Now that OTAs and minicamp are in the books, we can brace ourselves for training camp, which will begin in about one month for many teams. The 2026 NFL Season is sure to be a good one, as the 2025 season brought a ton of surprises that not many saw coming.
And, typically, front offices across the league know how to improve their respective teams, so we could see even more drama unfold. Believe it or not, the regular season is now less than three months away, so it's really all about getting through this next month, as that's when the offseason ramps up again.
With teams now slated to begin training camp in about one month, and us heading into the main lull of the offseason, let's dive into some fresh AFC record predictions for the 2026 season.
Updated AFC record predictions following OTAs and minicamp
AFC North
1. Cincinnati Bengals: 11-6
The Cincinnati Bengals may not only have the best roster in the AFC North, but they now have the longest-tenured head coach in the division, as Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland also hired new head coaches. The radical defensive personnel shift this offseason should be plenty enough for this team to finally get back on track and get into the playoffs.
2. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
The Ravens are too good not to finish with a winning record, right? As long as this team avoids as majorly brutal start, they'll be fine. First-time head coach Jesse Minter does bring a sharp defensive mind and should be able to improve that unit overnight, and the offense has a very high floor with Lamar Jackson at quarterback.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-9
I am just not buying into the Steelers this year. Aaron Rodgers was a bad quarterback in 2025 and is now a year older, and I am not sure there is a single position on this roster that is a genuine threat. There is also more uncertainty with a brand-new coaching staff, so a losing record is possible.
4. Cleveland Browns: 4-13
Cleveland traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster move, so the best part of the roster is gone. Even with all the young talent the team appears to have, the Browns have little to no chance of fielding a legitimate quarterback situation, and a new coaching staff also complicates things. It's going to be a brutal year for the Browns.
AFC South
1. Houston Texans: 12-5
Houston actually began the 2025 season 0-3 in what was a very shocking start. However, this team ended up winning 12 games and just barely missed out on the AFC South title. In 2026, they'll capture the title with that same record.
The Texans did improve the offensive line in the offseason, while also beefing up the run game with David Montgomery and even adding to the defense. I am not sure it's even going to be possible for the Texans to lose three games in a row in 2026, given how loaded this roster is. Expect a much smoother season in 2026.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-7
Jacksonville losing Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd in free agency is going to hurt, and I was not sold on the roster to begin with. The Jaguars were one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season, winning 13 games and actually having a legitimate shot to earn the top playoff seed.
Given the loss of talent and there being a year worth of tape out on this team, a slight regression could be coming. However, not only was Liam Coen a stellar head coach last year, but Trevor Lawrence really played well down the stretch, so there could be a 'high floor' with this team in 2026.
3. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
Indianapolis was 7-1 at one point during the 2025 season before things fell apart. It would feel a bit surprising if another 7-1 start happened, as what we could instead see is a more modest season. The Colts have a lot of good on the roster, but being in a rather strong division like this could end up hurting their chances at success.
4. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
The Tennessee Titans will finish 6-11 in our latest AFC record predictions. This franchise is still a year away, but some positive changes were made this offseason. Brian Daboll is in as the new offensive coordinator, which should do wonders for Cam Ward's development.
Wide receiver Carnell Tate is also in the picture, and even the defensive line got some help. You can tell that the Titans are finally going in the right direction, but this rebuilding process is still in its early stages, so I would not expect some major success.
Winning six games would mean that the Titans struggled but were able to show their potential from time to time. I do believe Tennessee could be one of those frisky 'trap games' that a contending team falls victim to.
AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
Even with the Buffalo Bills moving on from Sean McDermott in favor of Joe Brady, they are still in a good position to win the AFC East. One huge advantage Buffalo will have in switching head coaches is that Brady was already with the organization, so there is a ton of familiarity that should help this transition be easier.
The Bills were also plenty good enough to win the division in 2025, but the breakout New England Patriots had other ideas and were able to take advantage of what was an insanely easy schedule. Things are going to balance out a bit more in 2026, as the Bills return to the top of the division.
2. New England Patriots: 9-8
New England will regress a bit in 2026. The schedule does get harder, and while Patriots fans might be tired of hearing this, it's the truth. Winning 14 games and advancing to the Super Bowl last year was very impressive, but there simply isn't a viable path for that to be the case in 2026.
Buffalo is still a juggernaut, and the increased difficulty in opponents will also have an impact as well.
3. New York Jets: 3-14
The New York Jets did make a ton of change this offseason, which included bringing in Geno Smith at quarterback. Even though Smith was a disaster in 2025 for the Las Vegas Raiders, he should still be a better option than what the Jets had in 2025, which is saying a lot.
And while the roster did get improved, there are still some giant unknowns with Smith's performance and even with head coach Aaron Glenn, who looked to be in way over his head last year. The Jets do have three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, but that won't help them to avoid another brutal season in 2026.
4. Miami Dolphins: 3-14
Speaking of brutal, I struggle to see how anyone could argue the Miami Dolphins won't be anything but terrible in 2026. Yes, this team is in year one of a long rebuild. which is much-needed, but the roster is bad, the starting quarterback might not be anything more than a backup, and the new coaching staff is not guaranteed to be the right group.
Assessing where this team is at during the 2027 season would give us a better read on if the rebuild is going in the right direction. For now, though, 2026 is going to be a long year.
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos: 13-4
The Denver Broncos won 14 games last year, and some have warned us this offseason that a regression could be coming, as they cite all of the one-score games that the Broncos were on the right side on, further citing that the razor-thin margins will not be present for them in 2026.
However, this roster could very well be the best in the NFL, and the Broncos have improved in win totals in each year of the Sean Payton era. It's all working for the Broncos, and now with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in the picture, it's hard to see how this team does not stack a ton of wins.
2. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6
Los Angeles goes 11-6 for the third year in a row in our latest AFC record predictions. I guess hiring Mike McDaniel as the new offensive coordinator was a great move, but on paper, this team is the same caliber squad as they were in 2024 and 2025.
The Chargers have also been blown out in the playoffs in both seasons of the Jim Harbaugh era thus far, with quarterback Justin Herbert playing poorly. Los Angeles will be a good team, but they've firmly been stuck in that tier for years now.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-8
Even when Patrick Mahomes was healthy in 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs were not a great team, and I am not sure this team got significantly better. The wide receiver and tight end rooms are still a bit of a mess, and the defense is still fielding some unknown positions all over the place.
Kansas City saw key players like Leo Chenal, Jaylen Watson, and Trent McDuffie leave this offseason. Yes, McDuffie was traded, but the defense did get gutted, and the offense, outside of overpaying for Kenneth Walker III, didn't get appreciably better.
The Chiefs should be able to scrape together nine wins, but that's it. This team just does not scare you at the moment.
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 4-13
The main purpose of 2026 for the Raiders should not be to win games; it should be to get Fernando Mendoza in a good spot to begin an ascension in 2027. Mendoza should start some games this year, which would not be a bad thing, but the roster is still a year away, and the new coaching staff could take some time to get going.
However, cautious optimism could be a valid feeling for fans. There is, if nothing else, a path for this team to begin winning some games next year if things progress the way they should in 2026.