When I wrote about the Seahawks back in Week 1, I ranked them 19th and admitted I didn't have a great feel for where they should be placed, arguing they could move up or down "five slots" in short order. It turned to be far more than five spots.
By the end of September, they were in my top five. By Week 10, I had Seattle residing in the No. 1 spot. The Seahawks would fall back before reclaiming the throne, but don't forget who tried to tell you early on that this team had the potential for greatness.
How do I know it was early? A Seattle radio station had me on the week I elevated the 'Hawks to the top spot to tell me they were surprised I was that bullish on their chances. So, I might have stumbled out of the gates on the team, but by the back half of the season, it wasn't too hard to see how special it could be.
As for the Patriots, I had them coming in at No. 22 to start the season. Having seen their easy schedule, I picked them for a wild-card spot in my preseason playoff predictions and figured they'd be more of a stronger-finishing team than a hot-starting one.
I was right about that -- right up until the Super Bowl. It was an ignominious crash for the feel-good Patriots and Drake Maye, who couldn't do much right until it was far too late. Where they go from here will be interesting, and I wonder if I am not alone in thinking that Maye's struggles in that game could be something we refer to multiple times over the coming few years.
But if this season didn't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that parity still reigns in the NFL, then I don't know what will. Nothing went according to script, and everything felt uncertain -- part of the incredible allure of the league.
And it's a reminder that no matter where your team is slotted here and now, it has a chance to surprise next season.
It was a magical night for Seattle’s dominant defense, setting the tone of the Super Bowl victory and ushering in a new era of Seahawks success. The D deserves all the praise one can heap, but don’t forget about the other side. I had my questions about what the offense would look like last August, and even though the Seahawks were not at their best in this department in the big game, those questions were answered summarily throughout the course of the season. They survived losing Zach Charbonnet (and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for part of the Super Bowl) and managed to play turnover-free ball in the postseason, averaging 33.7 points over those three games. It was a dominant three-phase victory for a team that had few weaknesses and started flexing its muscles pretty early in the season.
The Rams were the one team that seemed to be on even footing with the Seahawks this season, beating them by two points in Los Angeles and losing the two games in Seattle, respectively, by one and four points. That’s the bitter pill they had to swallow, knowing they could have done to the Patriots in the Super Bowl what the Seahawks did to them. But the good news started flowing in prior to the big game, with Matthew Stafford winning MVP and announcing his return for 2026. The Rams are as set up as any non-Seattle contender to win next season, armed with a strong nucleus, two first-round picks and a wealth of projected salary-cap space. The NFC West looks absolutely loaded again.
It feels like there’s a cavernous drop from two to three, with the Patriots having been outclassed in Super Bowl LX. That New England wasn’t even supposed to be here is mere solace for the team and its fans, who are asking what happened to Drake Maye, Josh McDaniels, Will Campbell, Stefon Diggs and others down the stretch. Yes, the Patriots made the Super Bowl rightfully, but looking back now affords us the proper perspective that this fruit just wasn’t close to fully ripe. They have a young, imperfect squad, and where Mike Vrabel takes it from here will be quite telling. It wouldn’t have been shocking to see the Texans or Broncos beat New England, had C.J. Stroud not been terrible or Bo Nix not suffered a flukish injury the week before the AFC Championship Game. If the Patriots want to get back to the Super Bowl next year, the road will be far tougher, and they must build a more stable wall in front of their quarterback.
Seeing the Patriots get blown out in the Super Bowl had to be twinged with the pangs of disappointment, knowing they might have matched up better -- with a healthy Bo Nix, of course -- against the Seahawks. Of course, that’s neither here nor there, and the Broncos have to pick up the pieces after their missed opportunity. They’ll likely be among the handful of AFC favorites heading into next season for good reason, but Nix and the offense must level up to be true Super Bowl contenders. That must include more consistent production from the skill players, more development from Nix and fewer backsteps (mostly penalties). That unit is capable, and the defense should remain close to elite, but there’s still work to be done to upgrade this offseason.
The Bills suddenly face a lot of change with the elevation of Joe Brady to head coach and the addition of Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator. Most of the talk has focused on the offense and what Brady’s hiring means for Josh Allen, but the defense also figures to look vastly different -- at least if Leonhard’s experience tells us anything. The Bills were an even-front, zone-heavy system that relied on four-man pass rushes and pre-snap disguise. Denver, where Leonhard came from, ran an odd front and sent blitzers like mad. Will it be exactly that in Buffalo? Who knows? But it’s clear that Leonhard wants to be more aggressive, and it will be interesting to see if the Bills can find the proper pieces up front to make the system work in time. Yes, they’re technically behind the Patriots right now, but the Bills have to view the 2026 season as their chance to reclaim the AFC East, even with the coaching changes.
It’s nice knowing that a defense-dominant team can win the Super Bowl, which certainly fits the description of the Texans’ makeup right now. They had a unit that rivaled the Seahawks’ firepower on that side of the ball, so on one hand it’s not that hard to imagine the team being on the stage next year at SoFi Stadium with the confetti raining down. But on the other hand, the Texans also didn’t have the same steady offense that the Seahawks did. The goal over the coming months will be to figure out how to get C.J. Stroud on the Sam Darnold career restoration plan. It’s entirely possible, with Stroud having enough moments in his early career for one to envision that transformation. But it’s also a specious argument until Stroud shows he can stand tallest in the biggest moments.
The Bears made football fun again in Chicago. From the team’s poor recent history to the 0-2 start, things were pretty dark at one point. That’s when the Caleb Williams-Ben Johnson magic kicked in and delivered one thrilling finish after another. Even the losses were entertaining and mostly encouraging. Yet the Bears still must realize their shortcomings. They will need to identify ways to fortify the defense and stabilize the offense for another big run in what should be a loaded NFC North once again. The foundation is in place, but there’s still more building to do. A few cuts might be necessary, and that’s assuming they can redo some contracts, but Chicago will likely have neither the cap space nor the draft ammunition to make blockbuster additions.
The 49ers might technically have been a third-place squad this season, but their standing here reflects the true value and potential of the team. They came up short despite a valiant effort, and the Rams and Seahawks were the better teams down the stretch, yet there’s a sense that the Niners will have a go-for-broke season again in 2026. There’s a veteran core in place with Trent Williams, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk and others that make a Super Bowl run possible if the team can avoid its typical injury misfortune. They even could resist a Mac Jones trade this offseason to keep him alongside Brock Purdy, with the two forming a very successful duo during the 2025 season. But to take a step up and challenge their NFC West rivals for league supremacy, the 49ers must use what money they have to get stronger and faster. Kyle Shanahan has a good team, and adding Raheem Morris was a coup, but they’re not yet at that great level as things stand right now.
Liam Coen has built up a pretty good stack of chips at the table with an unexpectedly good first season with the Jaguars, but you know how those things go. Now the expectations have been reset, and the Jaguars will mostly be treated as contenders as we wonder when the proverbial next step comes. The defense looks to be in good shape overall, far exceeding expectations yet buoyed with a solid base of talent. There’s even a case to be made for the passing game being a big plus, with Trevor Lawrence -- albeit a bit inconsistently -- delivering some big performances. But the run game kept waning in effectiveness down the stretch, so that could be an area of focus this offseason. Even though Travis Etienne had one of his best seasons, it’s reasonable to ask how deeply the team will financially go in on him and what moves the team might make this offseason to improve the rushing offense as a whole.
If losing defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is seen as a blow, the addition of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator might be one the best upgrades of the offseason so far. At the very least, the McDaniel-Jim Harbaugh pairing will be interesting, but Justin Herbert figures to be the beneficiary -- assuming the Chargers can make the proper offseason roster upgrades. They probably need at least two new offensive linemen capable of starting, and though they have the salary-cap space to make additions, the draft (only five selections for now) might not be as fruitful for them. Los Angeles also has a few defensive holes, even if that unit was mostly very good in 2025. They must assume the Broncos will be back and that the Chiefs aren’t likely to suffer another non-winning season. The sledding will be tough, but the Chargers are still worth keeping an eye on.
The Eagles were the first back-to-back champs in the NFC East in more than two decades, but winning a third straight might be tough. They still haven’t officially heard whether Vic Fangio will return, there’s a potential A.J. Brown situation to navigate this offseason and rumors have flown about retirement for both Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson. That, plus a change at offensive coordinator, has already made it a busy offseason to date. They still should be a good defensive team, but there are three big free agents they must worry about: Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean and Reed Blankenship. Offensively, Dallas Goedert is another potential free agent who could leave, and it’s hard to imagine that unit getting better without Brown and Goedert. There’s a lot to figure out, but this is often when general manager Howie Roseman does his best work.
The short-term news will focus on the potential reunion of Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers. It might not be a terrible pairing for 2026, but the long-term picture must center around identifying the team’s QB successor, whether it’s Will Howard or someone not yet on the roster. There’s been a lot of speculation about why exactly McCarthy was the choice to replace Mike Tomlin, but McCarthy’s work with quarterbacks has always been his calling card. There’s also the need to add more offensively elsewhere, such as at receiver and on the offensive line, and they’ll need to re-sign Kenneth Gainwell after a breakout season. The Steelers have some defensive virtues, especially in terms of producing big plays, but that unit is hardly above reproach either. Pittsburgh certainly qualifies as a contender with its veteran core, but there’s also the reality of needing to level up at multiple spots.
The Packers are in decent shape all around, even if I don’t yet know if Jordan Love is a Super Bowl-quality quarterback. If Sam Darnold can win a title, the best version of Love probably can, too, and Green Bay is not light years away from providing the offensive infrastructure needed for him to reach his peak. They have some things to iron out on the offensive line, but the rest of the group looks pretty good, assuming Tucker Kraft can return to full strength from his ACL injury. The biggest questions are tied to the defense and special teams. The team has made improvements to both units, but the upgrades weren’t significant enough. They must get more from their pass rushers, upgrade at cornerback and build out the depth on all three levels of the defense. It might not be an easy fix in a single offseason.
For a team whose defense has been picked apart in recent years, the early offseason focus has been on the offensive side, with the firing of John Morton and the hiring of Drew Petzing to call plays. Despite being top five in yards and points, it wasn’t the level of lethality offensively last season we’d come to expect from Detroit, especially on money downs. But I expect the focus to shift back to the defensive side once the offseason is fully underway. There’s a lot to work through, with Alex Anzalone set to hit free agency and Brian Branch coming off an Achilles injury, along with the rest of the injuries that plagued the 2025 group. The secondary depth was gutted, and the lack of a consistent rush opposite Aidan Hutchinson was glaring by season’s end. There’s a solid nucleus in place on that side, but the Lions could be victim to the same fate as in 2025 if they don’t supplement what’s already in place.
Jesse Minter inherits a team that could go a long way with the right tweaks and upgrades, but that’s assuming he’s getting the best version of Lamar Jackson. No one doubts Jackson’s talent or impact at his finest, but he was limited significantly by injuries and availability in 2025, seldom making it through an entire week of practice without hindrance. When the Ravens announced the addition of offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, Minter said Doyle will operate “through communication, collaboration, relationships and trust,” which stood out after the rumblings that there was friction between Jackson and the previous coaching staff. If Jackson returns to form and Minter can get the best out of the defense, Baltimore should be a contender once again. But if not? It could be a harder rebuild than initially imagined.
There’s plenty to be encouraged by after the Panthers caught up to the Buccaneers (even with the Week 18 loss) and outlasted them for the NFC South crown. That Carolina held its own twice against the Rams late in the season can’t be overlooked, but neither can the team’s losing record nor the fact that it scored 17 or fewer points in 10 regular-season games. The playoff injury to LT Ikem Ekwonu is a worry, they still haven’t received enough from former first-round WR Xavier Legette and there are some free agents that could affect the team’s run game. The defensive worries are plentiful too: a sagging pass rush, not enough coverage flexibility on the back end and so-so tackling. The Panthers have the opportunity to lock up Bryce Young long term, but has he done enough to warrant such a deal?
The Colts went for it, and you have to admire them for doing so, but now the cost of doing business as a contender will come to roost this offseason. In trading for Sauce Gardner, Indianapolis dealt away its first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. They also must deal with Daniel Jones heading for free agency -- and Riley Leonard suffering an Achilles injury that could affect the start of his 2026 campaign. There’s some cap space to work with, but Indy’s avenues for solving all the team’s needs will be limited this offseason. Can they also keep impending free-agent WR Alec Pierce, beef up the pass rush and add more youth across the defense? That’s going to be tough, but it’s possible. Which team they’ll be next season -- the one that started 8-2, the one that finished 0-7, or something in between -- is anyone’s guess now.
A lot of the offseason chatter will center around the status of free agent Mike Evans, and rightfully so given everything he’s meant to the franchise. He could be an important piece for 2026, too, rounding out what figures to be a good group of receivers if fully healthy again. But there’s also a whole list of needs on defense for a unit that came a bit unglued after the bye last season. The pass rush needs an upgrade, likely with some new faces. They need more help at linebacker. Jamel Dean is an impending free agent in a secondary that is still a few pieces short of being complete. If they take one big swing this offseason, I suspect it will be adding a big-name pass rusher -- either through free agency or the draft. Getting David Walker back will help, and Yaya Diaby remains a promising player, but they really need one more big power source up front. After notching 25 sacks in their first eight games, the Bucs had only 12 sacks in their final nine outings.
With Patrick Mahomes already headlong into his rehab and the Chiefs angling for Travis Kelce to lace 'em up for one more season, the vibes appear to be slightly back on the upswing in Kansas City. There are still plenty of issues to iron out beyond that, with tackle Jawaan Taylor's contract (set to cost $27.4 million against the cap) and cornerback Jaylen Watson's free-agent status being pretty pressing ones. The Chiefs have let defensive backs walk in past offseasons and could opt to do so again, but it would leave a void. There's also a need to upgrade the pass rush, as reflected by GM Brett Veach camping out in front of the defensive line group for two straight days of the Senior Bowl. The Chiefs have the ninth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, which would be their highest pick in more than a decade, and adding another pass rusher to go along with Chris Jones and George Karlaftis would make a lot of sense.
The Cowboys apparently will use the franchise tag if needed on WR George Pickens, who otherwise would stand to cash in elsewhere this offseason. Setting aside the possibility that he could still be traded, keeping the ultra-talented Pickens in place would be huge for Dallas; when he was on the field in 2025, the Cowboys' offense was among the best in the NFL. The problem, of course, is that they had arguably the NFL's worst defense (ranked in the bottom three in points, yards and passing yards), no matter who was on the field. Even the midseason addition of Quinnen Williams, as good as he was, only made so much of an impact. Tasked with devising a fix is 34-year-old first-time coordinator Christian Parker. In terms of spending ability, the Cowboys currently rank 30th in the NFL in projected salary-cap space. Dallas does have two first-round picks but no choices in Rounds 2 and 3. Reinforcing all three levels of the defense while dealing with those constraints will require creativity and vision.
The Vikings don't seem likely to go into next season without some level of competition for J.J. McCarthy. Allowing Sam Darnold to walk in free agency last offseason was a mistake in retrospect, and leaving backup duties to Carson Wentz and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer made matters worse. There's also the backdrop of the Vikings' front office, which remains in flux following the firing of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as GM but won't change significantly until after the draft. That suggests Kevin O'Connell will have a significant say in the direction of his club this offseason -- which Minnesota is currently set to navigate while projected to be around $40 million over the salary cap. A few offseason cuts might be necessary. Then the team also decide what to do with receiver Jordan Addison, whose rookie contract can be extended to a fifth year (2027) but who is also coming off a down year that included a three-game suspension. Several tough calls lie ahead for a team that appears to have a wide range of outcomes next season, even with Brian Flores and a talented defense likely returning close to intact.
Kevin Stefanski has the makings of a good offensive core in Atlanta if Michael Penix Jr. can return from a torn ACL and play up to the level expected from him early last season. Defensively, the Falcons were pretty darned good in 2025, too, although James Pearce Jr.'s promising on-field debut season was undercut significantly by his recent arrest. Pearce is facing five felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated stalking, casting a shadow over the Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist's future. Given how little draft capital (their 2026 first-rounder went to the Rams in the move up for Pearce in last year's draft) and projected salary-cap space they have, the Falcons probably won't be very active this offseason and might have to let Kyle Pitts walk after his most successful season since his rookie year. There's plenty of evidence that the Falcons were far better than their record (which sat at 4-9 in December) would indicate, but there are only so many avenues for the team to improve significantly on paper this spring.
There’s some excitement in New Orleans about what the Saints might have in Tyler Shough. Despite not starting until Week 9, he made a push for Offensive Rookie of the Year and was on a pace (250.7 passing yards per start) that would have pushed him past the 4,000-yard mark with a full season's worth of QB1 duty. The sacks piled up, and Shough was a bit hot and cold at times, but the Saints have to feel good heading into this offseason not needing to address the position significantly. How they approach the decision of whether or not to re-sign veterans such as Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill could give us a window into how close to contention the Saints view themselves as being. New Orleans could be limited by its financial situation, as it currently ranks near the bottom of the league in terms of projected cap space. With offensive improvements and even a middle-of-the-road performance from special teams, the Saints could be vastly better, but how they’ll get there remains to be seen.
Plenty of big decisions lie ahead for the new regime led by Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley, even if Tua Tagovailoa's exit is on the horizon, per NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo. The team's significant salary-cap concerns will only worsen with the QB's trade or release, and cutting Tyreek Hill -- also on the table, according to The Insiders -- would only help so much. Then there's the open QB job that would have to be filled; it seems unlikely Quinn Ewers has done enough to be considered a realistic option. Signing Malik Willis is a strong possibility in a post-Tua world, and it wouldn't be hard to imagine ex-Packer Hafley reuniting with his previous team's backup QB and building around a strong run game and good defense, but much needs to happen before that vision can be realized.
Another wrinkle was added to the Trey Hendrickson saga when NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Sunday that the team is considering using the franchise tag on the pass rusher, with a tag-and-trade scenario being one possible outcome. With multiple trade requests in his recent history, Hendrickson's exit from the Bengals has long felt inevitable. Moving on would, of course, open up the need for -- you guessed it -- another pass rusher. Former first-rounders Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy will be part of that solution, but neither has shown enough to this point to assume they'll be counted on as the primary pressure sources up front. In addition to adding there, the Bengals also must improve the back end, with one of their more reliable DBs, safety Geno Stone, set for free agency. It's not like adding one or two outside pieces to one of the worst tackling defenses in recent seasons will magically wash this unit of all its sins. But major upgrades are necessary if the defense is to stop holding the Bengals -- who otherwise boast the kind of offensive firepower most teams cannot -- in this range of the league's hierarchy.
In 2024, the Commanders went 12-5 and got within one win of the Super Bow. In 2025, they fell hard and fast, and they now seem pretty far from contending. Welcome to the NFL -- Part Infinity. The inherent risk in targeting a few older, more expensive offensive pieces last offseason -- a departure from the team-building strategy they deployed prior to their '24 success -- was that they'd take a step back. How will the Commanders attack the offseason this time around? There are multiple pressing needs. Yes, the defense absolutely must get better, lacking in pass-rush juice and high-end cover corners, while venerable linebacker Bobby Wagner is bound for free agency. But there are offensive issues, too, with running back, offensive line and receiver all needing help -- and with Deebo Samuel set to hit the market.
With the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and more than $100 million in projected salary-cap space, the Titans are geared up to provide a better work environment for Cam Ward. The 2025 No. 1 overall pick struggled at times but also won over observers with his toughness and gradual improvements over the course of a long rookie season. He could use a true go-to receiver to complement his young targets, another tight end and further reinforcements up front, and the Titans appear poised to spend in order to address those needs. But they've also struggled to maximize their big money-investments from recent years (e.g., Calvin Ridley, L'Jarius Sneed, Dan Moore Jr.), and there’s no guarantee that the best wideouts will even hit the market this offseason. As for the defense, Robert Saleh might eventually be able to put together a strong unit, but there are several holes on that side of the ball right now, too.
The addition of John Harbaugh gives the Giants a boost in the gravitas department, even if it's not a guarantee they'll return to prominence right away. There's an exciting offensive nucleus in place, assuming Jaxson Dart can prove he's able to stay healthy, and there are multiple standouts on defense, as well. Even with some sneaky-good free agents to worry about (Wan'Dale Robinson, Jermaine Eluemunor and Cordale Flott among them) and limited projected salary-cap space, it's not hard to imagine the Giants improving in Harbaugh's first season. Knowing Harbaugh's history, he's likely to prioritize upgrading both lines of scrimmage. The Ravens always aimed to be one of the best trench teams in the NFL, and the Giants are a few key pieces -- a run-stopper on defense and possibly one or two offensive linemen -- shy of meeting that criteria.
Sunday's report from NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo that the Cardinals are "likely" to part ways with Kyler Murray points to a serious first challenge for new coach Mike LaFleur. What can they get in return for Murray, and who'll be his replacement? These are pretty significant questions to ask heading into an offseason when there will be limited quarterback options with which to potentially solve the issue. There are also long-term decisions to make on James Conner -- who has one year left on his contract, lost most of 2025 to a foot injury and is turning 31 in May -- and on the offensive line. Plus, there's the matter of coaxing more from an underachieving defense that does have some tangible young talent. There's a lot to do, and it's hard not to view Arizona as looking up -- way up -- at the three teams ahead of it in the NFC West. Even with good draft assets and some cash to spend this offseason, 2026 might be another struggle, the way things are headed.
The Raiders received a post-Super Bowl bump with the official confirmation that Klint Kubiak will be their next head coach, fresh off the Seahawks' victory over the Patriots. If Kubiak has the kind of effect with the Raiders that last year's Lombardi-winning offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, did for the Saints in 2025, it would be a welcome development in Las Vegas. The Raiders were downright putrid offensively, and Kubiak helped Seattle average 28.4 points per game in the regular season and 33.7 in the playoffs. Watching running back Kenneth Walker III win Super Bowl MVP also prompted visions of what Kubiak might be able to do to unlock 2025 sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty in similar fashion. Their perch above rock bottom here further reflects thoughts of the Raiders drafting quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall fresh off his national title with Indiana. Bringing a couple of champions into the building after going 7-27 the past two seasons can't be a bad idea.
When the Browns chose Todd Monken over Jim Schwartz, they surely knew how popular Schwartz was in the locker room. Now that Schwartz is gone, they'd better hope Monken can address the major offensive concerns and make inroads on that side of the ball as head coach. The Browns won't suddenly be poor defensively, I don't imagine, but you never know with a new coordinator. All that said, even if they likely won't be landing their future QB at the top of this year's draft, Cleveland is in excellent shape overall, with four picks in the top 70. If the Browns can have the same level of hit rate in 2026 as they did with last year's draft, a turnaround might be closer than expected. But until quarterback is ironed out, there's a hard cap on what this team can do next season.
Aaron Glenn suffered through a trying first season as Jets head coach, and this team is probably less talented than it was when he took over one year ago. That's a pretty sobering truth, and it's also troublesome for the Jets to be as unsure at quarterback as they are. The Justin Fields experiment didn't work in 2025, and there's no young QB on the roster you can say with certainty will be part of the longer-term plans. There are few teams as well-positioned to upgrade their roster as the Jets, armed with ample projected salary-cap room and a trove of draft picks, including two first-rounders and two seconds, giving them four selections in the top 44 overall. But there are also few teams with as many glaring needs as the Jets, and even a bountiful offseason might not be enough to meet them all. The beat goes on in Florham Park.
