24. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints might be a bit of a surprise team this upcoming season, and not necessarily for the reason(s) you might think.
The Saints were incredibly underrated on the defensive side of the ball last season already, ranking 9th in total yards allowed, 4th in passing yards allowed, 6th in yards per rushing attempt allowed, 3rd in 3rd-down effiency, and 10th in red zone efficiency.
If you asked 100 NFL fans to name the 10 best defenses in the NFL last year, you might be lucky to get one person to mention the Saints. But that defense is bringing back most of its core players, and I love that they brought back Kaden Elliss to replace veteran Demario Davis.
They added a couple of intriguing reclamation projects in Martin Emerson Jr. at cornerback and Tyree Wilson on the defensive front. Christen Miller was a steal for the defensive line in the 2nd round.
Offensively, they are looking to capitalize on the late breakthrough of Tyler Shough last season. They added David Edwards to the offensive line in free agency, and also brought in Travis Etienne, Jordyn Tyson, and Oscar Delp to upgrade the weapons on that side of the ball. This team has huge potential in 2026 if the young wild cards can prove to be hits.
23. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers took some big steps forward last year under Dave Canales, who is now entering his 3rd season with the team. The biggest strides (roster-wise) came defensively, but the offense has also shown some dynamic potential.
The biggest question mark with this team is still Bryce Young, even though he played some elite football at times last year against the LA Rams, especially. The Panthers aren't lacking options in the passing game for Young to spread the ball to, especially after the immediate breakthrough of rookie Tet McMillan as the team's WR1.
This offseason, the Panthers set out to take yet another step forward in the NFC South by adding Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd to the defensive front seven.
With contingencies in place on the offensive line (Rasheed Walker, Monroe Freeling) in case it takes Ikem Ekwonu more time to recover than expected, the Panthers are set up for at least 8 or 9 wins again this coming season. And if Young can take the next step as a player, even better.
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