8. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys obviously have the type of offense that could contend for a championship, but their defense was one of the worst the franchise has ever seen.
The trade of Micah Parsons was bad enough, but his departure was just the tip of the iceberg. The Cowboys couldn't put together any sort of stretch of competence on that side of the ball last season, and they completely overhauled at every level.
New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has a huge task before him, but the personnel on that side of the ball looks improved enough that the Cowboys could realistically be a factor in the NFC East. Even with a horrendous defense, they still gave the Eagles fits last year, and Dak Prescott is one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league.
With Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams, and that crew they have on offense, the Cowboys have what it takes to win their division in 2026. But how far can their defense take them beyond that?
7. Green Bay Packers
It's tough to say the Packers have missed a window or anything like that, but the number of veterans leaving town this past offseason felt like a soft reset.
General manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur have done such a good job identifying and developing talent, but they are putting that development process to the test this season in a big way.
The offensive line has a new look with Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton stepping into new roles. The defensive front lost a lot of guys, and Micah Parsons is expected to miss the first part of the season while he recovers from his knee injury from last season.
The youth movement is on for the Packers, but this is where Matt LaFleur thrives. And he's got Jonathan Gannon on the other side of the ball, and we've seen what Gannon can do on that side of the ball.
With the improvements Jordan Love has made over the past few years, it's easy to see this Packers team still being around as far as the Divisional or Championship Round. He's that much of a difference-maker.
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