The NFL is officially moving into vacation mode. During mandatory minicamps, we all had the chance to discuss how far these teams have come this offseason. Now, we'll spend the next few weeks anticipating the start of training camps and the push toward the upcoming regular season.
Before we reach that point, The First Read wanted to throw out a little food for thought. It's usually best to make predictions once camps have gone on for a few weeks or the season is just a few days away. We're taking a different route this time around. Here are some way-too-early bold predictions to ponder for this upcoming year ...
1) The Bills will win the Super Bowl.
This is bold simply because the Bills have dealt with so much heartache over the last five seasons. They've lost four playoff games to the Chiefs (including two AFC title bouts) and suffered another home defeat to the Bengals in the 2022 Divisional Round. This team has too much talent and smart coaching to continually miss out on opportunities to get over the hump, which is why this prediction makes so much sense today. Quarterback Josh Allen is coming off his first MVP season. The defense added some nice pieces in the 2025 NFL Draft, including speedy cornerback Maxwell Hairston and edge rusher Landon Jackson. The schedule also looks favorable, with Buffalo playing 10 games against teams that didn't produce a winning record in 2024. There's basically never been a better time for the Bills to earn the top seed in the AFC and potentially host a conference championship game. And if they can do that, they should win the whole damn thing.
2) Joe Burrow will be the league's Most Valuable Player.
Burrow is going to receive a lot of attention for this honor because he got plenty last year, when the Bengals were stumbling and fumbling their way through a frustrating season that ended with them missing the playoffs for the second straight year. There were people out there loudly saying that Burrow deserved to contend for the game's top individual award because of sheer productivity. He led the league in passing yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43) while only throwing nine interceptions. It is true that Burrow would've had a strong case if Cincinnati had made the postseason in 2024. It's even more logical to think that more people will be singing his praises if he repeats those efforts. The Bengals made it clear that they wanted to keep his weapons happy (wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both signed massive extensions). It's also still a mystery as to what Cincy's defense will look like after an offseason that has included contract disputes with All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and first-round pick Shemar Stewart, the hiring of new defensive coordinator Al Golden and some high-profile personnel changes. If the Bengals return to the playoffs, then their offense is going to be prolific. That puts Burrow in a position to earn a lot of love.
3) The Eagles will be the first team to repeat as NFC East champs in 21 years.
We know this is one of the longest-running streaks in the league, but it's time for it to end. That's how good Philadelphia is going to be this coming season. As much as the Eagles have to fill in some holes left by key offseason departures -- the defense, in particular, lost five key veterans -- the core of the defending Super Bowl champions remains very much intact. Even with Kevin Patullo succeeding Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator, that side of the football remains stacked. Running back Saquon Barkley is coming off a 2,000-yard season, quarterback Jalen Hurts proved once again that he's one of the most underrated leaders in the game and the receivers and offensive line still rank among the best in the league. As for the defense, coordinator Vic Fangio will help some new faces mature while an assortment of stars (including defensive tackle Jalen Carter, All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun and second-year defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean) should once again rank among the best in the business. Look, this team won 16 of its last 17 games last season and pounded Kansas City in the Super Bowl. Just as importantly, a good number players were around for that epic meltdown in the second half of the 2023 season. They surely learned a lot of about the challenges of success and how hard it is to stay on top, which will come in handy this fall.
4) The Broncos will snap the Chiefs' streak of nine straight AFC West championships.
The Chiefs have reigned over the division since 2016 and they've barely been challenged during most of the years that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been under center. Most of that success comes down to the Chiefs' greatness but they've also been helped plenty by the ineptitude of the teams sharing the AFC West with them. Kansas City has been led by future Hall of Fame coach Andy Reid during that entire run of dominance. Every other team in the division has had at least four different head coaches within that same stretch. That churn appears to have slowed, though, with Pete Carroll (Raiders), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers) and Sean Payton (Broncos) now working in the AFC West. Of those three coaches -- all of whom have either reached or won the Super Bowl -- Payton is sitting on the most impressive team aside from the Chiefs. The Broncos have an elite defense, and it looks like they landed a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix in last year's draft. We know Payton can coach up the offense, especially as the Broncos add more playmakers. We've also seen how Denver gave Kansas City fits last season in Arrowhead, with a blocked field goal keeping them from securing an impressive upset. Denver is good enough to win this division now. With the other teams also creating more resistance to the Chiefs -- who went 5-1 in the AFC West after resting their starters in a Week 18 loss to the Broncos -- Denver will earn its first crown since Peyton Manning was their quarterback.
5) Caleb Williams will throw for 4,500 yards and 35 touchdowns.
There's a lot of anticipation surrounding the Bears' second-year quarterback and his ability to make good on all the promise that made him the top pick in the 2024 draft. One thing that shouldn't be doubted is whether he'll become the first Chicago signal-caller to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Williams won't just reach that barrier; he'll blow it away, especially when considering all the advantages he has working for him now. The Bears hired the best offensive mind available to be their head coach in Ben Johnson. They've rebuilt the offensive line, drafted more pass catchers (tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III) and filled more holes on the defense. Williams threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns last season when he was running for his life and trying too hard to extend plays. Better coaching and an improved supporting cast will make life much easier for him, and the numbers will bear that out.
6) Daniel Jones will win Comeback Player of the Year.
Jones already walked into a great opportunity in Indianapolis because the Colts gave him a chance to compete for the starting job with third-year veteran Anthony Richardson. There's every reason to believe Jones can win that battle because Richardson, since arriving in Indy as the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, has been wildly inconsistent throughout his career and even lost his job for a couple games last season. Jones knows a few things about that path -- the former No. 6 overall pick was benched and eventually dumped by the Giants last year -- but there's reason to be optimistic about him today. Jones signed with Minnesota after New York released hm, which gave him an opportunity to be around another beleaguered quarterback in Sam Darnold who was turning his career around with the help of a strong coaching staff. Now, Jones gets to work with a creative offensive head coach in Shane Steichen, who happens to be the same man who helped take Jalen Hurts from raw talent to MVP-caliber quarterback in Philadelphia. Steichen likes quarterbacks who can move, and his time with Hurts proved that he could think outside of the box when it comes to maximizing a signal-caller's strengths. Steichen easily could be the man to take Jones to another level, especially when considering the Colts have better skill players and offensive line play than Jones ever enjoyed in New York. Nobody saw Darnold taking off when he arrived in Minnesota. Jones could do similar things in Indy if he stays healthy.
7) Ashton Jeanty will run for 2,000 yards.
Jeanty should be a heavy favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, given the situation he's walking into in Las Vegas. Head coach Pete Carroll is going to do what he always does -- which is run the football like crazy -- and Jeanty is a three-down back built exactly for this type of approach. So instead of simply predicting that Jeanty will win some hardware in his rookie season, it's worth going a step further and having him make history. Nine NFL players have rushed for 2,000 yards in a season, with Saquon Barkley joining the club in 2024. None of those men accomplished the feat in Year 1. Yes, it's a heavy expectation to place on a rookie. It's also apparent that the Raiders won't have that many weapons to rely upon in that offense, and we're living in an era when running the football is trendy again. The Raiders will have to win games with a ground-and-pound approach. That puts Jeanty in position to do unprecedented things.
8) Travis Hunter will be more impactful as a cornerback than a wide receiver in his first season.
The Jaguars have grand visions for Hunter after trading up to take him with the second overall pick in this year's draft. He wants to play on offense and defense, and the Jags are doing their best to make sure he's a capable performer on both sides of the football. However, it's also worth nothing a couple things here. One is that Hunter is far more polished as a defender at this stage of his career. He's capable of lining up at cornerback from Day 1 and playing a huge role in a Jacksonville defense that was one of the league's worst last season. The other fact worth remembering is the narratives coming out of Duval County recently. The Jaguars are spending more time coaching up Hunter at receiver because he needs more work at that position. Despite his success as a two-way player at Colorado, he's going to need more reps to learn how to operate at that spot against top-flight defensive backs. That doesn't mean he won't have some impressive moments. It's just that he won't even be Jacksonville's top target, as the team already has a strong receiver in second-year pro Brian Thomas Jr., who produced 87 receptions, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie. The Jags don't have anybody in the secondary with the potential to do what Hunter can do. That's why he's going to shine more on that side of the football.
9) CeeDee Lamb will break the NFL record for receptions in a season.
The Cowboys wide receiver will have an easier life with the return of quarterback Dak Prescott from injury and the arrival of wide receiver George Pickens via trade. Lamb already was one of the best receivers in the game, but those two factors will make him one of the most historic. Think about it. Lamb produced 135 receptions in 2023 with a healthy Prescott, which was 14 catches shy of the league mark of 149 established by former Saints receiver Michael Thomas in 2019. Lamb also generated 101 catches last season, when Prescott only played in eight games because of a season-ending hamstring injury. You pair Lamb with a receiver as dangerous as Pickens, and it's likely that opposing defenses will be frustrated on weekly basis. Lamb has put together three straight 100-catch seasons despite being the focus of defenses tasked with stopping Dallas' passing attack every year. With all the freedom coming his way this fall, CeeDee's going to go off.
10) Kirk Cousins will start for another team this year.
It's so difficult to navigate an NFL season, and it's a safe bet that some hopeful team eventually will need quarterback help because of injury. Prescott was one of four different signal-callers who didn't finish last season because of injury. Two years ago, the Browns started five quarterbacks, while the Vikings and Jets each started four. It's a fact of life: Quarterbacks go down in this league. This is why Cousins has a decent shot of playing some place this year. It didn't work out in Atlanta -- the Falcons gave him $100 million in guaranteed money as a free agent last offseason and then gave his job to rookie Michael Penix Jr. for the final three games -- but the franchise didn't deal Cousins over the past few months. That leaves him trying to play the good soldier as a backup until a viable opportunity arises. If history tells us anything, some team will come calling for him sooner or later.
