Colin Cowherd· Oct 27, 2026
Cowherd delivered his weekly "Herd Hierarchy" top-10 NFL power rankings, with Seattle first and Cincinnati tenth. He also predicted Seattle reaches the NFC Championship Game, argued the Chiefs can still reach a conference championship, said Caleb Williams will finish as a top-three quarterback, called the Steelers a very low-ceiling team, and floated trades involving Khalil Mack and Jonathan Taylor.
“No, I think Seattle is going to make the NFC championship.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
8 checkable claims — 3 trade and signing calls, 1 conference champion, 1 contract call, 1 game outcome pick, 1 positional finishe and 1 power ranking — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
8 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Power RankingsOct 27, 2026
“Herd hierarchy countdown: "I'll put Joe Burrow and the guys at 10" ... "I put them at nine" ... "I put Denver at eight" ... "I put Detroit at seven" ... "Bills at six" ... "Kansas City's at number five" ... "I have him at four" (New England) ... "Bears at three" ... number two San Francisco ... number one Seattle”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Trade and Signing CallsKhalil MackChicago BearsOct 27, 2026
Khalil Mack to move to Chicago Bears
“I think they should go after Khalil Mack of the Chargers. I really do.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
DeForest Buckner to move to San Francisco 49ers
“If I'm the Niners, I go after DeForest Bruckner.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsSeattle SeahawksOct 27, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to reach the Super Bowl
“No, I think Seattle is going to make the NFC championship.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Contract CallsCaleb WilliamsChicago BearsOct 27, 2026
Caleb Williams to sign for $63M–$77M a year with Chicago Bears
“Caleb is going to be making $ 70 million a year when he signs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jonathan Taylor to move to Dallas Cowboys
“I don't think it's crazy that the Cowboys go after Jonathan Taylor... Jonathan Taylor to Dallas”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Positional FinishesCaleb WilliamsChicago BearsOct 27, 2026
Caleb Williams to finish top 3 at his position, by an unstated measure
“I said before the season, I said, Caleb will be a top three quarterback in the league. It'll be Alan Mahomes, some order and Caleb by the end of the year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksDenver BroncosOct 27, 2026
Denver Broncos to beat Minnesota
“If you told me today Minnesota played the Broncos at nine, I'm taking the Broncos.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- John MiddlekauffDraft Bust Calls · Caleb WilliamsMiss · 0Middlekauff expects either Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson to win this year's MVP, calling them the two best players in the league. He is pessimistic on the Bears, forecasting six or seven wins and saying he'd bet Caleb Williams doesn't work out as a franchise quarterback. He also sees Oklahoma's John Mattier as a first-round pick who'll be in the Heisman mix.
- Jeremy BrenerScore Predictions · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback.
- Albert BreerGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Breer picks the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in their Week 9 NFC West matchup.
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Sullivan picks the Seahawks to win in Week 9.
- Dave RichardGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Richard picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals.
- John PluymGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksHit · 100Pluym picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals.
More trade and signing calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Parker HurleyTrade and Signing Calls · Jessie BatesMiss · 0Hurley argues a Jessie Bates trade to San Francisco is unrealistic because Atlanta remains in the weak NFC South race and likely won't sell, and he expects 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown to depart in free agency after this season.
- Doug JoubertTrade and Signing Calls · Kendre MillerHit · 100Joubert doubts Taysom Hill will return to the Saints for financial reasons and believes Hill has retired from the NFL. He also expects CJ Donaldson to get more carries while the Saints move on from Kendre Miller.
- Randy GurziTrade and Signing Calls · Taylor RappMiss · 0Gurzi argues that, given Brandon Beane's fondness for reunions, recently released safety Taylor Rapp is a realistic option to return to Buffalo for safety depth — though only if the Bills fail to land a starting-caliber safety at the trade deadline.
- Joe MarinoTrade and Signing Calls · Taylor RappHit · 100Marino argues the Bills should and almost certainly will release safety Taylor Rapp to save cap space, saying he'd be stunned if Buffalo kept him.
- Albert BreerTrade and Signing Calls · Jacoby BrissettHit · 100Breer argues the Jaguars should be taken very seriously, seeing a path to 13 wins and the AFC's No. 1 seed with a first-round bye, and he expects the Jacoby Brissett trade to Baltimore to be completed within a day.
- Nathan JahnkeTrade and Signing Calls · Jacoby BrissettHit · 100In a Week 9 recap, Jahnke expects Mark Andrews to remain Baltimore's lead tight end but says rookie Matt Hibner is more likely than Josh Cuevas to eventually overtake him, and he anticipates the Ravens acquiring Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback. He also suggests Brian Thomas Jr. may have played his final game for Jacksonville ahead of the trade deadline.