NFC South
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11-6
Just like the Houston Texans in the AFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to have a rather clear path to winning their division this year. You’ve still got to go out and play the games, but the Bucs easily have the most complete roster in the NFC South, and it would require a debacle or lengthy injury list to keep them from winning the division. Maybe after next offseason, more teams in this division will be able to compete, but for now, the Bucs are running the South.
2. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
The Falcons finally made some big-time investments in their pass rush this offseason by using 1st-round picks on Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., and those two guys will have to grow up quickly. Michael Penix Jr. is entering his first year as the full-time starter for this Falcons team, and he’s got a great cast of playmakers around him to have early success. The Falcons need that defense to figure things out or they will be sending a decent draft pick to the Rams.
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
Even if we’re buying the Carolina Panthers offensive resurgence in 2025, they had the worst defense in the NFL last season, and that’s saying something. Ejiro Evero really needs his young players to develop, and the Panthers need their big-ticket free agent acquisitions to live up to those investments. This is a team that should be in a much better position than they were a season ago, but there are a lot of “what ifs”.
4. New Orleans Saints: 3-14
The Saints don’t exactly have the worst roster in the NFL, but they’ve got an arguably worse QB situation than even the Cleveland Browns, and that’s saying something. The Saints could end up being a big-time seller at the trade deadline and readying themselves to blow up the roster after 2025. Kellen Moore didn’t exactly inherit a sleeping giant, but the Saints clearly expect to be more competitive than the general NFL population expects them to be.