July signals the looming opening of training camps across the NFL, which means a new season is near
So too is change. My wonderful (now former) colleague Eric Edholm has moved onto his next professional chapter (be sure to keep up with him here), and I’ve been tabbed as the one to take over Power Rankings
The responsibility is significant. The challenges that await all 32 clubs are even greater
Each new season brings a fresh slate, the next opportunity to embark on a journey and the potential to make history. Some have better odds than others to get the job done. With this annual reset in mind, I’m taking my first stab at sorting out the order of power — by division
1) NFC NORTH
At this time last season, the biggest question mark in this division resided in Chicago, home to a Bears team that flirted with contention before falling apart. The story is no longer the same. Chicago returns as the reigning division champion with enough optimism to build a skyscraper taller than the Willis Tower. Ben Johnson is coming off a fantastic debut season as head coach. Quarterback Caleb Williams is on the cover of Madden NFL 27. Super Bowl LX champion Coby Bryant hopped on the bandwagon via a three-year, $40 million free-agent deal. Even if they know the Bears know heart-stopping style in which they won a significant portion of their 2025 games is unsustainable, everything is looking up in the Windy City.
Those same optimists might be overlooking their division counterparts. Detroit is coming off a disappointing 9-8 finish that tied for last(!) in the NFC North last season. Gone is offensive coordinator John Morton, whose play-calling decisions frustrated fans and couldn’t overcome injuries up front. In steps new OC Drew Petzing with one main goal on his agenda: Restore the Lions’ offense to a balanced, fearsome attack. Detroit won’t be caught by surprise in the trenches this season, not after adding center Cade Mays to solve the issues in the interior, then signing Larry Borom and Ben Bartch as depth additions and acquiring Juice Scruggs in a deal that sent David Montgomery to Houston. Yes, this is now Jahmyr Gibbs’ backfield, and hopefully, the offseason efforts are enough to get the ground game back on track. Three new defensive backs — Roger McCreary, Chuck Clark and Christian Izien — should bring the same needed depth to that side of the ball.
These efforts indicate where the Lions’ standard now resides: in the postseason. After watching their former OC lead the Bears from the cellar to the throne, Dan Campbell’s Lions will be out for vengeance in 2026
That leads us to the remaining two squads — the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings — who enter 2026 with defined spring and summer objectives. After succumbing to their own shortcomings in 2025, Packers coach Matt LaFleur willingly reset the offense, trimming the receiving corps down to players who understand and embrace their roles while using offseason activities to completely reinstall his scheme as if it was Year 1. It’s a necessary refresh for a team that admittedly felt stale in 2025 and repeatedly failed to deliver in the biggest late-season moments (at Denver, plus two losses in Chicago). The talent remains — although Josh Jacobs’ off-field transgressions have created an uncertain outlook for the backfield — but the trust isn’t quite there for the Packers as of now. That can change quickly.
Minnesota, meanwhile, has spent the entire offseason playing the what if game. The Vikings won nine games despite having zero reliability at quarterback, a fact that they’ve ridden toward greater expectations in 2026. Kyler Murray’s arrival suggests the Vikings will find that elusive stability under center, and if that’s fixed, these Vikings should be primed for a deep playoff run
They’ll have to fight through the rest of this pack, though. Last year, three of the four member clubs were seen as legitimate favorites to win the NFC North and embark on Super Bowl pursuits. The one team most didn’t take seriously ended up winning the division. A battle royale awaits in the North
2) NFC WEST
The Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks call the NFC West home. So do the Los Angeles Rams, a team that made a strong case to claim the title of second-best team in the entire NFL last season and featured the 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player. Don’t forget the San Francisco 49ers, one of the most consistently successful NFL franchises over the last seven years and a club that managed to reach the Divisional Round despite myriad injuries and plenty of reason to doubt their chances
Sure, change has occurred. No team remains the same from one season to the next, an accurate admission that also functions as a description of the Seahawks. Perhaps I’m too high on them; after all, I slotted them in at five more wins than the next-closest predictor in our preseason exercise
Los Angeles earned the offseason trophy among NFC West members, addressing its weakness (secondary) by poaching Jaylen Watson from Kansas City and acquiring his All-Pro teammate, Trent McDuffie. That alone — plus the return of one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses — was reason to expect the Rams to be at or near the front of the pack again in 2026
Then they traded for Myles Garrett
With one blockbuster transaction, the Rams acquired the new single-season sack record holder and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and instantly vaulted to the top of the favorites to win Super Bowl LXI. Sean McVay and Les Snead weren’t messing around this offseason, not after the fashion in which their 2025 journey ended. They’re fully equipped to chase a Lombardi and exorcise some Pacific Northwest demons along the way, too
San Francisco is an annual contender because it has earned such respect. Four playoff appearances in the last five years will have that effect. The 49ers spent some money loading up in the offseason, too, luring receiver Mike Evans away from Tampa Bay to supply Brock Purdy with a proper No. 1 target not named George Kittle. Speedster Christian Kirk has joined the party, too, and beloved linebacker Dre Greenlaw is back in red and gold after a frustrating year spent in Denver. Look, if the 49ers managed to reach the Divisional Round with their MASH unit of a roster last season, they have every reason to believe they’ll be back there (or deeper) in 2026 — that is, if they can fight their way through the two bullies who finished ahead of them last season.
Last (and in this division, least) is Arizona, a team in the middle of a rebuild with a lack of long-term certainty under center and a new coach, Mike LaFleur, who is still settling into life in the desert. It seems Jacoby Brissett will be QB1, but GM Monti Ossenfort’s decision to spend a third-round pick on Miami QB Carson Beck created room for intrigue. Don’t be surprised if we see Beck at some point this season
Arizona has a trio of offensive weapons that other clubs might envy: receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., tight end Trey McBride and 2026 third-overall pick Jeremiyah Love, a fantastically explosive playmaker who garnered Heisman Trophy consideration at Notre Dame and should become a highly valuable asset for the Cardinals. The key is to avoid running all three into the ground as a means of survival in a division that doesn’t offer any breaks. Oh, and they also need to get Harrison on track after two seasons of offensive dysfunction because they’ve wasted his talent to this point.
Defensively, there are some pieces. Walter Nolen is an animal and just needs to stay healthy. 2025 second-rounder Will Johnson is now more than a year removed from the ACL injury that tanked his draft stock and could finally return to the form he displayed at Michigan. But generally, this unit still needs more attention, which isn’t going to happen in 2026. The road won’t be easy for the Cardinals this season, but the process is what matters most
3) AFC WEST
That isn’t altitude sickness making you lightheaded in Denver, it’s the excitement generated by the Broncos in 2025. In seemingly a flash, Sean Payton oversaw a tremendous turnaround, leading Denver to a 14-3 finish while reclaiming the AFC West throne for the first time since 2015 and nearly reaching the Super Bowl. On paper, the Broncos should be even better in 2026 after adding explosive receiver Jaylen Waddle to a roster that appears ready to chase a title — as long as quarterback Bo Nix is fully healthy and ready to resume his role as Payton’s offensive engine.
If the Chiefs were the team we knew them to be from 2018 to 2024, this division would tie or rank ahead of the NFC West. But Kansas City proved last season that no team or sporting entity is immortal, failing to overcome its deficiencies before losing Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury in December. Entering 2026, the league no longer fears the Chiefs, a once-inevitable squad that appears human and arrives with plenty of questions that begin with but are not limited to Mahomes
Can Rashee Ricestay on the field? Can Xavier Worthy and Mahomes finally produce at a respectable or better rate? Will the Chiefs’ reconstructed secondary — including first-round corner Mansoor Delane — hold up? Does the return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy matter? Is their missing link actually running back Kenneth Walker?
For the first time in the Mahomes era, we’re uncertain about the Chiefs — and the rest of the division is salivating at the thought of taking down the former bully on the block
Well, most of the division. The Las Vegas Raiders enter a new era under coach Klint Kubiak with first overall pick Fernando Mendoza at the center of their formula. Just don’t expect to see him right away. Kubiak asked for and received a veteran quarterback to lead his offense up the ramp and onto the highway when Las Vegas signed Kirk Cousins, supplying Kubiak with a route that doesn’t require him to throw Mendoza into the fire immediately. That move, plus the additions of center Tyler Linderbaum, receiver Jalen Nailor and linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, are all good initial steps toward a brighter future. Patience will be required in Vegas this season, though.
That leads me to my conclusion with the AFC West, the true wild card of the division formula: the Los Angeles Chargers. This team has been built solidly enough to contend seriously in recent years, but injuries have consistently undercut its pursuits. Offensive line play has been unreliable even after offseason investments, and frankly, I think we’re all pretty tired of watching Justin Herbert play under constant defensive assault. Mike McDaniel arrives as the new offensive coordinator capable of bringing a much-needed refresh to the unit, while former Western Michigan assistant Chris O’Leary returns to the Chargers to replace Jesse Minter as defensive coordinator. That’s plenty of change for one offseason, but judging by how the Chargers performed in the postseason last year, it was necessary.
It’s fair to envision a world in which three AFC West teams reach the postseason. It seems safe to expect at least two to make it. That’s good enough for third in my rankings
4) AFC NORTH
I’ve long held the AFC North in high regard, and for good reason: The division perennially produces a title-chasing winner and a gritty wild card qualifier
That is, until last season
For the first time since 2021 (and only the fourth time since 2010), the AFC North champion triumphed with only 10 wins. It required a season-ending classic played by the Steelers and Ravens to produce a victor. Simply, the 2025 season fell below the standard of the AFC North
We enter 2026 with little reason to believe last year was an anomaly. Questions are present throughout the division, which features three new head coaches — including two first-timers — and returns only Zac Taylor, perhaps the most unlikely survivor of all, as a tenured sideline director
Taylor’s seat is warm, but some of that could be attributed to the sunny outlook beaming down on Cincinnati. Joe Burrowbelieves this is the best Bengals team of his career, likening them to his legendary 2019 national champion LSU Tigers. Cincinnati finally invested in its defense, bringing in the likes of Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook and Jonathan Allen in an attempt to climb out of the mediocrity in which it’s been mired for far too long. The usual suspects return offensively, forming what should be a more balanced team with a chance to return to the playoffs after three straight postseasons spent at home.
In short, the Bengals should be better than they were in 2025 or 2024. But as we all know, that depends heavily on Burrow’s health, which means the Bengals are far from a sure thing in 2026
Change is the theme for the rest of the division. Jesse Minter returns to Baltimore to replace John Harbaugh, bringing with him offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and a familiar face at defensive coordinator in Anthony Weaver. Their arrivals are good news for a Ravens fan base that was forced to watch its team fall apart defensively for much of 2025, an uncharacteristic development for a Baltimore franchise that has long prided itself on hard-nosed, disciplined and opportunistic defense. There’s no guarantee that suddenly improves in 2026, though; Nnamdi Madubuike’s status factors significantly into the that unit’s potential, and he’s still working his way back from a neck injury that cost him most of 2025. Trey Hendrickson arrived as a much-needed edge-rushing upgrade and Calais Campbell is back as a valued depth addition, but we won’t know how strong the group is until we’re at least a month into the season. Lamar Jackson is a proven commodity. However, he too has to adjust to change with Doyle, who brings a fresh take on the job thanks to his age (he’s only 30) and a year spent under Ben Johnson. As you can see, the Ravens have their own questions to answer.
Pittsburgh presents a better sense of familiarity thanks to the decision to hire Mike McCarthy as the club’s new coach. He brings with him decades of experience as the top dog and plenty of time spent with Aaron Rodgers, who decided to return for a 22nd season after McCarthy landed the job. Offensively, they should be slightly better. General manager Omar Khan supplied DK Metcalf with a proper running mate when he acquired Michael Pittman Jr., reinforced the offensive line with first-round pick Max Iheanachor, and pleased Steelers fans by drafting Alabama receiver Germie Bernard. On paper, this offense finally has some depth, although it will be interesting to see how they distribute carries among Jaylen Warren, free-agent pickup Rico Dowdle and Kaleb Johnson. Defensively, a familiar tale emerges, plus the addition of a few experienced defensive backs: Jaquan Brisker, Jamel Dean and Darnell Savage. It will be up to new DC Patrick Graham to extract the most from the unit, which also boasts better depth than it did a year ago.
On paper, the Steelers should be a stronger team, one capable of repeating as division champion. But with so much sideline change — and a reliance on a quarterback who turns 43 in December — they too aren’t a sure thing
Lastly, we have the Cleveland Browns, a team in the midst of a rebuild that is also adjusting to a new coaching staff. Todd Monken finally landed the top job — a hire that drove venerated DC Jim Schwartz out of the building — and walks into a situation that isn’t exactly ideal offensively. Cleveland still doesn’t have a long-term answer at quarterback and seems poised to give Deshaun Watsonone final shot to earn some of the disastrous $230 million deal he agreed to in 2022. Shedeur Sanders lurks behind him but drives more headlines and internet chatter than actual on-field results. And the Cleveland defense — the team’s lone strength in recent years — lost all-world edge rusher Myles Garrett via trade, weakening the unit as the Browns enter another season in which they’ll likely be depended upon disproportionately.
There is good news, though. GM Andrew Berry’s 2025 draft class delivered immediately, producing Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger and two instant offensive contributors in running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Berry effectively rebuilt an aging offensive line in one offseason (though results may vary). Jared Verse moved east to Cleveland via the Garrett trade, providing the Browns with a stellar, young edge rusher who is cost controlled and fits their organizational timeline. On paper, this defense should still land at or inside the top 10. Another encouraging draft class — headlined by tackle Spencer Fano, receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — arrives in 2026 with the same hopes of accelerating the rebuild forced upon the Browns by the Watson nightmare.
If Watson were the one to enjoy the initial fruits of Berry’s labor in what is likely his final season with the Browns, it would be a cruel irony fitting for Cleveland. It’s also its best hope entering the new season
5) AFC SOUTH
Now here’s a division that could climb the rankings in 2026. Backed by their defense, the Houston Texans have owned the throne in recent years before being overthrown by the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars last year. A two-team race for the top has emerged, and if the Colts have their way, that might quickly become a three-club battle. It sure looked like that was the plan midway through 2025, at least
Houston owns an elite defense directed by coach DeMeco Ryans, one that stifles even the best offenses on most Sundays. It will continue to be the Texans’ strength, but if they’re ever going to advance past the Divisional Round, they’ll need C.J. Stroud to live up to the sky-high expectations set by his stellar rookie season of 2023, a campaign that feels as if it happened nearly a lifetime ago. Although they made necessary investments on the offensive side in the offseason — GM Nick Caserio added veteran linemen Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller, acquired running back David Montgomery, then drafted center Keylan Rutledge — this group isn’t a juggernaut. That’s OK. With their elite defense, the Texans don’t need to feature an offensive machine. But it must be better than it was in 2025, and until the Texans prove it, trepidation will continue to swirl around their projections.
Jacksonville, meanwhile, is the new darling of the division after producing one of the best second halves of any team in the NFL last season. From Weeks 11 to 18, it didn’t lose a game. Trevor Lawrence played the best football of his career and appeared to be completely in sync with first-year coach Liam Coen, so much that even their heartbreaking wild-card loss to Buffalo couldn’t convince GM James Gladstone to make many changes. This Jaguars team is content with running it back and hoping cohesion — plus an offseason to get healthy — will produce even better results in 2026.
That leads us to the Colts, a team that was the most offensively explosive and dynamic in the NFL in the first two months of 2025. You might have forgotten, but Indianapolis was obliterating opponents during this stretch before an injury to Daniel Jones broke the front axel of its bandwagon and sent the team spiraling into desperation (see: Philip Rivers’ unretirement) and ultimately, disappointment. Given an offseason to retool, the Colts didn’t do much. They moved on from Michael Pittman Jr., handed shot-play artist Alec Pierce a big (and potentially regrettable) contract, added Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and pushed their chips into the center of a table entirely dependent upon Jones returning healthy in time for the start of (or early in) the 2026 season. It’s a risk, but it’s the only play truly available to Shane Steichen’s team.
Should the Colts manage to rediscover their early 2025 form, this will become one of the better divisions in football. That’s a big question, though, and much of it rests on Jones’ availability
Lastly, the Titans return after another offseason of rebuilding efforts, adding Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate and former Giants slot man Wan’Dale Robinson to a corps that desperately needed to improve in order to help 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward blossom. This will be Tennessee’s first season under its new regime led by Robert Saleh, who returns to the head coaching ranks with a focus on revamping the Titans’ defense. The front office certainly operated accordingly, adding as many as six new starters among a vast assortment of free-agent and draft additions. There’s been plenty of change in Nashville — including a rebrand that returned the club to its Oilers roots – and there’s reason to be excited about what’s ahead. OC Brian Daboll has arrived to guide Ward toward a future Titans fans hope might resemble his last project, Bills quarterback Josh Allen. For now, though, they’re a team that’s still expected to finish at the bottom of the division. Greatness isn’t cultivated overnight.
6) NFC EAST
Some might say I’m being too harsh on a division that includes both of 2024’s NFC finalists and the Super Bowl LIX champion, but things change quickly in this league
Derailed by injuries at quarterback and beyond, Washington fell from NFC favorite to afterthought in 2025. Dan Quinn’s defense finished as the worst in the NFL in yards allowed per game, prompting significant reconstruction efforts in early 2026. Jayden Daniels returns after a frustrating and abbresting hope that 2025 was an anomaly
Philadelphia continues to reign as the division’s king, but things aren’t perfect there, either. A.J. Brown is gone, having been traded to New England as a means of ending their drama-filled partnership. Jalen Hurts is learning yet another offensive coordinator, too, getting acclimated with former NFL quarterback and new play-caller Sean Mannion. Despite an 11-6 finish, division title and playoff berth, the vibes surrounding the Eagles were negative, much like they were at the end of the 2023 season. Now, they must prove they can bounce back and return to the successful form that powered them to a Super Bowl triumph in 2024, but they’ll have to do so with a defense that isn’t as strong as that squad was (bonus points for adding Jonathan Greenard, though). If ever there was a time for a new team to unseat the Eagles, it’s now.
This is where Dallas enters the conversation. The Cowboys boasted the league’s second-best offense in 2025, one that featured two 1,000-yard receivers (CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens) and the NFL’s third-ranked passer in Dak Prescott. The unit was emblematic of a Super Bowl contender, yet the Cowboys finished 7-9-1 because they couldn’t stop a nosebleed defensively. Thus, their entire offseason has been dedicated to fixing the defense. Rashan Gary, Dee Winters, Otito Ogbonnia, Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant arrived via free agency, while Dallas spent its first-round pick on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs (as well as four more picks on additional defenders), throwing the kitchen sink at the unit. The Cowboys also brought Christian Parker over from Philadelphia as the team’s new defensive coordinator, making an aggressive effort to solve their biggest problem. If it pans out, they could pair the new-look unit with an explosive offense and surprise many with a successful 2026. For now, though, it’s only a projection.
New York remains as perhaps the largest unknown commodity in the NFC. The Giants swung big in the offseason, luring John Harbaugh from his newfound unemployment back to work with a new team, bringing in a veteran coach with an established reputation of professionalism and success. With Harbaugh came a flood of veterans: Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader up front, Tremaine Edmunds at linebacker and Greg Newsome II at corner (as well as nearly a dozen additional defensive vets). The Giants also landed Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese in the first round, aiming to rebuild the unit into a strong enough group to properly complement an offense that will be led by second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart — if he can stay healthy. A collection of new faces arrived on that side of the ball, too, including tight end Isaiah Likely, former Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard and receivers Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Oh, Odell Beckham is back in the NFL and wearing a Giants uniform again, too. See how unusual things are with the Giants right now? We’ll see if they can make noise, or if they’ll continue to linger at the bottom of the division.
As of now, the East remains the Eagles’ to lose. The rest have to prove they’re worth taking seriously in 2026
7) AFC EAST
This is a two-team race, folks. The reigning AFC champion New England Patriots return to show the haters that their soft schedule wasn’t the main reason they reached Super Bowl LX, and they’re excited to prove it with a new toy in receiver A.J. Brown. Romeo Doubs has hopped on board, too, while Jared Wilson has made the anticipated switch back to his natural position of center. These are all positive developments, although it’s fair to wonder if Mike Vrabel’s defense can succeed as it did last year after losing a few key contributors (e.g., K’Lavon Chaisson). Detractors will look toward 2026 as a chance to expose the Patriots; Vrabel’s squad will relish the opportunity to prove them wrong.
In Buffalo, the Bills enter yet another season with the same burdensome Super Bowl expectations, which only increase with each year they don’t get the job done. This season will bring a fresh source of excitement, though: Buffalo finally has a new, state-of-the-art stadium for its beloved football team. The Bills also return superstar Josh Allen to an offense that features star running back James Cook and appears to have improved slightly at receiver, but still doesn’t boast a complete picture at the position. Oh, and they have a new coach: former Sean McDermott lieutenant Joe Brady, the past offensive wunderkind who has ascended to the top job. He won’t be surprised by the pressure of the job, but we’ll see if he can handle it well enough to lead them to the Promised Land.
As for the rest of the division, it’s bleak. Miami is in the early stages of an aggressive teardown and rebuild, welcoming in new coach Jeff Hafley to a roster that lacks talent in a number of areas and willingly shipped out receiver Jaylen Waddle in the offseason as part of these efforts. New quarterback Malik Willis arrived to an offense devoid of star power outside of running back De’Von Achane, and while it’s possible to see the long-term vision for the Dolphins, it’s an ugly picture right now. The Dolphins’ best hope is that Willis can demonstrate capability of becoming their firm answer at quarterback and that their assortment of young additions begging to find their roles as the club collectively works toward a brighter future.
Finally, we have the Jets, a team that was so bad in 2025, it was fair to wonder if Aaron Glenn might not survive to the end of his first season. He managed to stay and New York followed it’s dreadful 3-14 season by throwing vast resources at the problem, rebuilding the majority of its starting defense with a mix of veterans, two top-50 picks (David Bailey and D’Angelo Ponds) and a couple of in-their-prime players (Nahshon Wright and T’Vondre Sweat). Glenn is taking over defensive play-calling, too, a welcome development for Jets fans who watched their team fail to record a single interception in 2025.
Offensively, Geno Smith is back! Yes, the former second-round pick whom the Jets unceremoniously discarded after four seasons has found his way back to the Big Apple, returning like the prodigal son to save New York’s abysmal offense in 2026. He has weapons at his disposal — Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Mason Taylor, and first-rounders Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. — and should expect to play behind a better offensive line in New York than the colander he spent 2025 behind in Las Vegas. Still, as of now, there’s no reason to expect greatness (or playoff contention) from the Jets. They’ll have to prove it in order to earn the prestige required to lift the AFC East out of this spot.
8) NFC SOUTH
All it took to take home the NFC South crown in 2025 was an 8-9 record. Yep, that’s where the division’s reputation stands as we enter 2026: in the cellar
Now, we shouldn’t take this group lightly, because there’s plenty of room for surprise. Carolina filled that role in 2025, overcoming a 1-3 start and posting a 7-6 finish to win the division by virtue of a tiebreaker. The division produced a low bar, but the Panthers built plenty of positive momentum in their second season under Dave Canales, showing tangible progress. They’ve upgraded defensively, too, adding Jaelan Phillips to an edge-rushing group that desperately needed reinforcements and luring Devin Lloyd to Charlotte to direct the defense from the second level. Most of this team’s trajectory will once again depend on the performance of Bryce Young, though, and while the Panthers will proudly claim they believe he’s on a positive trajectory, he’ll need to be more consistent than he’s been in his first three NFL seasons to truly maximize this team’s potential — and defend the division crown.
If it isn’t Carolina, it could be Tampa Bay, the club that ran the NFC South for the first half of the 2020s. The Buccaneers squandered a hot start and watched their grip on the division slip away in 2025, a meltdown that nearly cost Todd Bowles his job and convinced Mike Evans to spend his 13th NFL season elsewhere. Much of their potential rests on the shoulders (and health) of Baker Mayfield, who might also be responsible for preserving Bowles’ employment. He’ll have to do so with yet another new offensive coordinator, former Falcons play-caller Zac Robinson.
Speaking of Robinson, the Falcons cleaned house after also finishing 8-9 (yes, it was actually a three-way tie) in 2025, dismissing Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot in favor of a new regime overseen by new president of football (and franchise legend) Matt Ryan. Kevin Stefanski moved from Cleveland to Atlanta, taking over a team in need of an offensive spark — and a concrete answer at quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. is still returning from injury and isn’t guaranteed to be ready for Week 1, leaving room for offseason addition Tua Tagovailoa to attempt his best Sam Darnold impression following an ugly exit from Miami. Stefanski will have to solve — and most likely manage — the quarterback situation before pushing the Falcons forward. Fortunately, they have the talent needed to compete on both sides of the ball. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich stayed on staff to keep his defense together after a 15th-place finish in 2025, making the transition slightly easier (in theory) for this new regime. We’ll see if it leads to more than eight wins in 2026.
Lastly, we have the most intriguing team of this division, one that doesn’t include any clear Super Bowl contenders and could produce a winner from any of its four members. New Orleans finished 2025 with positive momentum thanks to the insertion and rapid development of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who looked the part of a starting quarterback and seemed to pair well with rookie coach Kellen Moore. They’re back for Year 2 and have arrived to increased, but measured expectations. If Shough can pick up where he left off, the Saints’ momentum will continue in a positive direction. If new toy Jordyn Tyson can stay healthy, he might establish a new favorite target in his receiving corps. And if GM Mickey Loomis is right, the Saints might finally have their successor to Alvin Kamara in free-agent addition Travis Etienne, even if Kamara is still on the roster (for now). Cameron Jordan came back for one more season, too, a good sign for this club’s trajectory. Don’t be surprised if they make more noise than most expect in 2026.
