4. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints won four of five games to end the 2025 season, and during this stretch, then-rookie quarterback Tyler Shough really began to put things together. It's clear, furthermore, that this offseason was all about adding for Shough.
Guard David Edwards was a big-money free agent signing, as was running back Travis Etienne. First-round draft pick Jordyn Tyson boosts the wide receiver room and gives Chris Olave a running mate, and even tight end Noah Fant brings a nice boost as a receiver.
Given that the NFC South is also largely the weakest division in football, the Saints could surely scrape together a few more wins from last year's total. All it took was eight wins by the Carolina Panthers in 2025 to capture this division title.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
With AJ Brown likely out the door, and another new year of an offensive coordinator, the Philadelphia Eagles are primed to regress a bit. Jalen Hurts is also a sub-par passer and just cannot elevate a dropback passing game, so Philly, especially if Brown is out of the picture, will not be a threat to throw the ball at a high level.
Still, though, there is a high floor with this team, as we have seen in the Nick Sirianni era. The Eagles may still win 10-ish games, which would be good enough for a Wild Card spot in all likelihood.
6. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks and Rams can't both win the NFC West. I am a firm believer that the Rams are simply a better team now given how aggressively they improved the roster. Los Angeles may have advantages at quarterback and head coach, too. Given how hard it is to replicate success year over year, Seattle could fall into a Wild Card position in 2026.
7. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears managed to win 11 games in the first year of the Ben Johnson era, and the one huge thing that sticks out the most with this team is Johnson himself. Typically, head coaches in the NFL prove quite quickly if they belong or not, and Johnson absolutely belongs.
With the Bears overhauling the secondary, the defense should be improve and more consistent down-to-down. Given Johnson's expertise on offense, there's also reason to believe that Caleb Williams could play the best football of his career in 2026 as well.
While a division title might not be likely, the Bears are well-positioned to keep this train moving and get into the playoffs for a second season in a row.
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