Whether you are looking to find a team to select in franchise mode or just trying to beat the brakes off of your friends in a play now scenario, it’s always good to know which teams carry the most firepower.
If you are starting a franchise and have some experience with Madden, attempting a rebuild gives the best experience. Roster construction via trades, free agency, and the draft are more fun when the team itself has many holes to fill. The actual gameplay is also more entertaining because there are young players to develop and the games are far more challenging, making each play/decision more important.
Here are the best teams in Madden 23, ranked from first to last:
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 92 overall
The Buccaneers enter Madden 23 in the same fashion as the year prior, first in the NFL with a 92 overall. It’s not surprising to see the Bucs top the charts, though quarterback Tom Brady (97 overall) did put their reign in jeopardy with his brief 40-day retirement. The 45-year-old signal-caller is not only back in pads but enters as the highest-rated quarterback in Madden 23.
The Buccaneers come into the game with the highest-rated offense at 92 overall and tied for the seventh-best defense (85 overall). The roster features five players with 90+ ratings and a whopping 16 with 80+ overalls. They roster above-average to elite talent at nearly every position on offense and defense.
What makes this team super enticing for franchise mode is the ability to see all sides of running an organization. You enter Year 1 as front runners to win the Super Bowl, with a loaded roster and all the expectations in the world. That said, there is a very high chance Brady hangs up the cleats after the 2022 season (for real this time), which puts you in a near rebuild right away entering 2023. Sure, there is plenty of talent beyond Brady, but 63 overall Kyle Trask is currently the second-string quarterback and there are plenty of older veterans set up for yearly regression and possible retirement. The Bucs offer a chance to almost play franchise mode in reverse, seeing if you can keep a core together with a young quarterback almost immediately after being favored in Year 1.
2. Buffalo Bills – 89 overall
The Bills enter the 2022 season with a ton of hype, and Madden 23 isn’t doing anything to stand in the way of the excitement. Buffalo holds the highest overall in the AFC, a conference that became much improved over the offseason.
The Bills, who boast the second-best offense and the best defense (tied with the Los Angeles Rams) feature six 90+ overall players and 16 players in the 80+ overall range. While the AFC East appears to be a division full of talent, the Bills are firmly in the driver’s seat with a strong core and a franchise quarterback in Josh Allen (92).
3. Los Angeles Rams – 88 overall
The defending Super Bowl champions are the perfect, high-powered roster to have a blast in franchise mode. The roster only features four players in the 90+ overall range but three are 98 or better: defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99), wide receiver Cooper Kupp (98) and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (98). On top of the Super-Bowl-winning core, the Rams added inside linebacker Bobby Wagner (91) and wide receiver Allen Robinson (82).
4. Green Bay Packers – 88 overall
The Packers will enter the season without 99 overall club member Devante Adams but still roster one of the best teams in the NFL and Madden 23 agrees. Green Bay enters in a similar situation as the Buccaneers, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers (96) placing the team in win-now mode until he retires. Going against recent history, the Packers actually have a highly-touted rookie receiver to develop: Christian Watson (71). The team also has first-round inside linebacker Quay Walker (73). They’ll need to develop into starting-caliber players given the age of the team’s core.
5. Los Angeles Chargers – 87 overall
The Chargers are on the rise in a loaded AFC West and made some notable offseason additions to bolster an already playoff-caliber core. Pass rusher Khalil Mack (92) and cornerback J.C. Jackson (90) bolster a previously middling defense. Offensively, the Chargers have wide receiver Keenan Allen (91), quarterback Justin Herbert (88), running back Austin Ekeler (88), and receiver Mike Williams (86) creating havoc. The Bolts also have a future franchise left tackle in Rashawn Slater (84) entering his second season.
6. Baltimore Ravens – 87 overall
The Ravens are not only enticing for being one of the most storied franchises in the NFL but for who will be touching the ball on every offensive play. Lamar Jackson is not only the fastest quarterback in Madden 23 but one of the fastest players in the entire game. The rushing scheme is a blast to use and the roster has two young receivers ready to develop on the outside: Rashod Bateman (77) and speedster Devin Duvernay (73).
While on the topic of development, the Ravens 2022 NFL Draft class was one of if not the best in the league. Safety Kyle Hamilton (76), center Tyler Linderbaum (74), punter Justin Stout (73), outside linebacker David Ojabo (71) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (70) are all enticing rookies that could become a very solid core in a few seasons.
7. San Francisco 49ers – 86 overall
The 49ers will lean heavily on 72 overall quarterback Trey Lance, who happens to be one of the most fun project players to use in Madden 23. The 22-year-old signal-caller has elite speed with the potential to become a great playmaker. He’ll be aided by a highly-regarded zone-gap scheme run by head coach Kyle Shanahan and superstars Deebo Samuel (89) and Greg Kittle (97).
The defensive is star-studded as well, headlined by inside linebacker Fred Warner (94) and defensive end Nick Bosa (94). The roster has no shortage of elite athletes, making for a fun team to use in Madden 23.
8. Dallas Cowboys – 86 overall
The Cowboys lost more than they gained in the offseason but still enter as a top contender in the NFC. They have an easy path to the playoffs inside a lackluster NFC East. Outside linebacker Micah Parsons (88) is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the league at only 23 years old and will ascend into the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation within his first year or two in franchise mode. Surprisingly, you do not have to play as the Cowboys to use Parsons, as he’s one of the best trade targets in Madden 23 due to a lower-than-expected value in the trade center.
9. Kansas City Chiefs – 86 overall
The Chiefs fall all the way down to the No. 9 team in Madden 23 despite their all-world quarterback, Patrick Mahomes (95) paired with tight end Travis Kelce (98). They still have plenty of star power but do not have the depth they held in previous years. Not to mention, the team traded away the fastest player in the game, wide receiver Tyreek Hill (97).
Rest of the Bunch
Here is a full list of every team that did not make the cut of best teams in Madden 23. You can see how your team stacked up to the rest of the league.
10. Philadelphia Eagles, 85 overall
11. Cincinnati Bengals, 85 overall
12. Cleveland Browns, 84 overall
13. Denver Broncos, 84 overall
14. Arizona Cardinals, 84 overall
15. Miami Dolphins, 83 overall
16. Las Vegas Raiders, 83 overall
17. New Orleans Saints, 82 overall
18. Tennessee Titans, 82 overall
19. Indianapolis Colts, 82 overall
20. Washington Commanders, 81 overall
21. New England Patriots, 81 overall
22. Pittsburgh Steelers, 80 overall
23. Minnesota Vikings, 80 overall
24. New York Jets, 79 overall
25. Carolina Panthers, 79 overall
26. Chicago Bears, 78 overall
27. Detroit Lions, 78 overall
28. Jacksonville Jaguars, 77 overall
29. Atlanta Falcons, 77 overall
30. Seattle Seahawks, 76 overall
31. New York Giants, 75 overall
32. Houston Texans, 74 overall
If you want to see all of the Madden 23 player ratings, click here. If you would like to see more Madden 23 content, click here.