2. New England Patriots
The Patriots unsurprisingly landed Brown in a major trade that broke earlier this week. On paper, the team did get better this offseason, but the schedule does get a lot harder, and after going 14-3 in 2025, it might be hard for this team to repeat that in 2026.
Losing just three games in a regular season leaves little margin for error, and you'd have to assume that an increase in opponent difficulty is going to have this team closer to 10 wins, even. At the samee time, the Patriots sport a top-5 head coach, an elite quarterback, and now have an elite wide receiver.
This team did also represent the AFC in the Super Bowl in 2025, so that has to be considered here. While getting back to the big game might be unlikely, the Patriots established themselves, once again, as a top team in the NFL.
1. Denver Broncos
The Patriots weren't the only team that added a big-time wide receiver this offseason. The Broncos did this too with Waddle. On paper, this is the best team in the conference. Denver's trench play on both sides of the ball combines as the best in the league, and with a strong supporting cast on offense, quarterback Bo Nix has everything he needs to breakout further.
Defensively, this team continues to lead the NFL in sacks, and couples that with a stingy secondary. Had Nix not broken his ankle, we're likely talking about this team having made the Super Bowl last year, perhaps even winning it.
We could get to a point with the Broncos in 2026 where there isn't a thing this team can't do. The Broncos did win a ton of one-score games last season, and you'd not be crazy to think a regression is coming in that regard, but from top to bottom, this franchise has what it takes to win it all, taking the top spot in our latest power rankings.
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