WHO'S NO.1 ?(IT'S NOT KC! )
Niners dethrone Chiefs in Post’s rankings following free agency, draft
POST-DRAFT NFL POWER RANKINGS
The Post’s league-wide NFL rankings have been shaken up by the 2020 NFL Draft, and the defending-champion Chiefs have been dethroned.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers continue their rise, while Bill Belichick and the Patriots continue their slide.
There is a Core Four of teams at the top, followed by as much parity as we have ever seen.
The Giants continue to look up at the Cowboys and Eagles, while the Jets continue to look up at the Patriots ... and Bills.
1. 49ERS
Master strokes by GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan saw the blockbuster trade for LT Trent Williams to replace Joe Staley, first-round DT Javon Kinlaw to replace DeForest Buckner, and fellow first-round WR Brandon Aiyuk to complement Deebo Samuel and George Kittle for Jimmy GQ. And Nick Bosa will only get better.
2. CHIEFS
Andy Reid compares first-round rookie RB
Clyde-Edwards Helaire to Brian Westbrook, just what Patrick
Mahomes, soon to be the $40 Million Man, needs — another jitterbugging weapon. Just what the rest of the AFC West needs. One potential fly in the ointment: Will DT Chris Jones sign just a one-year, $16 million tender?
3. SAINTS
Sean Payton and Drew Brees chase that elusive second Super
Bowl championship hoping that 33-year-old WR Emmanuel Sanders is the missing link opposite Michael Thomas.
And Taysom Hill will drive defensive coordinators batty again. RB Alvin Kamara had an off year (1,330 total yards, six TDs), but first-round rookie C/G Cesar Ruiz will help. Safety Malcolm Jenkins adds leadership to a formidable defense that was fourth against the run last season. Board the windows on Bourbon Street if and when Jameis Winston gets in the game.
4. RAVENS
Lamar Jackson, an elite coaching staff, exciting rookie RB J.K.
Dobbins resting Mark Ingram to spearhead the No. 1 rushing attack, the additions of DL Calais Campbell and first-round ILB
Patrick Queen, an elite secondary and elite kicker. Biggest problem will be replacing future Hall of Fame RG Marshall Yanda.
5. COLTS
GM Chris Ballard is hoping Old Man Philip
Rivers, 38, will flourish working with coach Frank Reich and behind an offensive line that returns all five starters who played 16 games last season and will be carving a path for Marlon
Mack and rookie Jonathan Taylor. Rookie WR Michael Pittman Jr. isa perfect complement to T.Y. Hilton. DT DeForest Buckner makes LB Darius Leonard evenmore impactful. Will undrafted rookie PK Rodrigo Blankenship win the job to replace legend Adam
Vinatieri?
6. TITANS
QB Ryan Tannehill, rushing champ Derrick
Henry andWR A.J. Brown had to like GM Jon Robinson using the 29th pick on OT Isaiah Wilson, who is as big as his native Brooklyn, to replace Jack Conklin. Second-round pick Kristian Fulton is targeted to replace Logan Ryan as slot corner. Thirdround RB/KR
Darrynton Evans isa nice changeof-pace back with 4.41 speed.
Cameron Wake, even at 37, should upgrade a pedestrian pass rush along with
Vic Beasley. Jadeveon Clowney would be even better. Giants fans should hope Joe Judge works out like Mike Vrabel.
7. BUCCANEERS
Tom Brady to Rob
Gronkowski. Tom Brady to Mike Evans. Brady to Chris Godwin. First-round RT Tristan Wirfs blocking for Brady. Bruce Arians coaching Brady. Brady getting the ball back following a Shaquil Barrett sack. Brady eyeing a seventh Super Bowl championship. Tompa Bay. 8. COWBOYS They’ll score plenty with
CeeDee Lamb added to Dak Prescott’s buffet, and they might have to, unless DE
Demarcus Lawrence gets help rushing the passer (rookie Bradlee
Anae?) with CB Byron Jones in Miami leaving a hole to be filled by rookies Trevon Diggs and Reggie
Robinson II. Depending upon baggage-laden DEs Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith is a Hail Mary. Can rookie C Tyler Biadasz replace Travis Frederick?
9. BILLS
Sean McDermott has built a Super Bowl contender. Josh Allen should take another step forward with WR Stefon Diggs and RB Devin
Singletary while the defense has playmakers on all three levels.
10. STEELERS
Big Ben’s return for a last Super Bowl run means a rebound from JuJu SmithSchuster, and TE Eric Ebron and big rookie WR Chase Claypool are big redzone
targets. OLBs T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree can bring the heat.
11. BROWNS
Expect a rebound season from Baker Mayfield now that he’ll be protected by RT Jack Conklin and rookie LT Jedrick Wills. Beware RB Nick Chubb. Odell Beckham Jr. will be extra motivated to be a difference-maker, and rookie coach Kevin Stefanski added TE Austin Hooper to the arsenal. Let’s hope Myles Garrett keeps his helmet on his head.
12. CARDINALS
Expect a breakout from Kyler Murray now that WR DeAndre Hopkins is aboard, and RB Kenyan Drake isthe lead dog behind him. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will have fun deploying LB/S Isaiah Simmons on a scary defense with Chandler Jones, Patrick Peterson, De’Vondre Campbell, Devon Kennard and Jordan Phillips inside with Corey Peters.
13. RAIDERS
Al Davis would have loved burner first-round WR Henry Ruggs III since he loved Cliff Branch back in the Pride and Poise glory days. RB Josh Jacobs gives Derek Carr balance, andTE Darren Waller gave him 90 receptions last season.
Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have built an ornery defense, especially with Tatum-esque S Johnathan Abram back.
14. EAGLES
First-round WR Jalen Reagor gives Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz a downfield passing threat. Pederson will keep defenses honest with packages for second-rounder Jalen Hurts. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz isloadedat tackle (Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrove and Malik Jackson) and elite CB Darius Slay can combat Amari Cooper. Can Jalen Mills replace S Malcolm Jenkins?
15. SEAHAWKS
The offensive line is being remodeled, but Russell
Wilson will overcome most liabilities, and TE Greg Olsen figures to flourish alongside Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf before heading off to the television booth. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer might even be tempted to emphasize RB Chris Carson less. Or not. Pete Carroll signed Bruce Irvin, but really needs Jadeveon Clowney back to solve the pass-rush problem.
16. PACKERS
Aaron Rodgers has Jordan Love waiting behind him instead of a wideout to complement Davante Adams for a last Super Bowl run, which does not augur well for his relationship with coach Matt LaFleur. It’s doubtful WR Devin Funchess movesthe needle for A-Rod. At least he has Danica Patrick to console him.
17. BRONCOS
There will be growing pains with QB Drew Lock, but rookie WRs Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler joining Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant give him an impressive array of weapons, and we haven’t mentioned RBs Melvin Gordon and Philip Lindsay. Jurrell Casey joining Von Miller and Bradley Chubb up front gives coach Vic Fangio a daunting pass rush.
18. PATRIOTS
Bill Belichick’s defense will keep the games close, but will Jarrett
Stidham or Brian Hoyer —ora mystery guest — be able to find a way to win them with a paucity of quality weapons not named
Julian Edelman or James White?
The retirement of elite OL coach Dante Scarnecchia hurts. It will be Brady-to-Gronk one more time. But not in Foxborough.
19. CHARGERS
Tyrod Taylor — and/ or first-rounder Justin Herbert — will be surrounded with weapons and an offensive line upgraded by G Trai Turner and RT Bryan Bulaga, but still with a hole at left tackle. Jason Peters could be an option to replace Russell Okung. The defense boasts pass-rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, an elite secondary fortified by CB Chris Harris and first-round LB Kenneth Murray.
20. FALCONS
Todd Gurley can juice the running game for Matt Ryan and Julio Jones ifhe can stay healthy. Dante Fowler Jr. and rookie DE/DT Marlon Davidson had better goose a problematic pass rush if first-round CB A.J.
Terrell is targeted by Tom Brady and Drew Brees twice in a playoff-or-bust season for Dan Quinn.
21. VIKINGS
Kirk Cousins was gifted a gem in rookie WR Justin Jefferson to replace Stefon Diggs opposite Adam Thielen. But Mike Zimmer has been forced to rebuild his secondary, not ideal against Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford.
22. JETS
GM Joe Douglas’ O-line rebuild was highlighted by first-round LT Mekhi Becton ... Mount Becton, a blessing for Sam Darnold and Le’Veon Bell. Adam Gase needs to elevate Darnold and win games. WR Breshad Perriman replaces Robby Anderson and second-round WR
Denzel Mims offers Darnold a size/speed target. Douglas should showS Jamal Adams the money. A holdout would be disruptive. Elite defensive coordinator Gregg Williams still lacks an edge-rushing predator and a cornerback opposite Pierre Desir, but he’ll figure something out.
23. TEXANS
Deshaun Watson will miss throwing to WR DeAndre Hopkins more than he’ll like handing and dumping off to RB David Johnson. Slot WR Randall Cobb will catch 60 balls, but can Will Fuller stay on the field? At least Watson has LT Laremy Tunsil protecting his blindside. Second-round DT Ross Blacklock could be a disruptor if J.J. Watt can stay healthy.
24. RAMS
Second-round RB Cam Akers was regarded highly enough to be Todd Gurley’s primary replacement. Jared Goff has weapons, and Sean McVay, but LT Andrew Whitworth ,the 38-year-old wonder, anchors a suspect O-line. Can pass-rushers Leonard Floyd and rookie Terrell Lewis feed off Aaron Donald the way departed Dante Fowler Jr. did?
25. BEARS
The pass rush should be formidable with Robert Quinn joining Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks, but can S Tashaun Gipson replace Ha Ha Clinton-Dix? They’ll go as far as Nick Foles — not Mitch Trubisky — can take them.
26. GIANTS
Finally, an urgency to fix the offensive line, all the better for Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, and a stud safety in Xavier McKinney to pair with Jabrill Peppers. MLB Blake Martinez will be the brains of Patrick Graham’s operation. Can Graham scheme a pass rush? Joe Judge looks like a no-nonsense CEO.
27. DOLPHINS
Tua Tagovailoa can heal up behind Ryan Fitzpatrick before coach Brian Flores throws him into the fire. The O-line rebuild began with first-round T Austin Jackson and second-round G Robert Hunt. RB
Jordan Howard could use help. Free agency upgraded the defense with CB Byron Jones, OLB Kyle Van Noy andDE Shaq Lawson. Beware the
Fish in 2021.
28. LIONS
Matt Patricia’s make-orbreak season will depend on Matthew Stafford (back) staying healthy, and whether his 25th-ranked pass rush and worst pass defense can be upgraded by rookies OLB Julian Okwara and CB Jeffrey Okudah.
29. REDSKINS
Chase Young gives Ron Rivera an intimidating defensive line, but Kyle Allen is a stopgap until Dwayne Haskins is ready, and both will need RB Derrius Guice to stay healthy because Trent Williams isn’t returning to protect the quarterback’s blind side. WR Terry McLaurin has star quality.
30. BENGALS
Joe Burrow likes coach Zac Taylor’s offense, and why shouldn’t he — with weapons WRs A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and rookie Tee Higgins? Free agent NT D.J. Reader and rookie LB Logan Wilson could make an impact on an overhauled defense.
31. PANTHERS
A painful rebuild for rookie coach Matt
Rhule. Make sure Teddy Bridgewater gets the ball to Christian McCaffrey and every so often to D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson and keep the young defense (DT Derrick Brown, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, S Jeremy Chinn) off the field until they grow up.
32. JAGUARS
A painful rebuild for coach Doug Marrone .WR Laviska Shenault gives Gardner Minshew a yards-after-catch weapon opposite D.J. Chark .CB E.J. Henderson and edge-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson were needed first-round picks, but they won’t soon be Jalen Ramsey and Yannick Ngakoue, who wants out. Leonard Fournette, whose fifth-year option was not picked up Friday, appears on his way out. And there isn’t a run-stuffer in sight.