Welcome to Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season. We have made it to the final Power Rankings poll of the year.
The Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Green Bay Packers, the Baltimore Ravens blew out the Houston Texans on Christmas, and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Denver Broncos to keep their playoff hopes alive. All of these games and more caused a shake-up in our list.
Alongside our rankings, we asked our NFL Nation reporters to pick the biggest contract situation to watch this offseason for every team. Who might be on the way to a huge contract? And who might be on the move?
Let’s take a look at our last ranking until after the Super Bowl.
Our power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities evaluates how NFL teams stack up against one another, ranking them from 1 to 32.
Previous rankings: Preseason | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Week 17 result: Beat the Steelers 29-10
Week 17 ranking: 1
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Hollywood Brown
The Chiefs next year at wide receiver will have Xavier Worthy heading into his second season and Rashee Rice returning from a knee injury. Can they afford to invest in Brown, particularly considering their tight salary cap situation and list of potential free agents that also includes safety Justin Reid, linebacker Nick Bolton and guard Trey Smith? Brown missed most of this season with injuries but has nine catches for 91 yards in the two games since his return. — Adam Teicher
Week 17 result: Beat the 49ers 40-34
Week 17 ranking: 2
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Cornerback Carlton Davis III
Since being traded from the Buccaneers, Davis has always been open to a contract extension in Detroit. He is currently in the final year of his contract and has been productive with 42 solo tackles, 11 passes defended, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble. Like many other Lions players, he was placed on the injured reserve list, with a jaw injury, in Week 15. However, Detroit will have to decide on his long-term future with the organization after already agreeing to massive extensions for Jared Goff, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown and others. This won’t be an easy decision. — Eric Woodyard
Week 17 result: Beat the Jets 40-14
Week 17 ranking: 4
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Amari Cooper
There are big decisions to be made, including with linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Rasul Douglas, but the wide receiver room will be intriguing. That’s heightened by the success the team has had spreading the ball around. After trading for Cooper midseason, he’s set to become a free agent. He has impacted the offense but has just 20 receptions for 297 yards and two touchdowns and is playing the fewest snaps of his career (45.9%). Will heavily investing in a wide receiver make sense for Buffalo with a player like Cooper? Whether he takes on a bigger role in the playoffs could be telling. — Alaina Getzenberg
Week 17 result: Beat the Packers 27-25
Week 17 ranking: 5
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Sam Darnold
When the season began, no one thought the cost to sign Darnold for 2025 would be an issue for the Vikings. The team signed him to a one-year, $10 million contract to serve as a temporary starter this season until whichever rookie Minnesota drafted was ready to play. But after J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury, Darnold has played so well — he ranks fourth in the NFL with 4,153 passing yards and fifth with 35 touchdown passes — that the Vikings are now open-minded about bringing him back for 2025, sources told ESPN. The simplest and most probable route is the franchise tag, which is likely to be worth about $40 million. — Kevin Seifert
Week 17 result: Beat the Cowboys 41-7
Week 17 ranking: 3
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Linebacker Zack Baun
The Eagles signed Baun to a one-year, $1.9 million deal in free agency, thinking he would be a special teams ace and rotational edge player. Instead, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio moved him inside, and Baun developed into one of the key pieces on a top defensive unit. He is third in the NFL in tackles (150) and has posted 3.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, building a case for All-Pro consideration. With linebacker being a key position in Fangio’s scheme, Philadelphia will likely prioritize getting Baun under contract. — Tim McManus
Week 17 result: Beat the Texans 31-2
Week 17 ranking: 6
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley
Stanley is scheduled to become a free agent after a solid rebound season. He ranks 12th in pass block win rate among tackles (92.8%), protecting the blind side of reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. He has shown he can be durable — this is the first season of Stanley’s nine-year career that he will play every game. After taking a pay cut last offseason, he should get an increase from his $7.5 million payout in 2024. The question for the Ravens is whether they feel the need to pay Stanley, considering Jackson’s elusiveness. — Jamison Hensley
Week 17 result: Lost to the Vikings 27-25
Week 17 ranking: 7
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Cornerback Jaire Alexander
Alexander has two more years left on the four-year, $84 million contract extension he signed in 2022 that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. But how can the Packers continue to pay him as such given how much time he has missed? He has played in just 14 regular-season games over the past two seasons because of various injuries and had a one-game suspension. Maybe the Packers could ask him to take a pay cut, or maybe they’ll just move on from him. Regardless, it’s hard to imagine them sticking to the status quo with Alexander. — Rob Demovsky
Week 17 result: Beat the Patriots 40-7
Week 17 ranking: 11
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel has been on injured reserve with a shoulder injury since Week 6, and the organization is mum on a potential return this season. He appeared to be in line for a lucrative extension this offseason, but the Chargers have had the league’s best scoring defense with him on the sideline. Rookie cornerbacks Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart have emerged as reliable outside cornerback options with safety Derwin James Jr. in the nickel. Hart’s and Still’s emergence could make the Chargers unwilling to pay Samuel when the team has more pressing needs elsewhere. — Kris Rhim
Week 17 result: Beat the Falcons 30-24 (OT)
Week 17 ranking: 9
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
Allen returned from injured reserve Sunday after missing the previous eight games due to a torn left pectoral muscle. He’s signed through 2025 with a cap hit of $23 million next season. Washington could save $17 million if it released him, or it could perhaps add a year or two to his deal and lessen the cap hit next season. Allen has been a Washington stalwart — and two-time Pro Bowler — but turns 30 next month. The Commanders still have Daron Payne and drafted Jer’Zhan Newton in the second round. — John Keim
1:26
How Jayden Daniels stayed focused during Commanders’ comeback
Washington QB Jayden Daniels sits down with Marty Smith to discuss his impressive performance against the Eagles.
Week 17 result: Lost to the Chiefs 29-10
Week 17 ranking: 8
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Russell Wilson
Though Wilson jump-started the Steelers’ passing game when he took over the starting job in Week 7, he has been uncharacteristically turnover-prone (four since Week 15) and inefficient during Pittsburgh’s three-game losing streak. Because the Steelers don’t negotiate contracts during the season, the final two guaranteed games of the season will go a long way to dictating Wilson’s future in Pittsburgh — or elsewhere in the NFL. Wilson says he wants to play five to seven more years, but the Steelers aren’t likely to make a long-term commitment to a 36-year-old quarterback. — Brooke Pryor
Week 17 result: Beat the Cardinals 13-9
Week 17 ranking: 12
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Cooper Kupp
The longtime Rams receiver has two years remaining on the extension he signed in June 2022, but he has only $5 million in guaranteed money left on that deal. Kupp’s cap hit is $29.8 million in 2025 and $27.3 million the following season. While general manager Les Snead has referred to him as one of the Rams’ “weight-bearing walls,” it seems unlikely the receiver will be back at that number next season. Kupp, who won the receiving triple crown and was named Super Bowl LVI MVP in 2021, has missed games because of injury in each of the three seasons since. — Sarah Barshop
Week 17 result: Beat the Broncos 30-24
Week 17 ranking: 15
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase
Last offseason featured the most contentious contract situation in coach Zac Taylor’s six-year tenure. Chase didn’t report for any voluntary workouts and sat out training camp with a hold-in. Then, a couple of weeks into the season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Chase felt “misled” during negotiations. He is on the verge of winning the receiving triple crown, which should raise the cost to sign him in the offseason. If the Bengals are willing to pay that price and potentially make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history, it will make for a much smoother offseason in 2025. — Ben Baby
Week 17 result: Beat the Panthers 48-14
Week 17 ranking: 18
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Chris Godwin
Godwin led the NFL with 50 catches prior to suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 7. The Bucs stood by him previously after injury, giving him a three-year, $60 million contract months after he tore his ACL and MCL in 2021. They most certainly want him back, and Jalen McMillan could be a potential replacement down the road. And if they want to maximize their window with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Tristan Wirfs and now Bucky Irving, they need Godwin, while also respecting they’ll have just $17.9 million in salary cap space in 2025, per Roster Management System. — Jenna Laine
Week 17 result: Lost to the Ravens 31-2
Week 17 ranking: 10
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Stefon Diggs
Diggs proved his value to the Texans on and off the field. Through the first eight weeks with him, quarterback C.J. Stroud had a QBR of 60.5 (10th). But since Diggs tore his ACL in Week 8, Stroud has a QBR of 40.4 (29th) through Week 17. The Texans need answers at wideout since Tank Dell (knee) will most likely miss all of 2025, and they can’t go into next season with just Nico Collins. That increases Diggs’ value, but he’s also 31 coming off a major knee injury. — DJ Bien-Aime
Week 17 result: Lost to the Bengals 30-24
Week 17 ranking: 13
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto
Bonitto, a second-round pick in 2022, is not slated to be an unrestricted free agent in March. But he is, by far, the most intriguing contract situation to watch for the Broncos. They locked up cornerback Pat Surtain II and guard Quinn Meinerz with long-term extensions long before they faced a deadline. Denver will now face that prospect with Bonitto, who has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league over the past two seasons in terms of pressure rates. He has a career-best 11.5 sacks and has scored two touchdowns this season. — Jeff Legwold
0:45
Is Marvin Mims Jr. worthy keeping in dynasty leagues?
Field Yates breaks down Marvin Mims Jr.’s impressive Week 17 performance despite the Broncos’ loss.
Week 17 result: Beat the Bears 6-3
Week 17 ranking: 16
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Geno Smith
General manager John Schneider is in for a busy offseason, with roughly a dozen key players who will be either free agents or eligible for extensions. Naturally, Smith’s will be the biggest. At 34 years old with a 17-15 touchdown-interception ratio before Week 18, he probably won’t be in position to command a long-term commitment that would put him inside the top 10 in terms of average per year. He is currently 19th at $25 million per year and ranks 16th in QBR (58.7) over the past three seasons. With an underwhelming quarterback draft class and no viable in-house replacement, giving him some sort of raise might be Seattle’s only real choice. — Brady Henderson
Week 17 result: Lost to the Commanders 30-24
Week 17 ranking: 14
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Kirk Cousins
The Falcons will owe Cousins, who was benched in Week 16 for rookie Michael Penix Jr., at least $90 million. They could release him before March 17, when the quarterback has a $10 million roster bonus due. Another option could be trading him, though Atlanta would have to take on a big chunk of his salary to do so. Cousins will be healthier in 2025, two years removed from a torn Achilles, and still views himself as a QB1. It seems like a long shot he’d return and back up Penix, but he has been professional in that role late this season. — Marc Raimondi
Week 17 result: Beat the Browns 20-3
Week 17 ranking: 17
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Safety Jevon Holland
Both Holland and the Dolphins publicly expressed interest in an extension last offseason, but nothing materialized. Now playing on the final year of his rookie contract, Holland’s production has declined slightly since his emergence as a potential star as a rookie; he hasn’t recorded an interception since last season, when he returned Tim Boyle’s pass 99 yards for a touchdown in late November. The Dolphins were willing to let several homegrown players walk in free agency last season and could do the same with Holland if he’s looking for a top-of-the-market contract. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Week 17 result: Beat the Rams 13-9
Week 17 ranking: 20
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Linebacker Kyzir White
Arizona took care of the three biggest contract questions this season: Budda Baker, James Conner and Zaven Collins. White is among a few of the next tier of contracts the Cardinals will have to take a deeper look at, along with those of defensive lineman L.J. Collier and kicker Matt Prater. White is second on the team in tackles (127), a captain and an extension of coach Jonathan Gannon in the locker room — they spent time together in Philadelphia. White earned $5 million in base salary this season and was just $6.75 million against the cap, so it could be both inexpensive and crucial for the Cardinals to keep him. — Josh Weinfuss
Week 17 result: Lost to the Lions 40-34
Week 17 ranking: 22
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Brock Purdy
There are a lot of important contract situations to monitor for the Niners, but how those play out will depend largely on what happens with Purdy (and when). They have a strong track record of getting deals done with players they value, but they’ve often taken longer than either side would prefer. This time, expect the 49ers to try to work quickly to ensure Purdy’s deal is done, so they have cost certainty heading into free agency. Since Purdy took over as starter in 2022, he ranks among the top seven in QBR, touchdown passes, passing yards and EPA/dropback, all of which positions him for the largest raise in NFL history. — Nick Wagoner
Week 17 result: Lost to the Eagles 41-7
Week 17 ranking: 19
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Defensive end Micah Parsons
The Cowboys have Parsons under contract through 2025 with his fifth-year option worth $21.4 million, but they would like to get him signed long term. He has said he does not need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL and wants to help the Cowboys “attack” free agency. They have not been overly proactive in getting these deals done lately (i.e. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb), but they need to improve every aspect of their roster. A new deal for Parsons before free agency starts in March would give them the opportunity to be more active when the market opens. — Todd Archer
Week 17 result: Lost to the Giants 45-33
Week 17 ranking: 21
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo
Odeyingbo’s sharp decline in sack numbers from 8.0 last season to 3.0 this season suggests he has been less impactful. But he still leads Indianapolis with 32 pressures. He is scheduled to reach free agency in March, and keeping him could be expensive depending on market conditions at his position. One of the variables in deciding what to do here will be the Colts’ existing investments in their defensive line. They signed DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis to extensions last offseason, drafted Laiatu Latu and exercised the fifth-year option on Kwity Paye. — Stephen Holder
2:31
Pat McAfee is baffled by the Colts’ lack of accountability
Pat McAfee addresses his social media post about the Colts after their devastating loss to the Giants in Week 17, which knocked them out of the playoffs.
Week 17 result: Lost to the Seahawks 6-3
Week 17 ranking: 25
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Keenan Allen
The Bears let the 32-year-old wide receiver play out the final year of his contract after trading for him last March. His production isn’t where it has been previously (two 1,100-yard seasons in the past four years) due to a lingering foot injury and issues within the Bears’ offense, but he has been a safety valve for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Allen has seen the second-most targets (118) and generated a team-high 41 first downs. Given his age, he won’t make $23.1 million per year on his next deal, but it might be worth exploring whether the Bears can bring him back on a team-friendly contract. — Courtney Cronin
Week 17 result: Beat the Saints 25-10
Week 17 ranking: 31
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Middle linebacker Robert Spillane
Spillane has been more than the leader of the Raiders’ defense; the middle linebacker has been its most dependable and productive player this season. Signed to a relatively inexpensive two-year, $9 million contract in March 2023, Spillane is in line for a raise, especially if the Raiders want to maintain some semblance of continuity on the defensive side of the ball. In two seasons of wearing the “green dot” for the Raiders, Spillane has five interceptions, 5.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in 33 games. — Paul Gutierrez
Week 17 result: Beat the Titans 20-13
Week 17 ranking: 30
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Tight end Evan Engram
Engram signed a three-year contract in 2023, and his situation could be complicated by a potential regime change. His $14.75 million salary in 2025 becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year, but cutting him would generate only $6.25 million in cap savings. Second-year tight end Brenton Strange had 11 catches the first game after Engram went on IR (Week 15), though he has had just two catches the past two games. He is averaging two yards more per catch on 11 fewer catches than Engram. — Mike DiRocco
Week 17 result: Lost to the Buccaneers 48-14
Week 17 ranking: 24
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Cornerback Jaycee Horn
The Panthers picked up the fifth-year option on Horn, so he’s good for 2025, but they’d like to lock down one of their cornerstone players long term. The time to do that would be this offseason to reduce his $12,472,000 salary next season and assure he’s in Carolina for the foreseeable future. The cost to do so will only go up if they wait. — David Newton
Week 17 result: Beat the Raiders 25-10
Week 17 ranking: 23
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Derek Carr
The Saints have a significant amount of money tied up in players with age, injury or production questions, but the biggest situation is Carr’s. He will count for $51 million against the salary cap if he plays on his current contract in 2025 and will save $1.3 million against the cap (but trigger a $50 million dead money charge) if released as a normal cut in the offseason. Carr’s $30 million base salary will fully guarantee on the third day of the 2025 league year, so the Saints will have to make a decision before that date. — Katherine Terrell
Week 17 result: Lost to the Bills 40-14
Week 17 ranking: 26
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers
This will be item No. 1 on the new regime’s to-do list. Rodgers’ cap charge is a manageable $23.5 million, which includes a $35 million option bonus and $2.5 million in base pay — neither of which is guaranteed. If the Jets release him, there’s a $49 million dead charge that can be spread over 2025 and 2026. If they retain him, it would create a $60 million-plus dead charge in 2026. Rodgers has said he’s open to a pay cut, which would help matters if the Jets decide to run it back. — Rich Cimini
1:08
Why Orlovsky says Jets need a ‘total rebuild’
Dan Orlovsky explains why the Jets have to clean house and start from scratch with a complete rebuild this offseason.
Week 17 result: Lost to the Dolphins 20-3
Week 17 ranking: 28
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Defensive end Myles Garrett
Garrett has two years remaining on the five-year extension he signed in 2020 but no more guaranteed salary. With another 14-sack season on his résumé, it would appear to be the right time for a new deal that again places the reigning Defensive Player of the Year as the highest-paid pass rusher in the NFL. But in recent weeks, Garrett has voiced his desire to see the Browns’ offseason plans before further committing to the organization. Can the two sides find common ground, or is this the beginning of a standoff with a franchise legend? — Daniel Oyefusi
Week 17 result: Lost to the Chargers 40-7
Week 17 ranking: 27
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Cornerback Jonathan Jones
One of the few players left on the roster from the team’s last Super Bowl championships (2016, 2018), the 32-year-old Jones is a steadying locker room presence and still effective on defense, particularly in the slot. He is scheduled for unrestricted free agency and plans to play a 10th NFL season in 2025. Cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino refers to Jones, who has played 66% of the defensive snaps this season, as one of the toughest players he has ever coached. — Mike Reiss
Week 17 result: Beat the Colts 45-33
Week 17 ranking: 32
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Darius Slayton
He is one of just three full-time starters along with guard Greg Van Roten and safety Jason Pinnock set to become a free agent this offseason. Slayton won a starting job over Jalin Hyatt this summer, just months after he was unhappy with his contract and situation. The veteran is averaging a team-high 14.7 yards per reception and will be considered among the top free agent receivers at 27 years old. It seems unlikely he will return in New York if a significant payday awaits. — Jordan Raanan
Week 17 result: Lost to the Jaguars 20-13
Week 17 ranking: 29
Biggest offseason contract situation to watch: Wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Westbrook-Ikhine emerged as a legitimate touchdown threat for the Titans after not getting any targets through the first four games. His career-high nine receiving touchdowns is tied for the fifth most in the NFL. The fifth-year receiver signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Titans before last season. He will be an unrestricted free agent and should warrant interest on the open market. Calvin Ridley will be the only proven receiver Tennessee has under contract this coming offseason. — Turron Davenport
