Most intriguing NFL team of 2015? Ranking the storylines of all 32 squads

This is a highly subjective list. Using my sophisticated OPI (Own Personal Intrigue) method, I carefully have ranked the teams in order of interest and intrigue prior to the 2015 NFL season.

Please note: These are not power rankings. This is not how I think the 2016 NFL draft order will look. Nothing like that.

Intrigue can be both bad and good. My top-ranked team here missed the postseason a year ago; my 32nd-ranked team made it. Hopefully, you get the idea. I’m just speculating which teams will be the most buzzworthy and boast the most fascinating storylines heading into the season. The Washington Redskins, for instance, have mastered the art of bad-team intrigue.

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And some might argue that for years, the New England Patriots — even as remarkable as their run has been — are the most boring good team out there. Of course, not this year. Not with deflate-gate and Tom Brady's suspension threatening to rule the first month of the season.

So here they are, my indisputable OPI rankings heading into training camp.

The most intriguing team of 2015 is ...

1. Philadelphia Eagles — Chip Kelly: secret genius or mad scientist? This could be the year we find out. He enters Year Three having shuttled off nearly the entire roster he inherited — including many of the Eagles’ highest-regarded players. How are we not intrigued? One of his biggest imports, DeMarco Murray, he shockingly poached from the rival Dallas Cowboys. We will find out this season if Chip’s system — which is more about team building than some gimmicky offensive philosophy — is built to last. If Kelly reincarnates Sam Bradford and fixes that defense, it might be time to give it up, haters. But if Bradford struggles (or struggles to stay healthy), and the ball is put in the hands of Mark Sanchez or — gasp — Tim Tebow, it might be worrisome. You have to wonder, after Kelly missed out on landing Marcus Mariota, if finding a perfect-fit quarterback will forever be Kelly’s Camelot.

2. San Francisco 49ers — The attrition that has ravaged this team might have reached historical levels. After a strange, strained battle with ownership, Jim Harbaugh walked at what looks like precisely the right time. In his wake, the foundation of his steely squad either retired, was shipped out or left via free agency. Thrifty owner Jed York opted to go cheap — under the auspice of trust, dependability and locker-room harmony — in hiring the less-than-lucid Jim Tomsula (one game of head-coaching experience). There are scores of veterans trying to revive their careers — Aldon Smith, Colin Kaepernick, NaVorro Bowman, Vernon Davis, and more. There’s talent, but is there turmoil? The first half of the schedule, by the way, is brutal.

3. Buffalo Bills — Are you excited yet? Maybe you’re not the biggest Rex Ryan fan (you communist!), and maybe you’re laughing at their quarterback options. Fair enough. But maybe Tyrod Taylor — who beat out Russell Wilson for ACC Player of the Year in 2010 — is a secret killer, or at least not a total disaster. And everywhere else there is exciting talent, playing in a city dying to win for a coach who will do anything and everything he can to (a) stick it to the Jets, (b) beat Tom Brady and (c) deliver a winner to some long-suffering fans. The defense could be the league’s best, and there are playmakers littered throughout the offense. There’s something happening here — and some excitable personalities coming to town with Ryan, LeSean McCoy, Richie Incognito and Percy Harvin — and what it is ain't exactly clear.

4. New England Patriots — It has been a wild six months since they beat the Indianapolis Colts, setting the Bad Ship Deflate-gate into motion, stealing a Super Bowl win in mind-blowing fashion and watching Brady get dragged through the mud in the league’s phony and laughable attempt to uphold the integrity of the game. And while everyone knows that what doesn’t kill the Patriots tends to make them stronger, navigating their way back to another Super Bowl appears far tougher, with a stronger division, Brady turning 38 and the Patriots’ huge losses in the secondary. If they do win it all this year, it will be their fifth title. The significance of this: The Patriots would own 10 percent of all the Super Bowl championships. The title also would be Bill Belichick’s seventh, which would tie him all time with former Broncos and 49ers scout/administrator Neal Dahlen for the most in league history.

5. Dallas Cowboys — The Dez Bryant signing removes a smidge of the drama, but it’s still a team we’ll be thinking about almost daily. Last season shocked me — I pegged their defense to be historically bad. And that’s why this season is so intriguing. For the first time, legitimately, the Cowboys are a Super Bowl contender for the first time in forever, and yet they’re missing a huge piece with Murray gone (to the hated Eagles, no less). The guys vying to replace him are a possibly washed-up back in Darren McFadden and a player guilty of shoplifting underwear and cologne last year in Joseph Randle. Randy Gregory and La’el Collins also will be fun to chart as high-profile rookies looking to make a lot of teams wish they hadn't passed them over in the draft.

6. Seattle Seahawks — Russell Wilson’s contract looms as one of the more fascinating negotiations in recent NFL history, textured by the fact that he’s coming off the haunting Super Bowl interception. His gift: a Marshawn Lynch contract extension and trades for receiving help in Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett. But Michael Bennett could hold out? And Earl Thomas will miss all of camp? Intrigue! In a certain way, these are the same Seahawks we’ve come to know, so there’s a ceiling to it, and there’s no reason to think they can’t get back to a third straight Super Bowl. But we’ll always be paying attention to what this outlaw bunch is doing and saying.

7. Minnesota Vikings

— Everything points toward a bigger season, maybe even a special one. Adrian Peterson, awkwardly or not, is back. Teddy Bridgewater showed he can be the guy down the stretch. Is this Teddy’s team now? That’s fascinating. Mike Zimmer has to love what he has here, including the makings of a top 10 (maybe even a top five) defense. The division is tough, and the Green Bay Packers remain the better team until further notice. But the Vikings could announce their presence this season.

8. Green Bay Packers — If you’re the Super Bowl favorites, as some Vegas houses have them, you likely have an automatic landing spot in the top 10. If you bow out of the playoffs in a spectacular collapse, you get bumped up a notch as we try to figure out how they’ll respond to that loss in Seattle. Beyond that, it’s not the wildest bunch of webelos we’ve ever seen, but they put up points in spectacular and prolific fashion and have the best quarterback in the game. The OPI is not off the charts, but it’s buzzing. Mike McCarthy giving up play calling is something we’re watching closely.

9. New York Giants — No team has had a weirder offseason, or a tougher one injury-wise. The odd mystery of Jason Pierre-Paul blowing a finger off in a fireworks mishap has been the NFL’s strangest offseason story. Left tackle William Beatty tore his pec lifting. Odell Beckham Jr.’s hammy has been barking for months. Victor Cruz is still sidelined. And there’s a lot at stake. Eli Manning’s contract runs out after this season. Tom Coughlin has parried off retirement talk, but for how long? This could be one of those flashpoint seasons for the franchise.

10. Denver Broncos — Peyton Manning might be finished, in that he’s washed up as a player, or he might be finished in that he’s still pretty darned good but that this could be his swan song season. That alone will keep us tuned in, especially with all his weapons, and realistically the defense could be spectacular under the watch of Wade Phillips. What else do we have? Gary Kubiak’s return to Denver, Von Miller heading into free agency, a potentially crummy offensive line and C.J. Anderson looking to build off last season’s breakout. It’s interesting, but perhaps not thrilling.

11. New Orleans Saints — Something tells me this team is going to get its mojo back. Even if Rob Ryan pledges to have his defense speak more softly and yet carry bigger sticks than it did during a miserable 2014 effort, something says that dam will break some time before the opener against the Arizona Cardinals — even with the release of the caustic Junior Galette. Drew Brees’ decline has been greatly exaggerated, and yet the story of how that offense — no Graham, no Kenny Stills — will evolve is pretty darned interesting. The Saints will look different in 2015, and they could be more fun again.

tie-12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Tennessee Titans — It’s a copout, yes, to pair up these rookie-quarterback-driven rebuilding projects. But as intrigued as we might be to follow the different styles and skills of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, the first and second picks of the draft, respectively, the truth of the matter is that both of their teams largely stink until proven otherwise. Still, we’ve seen the power of a young QB injecting life into listless teams in recent years, so there’s always the hope of that happening in Tampa and Nashville. They’re a lot more intriguing than they were four months ago. Oh, and they face off in Tampa in Week 1. How convenient.

14. Kansas City Chiefs

— I realize they don’t move the needle for many who brand them the BORING MIDWEST TEAM or for those choose to invoke the ALEX SMITH STINKS privilege, but I see something here. I see Justin Houston chasing a sack record. I see Jamaal Charles, fourth all-time in yards per rush (ahead of Jim Brown). I see Andy Reid averaging 10 wins the past two seasons after taking over a garbage roster. I see a defense that allowed the second-fewest points in the NFL and a team that beat both Super Bowl teams last year. I see 20-plus free agents next year. I see a team that will exceed expectations and possibly make a deep playoff run if the offensive line can jell. I’m sorry not everyone can see it.

15. Houston Texans — Are they fool’s gold on the OPI scale? Hard Knocks could give us an indication, but their milquetoast quarterback group is a good reason to keep them right in this range. Even if Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett are not terrible, they’re just not that exciting. Bill O’Brien is a pretty interesting coach, and we know J.J. Watt is a mover and shaker. Can Watt and Vince Wilfork push Jadeveon Clowney if he’s healthy? That will be fascinating to watch. Arian Foster is interesting, for better or worse. That’s about it. They look like a pretty good team without a ton to lose our minds about.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers — Mike Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2010 season, but he will be paid upwards of $7 million per year in his new contract to end that streak this season. After two 8-8 seasons and a first-round postseason loss to the hated Ravens, the Steelers are seeking bigger and better. The season opener against the Patriots will be a heater, even with Le’Veon Bell missing it and the next two. The offense looks like a revved-up sports car while the defense is more jalopy than gem at this point, but there’s room for growth. New coordinator Keith Butler is in the spotlight after replacing institution Dick LeBeau, his longtime boss.

17. Miami Dolphins — This is a team whose coach needs to win badly. Despite a one-year extension this offseason, it’s win-or-bust for Joe Philbin with the team having added Ndamukong Suh, a whole new group of pass catchers (DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and Jordan Cameron) and possessing enough young talent to make a run at the Patriots. Most of the key position battles are inside on the offensive line — not sexy but important nonetheless — and the infrastructure is strong. Can Philbin and Ryan Tannehill take the next step? That’s the prevailing theme, and it’s a pretty big one.

18. Arizona Cardinals — Bruce Arians is the best. Carson Palmer is coming back; the Cardinals were great last season with him, and pretty bad without him. They’ve beefed up their offensive line. The defense looks pretty good, even without Todd Bowles, as Sean Weatherspoon adds some howl. Anything I’m missing here? Larry Fitzgerald is being phased out, but it’s happening in an amicable, respectful way. He still has something in the tank. Rookie runner David Johnson is one to watch. There’s just not a ton of buzz for this team, but we suspect Arians is fine with that.

19. Washington Redskins — The Robert Griffin III mystery looms, and he’ll get every chance to summon his 2012 self again as the starting quarterback whose 2016 option has been picked up. Last season’s drama centered around Griffin and head coach Jay Gruden and the apparent disconnect between Gruden and the front office over Griffin. That rolls over into this season with answers needed. The defense, including the coaching, received a semi-overhaul, and there are a few other developments worth charting. But the excitement and intrigue level has a real limit here.

20. Atlanta Falcons — A year from now, I predict they’ll be higher. Dan Quinn has the earmarks of a fearless leader, and he’ll continue to forge his brand on this team over time. Julio Jones is in a contract year and could go nuclear if he plays a full season, but Matt Ryan is the most vanilla 4,700-yard passer money can buy. Roddy White might be heading into his final season in Atlanta. The defense will be tightened, and rookie Vic Beasley adds excitement, but it’s far from a great unit yet. The O-line still looks like garbage. This is a slow boil, and I’m not quite ready to throw my pasta in this unsalted water, if that makes sense.

21. Baltimore Ravens

— This is where it gets tricky. I believe the Ravens are one of the favorites to make a deep run in what appears to be an open AFC field. They have that same Ravens swagger, and time has yet to mellow the always watchable Terrell Suggs and Steve Smith. Any Joe Flacco-quarterbacked team has a cap on its sex appeal, even if the man has one of the best postseason track records going. The Ravens are well-coached, they always seem to bounce back from personnel losses and you have to assume they’ll be strong contenders again. It just might be one of the less intriguing Ravens teams in a few years on some level. Who starts opposite Smith at receiver? That’s worth debating and tracking. The changes on offense (including coordinator Marc Trestman) are intriguing.

22. Indianapolis Colts — Frank Gore might be one of those tremendous short-term investments that changes the profile of a team, aiding a lagging run game and adding some much-needed grit. Andrew Luck has been great, but is he in that elite group? Overrated debate, in my opinion, but Luck has an incredible array of weapons entering his fourth season. Is it a Super Bowl-or-bust season? I don’t think so. But we’re getting close. The offensive line and defense, problems at times last season, remain questions. Also of note: Chuck Pagano is in the final year of his deal, but not too many people outside Indy are talking about it.

23. New York Jets — Look, we’re excited about Darrelle Revis’ return and the revamping of a talented defense. We’re also still hopeful about Geno Smith breaking out, and new head coach Todd Bowles has a very interesting albeit incomplete team to help rebuild with. The four-game suspension for Sheldon Richardson stings. There are holes on the roster, and the Jets have the ability to beat the Patriots once head to head this season. But let’s cap our enthusiasm just a bit with a few too many unknowns. Next year could be very interesting, however.

24. San Diego Chargers — What is wrong with me exactly? This is a team whose franchise quarterback and defensive linchpin are heading into the final years of their respective deals … its future Hall of Fame tight end has had his spotless image tarnished with a four-game suspension … whose first-round running back averaged nearly eight yards per carry last season in college and who could be the missing ingredient … and, oh yeah, whose team could relocate to Los Angeles after this season. I know I should be more fascinated by this team. I just … am not. I’ll take the blame on this one.

25. St. Louis Rams — Same kind of deal. No team that traded for a new quarterback, drafted Todd Gurley and has five (!) rookie offensive linemen should be this low, much less one with arguably the best front four in football. Throw in the fact that there's a new starting quarterback and that the Rams could be skating for L.A. in six months, and you'd think there's a lot to talk about. There is. But I'm not getting swept up yet in Rams Mania. Maybe I will when I visit training camp next week. They probably deserve to be a bit higher. But like the state's motto — Show Me — I need to see it to believe it.

26. Cleveland Browns — A year ago, they might have been in the top four or five. This season? I’m kind of over the hype a bit. Johnny Manziel has gone from whiskey rock-a-roller to milquetoast backup for Josh McCown, the former high-school teacher and coach. The Terrelle Pryor stuff is a bit overblown until proven otherwise. The defense has some former first-rounders (Justin Gilbert and Barkevious Mingo) who must step up. Mike Pettine appears to be a good coach, and the Browns might pull and upset or three this season. But I’m hedging my bets on the thrill factor here.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars — I was one of those silly saps who double-fisted on the Jaguars Juice a year ago, and I ended up swallowing pretty hard on what clearly was yet another rebuild season. More of the same, even though the excitement level at least has reached a bit of a simmer. This team might sneak up on a few folks, Blake Bortles has a lot more to work with and Allen Robinson might be a breakout star. But the Dante Fowler Jr. injury was a crushing early blow, and there still are a bunch of shortcomings here. Gus Bradley isn’t on the hot seat — not yet.

28. Oakland Raiders

— I’ll go on record to say I think Amari Cooper could be a 90-catch rookie. The early returns have been thrilling, and he’s clearly Derek Carr’s best hope. Young QB-WR combos are exciting to watch, and Khalil Mack is embarking on what could be a special career. New head coach Jack Del Rio is better than most people realize, and I have hope for the future amid the cloudiness of the franchise’s eventual location. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, folks.

29. Carolina Panthers — I seriously don’t know what to do with this team. On the one hand, they have a uniquely skilled quarterback and a defense that is championship-grade. On the other, they just don’t thrill me — especially now that Cam Newton’s deal is done. At this point, we simply ask: can he live up to it? The team’s strange draft haul and flat-line free-agent additions don’t move us much. We think Ron Rivera is churning out more of what he has had the past few seasons: a competitive, gritty team that won’t thrill the TV networks. Just sayin’ …

30. Detroit Lions — Losing Suh and Nick Fairley hurts, and adding Haloti Ngata (for what could be a one-season rental) doesn’t tickle our toes much. Matthew Stafford endures the long-running can-he-do-more questions, and even with excitement (Calvin Johnson returning to health), hope (Eric Ebron emerging) and options at running back (another three-headed attack), we’re underwhelmed by the offensive line. Jim Caldwell is a natural sedative for a team, and even coming off a strong first season at the helm, we expect a small step back and limited intrigue in a tough division.

31. Chicago Bears — It’s not as if there are not things to talk about here. New head coach and GM. A defense in need of life support. Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte possibly heading to free agency next year. The scourge of Jay Cutler. But knowing there’s a darned good chance they could get in an early hole with a tough schedule and finish fourth doesn’t exactly leave us breathless here. The most telling part of the season could be in the latter half when we see what John Fox’s longer-term intentions are.

32. Cincinnati Bengals — The song remains the same … can Andy Dalton win a playoff game? Some might be intrigued by this hamster wheel, or by the ooh, snap Dalton was booed at a celebrity softball game element of it all. But really, he’s not a lot different (and in some ways better) from Carson Palmer in his first four seasons starting:

Throw in “Melba” Marvin Lewis, and even with his ability to walk between the raindrops, it’s a pass for me. The Bengals look like a really strong team — outside of QB — to me. Almost no holes. And almost no excitement or intrigue, either.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm