In an NFL world full of stacked rosters and divisions, which teams have the best rosters?
Nick Wright provided his top five on Wednesday’s edition of “First Things First.”
5. Cincinnati Bengals
Odds to win Super Bowl: +1500
Nick’s thoughts: “I think Joe Burrow has the exact right disposition to come back from a wildly frustrating and disappointing year. Not being healthy at the beginning, playing poorly, finally getting healthy, playing great, and then suffering a freak injury. You add to that they didn’t get rid of Tee Higgins like I thought they would. They might pay for that down the road, but this year it helps them.
Their defense last year was wildly problematic. They bring in Geno Stone, which I like. They add other players in the secondary. I expect a better year from their edges, [Sam] Hubbard and [Trey] Hendrickson. Obviously, I think [Ja’Marr] Chase is going to get it done, and I don’t think the loss of Joe Mixon is that significant. And they spent a first-round pick on a tackle [Amarius Mims]. He’s banged up, but I like that pick.”
4. Chicago Bears
Odds to win Super Bowl: +3500
Nick’s thoughts: “I would just like to know what the biggest weakness on the roster is. The answer to that is probably the left side of the offensive line, but they have a stud right tackle [Darnell Wright]. They have arguably the best one-through-three wide receiver group in the league. Not the best No. 1 or the best No. 2, but as far as if Keenan Allen’s your No. 3, DJ Moore, and I think Rome Odunze is a legitimate No. 2 the moment he walks into the league. That’s great.
“I love D’Andre Swift. I know a lot of Eagles fans evidently think they’re getting a huge upgrade with Saquon [Barkley]; I don’t know that I agree with that. This defense was elite the moment they got Montez Sweat last year. They added help in the secondary. Jaylon Johnson’s one of the five best corners in football.”
3. San Francisco 49ers
Odds to win Super Bowl: +600
Nick’s thoughts: “You have the best left tackle in football [Trent Williams], one of the best edges in football [Nick Bosa], one of the three-or-four-best tight ends in football [George Kittle] to go along with, when you get [Talanoa] Hufanga back, one of the best safeties in football and the best running back in football [Christian McCaffrey]. I think they will miss [Brandon] Aiyuk, assuming he’s gone, but maybe at this point, they’re able to keep him. You’re fine at quarterback. I don’t think you’re great at quarterback. I don’t think you’re dead at quarterback.
And I also think some of the additions they’ve tried to make recently to upgrade the offensive line, which, to be fair, the right side of it wasn’t elite last year, is smart. And you have the best inside linebacker of his little mini-generation in Fred Warner. You’ll get Dre Greenlaw back at some point.”
2. Detroit Lions
Odds to win Super Bowl: +1200
Nick’s thoughts: “They have, in my opinion, clearly, almost unanimously at this point, the best offensive line in football. That makes their quarterback a top-10 quarterback. Jared Goff, in and of himself, is not a top-10 quarterback. In this situation, where he will be protected, where he plays almost all his games indoors, he is a top-10 quarterback. You add to that Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery out of the backfield. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a great receiver. Jameson Williams has great talent, and he finally showed some flashes of that in the playoffs last year.
“You upgraded the defense, adding Marcus Davenport and Terrion Arnold in the first round of the draft. I don’t see a real weakness on this roster right now.”
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Odds to win Super Bowl: +600
Nick’s thoughts: “It’s not only because of Patrick Mahomes, but he sure does help. But you also have arguably the league’s best defensive player [Chris Jones]. Inarguably, the league’s most potent playoff weapon in Travis Kelce. Spent a first-round pick on the fastest player in league history [Xavier Worthy].
“You had the second-youngest defense in football last year that was also statistically the second-best defense in football. You lost one piece of it in L’Jarius Sneed, but you brought everyone else back. And I think you upgraded at left tackle with this rookie, Kingsley Suamataia, after last year it was Donovan Smith, and he was dealing with some injuries.”