#7 Off Season Power Rankings

If you're just starting to follow Bronczilla's Off Season Power Rankings, the #1, #2, #3, 4, 5 and 6 Power Rankings can be read by following those links.

The number in parenthesis represents the number of points each team has. Teams began these power rankings in their first week with a number of points inverse to their standing in the rankings.

For example, the Patriots began as the #1 ranked team, so they started out with 32 points.

Transactions and the number of points granted this week for each transaction are listed beneanth each team's name and ranking.

1. Eagles (31 pts)

2. Chargers (29 pts)

3. Colts (28 pts)

4. Vikings (27 pts)

5. Falcons (26 pts)

-1 Releasing LB Chris Draft -- Draft played some good football for Atlanta last year as the D rose from the bottom or near the bottom in '03 to 14th last season. The signing of LB Ed Hartwell is not so big that it allows a guy like Draft to be cast off without a loss. Might Atlanta's D still be better than the '04 defensive unit? Yes. But it would have been better still if they'd found a way to keep Draft. Atlanta obviously does not believe in the bottom up philosophy of the Patriots.

+1 Restructuring the contract of RB Warrick Dunn -- Easy move to free up some cap space. Doesn't do anything the alter the team physically. But that's fine, since the Falcons running game didn't have many problems last season.

6. Patriots (25 pts)

7. NJ Jets (25 pts)

8. Bills (25 pts)

+1 Signing OG Bennie Anderson from Baltimore -- He's signed as a backup, but he's huge and look what helped Baltimore RB Jamal Lewis accomplish (2,066 rushing yds in '01).

9. Broncos (24 pts)

-1 Signing RB Ron Dayne -- They must be joking. They trade Reuben Droughns away for a sack full of beans, then replace him with a guy who isn't good enough to play for the Giants? Is this a move intended to shore up a habitually weak ST unit? If so maybe it can become +1. Otherwise I just don't get it.

+0 Making a big stink of tossing some balls to Champ Bailey as a WR next season -- So what. He caught one ball for 11 yds last season and he dropped at least 3 others. I love him on defense, but he's nothing to get excited over on offense.

+0 Signing LB Keith Burns from Tampa -- During Burns' first term in denver he was never more than an ok backup and good ST tackler. Now he's a couple years older. He's not an adequate replacement for Donnie Spragan. In fact, I won't be surprised if he doesn't make it on to the roster for game one of the regular season.

+1 Signing TE Stephen Alexander -- By adding Alexander to Jeb Putzier and Patrick Hape, Denver may have the strongest and deepest crop of TEs in the NFL. If my guess is correct and this move sends TE Dwayne Carswell (who played well at LT during last year's preseason) to one of the OG positions, then it'll have to be considered a +2. At just over a million bucks per year Alexander is gentle on the cap.

-1 Loss of CB Kelly Herdon -- Herdon has been an important cog in Denver's DB machine. For the past two seasons he has stepped in to replace tall, talented but easily injured Lenny Walls, and done a very good job.

+1 Aquiring DT Micheal Myers, DE Ebenezer Ekuban and DE Courtney Brown from Cleveland -- Clevland's D was ranked 15th overall last season, 32nd vs the run and 5th vs passing. They ranked 27th in sacks with 32. Does not seem like bringing in the Browns entire D line is gonna be a huge positive. But with the way Denver is collecting these guys I have to think they're being viewed at least in part as training camp fodder.

-2 Loss of RB Rueben Droughns to Cleveland -- Droughns can block, run and catch the ball very well. Even with a stacked backfield that kind of loss hurts.


10. Steelers (24 pts)

11. Ravens (24 pts)

12. Chiefs (24 pts)

13. Seahawks (24 pts)

-1 Signing WR Alex Bannister -- Come on, why are the 'Hawks giving this guy a million per as a #5 WR? Why give a million dollar signing bonus for a guy who may not even make the team?

+0 Signing DE Joe Tafoya -- Training camp fodder.

+1 Signing CB Kelly Herdon from Denver -- Herdon played pretty well in place of often injured Lenny Walls. He'll do a nice job and is a likely upgrade for an ailing Seahawks defensive secondary.

+1 Signing WR Joe Jurevicius from Tampa -- Too easily injured and getting older, but metally tough and some pretty good hands. Also a huge character guy.

14. Rams (23 pts)

+2 Signed DEs Kevin Carter from Miami and Jay Williams -- Carter's total tackles rose for each of the past five seasons, but his sack numbers are dropping. He's got enough left in him to make a difference on a bad Rams D.

Williams isn't starter material, but he's good enough that a very bad Rams D could benefit from his presence.

15. Packers (22 pts)

+1 Signing OG Matt ODwyer -- ODwyer is a talented player with a rep for nasty play. I love the guy and I think Brett Favre is gonna love him, too.


16. Jaguars (18 pts)

+0 Siging CB Kenny Wright -- They have a big battle for that nickle DB spot. Wright may have to make his mark on ST.

+1 Signing DE Marcellus Wiley from Dallas -- I almost made this a +2. Wiley is in serious decline, but when the Jags should already have the best D line in the NFL, his kind of ability and experience can only be considered helpful.

17. Texans (16 pts)

18. NJ Giants (16 pts)

+0 Releasing OL Barry Stokes -- Stokes was a role player who made little contribution last season (because of his back injury).

19. Lions (14 pts)

+0 Signing RB Jamal White -- Another player most of us hear about and say, "Who?". He'll be lucky to make the team as a STer.

20. Panthers (13 pts)

+0 Signing Safety Idrees Bashir -- When you're trying to rebuild and upgrade your secondary, does it really make sense to sign a guy from a team whose on DBs were at least as bad as your own?

21. Bengals (13 pts)

22. Cardinals (12 pts)

23. Redskins (11 pts)

24. Saints (10 pts)

+0 Signing RB Antowain Smith -- Smith is 33 years old and wasn't worth much even in his prime. He's supposed to be backing up Deuce McAlister, but I have to place his chances of making the final roster for opening day as shakey.

25. Cowboys (10)

26. Buccaneers (8 pts)

+0 Signing CB Juran Bolden and DT Chris Hovan

+0 Signing LB Josh Buhl -- I don't think this guy played a down last season. Souns like training camp fodder.

27. Raiders (8 pts)

+1 Siging FB Rob Conrad from Miami and DE Kenny Smith from New Orleans -- Stoner Ricky Williams played his most productive football while running through holes opened for him by Conrad.

Smith? If this wasn't the Raiders he may not even make the team, but it is, so he could see time starting before the season is over.

28. Bears (7 pts)

+0 Signing WR Eddie Berlin -- Am I the only guy who read this and said, "Eddie who?"?

29. Miami (7 pts)

30. Browns (6)

-1 Releasing Safety Earl Little -- Little is aging but this is another move that has me thinking, ok, they guy was a middle of the road talent, but who will replace him? It's starting to look like the coaching staff is planning on suiting up for the Browns' D.

+0 Releasing OG Kelvin Garmon -- Missed about half of last season with a very serious knee injury.

-1 Releasing DE Courtney Brown -- Ok, Brown wasn't the superstar Cleveland hoped he'd be, but who the heck are they replacing him with?

-1 Dumping DT Micheal Myers, DE Ebenezer Ekuban and DE Courtney Brown from Cleveland in Denver's lap -- Ok, none of these guys frightened anyone last year, but again, who will replace them?

+1 Aquiring RB Rueben Droughns from Denver -- This would be an easy +2, but Cleveland needs a little help on the O line or Droughns is going to have trouble being effective.


31. Titans (3pts)

32. 49ers (3 pts)