The NFC, like the AFC, was a pretty unexpected and wild conference in 2025. The Detroit Lions, after winning 15 games in 2024, somehow missed the playoffs. We saw teams like the Chicago Bears and even New Orleans Saints finish a lot better than expected.
There could be even more wild finishes in 2026, and with free agency right around the corner, this is the time of the year where teams in both conferences can truly separate themselves from other clubs, but it doesn't always work out like teams hope when they seek to sign players.
As of now, though, we do have a solid grasp on the hierarchy of the NFC. Let's get into some power rankings with free agency on the horizon.
Updated NFC Power Rankings with free agency on the horizon
16. Arizona Cardinals
With Kyler Murray now out of the picture, the Arizona Cardinals did actually get worse, and you struggle to find much of a path for this team to see success. The quarterback position is the obvious issue here.
15. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders struggled through injuries in 2025, and Jayden Daniels, their starting quarterback, was in and out of the lineup. Even with that said, the roster was and is nothing special, so I don't think this team is nearly as good as we think right now.
14. Atlanta Falcons
If nothing else, the Atlanta Falcons have a strong roster, and if Michael Penix Jr can return to the lineup and find moderate success in 2026, the Falcons should rise up these rankings.
13. Minnesota Vikings
There just isn't much to like with the Minnesota Vikings right now, and they have already undergone some rather major roster changes. would expect Murray to land with the Vikings and start for them in 2026, but is the supporting cast good enough?
12. New York Giants
I love the New York Giants as a frisky breakout team in 2026, but they obviously have to go out there and do it, but with John Harbaugh as the head coach, it's hard to not see a massive improvement.
Jaxson Dart very clearly has the goods, and the Giants now have every reason to be aggressive in free agency to load this roster up. The defensive line is rock-solid, and you figure that the offensive line is going to get a notable investment as well.
11. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints quietly won four of their last five games to end the 2025 NFL Season, which is significant. Tyler Shough played his tail off in 2025, and perhaps even more ideally, the defensive improvement from 2024 into 2025 was noticeable.
The Saints are a team that can absolutely win the NFC South in the 2026 campaign.
10. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a bad football team, folks. Sure, the story was fun to follow in 2025, but they finished with a losing record and still have some massive quarterback questions. Bryce Young did play the best football of his career, but he was still largely average and forgettable.
I would be remiss, though, if I did not give this team credit for improving from 2024 into 2025, but there is still a long way to go.
9. Dallas Cowboys
As long as the Dallas Cowboys can field an average defense, this team is going to win double-digit games in 2026 and compete for the NFC East title. With Christian Parker as the defensive coordinator, I would be shocked if the defense didn't improve noticeably in 2026.
Watch out for Dallas as another frisky breakout team this upcoming season, especially if they can get an impact starter or two in free agency.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Just about nothing worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025, so the hope here is that the front office addresses the defensive line, and the offense at least raises the floor. Both of these things happening could lead to a rebound year in 2026 after shockingly losing the NFC South to the Panthers.
7. Philadelphia Eagles
It's hard to figure out what exactly the Philadelphia Eagles are. Once again, they had to bring in a new offensive coordinator, and right now, it seems like an AJ Brown trade could happen for the right price. Like with everything else in life, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
And what I mean by that is that all of Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts, and some of the offensive coaches all take a share of the blame for what we saw in 2025. However, Hurts is the quarterback, and he does have some major passing limitations.
All in all, the Eagles are going to be aggressive this offseason and should go into the season with an improved roster, but it's hard to see a path back to the top of the NFC, like we saw them achieve in 2024.
6. Green Bay Packers
Once again, the Green Bay Packers earned a Wild Card seed for the playoffs but lost in the first round. If this is the ceiling of this team, they'll never get over the hump. Heck, the Chicago Bears, of all teams, figured this thing out quicker than the Packers. With a good bit of free agents, the Packers are truly clinging to the no. 7 spot in our power rankings.
5. San Francisco 49ers
Despite going through some major injuries, the San Francisco 49ers were just one game away from earning the top seed in the NFC for the playoffs, so like other teams in our power rankings, a lot of the success does hinge on staying healthy.
The nucleus is in place, though, as the head coach and quarterback are both great, and the front office should be able to adequately fill the roster holes in free agency.
4. Detroit Lions
I am a bit higher on the Detroit Lions than most people. Sure, this team traded away David Montgomery and did release Taylor Decker, but this front office is truly such a well-oiled machine that I have no doubt General Manager Brad Holmes will shore up these roster holes.
The offensive is a light show, and the defense does sport a ton of talent. The main issue has been injuries on the defensive side of the ball, so a lot of this does ride on health. Expect the Lions to bounce back in 2026.
3. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears were a fun team in 2025, but this team did have some roster holes - the run defense was questionable at times, and the pass rush just was not good enough. In the same way the Bears overhauled much of the offensive line last offseason, the defensive line could get some of the same treatment.
But even if that trade happens, Chicago does have a ton of notable free agents, and the offense is a bit of an issue - Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman shockingly retired, and Caleb Williams' completion percentage took a hit in 2025. All in all, though, you can't really argue with wins.
And winning is what the Bears did in 2025. It's obvious that head coach Ben Johnson knows what he's doing, and with new head coaches, you can typically tell early on whether they have it or not. Johnson has it, so expect another strong season in 2026.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were within just one game of the Super Bowl in 2025 and just could not get over the hump in Seattle. The Rams have already swung a major trade, landing cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs, and with how aggressive Les Snead can be, the Rams aren't done yet.
Right now, given how hard it is to repeat, the Rams might go into the 2026 season as the favorites to capture the NFC title and return to the Super Bowl.
1. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl and are the best team in the NFL for now. They will have some work to do though, as players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon will need extensions, and it's not a guarantee that Kenneth Walker III returns to the team, as he is a free agent.
Overall, it's hard to argue with the work that GM John Schneider has done, as he built a Super Bowl winner, and there really isn't much reason to believe that they can't at least make a deep playoff run in 2026. Seattle tops our NFC power rankings.