The NFC already includes the reigning Super Bowl champions, a division that had three teams with 12 or more wins last season, and a division without a single losing record in 2025.
And the conference got substantially better in 2026.
With NFL training camps now approaching rapidly, it's time to take another look at some of the top new additions for every NFC team in 2026. Which newcomers are set to make the biggest impact, and whose debut will be the most anticipated around the conference? Our latest NFL Power Rankings will take a crack at ranking every team's top newcomer worst to best for the upcoming season.
NFL Power Rankings: Every NFC team's most anticipated new addition ranked worst to best for 2026
16. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse, cornerback
The Green Bay Packers would have ranked #1 on this list last year, so it's probably fitting that they're all the way down at the bottom in 2026.
The Micah Parsons trade was one of the biggest in recent memory (only to be topped by the Rams in 2026), and the Packers sort of had to go the budget-friendly approach in the 2026 offseason. This year is a lot more about player development and internal progression than it is about outside additions coming in and making a huge impact, but the most anticipated new player for the Packers has to be their top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Brandon Cisse was a 2nd-round pick because the Packers traded their 1st-rounder to Dallas, but he has the athletic traits to outplay his draft status. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is a defensive backs specialist by trade, so getting Cisse ready to start as soon as possible will be high on the priority list.
15. Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, offensive tackle
The Detroit Lions made some major changes to their offensive line in the 2026 offseason, releasing veteran left tackle Taylor Decker before flipping Penei Sewell from the right side, then using their 1st-round pick on Clemson's Blake Miller.
And frankly, Miller was way too underrated during the NFL Draft process in 2026. He set a Clemson record for starts (54) and snaps played over the course of a college career. He was a four-year starter at right tackle for the Tigers, he has elite athletic and physical traits, and he'll be ready to slot in for one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL.
Although Miller probably won't be selling many jerseys as a rookie, his debut will be highly anticipated because of the fact that Detroit is taking a pretty substantial risk by making these drastic changes on the offensive line in a championship window.
14. Chicago Bears: Coby Bryant, safety
The Chicago Bears' defense wasn't really good for the majority of last season, but they did one thing better than anyone else: Create takeaways.
The Bears actually ranked 1st in the NFL in takeaways (33) and 1st in the NFL in fewest giveaways (11), giving them the best turnover differential in the entire league. That's how you win the division in the first year under a new head coach, despite the fact that the defense ranked 29th in yards, 23rd in points allowed, 22nd against the pass, and 27th against the run.
That defense that lived on the takeaways last season lost some significant contributors on the back end, including the team's interception leader, Kevin Byard. Coby Bryant is the Bears' replacement option, coming over from the Super Bowl champion Seahawks where he has 7 INTs over the past two seasons combined.
13. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, running back
The Seattle Seahawks lost quite a few key players from their Super Bowl-winning roster last season, not to mention offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
One of the most notable losses was the departure of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who parlayed his phenomenal postseason (over 400 yards from scrimmage, 4 total TDs) into a big-money contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks didn't seem to resist Walker leaving all that much, instead opting for Jadarian Price in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Price is going to be getting his first real shot at starting snaps in the NFL after playing a backup role to Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame the past few years. He's got dynamic traits, but also put the ball on the ground too much last season, and only had 10 catches combined over the last two seasons.
The Seahawks are putting a ton of faith in him, which makes his debut this season highly intriguing.
12. Carolina Panthers: Jaelan Phillips, edge rusher
The Carolina Panthers managed to win the underwhelming NFC South last year, and despite the fact that it only took 8 wins to win the division, there feels to be some serious wind in this team's sails for 2026.
One of the biggest reasons for that is the arrival of free agents Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd, two proven players and former first-round picks who bring big-time playmaking ability to the front seven of the vastly improved Carolina defense, but Phillips working out as a big-money signing is the most interesting storyline for this team.
The Eagles traded for Phillips during the 2025 season and hoped to re-sign him, but the Panthers swooped in and made him a better offer. If he can bring a consistent presence off the edge, it will take the Carolina defense to another level.
He had 14 QB hits last season, the most he's had in a year since 2022. He's just 27, so he could really be on the cusp of the best football of his NFL career if he can stay healthy.
11. New York Giants: Arvell Reese, linebacker
Although there's no way of really knowing, it felt like the availability of Arvell Reese with the 5th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was completely unexpected for the New York Giants, and changed their entire draft strategy.
Most mock drafts had Reese coming off the board in the top four overall picks, so the Giants taking him with their top pick was a situation they may not have anticipated. And he was too good to pass on, even after using top picks on pass rushing linebackers like Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux (on top of trading for Brian Burns) in recent years.
Reese's role and usage will be under intense scrutiny all year, but especially early in the season. He was a high-impact player at Ohio State from a number of alignments, so the way John Harbaugh's staff deploys him will be fascinating. He's a top Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate if the Giants play their cards right.
10. Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, linebacker
Speaking of Ohio State linebacker prospects who are Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates, Sonny Styles is set to be one of the more anticipated rookies from the entire 2026 draft class.
The 7th overall pick in this year's draft, Styles had one of the most impressive pre-draft workouts you'll ever see. And he's not just an athletic option who doesn't play with instincts, either. He was the green dot player for Matt Patricia's defense last season, and is going to be capable of combining high football IQ with his elite athletic traits.
Dan Quinn's defense was atrocious last season, but adding a player like Styles might feel like having a 12th man out there on the field at times with the speed he's capable of playing the game.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain, defensive end
It still makes very little sense that Rueben Bain fell as far down the draft board as he did this Spring.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly aren't complaining, as they had the opportunity to scoop up one of the best pass rushers in the entire class without moving up to get him., filling arguably their biggest need in the process.
Bain is coming into the NFL with a huge chip on his shoulder, and justifiably so. Because of his shorter arm length, he went from being a lock for the top 5 overall picks to the middle of the 1st round. He's really well-coached and does a good job of making up for his lack of length by rushing from multiple alignments, and winning with a variety of pass rush moves.
8. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, safety
The Dallas Cowboys have a brand-new defensive coordinator in 2026 -- former Eagles assistant and Vic Fangio disciple Christian Parker -- and a new centerpiece of their secondary.
For the majority of the 2025 season, Caleb Downs was considered to be arguably the best all-around prospect in the entire 2026 NFL Draft class. Although he doesn't play a premium position in today's NFL, the type of player Downs is for an NFL secondary is still extremely coveted.
He can play all over the formation, and he plays with great instincts and physicality. As a former 5-star recruit, Downs was a three-time All-American at Ohio State, living up to his billing every step of the way. It feels like the Cowboys stole the player in this year's draft with the highest floor and an even higher ceiling.
7. Philadelphia Eagles: Makai Lemon, wide receiver
Although he wasn't the highest draft pick on this list, there is absolutely no doubt that Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon is going to be one of the most anticipated newcomers in the entire NFC for 2026.
The Eagles traded away AJ Brown to the New England Patriots, and Lemon was their obvious answer to that move before it was actually made. He was the Biletnikoff Award winner last year at USC, and is one of the toughest playmakers we've seen at the college level in recent years.
Especially with both guys playing at USC, you can see a lot of Amon-Ra St. Brown in Lemon's game. He's certainly not a 1-for-1 replacement for Brown size-wise or even stylistically, but he's still capable of being a high-volume target in his own way.
6. New Orleans Saints: Travis Etienne, running back
After racking up 1,399 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns last season, proving himself to be one of the most dynamic 3-down backs in the NFL. And for whatever reason (it's always money), the Jaguars let him walk relatively uncontested.
Even though Etienne had a pretty robust market in NFL Free Agency, he was motivated to play close to home. As a native of Louisiana, the Saints were the obvious landing spot.
Kellen Moore did a fantastic job in his first year with the Saints last year, but they needed to get more weapons for young QB Tyler Shough. Etienne's reliability on all three downs will be amplified significantly in this offense.
5. Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, running back
The Arizona Cardinals made the (somewhat controversial) decision to take Jeremiyah Love with the 3rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. At over $53 million in total contract guarantees, simply selecting him with the 3rd overall pick made Love the highest-paid running back in league history (in terms of contract guarantees) by over $17 million.
The draft capital and financial investment in Love make him one of the most highly anticipated rookies in the 2026 class, and maybe one of the most anticipated non-quarterback rookies in recent memory. Even Ashton Jeanty, whose dominance was unrivaled at the college level, was the 6th overall pick.
Love is joining an offense with major question marks, starting at QB, entering the 2026 offseason. He'll be expected to literally hit the ground running and provide star power from Day 1.
4. Atlanta Falcons: Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback
Even though he's probably not the "best" offseason addition for any NFC team in 2026, Tua Tagovailoa is still going to be one of the most highly anticipated.
If Tagovailoa can beat out former 1st-round pick Michael Penix Jr. for a starting job this offseason, it will represent new life for his NFL career after the way things went last year in Miami. The Tua Tagovailoa we saw with the Dolphins was absolutely capable of being a Pro Bowl-caliber player at times, but he also dealt with far too many scary injuries, and has had durability issues dating back to his time at Alabama.
He's got some elite playmakers around him in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. If he can't be a successful reclamation project with the Falcons, it might not be in the cards at all.
3. San Francisco 49ers: Mike Evans, wide receiver
Even though they were the 3rd-place team in their own division last year, the San Francisco 49ers still won 12 games in total and were one of the best teams in the entire NFL.
That was also despite the fact that they dealt with more injuries than just about any other team around the league. The 49ers will give it another shot this season in the injury luck department, but they also added veteran receiver Mike Evans.
Although that doesn't carry the same weight now as if they'd done it five years ago, Evans is still very much capable of being an impact player in Kyle Shanahan's offense this season. The 49ers' receiver room is almost unrecognizable from their teams in recent years. They no longer have any of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, or Jauan Jennings.
It's a new era, but the old, grizzled veteran is coming in to raise the bar. And after spending his entire NFL career with the Bucs, Evans changing teams is one of the most interesting storylines in the NFC this year.
2. Minnesota Vikings: Kyler Murray, quarterback
The Minnesota Vikings are trying their best to atone for the cardinal sin of letting a stud quarterback out the front door without even really trying to bring him back.
After winning 14 games with Sam Darnold during the 2024 season, the Vikings stuck to their faith in 1st-round pick JJ McCarthy, only to watch Darnold win the Super Bowl in Seattle last season and be stuck in quarterback purgatory yet again.
They're giving the reclamation project route another shot, bringing in former #1 overall pick and Heisman winner Kyler Murray. Murray has been a dynamic playmaker at the quarterback position, but has also dealt with injuries. He's hovered around being an average player since the 2021 season, even when he's been healthy, but the Vikings are believing that Kevin O'Connell and Justin Jefferson can get the best out of him.
1. Los Angeles Rams: Myles Garrett, defensive end
There is no new arrival in the NFC more anticipated this season than Rams defensive end Myles Garrett.
It's been stated many times before, but for the first time in NFL history, the Rams have the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year on the same roster going into the next season.
This was already a team that could have made a compelling argument as the best overall roster in the NFL, but the addition of Garrett makes them an enviable Avengers-level collection of stars on both sides of the ball.
Garrett set an NFL record last season with 23 total sacks, and he's nearly averaged a sack per game over the course of his entire NFL career, which started all the way back in 2017. He's simply a cheat code off the edge, and we can only imagine how good he will be when his team is consistently playing with a lead.