8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers just fired offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard as we are typing this post up, so there will be some major fallout after the complete second-half debacle for this team. The Bucs are running it back with Todd Bowles, and I don't hate that call, by any means. Bowles has been a good coach, and calls a great defense, but the Bucs need the right person in place to orchestrate the offense.
The fall-off of Baker Mayfield in the second half this past season is a major area of concern. The injury issues piling up on both sides of the ball for this team over the last two seasons are a major area of concern.
7. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts seem poised to run it back with Daniel Jones, which is an interesting call given the fact that Carlie Irsay-Gordon has made it very clear that the pressure is on GM Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen to have more success in 2026.
The Colts looked like one of the best teams in the league for the first half of the 2025 season, but obviously the injury to Jones derailed what "could have been" down the stretch. They just didn't have it. But I think the Colts have a lot going for them, especially offensively, with one of the best collections of offensive weapons in the NFL.
Another offseason of loading up on defense could put this team on top of the AFC South, even if Jones regresses to the mean a bit. Assuming he's healthy, of course.