reid, Sean Payton, and Jim Harbaugh….good luck Antonio Pierce. They lost Josh Jacobs and drafted a Tight End in Rd 1. Oh and they have maybe one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
