Every NFL team’s goal at the end of the season is to make the Super Bowl, no matter how unrealistic that goal may be. While 14 of the 32 teams in the league made it to the playoffs and earned a chance at the big game, 18 other teams saw their seasons end after the regular season.

Some teams fell because of injuries, while others were victims of flat-out bad luck. But many of these teams could flip it around in 2026. So which of these teams has the best chance of being competitive in 2026?

18. Arizona Cardinals

It’s hard to see where the Arizona Cardinals go from there. They will be moving on from veteran quarterback Kyler Murray in the offseason, and they fired head coach Johnathan Gannon when the season ended.

The Cardinals hired Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their next head coach, but he’ll be taking over a team that has plenty to rebuild.

They’ll be scrapping the bottom of the barrel for a quarterback, and they won’t be able to protect whoever is under center. They’ve accumulated young talent in the secondary, but their offense is lacking talent outside of Marvin Harrison Jr.

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Arizona, fortunately, has all its picks for 2026 and 2027, but next season will be for development rather than for competing for the Super Bowl.

2025 regular season record: 3-14

17. New York Jets

The New York Jets aren’t yet close. Their 2025 season was a disaster, and they remain without a quarterback. Justin Fields isn’t the answer, and there aren’t any signal callers in the first round worth taking once Fernando Mendoza comes off the board with the first overall pick.

New York had plenty of young talent in 2025, but they traded away Sauce Gardner and will likely lose Breece Hall in free agency. Garrett Wilson is still a top wide receiver in the league, but injuries and no quarterback to get him the ball hindered his season.

So what are the bright spots for the Jets? It’s the assets they gained. The Gardner trade with the Indianapolis Colts netted them a 2026 and 2027 first-round pick. They also dealt Qunninen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick.

There’s a bright future for New York, who have four picks between rounds one and two in 2026. The Jets also have three first-round picks in 2027. The capital is there; now they need to piece it together.

2025 regular season record: 3-14

16. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have plenty of talent on their roster. Cleveland even houses the best player in the NFL, Myles Garrett.

Despite the talent, a lack of a quarterback and coaching has been a problem. The Browns used two draft picks in 2025 on quarterbacks, and yet neither of their young signal-callers has proven they can win.

But it could be looking up for the Browns. Cleveland hired Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their head coach. Monken was a big piece in leading Lamar Jackson to an MVP season and is a believer in Shedeur Sanders.

The Browns also have two first-round draft picks in 2026 after a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2025 draft. With two first-rounders and a potential franchise quarterback, there is a chance to compete for an underwhelming AFC North if everything goes right.

2025 regular season record: 5-12

15. Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders believed they’d be somewhat competitive in 2025 after acquiring quarterback Geno Smith, but their season went south fast. After a Week 1 win, the Raiders would win just two more games for the rest of the season, earning themselves the first-round pick.

But it’s not all bad for Las Vegas. They’re in a position to take Mendoza first overall and pair him with a promising young head coach in Klint Kubiak. They have the weapons too. While lacking a WR1, the Raiders have a superstar tight end in Brock Bowers and an up-and-coming running back in Ashton Jeanty.

The elephant in the room for Las Vegas is their decision on Maxx Crosby. The superstar pass rusher will net the Raiders significant value in draft capital and will help build their promising future. But the loss of their big-name edge rusher will be a big blow to their already struggling defense.

2025 regular season record: 3-14

14. Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans were exactly what everyone expected. They weren’t competitive, and their season was built around developing their young players.

Rookie quarterback Cam Ward wasn’t a Rookie of the Year finalist, but that doesn’t mean his development wasn’t there. He showed his immense talent throughout the season and took strides to end the year. Tennessee just needs to help out its young passer.

Ward needs a true WR1 and better protection. The former first-overall pick was sacked a league-high 55 times in his rookie season, and his performance suffered from it. But this should be addressed for the Titans, who have a league-high $99 million in cap space and the fourth overall pick.

2025 regular season record: 3-14

13. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins severely underperformed in 2025, leaving the season with more questions than answers.

Mike McDaniels was fired shortly after the season, and Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t lived up to his big contract. Where do the Dolphins go from here? Well, they still have plenty of talent. Jaylen Waddle is one of the league’s promising young receivers, and De’Von Achane has quickly become a top running back.

Miami is currently making room for more young additions on its roster. They’ve released veterans Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. Draft capital isn’t a problem for the Dolphins, as they hold five picks through the first three rounds of the draft. Moving on from aged veterans to younger talent is always the right move, even if you have to take on additional cap space.

While going from playoff hopefuls to a rebuild in one year isn’t how most teams envision roster building, I don’t believe the Dolphins are that far out. They just need to figure out their cap situation.

2025 regular season record: 7-10

12. Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are in a tough spot, and they’re the ones to blame.

Jayden Daniels is your answer at quarterback, but they’ve created a disaster of a roster trying to build around him. From committing too much money to aging veterans to trading valuable draft assets for mediocre playmakers on big contracts, the Commanders were over their heads.

The good news: Washington still has the fifth most available cap space for 2026 and can approach free agency better this time around. Solidify your defense with promising talent and get Daniels some more playmakers. They had the right idea last offseason, but execution was questionable at best.

2026 should be a better season for the Commanders as long as Daniels remains healthy. But instead of spearheading their focus to winning the Super Bowl, they need to make sure they develop their young quarterback.

2025 regular season record: 5-12

11. New York Giants

The New York Giants were one of the NFL’s most interesting bad teams in 2025. They only walked away with three wins, but the excitement of Jaxson Dart was real.

The Giants’ offense isn’t as far as some may think, either. Malik Nabers is a solidified WR1, and Cam Skattebo has had him moments. Role players such as Wan’Dale Robinson have shown the ability to rise to the occasion.

With plenty of talent on the Giants’ offense and the addition of an NFL great head coach in John Harbaugh, the future is bright. The defense for New York isn’t that bad either. Highlighted by Brian Burns, the Giants have made it a mission to acquire a strong pass rush, and it’s paid off.

New York could easily be competing for the NFC East next season, as long as Dart can protect himself, that is.

2025 regular season record: 4-13

10. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have a major coaching problem.

The Falcons’ offense is full of talent. From the breakout of Bijan Robinson to Drake London‘s big season, there’s really no excuse for their inability to win games.

Atlanta quickly scooped up former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski to be their next head coach, but there still remains a problem for the Falcons: Whose the quarterback? Michael Penix Jr. hasn’t shown the development you want to see from a former 8th overall pick. Kirk Cousins is an aging veteran on a way-too-big contract.

Atlanta will likely have to roll with Penix in 2026, but a lack of promise and injuries make his future uncertain. There’s a ton of talent on their roster, but also a lot of unanswered questions.

2025 regular season record: 8-9

9. New Orleans Saints

We may have seen what the future holds for the New Orleans Saints as the 2025 season ended. Led by rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, the Saints won four of their last five games.

Shough’s development from his first start in Week 9 to the player he became during their win streak in December is nothing short of impressive. Head coach Kellen Moore molded his offense around the former second-round pick, and it’s paid off.

On top of stars like Chris Olave and the ferocious defense New Orleans trotted out at the end of the season, the Saints could easily come away with the weak NFC South in 2026. They appear to have an answer at both quarterback and head coach, but they need to prove it in 2026.

2025 regular season record: 6-11

8. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings‘ 9-8 record in 2025 was a major disappointment after going 14-3 the year before.

The Vikings opted to roll with first-round pick J.J. McCarthy in 2025 instead of their 2024 starter, Sam Darnold. The move was met with some support as Darnold was seen as a bridge quarterback, but now, coming off a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks, it appears the Vikings may have been premature in their decision.

As a first-year starter, McCarthy was sloppy and made all the rookie mistakes you’d expect. He has his moments, but his season was full of disappointment.

There’s hope for the Vikings in 2026. McCarthy could prove to be their franchise quarterback, but a lack of cap space will make acquiring pieces for their young signal caller difficult.

2025 regular season record: 9-8

7. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts‘ ability to make the playoffs relies on retaining Daniel Jones.

Jones led the Colts to an 8-5 record before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Now the veteran is set to hit the free agent market and get a hefty payday. But both Jones and the Colts would prefer to stay together, with Indianapolis even hinting at using the $47 million franchise tag.

The Colts need to win in 2026. They traded away the first-round pick for the next two seasons to trade for Gardner from the Jets, showing they’re going all in.

The AFC South isn’t an easy division. The Jaguars and Houston Texans are each coming off playoff appearances, but Indianapolis showed they had the firepower in 2025 to win.

2025 regular season record: 8-9

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a terrible meltdown in 2025. After seemingly cruising to another NFC South title, the Buccaneers would drop seven of their final nine games of the season and miss the playoffs.

Despite missing out last season, the Buccaneers are still the safe bet for the NFC South title in 2026. Tampa Bay has the most complete roster and experience among NFC South teams and is sure to at least be in contention for the division.

But Baker Mayfield played poorly to end the season, and up-and-coming stars like Bucky Irving and Emeka Egbuka slowed down drastically.

With Tampa Bay on a downward trajectory and the Saints on their way up, the Buccaneers will need to step it up in 2026 to stay relevant in a weak division.

2025 regular season record: 8-9

5. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys aren’t far off from competing. Despite leading a seven-win season, there is confidence in the building for head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Dak Prescott has proven to be one of the league’s top quarterbacks, and the roster is full of talent, such as superstars like CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys even got good play out of their rookies, with Tyler Booker holding his own at guard.

It isn’t the offense that’s a problem. The Cowboys’ defense ranked dead last in 2025, overruling their second-ranked offense. And addressing the problem won’t be easy either. Dallas is at the bottom of the league in terms of cap space and traded away its second-round pick to the Jets. They do, however, hold two first-rounders after trading away Micah Parsons.

With the NFC East having an emerging newcomer in the Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles still holding down the division, the Cowboys will have to find an answer to their defense to compete next season.

2025 regular season record: 7-9-1

4. Baltimore Ravens

It’s hard to believe the Ravens won’t be able to get back to form in 2026.

The AFC North has taken a significant blow after Mike Tomlin departed from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Headlined by their superstar quarterback, Baltimore should be in position to make a run in 2026.

Despite just eight wins in 2025, the Ravens were plagued by injuries, including to Jackson. This disappointing season led to Baltimore and Harbaugh going their separate ways. While a similar move to the Steelers, the Ravens’ roster is set up better to win.

With middle-of-the-pack cap space and retaining their top players, the Ravens should be competitors for the AFC North next season.

2025 regular season record: 8-9

3. Cincinnati Bengals

But if the Ravens want to compete in 2026, they’ll have to go through the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals are the strangest team in the NFL. They’re a top unit if Joe Burrow is healthy, but their roster building is never centered around protecting their superstar quarterback.

Burrow continues to suffer injuries as Cincinnati turns its head away from protecting its franchise quarterback. With a lack of protection and always playing from behind with one of the league’s worst defenses, it’s no surprise that they can’t win without Burrow.

But the veteran quarterback is one of the few that has proven they can win. With an offense full of superstars, a franchise quarterback, and top-7 cap space, the Bengals should be the team to beat in the AFC North in 2026.

2025 regular season record: 6-11

2. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions‘ season was plagued by two big factors: playcalling and injuries.

After the loss of Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears and Aaron Glenn to the Jets, the Lions were forced to reset their coaching staff. Just one season out, Detroit moved on from its offensive coordinator.

But the Lions still have one of the best rosters in the NFL and are infamous for their ability to develop talent. They may not have been competitors in 2025, but they can turn it around quickly next season.

2025 regular season record: 9-8

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs finished with their worst record since 2012.

Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship games since becoming the starter in 2018. 2025 marks the first time in his career that he didn’t even make the playoffs.

There are many reasons why they were only able to muster together six wins, but none more glaring than their 1-9 record in one-score games. The Chiefs, usually kings of winning the close ones, couldn’t do it in 2025.

Things get even worse when you look at their cap space. Kansas City has the worst cap space in the NFL in 2026. While it’s true cap could be manipulated, and their situation isn’t as bad as it seems, it will be hard for the Chiefs to compete for free agents.

But Mahomes is an All-Time great quarterback and has won three Super Bowls for a reason. Paired with a Hall of Fame head coach in Andy Reid, I’d bet the Chiefs to be just fine in 2026 and competing for the playoffs again.

2025 regular season record: 6-11