The 2026 NFL Draft is now in the books, and teams across the league will slowly begin various offseason activities. The draft also marks the last time teams can make major, notable roster changes. Of course, big-time trades can still happen, but the players who will contribute to a Super Bowl team are currently on their respective rosters.
The NFC emerged as an ultra-competitive conference in 2025, and with how certain teams approached the offseason, there could be multiple winning teams to totally miss the postseason in 2026. Even with seven teams making the playoffs, a few could just miss out and perhaps even have double-digit wins.
Let's get into some NFC playoff team predictions following the NFL Draft.
Predicting all seven NFC Playoff teams following the 2026 NFL Draft
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams had some major weaknesses in the secondary earlier this offseason, so all the Rams did was fill that need with a major trade for Trent McDuffie, and a notable free agent signing of Jaylen Watson, two former Kansas City Chiefs cornerbacks.
Suddenly, the Rams roster doesn't have a clear weakness, and while their Ty Simpson draft pick gets hammered, let's not forget just how good this roster is. If it wasn't for a below-average secondary, LA could have won it all in 2025.
2. Detroit Lions
The main reason why the Detroit Lions stumbled down the stretch in 2025 was due to injuries that just would not go away, and a defense that lost its groove. On paper, thiscould be one of the three best teams in the NFL, as the Lions are just one year removed from finishing 15-2 and earning the NFC's top seed.
What we saw in 2025 was clearly an outlier, so it's reasonable to expect Detroit to finish atop the NFC North in 2026. They also happen to have the best quarterback-head coach combination in the division as well, which helps.
3. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have already made a ton of changes on the defensive side of the ball. Christian Parker is now the new defensive coordinator, and personnel changes like Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence, Rashan Gary, and Jalen Thompson does simply get better players into the building.
Dak Prescott is also the best, most efficient quarterback in the NFC East, and with the three other teams all facing major questions, the Cowboys stick out as being the best-positioned in 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google