NFL Preview: Who has the best chance of winning the Super Bowl next season?

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With the NFL Draft complete, we now have a better idea on how rosters will look heading into the season. There will still be some moving and shaking, with injuries and surprise cuts bound to happen in training camp. Aside from that, it goes without saying that the teams that get to and win the Super Bowl always tend to be some of the healthiest teams at the end of the year.

Let’s look at the most likely teams to see in the big game, and which teams have the best chance at unseating them.

Favourites to win it all: Kansas City Chiefs & Philadelphia Eagles

I know, what a shocker. The two teams that went to the Super Bowl last year are the favourites to return again this year. The reason why is simple: each team was able to navigate the offseason and keep their core players together.

For Kansas City, it’s all about Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The one question mark they had was replacing Orlando Brown, but they’ve since signed Jawaan Taylor and Donovon Smith as replacements. They also invested in their pass rush, selecting local product Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the first round.

Philadelphia lost some key pieces on defense, including Javon Hargrave, T.J. Edwards, and CJ Gardner-Johnson. These losses were softened by their two first round picks from the University of Georgia, elite defensive tackle prospect Jalen Carter and Linebacker Nolan Smith. A team led by Jalen Hurts and an elite offensive line should once again be a force to be reckoned with.

Teams that could easily win: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals & San Francisco 49ers

The Bills have been an elite team for the last few years, but have struggled to get over the hump in the playoffs. Securing the #1 seed in the AFC is very important in order to avoid having to beat both Kansas City and Cincinnati. Having Von Miller healthy for a full season should help the Bills defense perform better down the stretch.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been to back to back AFC championship games, including a Super Bowl trip in the 2021 season. They have proven they can play with the Chiefs, beating them several times over the last couple years and narrowly losing in last year’s championship game. The Bengals didn’t suffer any big offseason losses, and added promising defensive end Myles Murphy in the first round of the draft.

The San Francisco 49ers return with a ferocious defense with questions at quarterback. 2021 3rd overall pick Trey Lance returns from injury, but will have to beat out 7th round pick Brock Purdy to start. Lance offers much more upside, and could make the 49ers the NFC favourites before long.

Sleeper teams that could surprise if things break right: New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions

The New York Jets return with an elite defense, led by defensive rookie of the year Sauce Gardner. They appear to have rectified their issues at quarterback, acquiring Aaron Rodgers in an offseason blockbuster. Hype is starting to build about the Jets, but I still believe its a longshot for them to be able to compete with KC, Buffalo and Cincinnati in the AFC.

The Chargers continue to be one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL. Quarterback Justin Herbert is an absolute game changer, but they always seem to collapse in the biggest moment. After blowing a 27-0 playoff lead last year, we’ll see if they’re able to get over the hump with their current personnel.

The Cowboys, like the Jets, are a team that typically has a lot of talent, but falls short of expectations. A healthy Dak Prescott could be vital to the Cowboys doing some damage in the playoffs. The good thing is that the NFC is much weaker than the AFC, which presents an opportunity for a team like the Cowboys to have a shot at getting to the Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions have got to be the biggest stretch on this list. As I mentioned above, the NFC is pretty weak overall, so the Lions are in the mix by default. The team narrowly missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record, after ending the season on an 8-2 run. With Aaron Rodgers finally out of the division, the window is open for the Lions to win their first division title since 1993, the longest division title drought among all NFC teams.

There are many surprises every year, so don’t be shocked if we see a team not listed above that goes on a big playoff run. Football can’t come back soon enough.

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