With Super Bowl LX behind us, we can now look ahead to next year. We have turned the page on the 2025-26 season, and every team in the National Football League now has the same record. Granted, we are only two days removed from crowning a Super Bowl Champion, but in the world of sports, it's never too early to make wild predictions about how next season might play out. So let's rank all 32 NFL teams based on how good they might look in 2026.

1. Seattle Seahawks

This is just how I operate as a sports analyst. Until they lose their first game, the Seahawks are the best team in the NFL. They have the best defense in the league, the best special teams unit, and an elite offense. They'll have to use their $74 million in Cap Space to re-sign several impending free agents, but this team will be a Super Bowl contender again next year.

2. Los Angeles Rams

This was the second-best team in the NFL during the 2025-26 season, as proven by the fact that they played the Seahawks closer than anybody else this year. With Matthew Stafford coming back, the Rams will be a threat to win the Super Bowl next season. It doesn't hurt that they have two first-round draft picks and the eighth-most available cap space in the NFL.

3. Denver Broncos

You have to imagine that if Bo Nix didn't suffer a freak accident in the waning seconds of their Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills, they probably would've represented the AFC in Super Bowl LX. With Nix entering his third season and most of their starters under contract for next year, Denver will once again be one of the AFC's best teams.

4. San Francisco 49ers

In a season that was filled with devastating injuries, the Niners still made the playoffs and actually won a game on the road against the defending Super Bowl Champs. The odds of them suffering the same number of losses are very low. As long as George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa are available for a majority of the season, San Fran will be one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL.

5. New England Patriots

They're ahead of schedule in their rebuild after making the Super Bowl, but this team still has some major talent gaps along the offensive line and at some key playmaking spots. The good news is that they have an elite coaching staff, a good QB on a rookie contract, and $33.1 million to spend on free agents and draft picks. They'll be in the mix for the Super Bowl next year.

6. Philadelphia Eagles

This group is just a year removed from a dominant Super Bowl victory. They have a Super Bowl-winning head coach, a Super Bowl MVP quarterback, and excellent players on defense and along the offensive line. If new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion can come up with some imaginative playcalls, Philly will be one of the best teams in the NFC.

7. Baltimore Ravens

The fact that they missed out on the playoffs will have people doubting this squad, but they still have top-flight players at many important positions. Lamar Jackson is a perennial MVP candidate. With Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton anchoring the defense, that side of the ball will be much better under new head coach Jesse Minter. People are sleeping on the Ravens, who will likely return to playoff form next season.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars

They have some tough financial decisions to make this off-season, but if they can trim the fat and bring back some of their impending defensive free agents, this group will be set to make another playoff push. Liam Coen has Trevor Lawrence playing the best ball of his career. The defense will likely regress, but the foundation is there for this team to be very competitive.

9. Green Bay Packers

People seem to forget that this group was 9-3-1 before Micah Parsons went down. Jordan Love has proven that he is an elite quarterback. Once they get Tucker Kraft, Devonte Wyatt, Zach Tom, and, of course, Parsons back into the mix, this team will be really tough for any opponent. If Love plays as well as he did this year, and Micah Parsons returns to his pre-injury form, Green Bay will be one of the better teams in the NFL.

10. Detroit Lions

Had they not inexplicably lost to Max Brosmer and the Minnesota Vikings, this team probably would've made the playoffs over the Packers. They still have an excellent head coach in Dan Campbell and difference-makers at the most important spots in the football (defensive line, linebacker, offensive line, running back, etc.). Based on the talent on this roster alone, this team will be a tough out for anybody in the NFL. They just need to hope they nailed their offensive coordinator hiring.

11. Buffalo Bills

It feels like the decision to move on from Sean McDermott to Joe Brady was a lateral move rather than one that will actually lead to any positive changes. Regardless, they still have an MVP quarterback and won a playoff game this year. Now, they need to add a true number-one wide receiver and stop messing around with guys like Brandin Cooks, Keon Coleman, and Khalil Shakir. Otherwise, they're going to find themselves in the same spot next year.

12. Chicago Bears

There's no question that the Bears will be a force on the offensive side of the ball, but they have their work cut out for them on defense. Their three best defenders are scheduled to become free agents, and they also need to add a bonaifde pass rusher, which could be difficult since they’re $10.6 million over the cap. But with Ben Johnson calling plays and Caleb Williams continuing to make highlight-reel plays, Chicago will be a threat to make the playoffs and win the NFC North.

13. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers were competitive without their two best offensive linemen this season. With Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back in the fold and new offensive weapons mixed in, LA will be a force in the AFC. New OC Mike McDaniels will have this offense humming. I actually think they're a dark horse candidate to win the AFC.

14. Houston Texans

Regardless of what the issues are offensively, this team will still have one of, if not the best, defenses in the NFL next season. Will Anderson Jr. should be seen as a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year contender. They'll likely be a playoff team, but Houston needs to figure out what's going on with C.J. Stroud before they have to make a long-term contract decision.

15. Kansas City Chiefs

I don't know how they expect to get better from this year to next year. It's unclear when Patrick Mahomes will make his regular-season debut. More importantly, KC is $57 million over the cap, so they're going to have to part with some of their key players. Either way, the Chiefs will be competitive as long as Mahomes plays most of their regular season.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It feels like Todd Bowles is a lame duck head coach who could be fired at any point during the season, which is why they rank 16th. Still, they have an undeniable amount of talent on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Tampa needs to bolster its pass rush and get more clarity about its coaching future if it wants to be taken more seriously as a threat in the NFC.

17. Dallas Cowboys

Similar to the Buccaneers, the Cowboys have a ridiculous amount of talent on both sides of the ball. But they still need to fix their defense. They ranked dead last in points allowed per game (30.1), even after making huge trades in-season. Dallas can start by improving its pass rush, considering it finished the year tied for 22nd in sacks.

18. Cincinnati Bengals

Unlike the Cowboys, the Bengals are almost completely devoid of defensive talent. In fact, their best player on that side of the ball (Trey Hendrickson) is probably going to be playing elsewhere next season. All of their resources should be dedicated to improving the defense. The good news is Cincy has $53 million in available cap space to play with.

19. Minnesota Vikings

Once again, the talent is there, but there are some major concerns across the board with the Vikes. They don't have a general manager, even though we’re about a month away from the start of free agency. Minnesota is also $40 million over the cap, so they’ll need to cut loose some key contributors. The biggest problem, though, is that J.J. McCarthy looked horrible in his first season, and there are big question marks about his future as the Vikings' quarterback.

20. Carolina Panthers

Last season was a huge step in the right direction for this group. After it looked like they were destined to once again be a bottom-feeder early-on, the Panthers turned their season around and made the playoffs, where they played a great game against the Rams. They still need to add more offensive playmakers because they were 27th in scoring (18.3 points per game).

21. Indianapolis Colts

There might be concerns about Daniel Jones, but his late-season performance was likely hindered by the broken bone in his leg. When he makes a full recovery from his torn Achilles tendon, he might look like he did during the first half of the 2025-26 season. If that ends up being the case, then they'll be a competitor for the AFC South crown. But until Jones proves he can play like that again, we can't take them too seriously.

22. Washington Commanders

This is Dan Quinn's last shot to prove that he is the man to lead this team into the future. The defense looked old and talentless at many points last season, so they fired their defensive coordinator. The Commanders will use their $67.9 million in available cap space to improve the defense and the offensive line. Keeping Jayden Daniels healthy for the entire season will be Washington’s top priority. As long as he is in the lineup, they’ll have a chance to compete, but the defense must be better.

23. New York Giants

The John Harbaugh hiring is a huge win for a franchise that has been looking for a legitimately good head coach since Tom Coughlin's departure. They also have their QB of the future and playmakers along the defensive line and at the wide receiver position. If the Giants are healthy next season, they will be a tough out for most opponents.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

I was thoroughly unimpressed with the decision to hire Mike McCarthy. The future of this team looks incredibly dim. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and Aaron Rodgers will all be another year older and another year slower. The Steelers need a serious influx of young talent on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Hopefully, Mike McCarthy can create some more imaginative offensive schemes because Pittsburgh looked archaic offensively last season.

25. Atlanta Falcons

There is plenty of talent on the roster, but there are concerns about the quarterback position. It's unclear if Michael Penix Jr. can be trusted to be this team's franchise QB. At least they have an elite running back to base their offense around and two fantastic edge rushers. Hopefully, new coach Kevin Stefanski can get the most out of this roster, the same way he did with the Browns.

26. New Orleans Saints

They're $41.7 million over the cap, so they’re going to have to let some guys go, like Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara, in all likelihood. Defensive leaders Cam Jordan and DeMario Davis are also expected to be free agents unless they come back on team-friendly deals. The good news is they have something to build on going into next season with the head coach-quarterback combo of Kellen Moore and Tyler Shough.

27. Tennessee Titans

Outside of Cam Ward and Jeffery Simmons, there is a serious lack of talent on this roster. Thankfully, they have $99 million to spend on the draft and free agency. The additions of Robert Saleh as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator should help this team improve its win total. The most important part of next season will be seeing meaningful progression from Cam Ward, but that won't happen if the Titans don't add playmakers.

28. Arizona Cardinals

The questions they have at quarterback loom incredibly large going into next season. They were already bad with Kyler Murray on the roster, so I don't expect them to improve with him off of it. I'm also not sold on Mike LaFleur as a head coach, like I am with Klint Kubiak. However, Trey McBride is a top player at his position, and they have some young defenders who really impressed me. Either way, the Cards are in for another tough season.

29. Cleveland Browns

This team can't even get its fans excited about a new head coach. They finally get rid of Kevin Stefanski, only to hire a 60-year-old, unimpressive offensive coordinator with no previous NFL head coaching experience. The offense is still a mess with no direction at quarterback. The only reason they're not last is that they have Myles Garrett and Carson Schwesinger.

30. Miami Dolphins

The dismantling and rebuilding of the Miami Dolphins has begun. They desperately need to find somebody to take on Tua Tagovailoa's contract, but then they'll probably have to tack on draft capital in any kind of trade they make. Tyreek Hill is probably on the way out, and the secondary is a mess. Jeff Hafley is in for a rude awakening in his first season as an NFL head coach.

31. Las Vegas Raiders

Maybe the worst situation in the NFL, regardless of the fact that they have the number-one overall pick in the NFL Draft. They burned their bridge with Maxx Crosby by forcing him to sit on the bench the last few weeks of the season, so he'll probably ask out. At least they have good weapons in Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers, but they desperately need to improve the offensive line.

32. New York Jets

A lame duck head coach destined to be fired next off-season, no future at quarterback, and a serious lack of talent outside of Garrett Wilson. The Jets have everything you need to be the WORST team in football next year. The positives are that they have 12 picks to play around with in the upcoming draft, including four in the top-50. Not to mention $82.5 million to use on free agents. Until we actually see who they add, though, expect this to be the worst team in the NFL.