MSN recently released their new power rankings for the upcoming NFL season, with the Jacksonville Jaguars landing inside the top 10 at number eight. The Jaguars had a controversial offseason, and opinions about their potential are mixed. Some feel they will once again be a contender in the AFC, while others think they got worse, with other contenders jumping them in the standings.
Jaguars’ Latest Power Ranking: Too High or Too Low?
Too High, or Justified?
With the Jaguars in the top eight, this means they will be ahead of some talented teams. Some of these teams include the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers. While the Jaguars finished with a better record than all three teams in 2025, many feel these teams got better during the offseason and will have a bounce-back season.
First, let’s start with the Green Bay Packers. After making the blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons just before the 2025 season, the Packers were seen as a Super Bowl contender. A combination of tough losses and injuries piling up quickly made what could have been a dream season turn into a nightmare, finishing the regular season with a 9-8 record and losing in the first round of the playoffs.
The Packers were quiet in free agency, making moves along the margins and letting players such as Romeo Doubs leave. They have a great reputation of drafting and developing, but those players take time to emerge. This is still a talented roster, but injuries will be a huge factor in how they perform, and the Jaguars ranking ahead of them is correct.
Next is the Baltimore Ravens, another team ravaged by injuries. The Ravens had perhaps the most chaotic offseason, starting with the firing of John Harbaugh and hiring defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, followed by the Maxx Crosby disaster, before eventually signing Trey Hendrickson.
They appear to have had another excellent draft, but had some key departures in free agency, losing Tyler Linderbaum and Isaiah Likely. The defense was a disaster in 2025, and should improve drastically in 2026 under Jesse Minter, but the offense is still a big question.
Lamar Jackson had the worst season of his career, filled with inconsistency and injuries; the offensive line is a big question mark, and the receiving room without Zay Flowers is extremely thin. Because of the injuries, lost pieces, and new additions, the Jaguars ranking above the Ravens is correct.
Lastly is the Chicago Bears. The Bears had a magical 2025 season, mounting massive last-second comebacks, including one in their playoff win against their hated rival Green Bay Packers. Head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams proved they are capable of winning together, but they lost some key pieces in free agency while not addressing their weaknesses.
The late-game heroics were great, but it is a hard style to sustain in the NFL, especially because the defense was so reliant on turnovers. In what is likely going to be the toughest division in the NFL, paired with inconsistencies on the offense and defense, the Bears are a big regression candidate in 2025, and the Jaguars ranking ahead of them is correct.
Too Low, or Justified?
Now we move to some teams the Jaguars are behind. The seven teams include the Eagles, Seahawks, Patriots, Broncos, Texans, Rams, and Bills. The Seahawks and Rams are unequivocally better than the Jaguars, but a debate can be made for the other five teams. The Patriots and Broncos are nearly identical in their makeup.
Both benefited from a weak schedule, have a quarterback that is good but many question, added a star wide receiver in the offseason, have an experienced head coach, and have good defenses. These teams met in the AFC Championship for a reason, but are not levels above the rest of the AFC. The Patriots have some big questions along the offensive line, and will face a drastically tougher schedule. The Broncos being ahead of the Jaguars is justified, but the Patriots’ ranking is not.
The Texans had a wild 2025 season. After starting 0-3, they rattled off 12 of their next 14, including a round one playoff win. But what happened in round two is where the problems lie. CJ Stroud and the offense were a disaster in both playoff games, with much of the problems stemming from a lack of help in the receiving room and offensive line.
Houston bulked up their defense in the draft and addressed the offensive line in free agency. The questions remain with Stroud and the receiving room, but the defense is one of the best over the last decade and gives them an extremely high floor. The Texans being ranked above the Jaguars is justified.
This leaves the Bills and Eagles. Both teams are coming off disappointing seasons and made big changes in the offseason. The Eagles traded AJ Brown, replaced their offensive coordinator, bulked up their defense, and added more receiver depth. There is still uncertainty surrounding Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni, but the defense is elite, and the offense presents a high floor. The Eagles ranking ahead of the Jaguars is justified.
The Bills also made some big moves in the offseason, most notably firing head coach Sean McDermott and promoting Joe Brady, as well as trading for wide receiver DJ Moore. The Bills’ two biggest weaknesses in 2025 were the receiving room and the defense, both of which were addressed in the offseason. Josh Allen will always have the Bills in the mix and has had success with Joe Brady as his play-caller. The Bills ranking ahead of the Jaguars is correct.
Overall, the Jaguars are properly ranked in this article, with the only disagreement being the Patriots ranked ahead of the Jaguars. Every offseason is filled with big signings, losses, and important draft picks that are impossible to project, along with a schedule of opponents that always turns out differently from what was expected. The Jaguars will be one of the best teams in 2025, but they are still a tier below some of the top contenders.
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