With the NFL season around the corner, ESPN power ranked all 32 teams based on quarterback, coaching, drafting, and front-office competency. The categories add up to create an aggregate score for each NFL team. ESPN experts are grading based on how each team will perform over the next few years. On Thursday’s Toucher & Rich radio program—Fred, Rich, and Wallach react to where the New England Patriots land on this power ranking list.
Parts of conversation are abbreviated for clarity.

ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 26: The New England Patriots logo is seen on a video board during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Fred: ESPN has the 2023 NFL future power rankings. And they got specific here. For how many years? Well, just in the next few years, they have teams ranked. The Eagles are number one.
Well, I’ll tell you this they judge your overall roster based on quarterback, coaching, drafting, and front-office competency.
Rich: And this all goes into one ranking? Or are they ranking each one of those categories individually?
Fred: They add up all the categories to get an aggregate score. A one-hundred rating is considered an A-plus. Anything below a 50 score is graded “F.” The Eagles are ranked number one overall. Kansas City is number two. And the Bengals are number three.
Rich: Where are the Patriots? I’m going to say that they are 25th in the league.
Fred: It’s not even that exciting.
Wallach: No, no, no, no, no. The Patriots have done what over the last three years? They’ve been exceedingly mediocre in just about every category. Mediocre. I’m betting they’re middle of the pack.
Fred: They are C-plus, my friend. They rank with an overall score of 79. That places them 16th in the NFL.