Right now, the focus is on the 14 teams that made the playoffs in the NFL. The playoffs are as open as they’ve ever been. Who is the favorite to win the Super Bowl? If you ask 10 analysts, you might get 10 different answers. And none of them could be the Denver Broncos or New England Patriots, who are the 1 and 2 seeds in the AFC.
However, some really important work is happening for the 18 teams that missed the playoffs. Some are trying to re-evaluate what went wrong and how to get back to contention. Both the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, last year’s one-seeds in each conference, missed the postseason this year. Two of the four teams in the Championship Games missed the playoffs. How close are they to going back?
18. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders got the number-one overall pick for a reason. While some thought they had a chance to make the playoffs this season, that was always an insane proposition. They have a rookie running back and no number-one wide receiver. Oh, and Geno Smith was the worst starting quarterback of the season that had at least 10 games. Nothing went right for the Raiders.
Pete Carroll was fired, and the coaching staff is going to get an overhaul. The team needs to build a foundation, and a first-overall pick is a good start. Here’s the issue, there’s nothing else, and their one star is probably going to get himself out of Vegas. Maxx Crosby was incensed that he was basically benched to end the season. It sounds like that could come to a head this offseason, and Crosby could be pushing himself out.
The Raiders will likely spend a ton of money this offseason, but they are so far away from anything that we can’t claim they are anything more than light-years away. Not only are they an untalented team compared to the rest of the league, but they aren’t getting their top coaching choice. They will have to accept what’s left after some better teams get a chance.
17. New York Jets
Sometimes the Devil you know isn’t better than the Devil you don’t. The New York Jets know what they have in Aaron Glenn, and it’s terrible. Yet, they decided to stick with the first-year coach to get a chance for a sophomore season despite a straight-up embarrassing first year. He’s a defensive coach for a team that recorded zero interceptions for the first time in history. This is a team that had Sauce Gardner to start the season.
The Jets do have multiple first-round picks over the next two years. In 2027, they have three first-round picks. They are going to rapidly add talent, but how much current talent is willing to stay? Will Garrett Wilson ask for a trade? Will they re-sign Breece Hall? There are so many questions surrounding this team, and nothing will change the fact that Aaron Glenn is still their head coach.
Then, there’s the biggest issue. They are probably picking the “other” quarterback of Dante Moore Jr. and Fernando Mendoza. Will they keep Justin Fields on the roster? That would be a wild decision after how this season went, but right now, it just looks like wasted money. The last time they took a quarterback with the second-overall pick, it was a huge bust. Zach Wilson seemed like more of a sure thing than Moore does, but we’ll see.
16. Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns' trade for Deshaun Watson ruined everything. They were well on their way to being a competitive team. Baker Mayfield wasn’t a perfect solution, but he was definitely good enough to keep them a playoff team with the roster around him. Instead, the Browns traded Mayfield for peanuts, sent a bounty to the Houston Texans for Watson, then gave him a fully guaranteed contract. His cap number in 2026 is $80 million, which is insane. How can they improve this team?
They still have Myles Garrett, who just broke the sack record. He’s still the best defensive player in the NFL, and he’s playing next to last-year’s top-five pick, Mason Graham. Quinshon Judkins was a great pickup at running back, but outside of that, there’s not a lot to build around here.
The quarterback position is almost a bigger problem than it is a solution. They took Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the draft last season. They got a chance to see them both start for a few games, and neither did enough to truly win the job for 2026. Gabriel was safe and effective, but he appeared to be missing the confidence it takes to be a successful quarterback on the next level. Sanders oozed confidence, but his decision-making left much to be desired. It’s not a great situation, but it is one that will change their draft decision.
15. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans could easily turn this ship around quickly. They are getting the right pieces in place, and they have some veterans around quarterback Cam Ward. Calvin Ridley is their top wide receiver, although it’s a strange fit, and they’ve invested a lot in the offensive line. They are hoping to get their version of Tetairoa McMillan in the draft this season. It’s not a great skill position draft, but there are great players to be had.
The Titans had to put so many players on IR this season, which did hurt their chances of making a splash. It ended up working out as the Titans now have a great draft pick. The Titans also have close to $100 million in cap space to spend this offseason. This isn’t the best free agency class, but there’s enough out there to add talent, especially on the defensive side.
There’s a lot needed on this roster. They might even let Jeffrey Simmons find a contender to spend his twilight career years. Still, despite all this, we could see a Panthers-esque turnaround from them. We can also see them stay tanking and get another top-five draft pick. This team is at a fork in the road for sure.
14. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are back near the top of the draft after thinking they were on the right track. They learned that Kyler Murray is not the answer under center, and Jacoby Brissett wildly outplayed him. We see that getting addressed this offseason, and the Cardinals are likely going the free agent or trade route for a new signal-caller. With the third-overall pick, they will miss out on the actual impactful quarterbacks. They have to take a different route to get one.
This roster is incredibly flawed, and the real problem is the number of misses in the draft. Marvin Harrison Jr. is running out of rope in the room, and he is starting to show real issues in his game. Paris Johnson has been really good, but he has suffered some injuries. Zaven Collins isn’t really much of anything at this point.
However, they hit it out of the park with Trey McBride. He became the top tight end in the league this season, and his star is only shining brighter. If he sticks to this Cardinals offense, he will be a reason they could turn it around quickly. They need so much more, but McBride is such a great start.
13. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have the talent to be a really good team, but eventually, we have to go with the history here. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2000-01. They haven’t made the AFC Championship since 1992. We don’t even want to talk about a Super Bowl appearance. Everything they seem to do doesn’t work. When they traded for Tyreek Hill after the Laremy Tunsil trade worked out so well, it seemed like they were ready to take the next step. The New England Patriots' reign on the AFC East was over, and the Buffalo Bills were taking over. The Dolphins had a chance to get some easy wins and make the playoffs.
In 2024, everything went off the rails, and in 2025, it got even worse. They traded away Jalen Ramsey, and they wanted to trade away Tyreek Hill. Hill is coming off an injury, and his value is pretty low right now. They still have Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane, but the rest of their offense is an absolute mess, including the quarterback position.
Tua Tagovailoa was benched this season for Quinn Ewers. Ewers was alright, but he wasn’t exactly getting the Dolphins to the next level. Things didn’t work out, and they ended up firing both their GM Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel. If they finally get these pieces in the right place, maybe they can start to get closer to contention, but they feel very far away right now.
12. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints surprised many by being somewhat competent this season. After losing eight of their first nine games, they won five of their last eight. The Saints found a rhythm, and they have the likely rookie of the year in Tyler Shough. He’s the reason there’s a lot of hope for the Saints, and Kellen Moore appears to be the right head coach.
This spot on the list is kind of a pivot point. The Saints have some of the pieces to make a run to the Super Bowl, but they need a desperate amount more to get there. We’re looking at an overhauled defense and new skill players on offense. Chris Olave is a decent enough wide receiver, but his concussion history will likely come up again. Once the Saints are ready to contend, we’re not sure he’s going to have a huge role in it.
It will be telling which direction the Saints go this offseason. Do they feel like the window is opening, or are they still very much in a rebuild? Do they need another year or two to get to the next level, or can 2026 be a year of growth and movement towards the playoffs? It helps that they are in the NFC South, where a team with a losing record who lost a “win-and-in” game in Week 18 is representing them in the playoffs. A decent talent addition with growth from Shough can help them get to the playoffs again.
11. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys may never win again, but we have to acknowledge that there is some optimism about their future. They have stars across the lineup, although they did trade one to the Green Bay Packers before this season. CeeDee Lamb should remain great for a few more years, and we’ll see if they re-sign George Pickens. They found a decent running back in Javonte Williams, but they probably need an upgrade there.
They fired Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator, and we don’t have much hope in Brian Schottenheimer. The coaching situation is not good, and the history of the Cowboys and Jerry Jones shows it won’t get any better. The disappointment we saw this season despite the impact of the offense is a problem.
A bigger problem? Dak Prescott is going to be 33 years old at the start of next season. We’ve seen some quarterbacks produce quality late into their 30s, but they are often the supreme pocket passers who don’t need their athleticism to succeed. Prescott is still playing at the top of his game, but how much longer will that last, and can the Cowboys get the rest of their house in order in time? It's hard to stay optimistic when looking at the entire picture.
10. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings went from playing for the number-one seed to missing the playoffs entirely and having their entire future in doubt. J.J. McCarthy does not look like an NFL quarterback. He had a few moments here and there, but he was way more bad than good. The Vikings let Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones go so they could commit to McCarthy. Because of that, they ended up starting Carson Wentz and Max Brosman during the season. McCarthy is why a team with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is far away from contention.
On top of that, the Vikings have allowed their defense to push them to the postseason. However, the most important piece of that defense is reportedly heading for different pastures. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is reportedly at the end of his contract. He is looking for his next adventure, and many think he’s about to be the highest-paid coordinator in the league. Losing him could hurt them even more.
This is a team that appears to be moving in the wrong direction, but they have a great head coach in Kevin O’Connell. There are only a few like that in the league. If he keeps the Vikings afloat during this time of turmoil, they could turn this around quickly, but we have a lot of questions.
9. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are in an interesting place. It really comes down to Jayden Daniels. He suffered three different injuries that caused him to miss games this season. It eventually ended his year, and the Commanders went into the toilet with him. If Daniels can share this season off and have a successful, healthy career, then the Commanders can be contenders sooner rather than later. However, that’s not even close to a guarantee.
Outside of the quarterback position, the Commanders are pretty old. Coming into the season, they were the oldest team in the league. Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel will both be over 30 years old at the start of next season. They have Bobby Wagner and Von Miller on the defense. It’s a rough situation, and they probably have to do some serious overhauling of this roster to get much younger.
There are also questions about the coaching. Dan Quinn lost both his offensive and defensive coordinators, which means he is going into the season on the hot seat. He has to make the right hire at both of those positions if he is going to survive 2026 and make this team a contender moving forward. It won't be easy, but there's a route forward to make it happen.
8. Atlanta Falcons
There are few teams with as much talent on offense as the Atlanta Falcons. Bijan Robinson is at worst the second-best running back in the league. Drake London is a legit number-one receiver. Kyle Pitts might be something, but we’ve been fooled by him before. They have some other bit pieces around the edges, and Michael Penix is expected to be the future under center. He has to play better than he did this season, but the foundation is there.
How did the Falcons miss the playoffs this season? The paltry NFC South got a team with the same record as the Falcons into the playoffs (8-9). That means if the Falcons just beat the New York Jets or didn’t get swept by the Panthers, then everything would have been considered a success. Raheem Morris would still be the head coach. We’d be celebrating Kirk Cousins for being resilient.
Yet, it might be a good thing the Falcons' season went the way it did. They made strides on defense after taking both Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round. If they kept Morris for another year, nobody would expect them to take strides in their growth. Now, they can bring in a creative offensive mind who can take them to the next level. Just not Bill Belichick. Leave him in Chapel Hill.
7. New York Giants
The New York Giants are building a really, really good roster. Let’s look at the premium positions. At quarterback, Jaxson Dart looks like the real deal. He needs to keep his head protected, but we think the Giants will hire a head coach who will prioritize that. Malik Nabers is one of the top young receivers in football. The defensive line boasts Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and young star Abdul Carter. Even Deonte Banks had a chance to showcase himself as an answer at cornerback, although he needs to make major progress in the right direction.
The really exciting thing about the Giants is how high their profile is right now. They are considered by many as the second-best coaching destinations of all the openings. Could they get John Harbaugh? Is this Kevin Stefanski’s top destination? Will they target one of the top college coaches? The future is bright for Big Blue.
And they are getting another top draft pick. When looking at mock drafts, the Giants could get a great wide receiver two with the fifth-overall pick. Most mocks have them taking Carnell Tate or Jordan Tyson. Pairing them with Nabers would give them one of the best one-two punches at the position. Add in WanDale Robinson in the slot, and you got the makings of greatness in the passing game. They do need a really good backup, and we’re not talking about Russell Wilson (although, we’re open to Jameis Winston).
6. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts looked like a true contender this season. They felt the same way, which is why they sent two first-round picks to the New York Jets for Sauce Gardner. It was supposed to be the move that secured them the number-one seed and a real chance to make the Super Bowl. Instead, Gardner got hurt, as did Daniel Jones, and the Colts missed the playoffs. Woof.
The Colts have a ton of talent across the depth chart, and even as the Gardner trade looks like a disaster, they still have him moving forward. They need a star wide receiver as Michael Pittman gets older, and they need to figure out the quarterback position. Jones is coming off a torn Achilles, and Anthony Richardson is officially a bust.
So why is this team so high? We really like Shane Steichen as a head coach. This could come back to bite us, but the Colts have a really smart guy running things. Maybe Jones is the answer, but maybe he’s not. There are some interesting names coming that could be available. Would the Ravens make Lamar Jackson available or the Bengals Joe Burrow? Losing those two first-round picks could hurt their ability to make a trade, but we think it would be in 2027 anyway. This is still a pretty young roster with some high-profile pieces everywhere. We do admit, they have the biggest chance to fall pretty quickly.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We might be higher on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than most, but this has the foundation of a championship franchise. The defense has stars at every level. The offense does, as well. Tristan Werfs is one of the best offensive tackles in the league. Bucky Irving, when healthy, can be a super-duper-star. Emeka Egbuka looks like one of the best young receivers in football, and adding him with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin gives them one of the deepest receiver rooms in the league.
Two issues here: is Baker Mayfield a good enough quarterback, and is Todd Bowles a good enough head coach? Let’s start with the quarterback. Mayfield has a history of decent playoff stats. It’s nothing crazy, but he does have an all-time record. Nobody has thrown a touchdown on a higher percentage of their playoff passes than Baker Mayfield. He’s also 30 years old, so there’s plenty of meat on the bone. Honestly, he just needs to be consistent in the regular season.
Bowles is the big issue. We’re not sure he’s a good head coach. The Buccaneers got exposed with Liam Cohen in Jacksonville. They need a really good offensive coordinator. Honestly, the fact that Bowles is on the hot seat makes us more excited about their future prospects since this wasn’t the best coaching cycle for offensive minds.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
It’s really hard to know what’s happening in Cincinnati. When the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs on the way to Super Bowl LVI, it looked like the start of constant contention. They had one of the best quarterbacks in Joe Burrow. They had THE best wide receiver in Ja’Marr Chase. They matched him with Tee Higgins, and there was talent pretty much everywhere.
Since then, the Bengals have made the playoffs once. It is now three years in a row that the Bengals have been left home while the rest of the AFC fights for a championship. With the Chiefs missing the playoffs in 2025-26, this was a chance for a new team to take over. This was the Bengals’ chance to do that. Burrow got hurt. Jake Browning wasn’t the answer we thought he’d be. Joe Flacco couldn’t keep them afloat, and they are once again home on Wild Card Weekend.
Still, this is as talented an offense in the NFL. Their defense? Not so much. It could get worse with Trey Hendrickson being a free agent, but they could slap the franchise tag on him. They need wholesale changes there, and we’re not sure Zach Taylor is the right guy to lead this team. However, they have a top quarterback. Joe Burrow is great, and that’s the most important piece to winning a Super Bowl in this league.
3. Baltimore Ravens
What a strange year in the AFC. Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson are sitting at home. Josh Allen didn’t win the AFC East. It’s a transitional year for the AFC, and anyone can win. This was a great chance for the Ravens to make a miracle run to the Super Bowl, but Tyler Loop had other plans. He badly missed a field goal attempt at the former Heinz Field with time expiring, and the Pittsburgh Steelers took the Ravens’ playoff spot.
That caused a series of events for the Ravens that included a lot of questions. John Harbaugh lost his job after 18 seasons. There are questions around Jackson and whether he’s losing his luster after a stretch of MVP seasons. Many are questioning why a talented defense is playing as badly as this one did. There are so many questions, but it seems like most come down to coaching.
If the Ravens get one of the top coaches in this cycle, i.e., Kevin Stefanski, this could be a Super Bowl team as early as next season. In fact, the top three teams could all win the Super Bowl in 2026-27. The Ravens are one of them, but they have to make the right decision at coach. They need to get the most out of Jackson as he gets older, and they need a better number-one receiver than Zay Flowers. They’ve tried with multiple first-round picks, but they need to get that decision rectified.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs went to three straight Super Bowls and won two. They were as close to a dynasty as one can get. However, there are questions surrounding their team after a rough season. Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, and he didn’t do it early in the season. It’s hard to say that Mahomes would be ready for Week 1. However, this is the Chiefs. They can survive a month or so without Mahomes, and he can come back and bring them to the promised land.
There will be big changes to the roster this offseason. Travis Kelce is likely going to say goodbye to the sport and hello to a billionaire lifestyle. We think they make drastic changes to the wide receiver room after keeping that together with Scotch tape. They might even move Rashee Rice and focus on building around Xavier Worthy. The defense has pieces all over the place, including Chris Jones and Trent McDuffie. They have big draft wins in Josh Simmons, Ashton Gillotte, and Nohl Williams.
The foundation of a dynasty is still in place. The defense is great. Andy Reid is still amazing. There is so much to love about the Chiefs, and they will get Mahomes back next season at some point. This is still a scary team in the AFC.
1. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are the biggest surprise and disappointment of this season. After they were shocked by the Washington Commanders in the playoffs last season, many thought they’d learn from that and come back stronger. They welcomed back superstar defender Aidan Hutchinson, and the offense was only getting better. Yet, they didn’t make the playoffs, as the Chicago Bears surprisingly won the NFC North.
This is still the foundation of a long-time winner. There aren’t just pieces at every position. There are stars. They have Jahmyr Gibbs at running back, possibly the best player at his position. David Montgomery is the best backup in football. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are an incredible top two receivers. The offensive line is outstanding. Jared Goff seems to be good enough.
On top of it all, the players will run through a wall for Dan Campbell. He really personified what you want in a head coach. We need more out of his coordinators, as it was clear he missed Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson. Sometimes, that takes a little time, but the Lions are still close. We can’t deny that. They could win the Super Bowl next season, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone.