The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs have now concluded, with four teams left standing ahead of the AFC and NFC Championship Games next weekend. With 28 teams eliminated, we can start to look ahead to their offseasons while still examining the four teams left competing for the Lombardi Trophy.
Let's dive into our latest NFL Power Rankings after the Divisional Round. We're ranking the four teams on Conference Championship Weekend, while looking at one offseason move eliminated clubs should make.
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The Seattle Seahawks are the best team entering Conference Championship Weekend. Defensively, this unit rivals the Texans , and they have the added benefits of home-field advantage, an explosive rushing attack and a good offensive line. Sam Darnold does not need to be Superman; he just needs to protect the football and make the most of his chances in the red zone. Seattle is our pick to hoist the Lombardi Trophy right now.
Related: Winners, Losers from San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
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It certainly feels like the winner of the NFC Championship Game will go on to become the Super Bowl champion. Similar to the Patriots, what stands out about this Divisional Round victory for the Los Angeles Rams is that it came on a day when the MVP-caliber quarterback didn't quite play like it. Others stepped up, buying time until the All-Pro passer could deliver a big-time throw in a critical moment. We now get a rubber match between the Rams and Seahawks, with the winner representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. It should be an all-time classic.
Related: Winners, Losers from Los Angeles Rams vs Chicago Bears
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Drake Maye hasn't played like an MVP-caliber quarterback in the NFL Playoffs. Yet, the New England Patriots are headed to the AFC Championship Game with a +25 point differential in two playoff games and they've outclassed both the Chargers and Texans. Mike Vrabel has to feel particularly great about how good New England's defense has looked in these last two weeks with top starters returning to the front seven. With Denver starting a backup quarterback, the Patriots should be heavy favorites in the AFC title game.
Related: Winners, Losers from Houston Texans vs New England Patriots
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The Bo Nix injury is a devastating blow for the Denver Broncos' Super Bowl chances. Running the football is still a bit of an issue for this offense. While the defense generated five takeaways in the Divisional Round, it has not been as effective for the most part as it was in the first half of the regular season. All of that is to say that Denver's ground game, receiving corps and defense are not good enough to overcome Jarrett Stidham being the starting quarterback in the AFC Championship Game.
Related: Winners, Losers from Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos
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With the Giants and Falcons' head-coaching vacancies filled and Tennessee seemingly prioritizing other targets, there seems to be a golden opportunity here for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman need to be willing to make McDaniel the highest-paid offensive coordinator in NFL history, meaning a $6 million-plus salary. He is the perfect play-caller to revitalize Philadelphia's rushing attack, and he will use Jalen Hurts ' athleticism a lot more in 2026. Not only will the Eagles offense improve under McDaniel, but the front office will get compensatory picks when McDaniel is hired as a head coach in 2027.
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With Jauan Jennings a free agent, Brandon Aiyuk not returning to the team and Ricky Pearsall oft-injured, the San Francisco 49ers will be in the market for a wide receiver this offseason. Instead of splurging on one of the biggest names, we think Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch should go after Romeo Doubs . He is a willing blocker, which matters a lot to the Shanahan system, and he is very good in the red zone and with contested catches. Plus, he has been fairly durable with 43 starts over the last three seasons. Expected to sign for in the ballpark of $12 million to $13 million per year, adding the California native would be a nice addition for the 49ers.
Related: Predicting NFL Free Agency Landing Spots for Top Wide Receivers
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The Chicago Bears need to find a way to pay Jaquan Brisker this offseason. He proved instrumental in the defense's success for most of the night against Los Angeles, making plays in coverage and having a real impact as a blitzer (one sack and one quarterback hit). Chicago's secondary is capable of great things when everyone is healthy, and with the way Dennis Allen used his defensive backs in the Divisional Round, re-signing Brisker should be a top priority this spring.
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It would obviously be a gamble for the Los Angeles Chargers to hire Davis Webb as their offensive coordinator and play-caller. After all, he turned 31 years old in January and has no play-calling experience. With that said, he has spent the past three seasons working under Sean Payton and the NFL is high enough on his offensive intellect that he is already interviewing with multiple teams that have head-coaching vacancies. Plus, with head coach Jim Harbaugh there to offer input, Webb would have guidance and an elite quarterback working with him to turn the Chargers offense around in 2026.
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The Buffalo Bills are not undergoing a regime change, but something needs to be done this offseason to get over the hump. We think it is time for Brandon Beane to splurge in NFL free agency, with a specific eye on wide receiver Alec Pierce . He has been one of the league's best deep threats over the past two years, leading the NFL in yards per reception in consecutive years. Now coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign, Pierce is exactly the caliber of field-stretcher that Josh Allen needs.
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The Houston Texans do not really have the cap space to sign someone like Travis Etienne or Breece Hall , especially if they plan to spend on the offensive line or at wide receiver. So, we would like to see general manager Nick Caserio make a run at Tyler Allgeier . He did have a bit of a down season in 2025, with his yards-per-carry average falling from 4.7 to 3.6. However, he did have a 1,000-yard campaign in his rookie year and he could be a nice complementary back to pair with Woody Marks .
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We recognize the draft capital the Jacksonville Jaguars invested in Travis Hunter . Deploying him as a two-way player simply is not the answer. Hunter can quickly develop into an All-Pro cornerback, and he would easily be Jacksonville's No. 1 corner in 2026, filling a huge void defensively. Plus, the Jaguars' receiving corps is already set without Hunter needing to be much of a factor. If they want to use him on certain packages, that is tolerable, but the best thing for the Jaguars would be to make Hunter a full-time cornerback next season.
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With Jeff Hafley poised to be hired as a head coach, it is time to find a new Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator. It is not going to be a big name (Brian Flores) given the cost, but Green Bay should absolutely make a run at Jim Leonhard . He turned down Matt LaFleur once when he wanted to stay with the Wisconsin Badgers. Now that he has found a home in the NFL and has learned some things after spending a few seasons under Sean Payton and Vance Joseph, it is time to bring Leonhard home to Wisconsin as the new Packers defensive coordinator for the 2026 campaign.
Related: Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Candidates to Replace Jeff Hafley
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Mike McDaniel is a pipe dream to be the next Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. However, we do like another coach whom Dan Campbell brought in for an interview. Mike Kafka spent five seasons working under Andy Reid and he was Patrick Mahomes' quarterbacks coach from 2018-2021. Furthermore, after Brian Daboll was fired, the Giants offense ranked 10th in EPA per play (0.059) with Kafka as play-caller. He would be a solid B-grade hire for Detroit and could both help Jared Goff improve off last season's performance and make this unit more effective overall. Plus, hiring him would allow Campbell to focus more on his primary coaching duties.
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The Kansas City Chiefs should trade All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie this offseason. He is an excellent player and has proven to be a very good fit in Steve Spagnuolo's defense. However, he struggles against big-bodied wide receivers and seems to be at his best when deployed as a nickel. That is not worth a multi-year extension worth $27 million-plus per season. With the corner market in NFL free agency very thin, the Chiefs front office could also find a team willing to pay a premium for McDuffie.
Related: Trent McDuffie Trade Landing Spots
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Jesse Minter should be the next Baltimore Ravens head coach. He has spent years learning under both John and Jim Harbaugh, moving up the ranks to become one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. He maximized the talent he had in Los Angeles, consistently coaching up units that executed well, flew to the football and rarely made mistakes. Minter is the perfect coach to turn Baltimore's defense around. Ideally, Minter could bring in Kliff Kingsbury as his offensive coordinator. It would benefit Lamar Jackson , and Minter would have some head-coaching experience on his staff.
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Keeping Kirk Cousins might not be the most popular decision. However, we have no faith that Michael Penix Jr . will return at 100 percent after his third ACL tear. So, it comes down to pursuing a veteran bridge starter in free agency, such as Marcus Mariota , or sticking with Cousins. This makes sense given that new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski has a lot of familiarity with Cousins from their time together in Minnesota . We will also note that from Weeks 12-18, Cousins ranked 13th in Adjusted EPA per Play (0.096) with a 10-5 TD-INT ratio.
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Unless Brian Flores gets hired as a head coach, Jerry Jones should offer him a blank check to take over as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. Flores' work in Minnesota is phenomenal, especially because cornerback has never been a strength of that team during his tenure. He is one of the NFL's sharpest defensive minds with a track record of delivering immediate improvement on that side of the ball. Let him go to work and do a real turnaround of this Cowboys defense, and they will be playoff contenders again.
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The Minnesota Vikings certainly need to find a quarterback option for 2026 outside of J.J. McCarthy . However, it is just as important for the front office to find an offensive weapon who allows Kevin O'Connell to take the football out of the quarterback's hands pretty quickly. All-American running back Jeremiyah Love, who will be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is that player. Love offers similar all-purpose ability as Bijan Robinson , just to a slightly lesser degree. He would thrive in O'Connell's system.
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In the final seven games of the regular season, Bryce Young posted a 12-4 TD-INT line, averaged 7.2 yards per attempt and put up a 98.1 QB rating. He looked just as good in the Wild Card Round loss to Los Angeles. The flashes he has shown warrant the Carolina Panthers exercising the fifth-year option for 2027, projected to be worth around $27 million fully guaranteed. However, we will definitively say it is still too early to talk about a long-term extension for Young. At the very least, Carolina won't in the quarterback market for a few years.
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The New York Giants now have their head coach and given the terms of the John Harbaugh contract, it seems like Joe Schoen does not have much of a future with the franchise. So, we will focus on the move that should be made in the 2026 NFL Draft. Jordyn Tyson would be an ideal 1B wide receiver in New York, also allowing the team to ease Malik Nabers back from his ACL tear. An offensive core of Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo , Nabers, Tyson and Theo Johnson Jr. with Todd Monken calling the plays provides a great foundation for New York.
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It is not too late to fire Todd Bowles. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching search for a new offensive play-caller speaks to how many assistants around the league seem to view this as a sinking ship. It is also an indictment on Bowles that so many members of the Buccaneers coaching staff were fired but the head coach gets to remain. We understand this would be very late in the process to make a change, but it is truly the right thing for the Buccaneers organization to do.
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The New Orleans Saints need to find another receiving threat for Tyler Shough this offseason. Look no further than Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate. He offers the route-running ability of an NFL veteran and matches it with excellent hands, instincts and an understanding of how to create separation at every level of the field. By pairing him with Chris Olave , New Orleans will give Shough an excellent receiver tandem complemented by tight end Juwan Johnson.
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Trey Hendrickson almost certainly will not be playing for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2026 and Shemar Stewart was a huge disappointment in his first season. For Joe Burrow and Co. to have any shot of making the playoffs next season, the Bengals need pass-rushing help. Assuming Rueben Bain Jr. is a top-five pick, Cincinnati can snag David Bailey. He has been one of the most productive edge rushers in college football over the last two seasons and would instantly become the Bengals' best pass rusher.
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The Indianapolis Colts cannot be confident that Daniel Jones will return to form next season coming off an Achilles injury, especially since his game depends on athleticism. That is why signing Malik Willis should be a top priority. He offers a Jalen Hurts-like skill set, something head coach Shane Steichen is very familiar with and knows how to build an effective offense around. If it is Jones and Anthony Richardson in 2026, Indianapolis could look a lot like the team we saw in the second half of the season.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers organization has demonstrated a willingness to be patient with a head coach. If that approach remains, the hire should be Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Sean McVay identified him as an up-and-comer a few years ago, bringing the former Iowa State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach to Los Angeles. The 35-year-old does not have play-calling experience in the NFL, but if Pittsburgh is willing to be patient with him, Scheelhaase could be a great long-term hire who is also instrumental in developing the Steelers' quarterback of the future.
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The Washington Commanders do not have the enticing talent to attract a top defensive coach, and the presence of Dan Quinn means the play-caller will not have total control over this unit. That limits the options. So, we are highlighting Dennard Wilson. The numbers were not great in Tennessee, but that had a lot to do with the fact that there was not much talent on the Titans defense outside of Jeffery Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat. Prior to that, though, he was a highly regarded defensive backs coach.
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With Dante Moore returning to school, there isn't a quarterback worth taking with the third overall pick for the Arizona Cardinals. It would also be unwise to use that pick on Jeremiya Love. Instead, the Cardinals should take the highest-rated offensive lineman on their board to support an offense that can feature Breece Hall. He would immediately elevate Arizona's ground game next season and he's a dynamic pass-catching threat. With all of the skill players and an improved offensive line, the Cardinals would have a foundation in place for when they find their next franchise quarterback.
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While it certainly seems like the Miami Dolphins are recreating the Packers' structure this offseason, we are not advising the team to pursue Malik Willis. Instead, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan should trade for Mac Jones . He fits into Miami's cap situation and would step into an offense that boasts Jaylen Waddle , De'Von Achane and a solid offensive line. It is a far better option than running it back with Tua Tagovailoa , especially since Mike McDaniel will not be around to make this offense look better.
Related: Front-Runner Emerges to Become Miami Dolphins Coach
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Of the finalists in the Tennessee Titans coaching search, we like Robert Saleh the best. Jeff Hafley seems headed elsewhere and Matt Nagy's last three seasons as head coach with the Chicago Bears suggest he is an Andy Reid merchant. Saleh does very good work with a defense, he is well-regarded as a leader and he can tap into the Shanahan tree to find the right play-caller and offensive coordinator for Cam Ward.
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This is certainly an easy one. Fernando Mendoza is unquestionably the best quarterback in the 2026 FL Draft and there isn't a close second. The Las Vegas Raiders can pour all of its cap space and Day 2 picks into the offensive line and receiving corps, the one thing that truly matters is bringing Mendoza in as the stabilizing force at quarterback.
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Of the realistic options emerging in the Cleveland Browns coaching search, we like Grant Udinski the best. It is certainly a bit of a gamble since he would be the youngest head coach in the NFL at 30 years old and he does not have experience as a play-caller. However, the rave reviews he has earned from both Kevin O'Connell and Liam Coen speak to his intellect, work ethic and innovation. Give him a year to learn the ropes of being a head coach at the highest level and then, with Andrew Berry's help, let Udinski pick the Browns quarterback in 2027.
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We remain of the opinion that in what will be a lost year, the New York Jets should roll the dice on Kyler Murray . He will be available at a bargain rate, in terms of the trade acquisition price, and he offers far more upside than anyone New York could realistically land in free agency. Use the premium draft capital and cap space on overhauling the defense and adding to the receiving corps. If Murray hits, New York could try to flip him in 2027 or just move off him and use its three first-round picks to land the quarterback of the future.
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