8. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills come in at No. 8 in our power rankings. Buffalo definitely saw some change this offseason, as Sean McDermott is out, and Joe Brady is in. Notably, Brady hired away Jim Leonhard from Denver to run the defense, and we all saw just how good the Broncos were the past couple of seasons.
Buffalo also tweaked the defensive line a bit and definitely appear to have a solid unit, at least on paper. The defensive line is really where Buffalo needs to win, as they were stingy against the pass last year but left a lot of meat on the bone against the run. Even with that, the unit was solid, and it should take a step forward in 2026.
7. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers just struggled to stay healthy in the 2025 season, especially right in the middle of the defense. For 2026, they come in at No. 7 in our rankings, as Raheem Morris is now in as the defensive coordinator.
They brought back Dre Greenlaw to re-pair up with Fred Warner, should get Nick Bosa back, and swung a very underrated trade for Osa Odighizuwa in the offseason, who brings a legitimate pass-rush presence along the interior.
Overall, this unit is quite talented and should be able to once again position themselves near the top of the NFL.
6. Philadelphia Eagles
As long as Vic Fangio is around, whichever team he's coaching defense on will be in great hands. That continues to be the case, as the Philadelphia Eagles unit is just outside the top-5 in our power rankings.
Fangio is simply a mastermind and the inspiration for many other coordinators across the league. Philly ranked 8th against the pass and 5th in points allowed.
The Eagles also don't have a huge weakness on defense, which absolutely helps here, too. Furthermore, with how elite of a General Manager Howie Roseman is, the Eagles will consistently sport enough talent on defense to have a top unit.
5. New England Patriots
It was quite the year for the New England Patriots. Their defense comes in at No. 5 in our power rankings. Not only is the unit quite good right up the middle, but it's also sporting talent all over the place. New England ranked 4th in points allowed and were inside the top-9 in rushing and passing yards allowed as well.
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez' contract situation is a bit interesting, but with how good this team can be, I'd personally be shocked if a deal was not reached.
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