12. Dallas Cowboys
The Micah Parsons trade along with major injuries defensively put the Dallas Cowboys in a brutal position on the defensive side of the ball last year, and it was ugly to watch.
The Cowboys had to reload completely, starting with a change at defensive coordinator. They brought in Vic Fangio protégé Christian Parker to run the defense as a first-time coordiantor, and they gave him a lot of ingredients to turn things around quickly.
The trade to acquire Quinnen Williams in the middle of the 2025 season was the blockbuster move, but the Cowboys have also now added players like 1st-round safety Caleb Downs, 1st-round pass rusher Malachi Lawrence, defensive end Rashan Gary, and safety Jalen Thompson (on top of others) to really upgrade that unit.
This defense was dead last in points allowed last year, but I think they're going to make a huge jump in 2026.
11. Detroit Lions
The loss of Ben Johnson offensively might have been slightly more pronounced last season, but make no mistake about it -- the loss of Aaron Glenn was detrimental for the Lions in 2025.
The Lions ranked 22nd in points allowed, 18th in yards allowed, and situationally, they were a mixed bag. They ranked 9th in the NFL in 3rd-down defense but 21st in red zone defense. This Detroit defense has dealt with some injury issues in recent years, but with Kelvin Sheppard entering his second season as defensive coordinator, there is hope that with some upgraded roster depth, the Lions can take the next step as a unit on that side of the ball.
One of the top areas this team has to be better is against the run. The Lions ranked 26th in the NFL last year in total tackles for loss, which is a big reason why they brought in Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore with a 2nd-round pick (10.5 TFL, 10 sacks last season).
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