Our brilliant trio of NFL Insiders -- Field Yates, Louis Riddick and Mike Sando -- recently released its 2017 NFL Future Power Rankings (FPR). The exercise included grading the prospects of each franchise in five categories for the next three years (quarterback, the rest of the roster, coaching, draft and front office). The grades were then combined and converted into an overall ranking for each of the league's 32 franchises.
Though I agree with a large percentage of the Insiders' work, there are several areas where I strongly disagree. Below are three teams I think are ranked too low and three others that felt too high.
Teams ranked too low
Los Angeles Chargers
FPR Rank: 20th
The Chargers' short- and long-term prospects are being grossly overlooked this offseason. Our team graded the roster of Los Angeles' newest franchise as 19th-best on paper for the next three seasons. That's way too low.
While in the midst of being derailed by injuries over the past half-decade, the Chargers' front office has quietly compiled an impressive young roster. It starts defensively, where the duos of Joey Bosa (21 years old) and Melvin Ingram (28), Jason Verrett (26) and Casey Hayward (27), and Jatavis Brown (23) and Denzel Perryman (23) make up more than half of the unit. Add stud run-stuffer Brandon Mebane and versatile safety Jahleel Addae to the mix and you have, at worst, an above-average unit for the next few seasons.
Philip Rivers remains one of the game's top passers, and his arsenal of weapons includes Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin, Antonio Gates, Hunter Henry and 2017 seventh-overall pick Mike Williams. The Chargers' offensive line is a work in progress, but they spent second- and third-round picks on two of the draft's best guards (Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney) back in April.
I'd also argue that a coach ranking of 23rd is on the low end for a franchise that just hired the highly sought-after Anthony Lynn to head a coaching staff that includes talented and experienced coordinators Ken Whisenhunt and Gus Bradley.
Jacksonville Jaguars
FPR Rank: 27th
Our trio of Insiders has the Jaguars' roster (quarterback excluded) ranked 16th, but crushes the franchise for its quarterback, coaching, front office and draft prowess. There certainly are question marks here -- and quarterback is the most obvious and relevant -- but the team's current strengths should add up to something better than sixth from the basement.
The defense is the primary reason for my optimism. Jacksonville entered the offseason with an impressive core that included Telvin Smith, Paul Posluszny, Malik Jackson and 2016 first-round pick Jalen Ramsey. They addressed obvious holes by signing Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye and Barry Church. Youngsters Yannick Ngakoue, Dante Fowler Jr. and Myles Jack still have a ton to prove. But the Jaguars already ranked among the best defenses in terms of yards per pass attempt (fourth) and yards per carry (sixth) last season. They're a competent pass rush away from joining the league's elite units in 2017.
Offensively, the Jaguars added tailback Leonard Fournette with the fourth overall pick in April's draft and sport a strong, young wide receiver trio of Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns.
This roster still has holes, especially at quarterback and along the offensive line, but the ascending Jaguars added legendary Tom Coughlin to the front office, have done a decent job during draft weekend in recent years and should now have a middle-of-the-pack team for the next few seasons.
Cleveland Browns
FPR Rank: 32nd
The Browns are the only team ranked 31st or worse in all five categories. That's a little harsh for a franchise whose analytics-based front office has injected the most talent and youth Cleveland has seen in years. Though there's been some turmoil between management and coach Hue Jackson (especially as it related to April's first overall pick), the combination of Jackson, Al Saunders and Gregg Williams deserves better than to have the league's worst coaching outlook.
From a personnel standpoint, quarterback is the obvious place to start, especially considering Cleveland's horrific production at that spot over the years. After Cody Kessler's impressive rookie campaign and April's second-round selection of DeShone Kizer, the Browns have reason for optimism and, for once, it didn't cost the franchise a first-round pick. The winner of the quarterback competition will settle in behind one of the league's top offensive lines. Cleveland added JC Tretter and Kevin Zeitler during free agency to a unit that already included Joe Thomas and Joel Bitonio. Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr. Corey Coleman and David Njoku lead the team's youth movement at the offensive skill positions.
Cleveland's defense still has a ways to go, but it's better after savvy trades for Jamie Collins and Calvin Pryor, the signing of Jason McCourty, the reclamation of Jamar Taylor and the contract extension of Christian Kirksey. During the first three rounds of the past three drafts, the Browns have added a ton of raw talent to their defense, with high-ceiling players such as Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers and Larry Ogunjobi joining the group this offseason.
Teams ranked too high
Pittsburgh Steelers
FPR Rank: fifth
The Steelers have a tradition of winning, but Ben Roethlisberger's uncertain future highlights the many questions surrounding this franchise. Roethlisberger is now 35 years old, has appeared in all 16 regular-season games just twice over the past eight years, and flirted with retirement this offseason. And yet Pittsburgh ranked as the 10th-best QB situation in FPR, despite only unknowns waiting in the wings (Landry Jones and Joshua Dobbs).
I have an even larger concern with the rest of the team's roster ranking third-best in the NFL. Le'Veon Bell (who is entering a contract year) and Martavis Bryant both have worrisome off-field histories, Antonio Brown will turn 30 at this time next year, and tight end is a weak spot after the release of Ladarius Green. Pittsburgh has spent a lot of early-round picks on the defense, but many of the recent picks remain unproven, including Bud Dupree, Senquez Golson and, of course, this year's top pick, T.J. Watt. James Harrison (39 years old), Mike Mitchell (30) and William Gay (32) are three of the team's best defensive players. They won't be around much longer.
Pittsburgh's offensive line is very good, and I agree that the coaching staff and front office have done a terrific job, but the future of the Steelers' roster presents too many questions for this team to be ranked in the top five.
Kansas City Chiefs
FPR Rank: seventh
I agree with our analysts that Andy Reid is the league's best coach not named Bill Belichick, but ranking the team's roster fourth and quarterback situation 12th is overly optimistic.
The Chiefs had enough concerns with 33-year-old Alex Smith that they traded away their 2018 first-round pick to land Patrick Mahomes II in the first round of April's draft. Mahomes is obviously an intriguing prospect, but some risk that he won't pan out has to be baked into this ranking -- not to mention the opportunity cost of not having a first-round pick next year. Furthermore, the roster surrounding Mahomes is headed in the wrong direction for a variety of reasons. After the release of Jeremy Maclin, Kansas City's wide receiver unit ranks as one of the league's worst, leaving TE Travis Kelce and 5-foot-10, 185-pound Tyreek Hill with a lot on their shoulders.
Marcus Peters, Justin Houston, Eric Berry and Chris Jones supply star power defensively, but there are short- and long-term holes in a unit likely to take a step back in 2017. Tamba Hali turns 34 this year and Derrick Johnson is recovering from a torn Achilles at age 34. The team lacks proven depth on the interior line, on the edge and at cornerback.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FPR Rank: 10th
One of this project's most mind-boggling rankings is the Buccaneers' roster outlook coming in at sixth overall. I realize I'm in the minority here, but the optimism surrounding Tampa Bay's potential emergence is excessive and unwarranted.
The Buccaneers have one of the league's worst offensive lines and no long-term clarity at running back (Doug Martin is 28, coming off a bad 2016 and is suspended for three games to start 2017) and behind Mike Evans at wide receiver (DeSean Jackson turns 31 this year and has appeared in all 16 games once over the past eight years). Defensive stars Gerald McCoy (29), Chris Baker (29), Robert Ayers (31) and Brent Grimes (34) are all past or nearing the end of their prime years. There's some room for hope via Noah Spence, Kwon Alexander, Vernon Hargreaves III and Justin Evans but it's mostly projection, as only Alexander has played well at the pro level thus far.
Of course, as is the case for most teams, the Buccaneers' prospects are primarily tied to the quarterback position. Jameis Winston is entering his third professional season since being selected first overall in the 2015 draft. He's certainly shown flashes of his upside, but he's also struggled badly with accuracy. The rate at which his passes have qualified as "off target" has ranked third-worst in each of his two seasons. The Bucs filled a void or two during the offseason, but they still have too many holes to compete long term at the highest level.