Ranking the five-year windows of every NFL team

The defending Super Bowl champs are set up for the future with Carson Wentz (25), Jay Ajayi (25), Zach Ertz (27) and an elite offensive line. The defense has some key players in their twilight years like Michael Bennett, Chris Long, Malcolm Jenkins, but those losses could be offset by developing players like Fletcher Cox, Derek Barnett and Ronald Darby.

The Rams had one of the best turnarounds in NFL history last season, and it was led by their youthful core that includes Jared Goff (23), Todd Gurley (24) and Cooper Kupp (25). The team got older in the offseason but also significantly more talented with key additions like Brandin Cooks, Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. That adds to dominant defensive tackle Aaron Donald (27), making the team a top contender for 2018 and beyond. The salary cap will prevent the Rams from keeping everybody, but they should be perennial contenders over the next five years if they make the right personnel decisions.

Minnesota's roster is stacked with future talent, and the team finally addressed quarterback by acquiring Kirk Cousins. Dalvin Cook and Stefon Diggs have yet to turn 25, and the elite defense has young stars like Danielle Hunter (23), Eric Kendricks (26) and huge secondary potential with Mike Hughes and Mackensie Alexander. The team has a chance to contend for a Super Bowl for the foreseeable future.

Who knows how this roster will look in five years, but the fact that the Patriots are this year's Super Bowl favorite gives them major points. Tom Brady is entering his age 41 season, and no one really knows how much longer he will play. Head coach Bill Belichick also figures into the equation at age 66, but it sounds as if the team has a succession plan with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The Pats do have rookie back Sony Michel, young offensive line talent and several young contributors on defense like Trey Flowers (25) and Malcom Brown (24) for the long term.

Just one year removed from a Super Bowl appearance, the Falcons have one of the most balanced teams in the league. Matt Ryan still has some time at age 33, and first-round pick Calvin Ridley could pick up at wideout for the speed Julio Jones is bound to lose in his 30s. Devonta Freeman (26) should also have some mileage left, and Austin Hooper is developing into a solid tight end. The defense has a pair of star pass rushers in Vic Beasley and Tak McKinley, which will serve them well over the next few years.

Jacksonville's years of building up draft equity and cap space finally paid off last season with the AFC South title and appearance in the AFC Championship. The long-term quarterback situation is still up in the air with Blake Bortles, but the rest of the cast makes up for it. Among the stars who have yet to celebrate their 25th birthdays are Leonard Fournette, Yannick Ngakoue, Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey. If Bortles proves to be a franchise quarterback, the Jags seem like a shoo-in to make a Super Bowl appearance or two within the next five seasons. 

The Steelers are annual AFC contenders, though the time for the trio of Ben Roethlisberger (36), Le'Veon Bell (26) and Antonio Brown (30) is coming to a close given their ages and contracts. Pittsburgh is already planning beyond Big Ben after drafting Mason Rudolph, and the wideouts look impressive behind Brown with JuJu Smith-Schuster (21) and James Washington (22). The defense has its fair share of holes but also has a couple of young players to build around with Artie Burns (23) and T.J. Watt (23).

The Chiefs got younger in the offseason, and the long-term offense looks lethal with Patrick Mahomes (22), Kareem Hunt (23), Tyreek Hill (24), Sammy Watkins (25), and Travis Kelce (28). The defense also has some young building blocks like Chris Jones (24), Reggie Ragland (24), and Kendall Fuller (23). The speed of Mahomes' development will determine just how quickly the team can ascend.

For the last several years, it's been the defense holding up the Texans. Now the pendulum has swung the other way, led by 2017 first-round pick Deshaun Watson and star wideout DeAndre Hopkins. Even with J.J. Watt struggling to stay on the field as he approaches 30, the defense also has some nice, young pieces like Jadeveon Clowney (24) and Zach Cunningham (23).

Tennessee's offense is building an identity with one of the top offensive lines in the league, led by bookends Jack Conklin (24) and Taylor Lewan (27). With Marcus Mariota (24), Derrick Henry (24), and Corey Davis (23) still ascending, the offense should continue to develop. The defense also has some impressive young talent like Kevin Byard (25) and Adoree' Jackson (22), and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey has also shown that he has a lot left approaching age 30.

The Saints signed 39-year-old Drew Brees to a two-year deal, and probably aren't counting on him beyond that deal. Even after trading next year's first round pick to get Marcus Davenport, the team looks in good hands for the future with a young core of Alvin Kamara (23), Michael Thomas (25), Marshon Lattimore (22), Vonn Bell (23), and Marcus Williams (21). The team is a Super Bowl contender this year and beyond.

It's not as if the Packers roster is barren, but the loss of Aaron Rodgers last season did expose some issues around him. Rodgers (34) still has some time, but the team needs to fill-in around him, particularly on defense. Davante Adams (25) and Geronimo Allison (24) do look like nice targets for Rodgers' late career, and the front office has invested heavily in the secondary in recent drafts. The Packers desperately need those picks to be fruitful.

Are the Browns this year's Jaguars? The similarities are there, with a team that has been building up draft and salary cap capital over the last few seasons. General manager John Dorsey also proved to be a tremendous drafter in Kansas City. The offense has huge long-term upside with Baker Mayfield (23), Nick Chubb (22), Jarvis Landry (25), Antonio Callaway (21), Josh Gordon (27) and David Njoku (22). The defense also has its shares of nice building blocks with Myles Garrett (22), Jabrill Peppers (22), and Denzel Ward (21). Still, this team needs time to gel, and there's high volatility in most of its projections.

The Chargers are a popular pick to win the AFC West this season and are led by Philip Rivers, an improved offensive line and solid weapons like Melvin Gordon (25), Keenan Allen (26) and Mike Williams (23). We shouldn't forget about tight end Hunter Henry in the long term, and the defense has arguably the best young pass rusher in league in former first-rounder Joey Bosa.

The 2016 draft might have saved the Cowboys franchise with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, but the elite offensive line has taken some big hits over the last two seasons. The defense has made nice strides recently and can feel comfortable in a future that includes Demarcus Lawrence (26), Jaylon Smith (23) and Byron Jones (25). We also know that Jerry Jones is willing to spend on the coaching staff if Jason Garrett can't improve this season.

Seattle started its rebuild in the offseason but hopes to remain competitive with elite quarterback Russell Wilson (29) still under center. The running back combo of Rashaad Penny (22) and Chris Carson (23) is very intriguing, and Tyler Lockett (25) is also a nice piece. The defense needs some draft picks to pan out but does feel good about the Griffin twins (23). Sixty-six-year-old head coach Pete Carroll seems younger than his listed age, but he might not want to stick around for another five seasons.

The 49ers have invested their future in Jimmy Garoppolo, giving him a massive contract despite only five starts with the team. The early returns there are promising but still risky. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has shown in multiple stops that he's a great play caller, and the defense has some really interesting youngsters like DeForest Buckner (24), Solomon Thomas (22) and even Reuben Foster (24), if he can stay on the straight and narrow.

Just two years removed from a 15-1 season and Super Bowl appearance, the Panthers have a lot of solid youth to build around like Christian McCaffrey (22), Devin Funchess (24), D.J. Moore (21), Shaq Thompson (24) and James Bradberry (25). But ultimately their future revolves around Cam Newton's ability to get back to an MVP level, and mobile quarterbacks of his ilk haven't aged well in recent NFL history.

Whether Matthew Stafford is in the elite quarterback category is up for debate, but there's no doubt the 30-year-old gives Detroit a fighting chance. The organization also has to like what it has seen out of Kenny Golladay (24) and has invested heavily in the offensive line. Some of the defense's key pieces are nearing age 30, so it needs continued development out of youngsters like Jarrad Davis (23) and Teez Tabor (22).

Chicago has some really interesting weapons now if second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky can make them work. He has a better shot at developing with the help of new head coach Matt Nagy, and the team is set at running back with a pair of talented 23-year-olds in Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen. The defense also has some extremely high upside in young pieces like Eddie Goldman (24), Jonathan Bullard (24), Leonard Floyd (25) and first-round pick Roquan Smith (21).

The future outlook obviously improves with Andrew Luck healthy again, but this remains a major rebuild for general manager Chris Ballard  He had five picks in the first two rounds of this year's draft — and desperately needs them to pan out — led by guard Quenton Nelson. Last year's top pick, Malik Hooker, has already met the injury bug in his early career.

The Ravens organization has stagnated much due to the mediocre play of Joe Flacco, but he probably shouldn't be worried about losing his job anytime soon based how bad first-round pick Lamar Jackson has looked during the preseason. Much of the offense is old but has found some keepers with Alex Collins (24) and Ronnie Stanley (24). The defense also is set to soon lose key players Terrell Suggs and Eric Weddle due to age but has a building block in C.J. Mosley (26).

Arizona invested its first-round pick in Josh Rosen, which could cause the organization to sink or swim for the next 10-plus years. David Johnson is a star but already 26, and the early returns show that the team hit on second-round pick Christian Kirk and potentially 2017 draftee Chad Williams as Larry Fitzgerald approaches the end of his career. Defensive stars Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson are still near the top of their games, but the team really needs 2016 first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche to prove he's not a bust. Haason Reddick (23), and Budda Baker (22) also need to continue to develop.

The Giants opted to take running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick instead of a long-term replacement for Eli Manning. Time will tell if that was the right move. Barkley has looked like a star in the making this preseason, but Manning's performance has fallen sharply recently. Odell Beckham Jr. (25) is a star but not guaranteed to re-sign, and Sterling Shepard (24) and Evan Engram (23) have shown big upside. The defense's future centers on Landon Collins (24), with 2016 first-rounder Eli Apple looking like a bust so far.

The Jets are giddy about rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, but they shouldn't get ahead of themselves just yet. He does have some young teammates to develop with like Isaiah Crowell (25), Robby Anderson (25) and Quincy Enunwa (26). The team's formerly elite defensive line fizzled quickly but still has Leonard Williams (24), while Jamal Adams (22) and Marcus Maye (25) show real potential behind him.

Andy Dalton has struggled over the last two years in large part due to Cincinnati's poor offensive line, but the team addressed that issue this offseason. He's proved capable in the past and has a high upside running back in Joe Mixon (22). A.J. Green (30) might have already peaked, and there's concern recent wideout draft picks Tyler Boyd and John Ross are busts. The once elite defensive line remains solid but aging, and the secondary saw major turnover in the offseason as it tries to get younger.

The Raiders future rests on Jon Gruden's ability to find Derek Carr (27) and Amari Cooper (24) after major regression last year. Overall, the team has intentionally gotten older during the offseason with Gruden's preference for experience, and Khalil Mack's contract holdout is starting to become worrisome. The secondary is really counting on the development of recent first-round picks Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph.

Making a mistake on a first-round quarterback has major negative implications, as John Elway and Co. have found out with Paxton Lynch's failure to develop over the last two-plus years. Case Keenum doesn't exactly seem like a savior, and wideouts Demaryius Thomas (30) and Emmanuel Sanders (31) are also aging without much help behind them. The defense remained elite last year and was thrilled to get Bradley Chubb in the draft, and Von Miller (29) still seems to have plenty of life left.

Where does Jameis Winston stand in his development? He regressed in his third season and now will miss the first three games of this season due to a suspension. If he doesn't make strides this year, the organization will almost certainly be blown up. The Bucs do have some outstanding young pieces like Mike Evans (25), Chris Godwin (22) and O.J. Howard (23). Kwon Alexander (24) has been a great draft find, but the defensive line is full of aged stars and 2016 first-round cornerback Vernon Hargreaves is shaping up to be a bust.

Washington alienated Kirk Cousins and had to use Kendall Fuller and draft capital to get his replacement in 34-year-old Alex Smith. This year's draft class has already had a major setback with Derrius Guice's ACL injury, but the young wideout trio of Josh Doctson (25), Jamison Crowder (25), and Paul Richardson (26) shows potential. The team has enjoyed the development of its young secondary members, as well as former Alabama defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Da'Ron Payne this summer.

Ryan Tannehill has plenty of seasoning, but the jury is still out on his ability to lead a team. While the Dolphins have shown upside, the same skepticism can be expressed with Kenyan Drake (24) and DeVante Parker (25). That's not good news after trading Jarvis Landry. Defensive stars Cameron Wake, Robert Quinn and Reshad Jones are clearly past their peaks, so the team is counting on Xavien Howard (25), Minkah Fitzpatrick (21) and Raekwon McMillan (22).

Buffalo took a big risk on former Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen in the first round and the Bills have lost significant talent on their offensive line this offseason. Offensive star LeSean McCoy is staring at Father Time as a 30-year-old running back. The transition in defensive schemes last year contributed to the Bills giving away good talent like Ronald Darby, Reggie Ragland and Marcell Dareus. The team was left building its defense via free agency, which is rarely a profitable endeavor. 2017 first-round corner Tre'Davious White does look promising, and the team hopes 2018 first-rounder Tremaine Edmunds can develop similarly at middle linebacker.