The Athletic - Which NFL teams have the best front offices? Head coaches and execs cast their votes

[JGMcD2]

As the 2025 season began, The Athletic asked 29 general managers, head coaches and high-ranking team executives to rank their top front offices in the NFL (no one was allowed to vote for their team). We tabulated the votes and solicited specific feedback on the top teams to put the focus on why these front offices have set themselves apart from the pack.

 

1. Philadelphia Eagles

 

2. Baltimore Ravens

 

3. Los Angeles Rams

 

4. Buffalo Bills

 

It all starts with the quarterback in Buffalo, but don’t diminish the process.

 

Reigning MVP Josh Allen was a tough player to evaluate leading up to the 2018 draft, but the Bills packaged a pair of second-round picks to move up five spots from No. 12 to select the Wyoming quarterback. Then they had to hold steady for a couple of years while he refined his skills.

 

They’ve cashed in ever since.

 

“They nailed the QB, and that goes a really long way,” an executive said. “I was not a huge Josh Allen fan (before the draft). They put in the work and the time, and that was not a slam-dunk pick by any stretch. But they identified him.” 
 

General manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott share a like-minded view on roster acquisition. And while there have been inconsistencies in the draft, the Bills were still able to reload on the fly over the last two years, shedding veterans for a youth movement.

 

“They have a really good staff and a clear vision for what a Bill looks like,” an executive said. “With few exceptions, their guys are always tough and competitive.”

 

There’s a real significance in building through the draft in Buffalo, too. Quite poignantly, it hadn’t been a priority destination for free agents, at least not before Allen took off.

 

“They identified the QB and built around him,” another executive said. “They’ve got a good group of scouts who work hard, grind, know how to get information and they’re really organized.”

 

5. Kansas City Chiefs 

Edited 1 hour ago by JGMcD2

[machine gun kelly]

Agreed.  They aren’t the best, but dam good.  I didn’t put the n on dam so the Hoover thing, not the curse word .  I respect the rules.

[RyanC883]

how is KC not #2?  In no universe should the Bills be ahead of them.  

 

I'm not saying we aren't 4, but this is weird.  

 

Unless the author (perhaps correctly) believes the Bills have been a better team, but not capatilized on it in January.  

Edited 49 minutes ago by RyanC883

[Low Positive]

12 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

how is KC not #2?  In no universe should the Bills be ahead of them.  

 

I'm not saying we aren't 4, but this is weird.  

 

Unless the author (perhaps correctly) believes the Bills have been a better team, but not capatilized on it in January.  

The "author" has nothing to do with this. He just compiled data and quotes. This article is a ranking based on votes by NFL GMs, HCs, and executives. They couldn't vote for their own team. Brandon Beane has a lot of respect around the league for how he goes about his business, and that is reflected here. 

[Sierra Foothills]

1 hour ago, JGMcD2 said:

As the 2025 season began, The Athletic asked 29 general managers, head coaches and high-ranking team executives to rank their top front offices in the NFL (no one was allowed to vote for their team). We tabulated the votes and solicited specific feedback on the top teams to put the focus on why these front offices have set themselves apart from the pack.

 

[Bruffalo]

I have a morbid curiosity for who would be worst if they were asked the reverse. 

Edited 22 minutes ago by Bruffalo

[sullim4]

27 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

how is KC not #2?  In no universe should the Bills be ahead of them.  

 

I'm not saying we aren't 4, but this is weird.  

 

Unless the author (perhaps correctly) believes the Bills have been a better team, but not capatilized on it in January.  

 

KC has a reputation for being penny pinching and not particularly well run in the front office.  They hit on Mahomes and Reid but you'll see in other areas they have a bad reputation.  IIRC players rated them quite poorly.

[JGMcD2]

29 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

how is KC not #2?  In no universe should the Bills be ahead of them.  

 

I'm not saying we aren't 4, but this is weird.  

 

Unless the author (perhaps correctly) believes the Bills have been a better team, but not capatilized on it in January.  

 

There was no author... The Athletic asked 29 general managers, head coaches and high-ranking team executives to rank their top front offices in the NFL (no one was allowed to vote for their team). We tabulated the votes and solicited specific feedback on the top teams to put the focus on why these front offices have set themselves apart from the pack.

[Low Positive]

2 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

I have a morbid curiosity for who would be worst if they were asked the reverse. 

Cincinnati. If they are rating scouts, they have none to evaluate.

[BearNorth]

3 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

I have a morbid curiosity for who would be worst if they were asked the reverse. 

Um - Jets, Saints, Titans and sadly Giants [staffed with a healthy group of Bills alums] could all be classified as recent dumpster fires.

[Big Turk]

36 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

how is KC not #2?  In no universe should the Bills be ahead of them.  

 

I'm not saying we aren't 4, but this is weird.  

 

Unless the author (perhaps correctly) believes the Bills have been a better team, but not capatilized on it in January.  

 

How would the Rams or Ravens be ahead of the Bills then?  Ravens consistently fail in playoffs with "high end rosters" due in large part to their QB playing his worst game of the year and Rams had one SB win and have been a middling team ever since. Also Ravens have the league's worst defense with multiple all-pros, pro-bowlers and 7 first round picks on it.

Edited 12 minutes ago by Big Turk