We're just now hitting the end of the 2025 NFL Season, but all eyes are soon going to turn to the 2026 season. With free agency and the NFL Draft approaching, there will surely be new hope for teams that want to make a deep playoff run and eventually hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
And it's always difficult to not only build a winning team, but to sustain that year-over-year. NFL front offices are constantly making roster moves and are often caught making the wrong ones, but on the flip side, the league's best front offices are putting their teams in the best positions to win.
In today's league, no team is going to win without strong quarterback play, and this has been the case for over a decade at this point. As the bulk of the 2026 offseason approaches, let's talk about some way-too-early breakout teams for the upcoming season.
These three teams are on their way to a breakout season in 2026
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints went 4-1 down the stretch in the 2025 regular season and nearly ended the season on a five-game winning streak, which is significant. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough also began to heat up during this time, and if that final stretch is going to tell us anything about what the Saints can do in 2026, watch out.
Over those final five games, Shough completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, had eight total touchdowns, and had a 99.1 passer rating. This is as logical a team as any to breakout in 2026. The Saints also sported an underrated defense under Brandon Staley, so it's not like that unit can't improve as well.
Overall, the Saints are well-positioned, especially in the weaker NFC South, to take control of this division in a breakout campaign. Keep an eye out for this Saints' squad in 2026.