Entering the 2026 season, the NFC looks absolutely stacked from top to bottom.
Every week throughout the offseason, it's become clearer and clearer that the competition for 7 playoff spots in the NFC during the 2026 season is going to be as fierce as we've ever seen. This is a conference that obviously features the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, but also the last two defending Super Bowl champs in the Seahawks and Eagles.
The NFC West had three teams last year with 12 wins or more. The NFC North didn't have a single team with a losing record. It genuinely feels like the NFC South could have four realistic contenders for the division title this year.
We're going to do our best to sort out the entire NFC as training camp continues to roll along all across the NFL. How do each of the 16 teams in this conference stack up now that players are back on the field and preseason games are on the near horizon?
NFL Power Rankings: Every NFC team ranked as training camps continue
16. Arizona Cardinals
The closer we get to the start of the 2026 season, the more convinced I'm becoming that the Arizona Cardinals could be an abject disaster. It's between Arizona and Cleveland for the #1 overall pick in next year's draft, at least if we're calling our shots from a mile out.
I'm less and less confident by the day that Mike LaFleur is going to be able to be the long-term head coach of this team. Maybe he will end up surprising everyone, but it simultaneously feels like he's out of his depth and that he doesn't have a good staff around him.
Jacoby Brissett stated after signing a new contract that he didn't know the offense at the start of training camp. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett made a comment about Jeremiyah Love being a rookie, which was seemingly a way for him to make sure people don't forget that the Cardinals have other backs on the roster. Marvin Harrison Jr. was not exactly off to the best start at camp.
The Cardinals already lack in the talent department as a roster overall. They are going to need a lot of things to go right in order to stay competitive throughout this season.
15. Washington Commanders
This is going to seem extremely low for the Washington Commanders, who made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game just two seasons ago, but differentiating NFC teams in this next range of 7-8 squads is a little difficult until games start getting played.
On paper, the Commanders vastly improved their defense this offseason, which was an absolute necessity. It's funny how the Dallas Cowboys get so heavily scrutinized for the way their defense played last season, and yet it was the Commanders -- not the Cowboys -- who ranked 32nd in total yards allowed.
The injuries to Jayden Daniels last season were a bit concerning for his future durability, especially as a dual-threat at the quarterback position. Washington's skill positions on offense are lacking a little bit right now, and the jury's out on whether or not the new pieces on defense will actually work out.
Still, the ceiling for this team is really high. Their over-under on wins this season is set at a very low 7.5, and if they can't get off to a hot start, Dan Quinn might be on the head coach hot seat early in his third season at the helm.
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