The 2026 NFL Season is now less than 4 months away, and the season is shaping up to be quite exciting. After a surprising draft and several major offseason moves, it’s safe to say that this year’s stackup will be much different than last year.
First off, the NFL Draft drastically changed the outlook for the season for several teams. The Las Vegas Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza #1, to nobody’s surprise, as they needed a quarterback. However, the rest of the draft was not that predictable. For example, the Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, which many viewed as a big surprise. Rams Wire says “The Rams had no problem taking him at No. 13 overall, which was much earlier than most people expected him to go.” The pick was unexpected because the Rams have reigning MVP Matthew Stafford as QB, and, while he is older, he still plays at a very high level, and the Rams were expected to add supporting players for a potential Super Bowl run.
Several offseason moves have also made the upcoming NFL season very exciting. Trent McDuffie, one of the top cornerbacks in the league, was traded from the Chiefs to the Rams. This addition makes the Rams legitimate contenders. The Baltimore Ravens, who had a disappointing 2025 campaign, signed edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, bolstering their D-line. The Washington Commanders, a promising team that was hampered by injuries in 2025, signed star tackle Laremy Tunsil, continuing to build around Jayden Daniels, while veteran future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
So, why are all these offseason moves significant? Well, it drastically changes the projections for the upcoming season. According to ESPN, “Baltimore is banking on Hendrickson to fly off the edge and immediately upgrade its pass rush, which was one of the weak spots on a team that disappointed last season.” This deal occurred after their seemingly finalized deal for Raiders defensive superstar Maxx Crosby fell through, which was considered a blow.
After all these offseason moves and player selections, it is now time to answer the question: who are real contenders? First, the defending champions, the Seattle Seahawks, are still #1. After drafting Beau Stephens in the fifth round, they addressed a major weakness and now remain in a strong position. Other major contenders are the usual, consistent teams such as the Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles. The Denver Broncos, after a heartbreaking end to the previous season, are considered back and even better than before. ESPN says “The big swing for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was their desired move after a quarter of their drives ended in three-and-outs last season. The hope is Waddle also unlocks the deep part of the field for quarterback Bo Nix.”
Meanwhile, Mike Farrell Sports identifies the Las Vegas Raiders, the worst team in the league in the 2025 season, as a potential contender after their successful draft, as “a top draft decision giving the franchise direction after years of uncertainty.” They also identify the Cincinnati Bengals a major team that come could make a comeback after several disappointing seasons, commenting on their acquisition of defensive star Dexter Lawrence by saying “A defense once seen as a weakness now looks capable of controlling games at the line of scrimmage, particularly against elite offensive fronts, changing how the team is viewed almost overnight.” All this being said, they also identify how nothing about the NFL is certain, as “The 2026 NFL conversation feels different because it is different, but it’s far from settled. Draft picks and trades have already reshaped how teams are viewed, yet those perceptions remain fluid as teams adapt to new expectations.”
One of the final most notable aspects of the upcoming NFL season is their record nine international games across four continents and seven countries. This includes the Rams vs San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10th (on Netflix), the Dallas Cowboys vs Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on September 27th, and the usual games in Europe in London, Germany, and Madrid, as well as the first game in Paris. While this may not make or break team’s records, it represents the spread of the NFL and American football as a whole to other markets, and how this upcoming NFL season just may be the most important yet due to its widely expanding influence.
https://theramswire.usatoday.com
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48225310/why-baltimore-ravens-taking-big-swing-trey-hendrickson