6. Detroit Lions
I'm buying that last season was a bit of a fluke for the Detroit Lions. This is a team that won 15 games during the 2024 regular season, and much of that core is still intact.
The biggest losses were obviously in the coaching department last season, with the Lions especially struggling to replace offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. They had to watch as Johnson took his offensive genius to the division rival Chicago Bears and stole the division right out of their hands.
With Drew Petzing now in place as the OC, the optimism has been rejuvenated for the Lions once again in 2026. Not that Petzing has the same type of reputation as Johnson, but you have to figure he's going to do a better job than John Morton, who was let go in the middle of the 2025 season.
The Lions might have an even more enviable core of skill players offensively than the Dallas Cowboys, and they have a true Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Aidan Hutchinson. The concerns remain for the secondary heading into this season, but this is a team that should be expected to be among the league's elite once again.
5. Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been warning of some potential regression in the 2026 season, and although it seems like a motivating tactic for his players, you can't help but start to believe him, at least a little bit.
There are holes to poke in the Bears sustaining that immediate success they had last season under Johnson. Obviously, this is still a young team, and progression in the NFL is not always linear.
I'm less inclined to believe the Bears hold onto their grip of the NFC North because of their defense. They lost a lot on that side of the ball this offseason, and haven't added enough to the defensive front to make me confident going into 2026.
Of course, most discussions around the Bears are centered around the exciting offense with Caleb Williams, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and Rome Odunze. They have plenty of talent to be hopeful for the future, but the defense was dependent on takeaways last season, and I'm not sure they can duplicate that with all of the losses on the back end.
Still, if you're buying that this team has set itself a new floor offensively, especially with their ability to run the ball effectively, then they should be a playoff team once again.
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