Post-draft NFL power rankings

The NFL Draft came and went in the blink of an eye as all 32 teams got better this past weekend. Some improved more than others, but it’s impossible to regress when you’re adding young playmakers for three days.

With the bulk of the offseason haul now behind us, we can begin to sort out which teams are good and which ones will remain toward the bottom of the league. There still will be some roster shuffling between now and September, but we’re beginning to see how teams stack up.

Here are our post-draft power rankings, from the worst squads to the very best.

Put simply, the Jets are going to be competing for the first overall pick next year. Jamal Adams was a great selection, and Marcus Maye will contribute at the other safety spot, but that wasn’t New York’s biggest issue. The offensive line, quarterback and cornerbacks were their biggest needs, and they did little to address them. It was a questionable draft for the Jets – again.

Don’t get me wrong, the Browns did a lot of good things in the draft. However, their roster is still one of the weakest in the NFL. DeShone Kizer isn’t going to start in Week 1, so they still have a question at quarterback. At least they added three Day 1 starters in Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku. They did improve in those three areas — defense, special teams and tight end — this weekend.

The Rams once again went heavy on wide receivers, which bodes well for Jared Goff. However, they Todd Gurley is coming off a sophomore slump, and the offensive line still isn’t great.They didn’t add any starters at that spot in the draft, and it’s going to be a trouble spot for new coach Sean McVay in 2017.

It’s hard to blame the Bears for going up to get Mitchell Trubisky, but it’s a questionable move after giving Mike Glennon $45 million. They aren’t going to scare any teams offensively, and the defense is filled with holes, particularly at safety and cornerback.

John Lynch absolutely crushed his first draft as a GM, landing both Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster in the first round. The 49ers got much better, but the roster is still awful. They don’t have a franchise quarterback and the offense lacks playmakers. They’re still a year away from competing.

Philip Rivers has to be one of the happiest men around as the Chargers gave him another weapon in Mike Williams. He’ll expand the offense as a possession receiver next to Keenan Allen. Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney both will have a good chance to start on the offensive line this season, as will Desmond King at safety and nickel corner. The Chargers did well on all three days and will be competitive next season.

The Jaguars finally have an identity on offense thanks to the addition of Leonard Fournette. He can be the bruiser Jacksonville desperately needed, while Cam Robinson can compete at left tackle, right tackle and guard. The Jaguars had a good weekend in Philadelphia, but they still have Blake Bortles at quarterback, which is a big issue.

The Bills didn’t waste any time addressing their biggest needs at cornerback and receiver, taking Tre’Davious White and Zay Jones with their first two picks. They then added guard Dion Dawkins, who can compete inside or at right tackle. As a whole, the Bills got much better for new coach Sean McDermott, but questions still remain at quarterback with Tyrod Taylor.

The Eagles’ biggest issues were on offense last season, and they didn’t take a single player on that side of the ball until Saturday. The defense got better with Derek Barnett and Rasul Douglas, but Sidney Jones may not contribute much in 2017 after suffering a torn Achilles at his pro day. He was a risky pick in the second round for a team in need of cornerback help. I didn’t think that was a chance the Eagles could take.

After adding an offensive playmaker in receiver John Ross (pictured), the Bengals took a chance on controversial running back Joe Mixon. Right or not, the Bengals got significantly better on offense with those two players, and they should spark a unit that was lackluster in 2016. Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson were steals in the third and fourth rounds, helping the pass rush. Still, the Bengals aren’t a complete team and aren’t expected to be a Super Bowl contender next season.

Without a first-round pick, the Vikings’ haul was a bit weak. They didn’t improve noticeably at any position, mostly notably filling their hole at running back with Dalvin Cook. Pat Elflein will compete at center and guard, but as a third-round pick, there’s no guarantee he starts. Mike Zimmer's team still has issues on the offensive line, which once again will haunt them in 2017.

Sean Payton and the Saints thought about trading for Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, but you can bet they’re happy they didn’t. Marshon Lattimore fell all the way to 11, filling the Saints’ biggest need with the top cornerback in the draft. OT Ryan Ramczyk and safety Marcus Williams also will be early starters, while RB Alvin Kamara is an ideal complement to the power of Adrian Peterson and Melvin Ingram. The Saints improved more than most teams this weekend.

Defense, defense, defense. That was the motto of the first two days of Baltimore’s draft, bringing in four players who could potentially start as rookies. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey addresses Baltimore’s biggest need, while Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams provide explosiveness and athleticism off the edge as outside linebackers. Chris Wormley has a high ceiling as a defensive end in a 3-4, too, so he’s a perfect fit. John Harbaugh still needs help at wide receiver, which is a big knock on this class.

The Panthers went from having a slow offense that lacked explosiveness to having two players with outstanding versatility and speed. RB Christian McCaffrey and WR Curtis Samuel should be contributors in all three phases right away, giving Cam Newton playmakers to work with on offense. They addressed their biggest needs with guard Taylor Moton and defensive end Daeshon Hall, too. The Panthers are headed in the right direction.

Bruce Arians and the Cardinals didn’t add a cornerback with any of their early picks, which was a bit surprising and could wind up costing them down the line. They did, however, add two ball hawks in Haason Reddick and Budda Baker. They’re going to be a lot of fun to watch on defense this season with both expected to start in Week 1. They still need offensive line and cornerback help, though.

In a year or two, we’ll probably be talking about the Colts as the draft’s biggest winners. How they came away with safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Quincy Jones at 15 and 46 is beyond me, but Chris Ballard should be doing backflips in his first year as GM. The Colts got substantially better with those two players, in addition to defensive end Tarell Basham, right tackle Zach Banner and running back Marlon Mack. The Colts improved dramatically in the draft.

Run defense and adding to the defensive line was Washington’s biggest need, and it was addressed with arguably the steal of the draft in Jonathan Allen. He’ll be a playmaker at defensive end for Jay Gruden and the Redskins in Week 1, which is all they can ask. Additionally, Fabian Moreau will be a good starting cornerback when healthy. Samaje Perine can take over for Matt Jones if he’s traded, giving Washington a powerful back.

Some saw the 21st pick as a bit high for LB Jarrad Davis, but he fills a need and makes the Lions better right away. CB Teez Tabor, in the right scheme, can succeed thanks to his size and ball skills, but concerns about his speed are legit. Regardless, Jim Caldwell and the Lions improved their roster a great deal by addressing holes on the defensive side of the ball. Now if only they can start running the ball.

I really like what the Dolphins did. Charles Harris is a Day 1 starter at defensive end, while Raekwon McMillan will fill holes at linebacker next to Kiko Alonso. He loves to play downhill and hit ball carriers, allowing Alonso to play weak-side linebacker. Add in CB Cordrea Tankersley, a third-round pick, and Adam Gase and the Dolphins did a ton to improve their defense as a whole.

The Chiefs didn’t do a lot to improve in 2017. Patrick Mahomes is a project quarterback who likely will start in 2018, and their second-round pick, Tanoh Kpassagnon, is a developmental pass rusher who’s a year away from contributing consistently. Kareem Hunt will join the Chiefs’ crowded backfield and get some touches, but he’s not a big difference maker right off the bat.

The Texans made a huge push in the right direction by trading up for Deshaun Watson, likely their starting quarterback in 2017. He fits Bill O’Brien’s system perfectly and should have success from Day 1 with all the weapons he has around him. The addition of Zach Cunningham in the second round was huge, too, as he’s a rangy linebacker who loves to hit. The Texans had a really good haul this weekend.

O.J. Howard will have a huge impact for the Buccaneers in Year 1, giving Jameis Winston yet another weapon on offense. The Alabama tight end could wind up being the steal of the draft after falling to No. 19. In the subsequent rounds, the Bucs added safety depth with Justin Evans – a big need – and took a chance on Kendell Beckwith, a linebacker coming off of an ACL injury. Coach Dirk Koetter's Bucs got much, much better this weekend.

The Broncos addressed their biggest need at left tackle with the 20th pick, taking Garett Bolles out of Utah. DeMarcus Walker seemed like a bit of a reach in the second round, but he’ll find snaps in Denver’s rotation at defensive end. Carlos Henderson is a shifty receiver who’s slippery after the catch, but wideout wasn’t a huge need for Denver. Their season will come down to the quarterback play of Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch.

The Titans went into the draft with two glaring needs: cornerback and wide receiver. They hit on both in the first three rounds with Corey Davis, Adoree’ Jackson and Taywan Taylor. Davis is a true No. 1 receiver, while Jackson can contribute in all three phases of the game. the Titans got significantly better in the draft and are on the rise in the up-and-coming AFC South.

Coach Ben McAdoo and the Giants addressed needs right off the bat, drafting tight end Evan Engram and Dalvin Tomlinson in the first and second rounds. Engram is similar to a wide receiver, but he’ll be a seam-buster in New York’s dynamic offense. Tomlinson will replace Johnathan Hankins at 3-technique defensive tackle. QB Davis Webb won’t have an impact in 2017 or maybe even 2018, but he’s a long-term investment. Adding RB Wayne Gallman in the fourth round is good value as he has starter potential.

The Packers moved out of the first round to No. 33 in a trade with the Browns, landing Kevin King – a tall, rangy cornerback who fills a need perfectly. They continued to go defense with safety Josh Jones, a physical specimen, as well as defensive tackle Montravius Adams and outside linebacker Vince Biegel. All four players will contribute right away as Green Bay vastly improved its pass defense — good news for GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy.

It remains to be seen how the Raiders’ first-round pick will play out with CB Gareon Conley still being investigated for sexual assault, but if he’s cleared, he could be one of the biggest steals of the draft. Obi Melifonwu will be a fun piece next to Karl Joseph at safety despite being a bit of a raw player. The success of Oakland’s draft haul will come down to Conley’s status, though, which is a big risk for GM Reggie McKenzie and coach Jack Del Rio.

T.J. Watt fell into Pittsburgh’s lap at No. 30, filling a need at edge rusher. The Steelers' next pick was a bit questionable, though, adding another wide receiver in JuJu Smith-Schuster. He’s a physical receiver, but coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are deeper than just about every team at that position. Cameron Sutton should contribute right away at cornerback, though, and running back James Conner is a nice complement for Le’Veon Bell.

The Seahawks went heavy on the defense in the first four rounds, drafting five players on that side of the ball. They added some depth at cornerback in Shaq Griffin, while also addressing the future at safety with Delano Hill and Tedric Thompson. Their best pick was Malik McDowell, a talented defensive lineman who needs to have a fire lit under him to maximize his potential. Sounds like a job for John GM Schneider and coach Pete Carroll.

Jerry Jones' Cowboys completely overhauled their secondary in one night, drafting Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis on Day 2. They’ll team with Taco Charlton, who will provide some much-needed help at defensive end. Dallas addressed all of its biggest needs on defense after there were serious concerns about the cornerback position entering the draft. They may have gotten better in the secondary despite losing four starters at defensive back.

The Falcons traded up to land Takk McKinley in the first round, a fiery, raw pass rusher out of UCLA. He may start the year on the PUP list, but in the second half of the season, expect Dan Quinn to unleash him opposite Vic Beasley. LB Duke Riley gives Atlanta even more speed on defense, too – a good selection in the third. They're among the best teams in the league.

Bill Belichick and the Patriots had one of the quietest drafts of any team, but that won’t be enough to bump them from the top spot. Their top draft picks essentially were Brandin Cooks, Kony Ealy and Dwayne Allen, which is a nice haul in retrospect. They also added DE Derek Rivers in the third round and DE Deatrich Wise, providing Matt Patricia with more pass rushers to unleash.