Joe Giglio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

NFC hierarchy

We often spend time debating how teams stack up in their own division or across the NFL as a whole. But what about within the conference? Here's a ranking of the 16 NFC teams by roster. Does talent win out? If the final 2016 NFC standings lineup up to these rankings, we might be able to say yes for at least this year.

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1. Seattle Seahawks

Yes, even without Marshawn Lynch. Russell Wilson's ascension from very good quarterback to legitimate NFL MVP candidate raises this team up. Don't be surprised if they take back the NFC West and have the road to the Super Bowl go through Seattle again.

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2. Arizona Cardinals

You can make a case that this is most talented team in all of football. If not for Seattle's depth, Arizona would get the top spot. Adding Chandler Jones was a steal. If healthy, a year-long NFC West battle with Seattle will commence.

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3. Green Bay Packers

Green Bay never seemed to get out of its own way in 2015. With Jordy Nelson coming back, Aaron Rodgers has his full stable of weapons again.

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4. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers never got enough respect on the road to a special season in 2015. Still a top heavy roster carried by stars. Josh Norman's departure will hurt more than they might believe.

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5. Dallas Cowboys

Offensively, no team in the league has as much talent. From quarterback (Tony Romo) to a stable of runners (Ezekiel Elliott, Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden) to one of the best WR-TE tandems in the NFL (Dez Bryant-Jason Witten) to the best offensive line in the sport, Dallas is going to excel when it has the ball. Now about that defense...

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6. New York Giants

Clearly, they are improved. If the offensive line holds up, they'll put up a ton of points. Talent wise, the Giants have the look of a playoff team again.

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7. Minnesota Vikings

Very, very solid. Although they curiously spent big on veteran offensive lineman, the Laquon Treadwell pick will pay dividends right away. Teddy Bridgewater could make a leap.

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8. Washington Redskins

Right in the middle. Good enough to win the NFC East again. Not bad enough to go back to laughing stock territory.

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9. Atlanta Falcons

Mohamed Sanu, Alex Mack and first-round pick Keanu Neal add to the depth here. This team could have enough to move into the the top five or six of the conference by the start of the season.

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10. Philadelphia Eagles

Recently, Pro Football Focus rated this roster as one of the best in all of football, not just the NFC. While there's depth in many areas, including a loaded quarterback depth chart, I just don't see that kind of high-end talent. Check back in 2018 for a top-five type of roster.

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11. St. Louis Rams

Everything but quarterback. At least until now. If Jared Goff is ready to play at an above-average level from the start, the Rams may be even better than they look right now.

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12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Still not a pretty roster, but Jameis Winston has the ability to drag them to contention in a weak NFC South.

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13. Detroit Lions

Calvin Johnson's departure leaves a huge hole that won't be filled for a long time.

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14. Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler's not even the problem any longer. That's how you know the Bears have work to do.

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15. New Orleans Saints

Years of salary cap issue and short-sighted decisions have taken New Orleans from perennial contender to franchise in desperate need of an overhaul.

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16. San Francisco 49ers

Chip Kelly has his work cut out for him. If the ex-Eagles coach posts a .500-or-better record with the team he has now, no one should ever call him anything but a good football coach.