This past season, the NFC South had a new champion for the first time since 2020. The Carolina Panthers overcame a 1-3 start and captured their first division title since 2015. Dave Canales’s club finished 8-9 and won a tiebreaker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (the NFC South champs from 2021-24) and the Atlanta Falcons.
It will be interesting to see if any of these four clubs can win at least 10 games in 2026. It’s happened only once since 2022, with the Bucs winning the division with a 10-7 mark in 2024.
Top addition, biggest departure for the 4 NFC South teams
Atlanta Falcons
Best addition: CB Avieon Terrell
The Falcons traded this year’s first-round pick a year ago to the Rams, but new general manager In Cunningham still picked up quite the defensive prospect in the younger brother of A.J. Terrell on Day 2. The former University of Clemson standout did a little bit of everything with the Tigers. In three seasons, there were nine tackles for losses, four sacks, six takeaways, 25 passes defensed, and five forced fumbles.
Biggest loss: LB Kaden Elliss
The 2019 seventh-round pick of the Saints spent four seasons in the Big Easy before signing with Atlanta in 2023. He started every game for the Falcons the last three years and totaled at least 100 tackles in each of those campaigns. Now he’s back in New Orleans via a three-year, $30 million contract. While Atlanta set a franchise record with 57 sacks, Atlanta’s run defense finished a disappointing 24th in the league.
Carolina Panthers
Best addition: DT Lee Hunter
On Day 2 of April’s draft, GM Dan Morgan traded up a few spots and grabbed the massive prospect from Texas Tech. Hunter is an aggressive force on the interior of a defensive line. Paired with Derrick Brown, Carolina could have a nasty 1-2 duo that will not only frustrate opposing ground games, but will make life easier for edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Nic Scourton. Phillips and Devin Lloyd were also huge additions.
Biggest loss: RB Rico Dowdle
Last offseason, there were people who questioned the addition of the former Cowboys’ 1,000-yard runner when Carolina already had proven runner Chuba Hubbard. However, the latter was injured during midway part of the season and Dowdle came in and sparked the ground attack. It’s now up to Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks and Trevor Etienne to take up the slack as Dowdle is now a member of the Steelers.
New Orleans Saints
Best addition: TE Oscar Delp
Saints’ GM Mickey Loomis always manages to find wide receivers and in April used the team’s first-round pick on Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson. However, the pick here is the intriguing tight end from the University of Georgia. Delp finished his four-year career with the Bulldogs with a combined 70 receptions for 854 yards (12.2 average) and nine touchdowns. He will be an asset to quarterback Tyler Shough.
Biggest loss: LB Demario Davis
A total of 14 NFL seasons and the former Arkansas State standout continues to play at a high level. After excelling the past eight seasons in the Crescent City, Davis returns to a New York Jets’ franchise that made him a third-round pick back in 2012. The two-time Pro Bowler missed only two games during his stint with the Saints and totaled 100-plus tackles in each of those campaigns, logging a combined 31.5 sacks as well.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best addition: OLB Rueben Bain Jr.
There was a lot made about the Miami Hurricanes’ defensive force in terms of his arm length. However, Bain showed throughout his career that he knew how to get his hands on opposing quarterbacks. He finished his days in South Florida with 20.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 38 games with the ‘Canes. The Buccaneers certainly need a defensive spark with the retirement of 14-year pro Lavonte David.
Biggest loss: WR Mike Evans
Injuries were a big part of Evans’ 2025 season. He managed 30 receptions for 368 yards and three scores in only eight games but he didn’t catch at least half of the passes thrown his way. Nevertheless, the most productive pass-catcher in franchise history joins a new-look wideout room with the 49ers. The Bucs still have Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, and Jalen McMillan, But Evans will be sorely missed.
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