The coaching carousel stopped spinning months ago. The free agency frenzy barely remains visible in the rearview mirror. The 2026 NFL Draft has elicited comically premature grades.
In summation, the foundation is set for all 32 teams, meaning we've entered a different stage of the NFL offseason …
IT'S HYPE SEASON!
In this league, hope truly springs in the spring, ultimately fueling hype throughout the summer. So, it's high time to jump on the proverbial bandwagon.
With that in mind, I have spotlighted nine teams/players/coaches with immense upside in 2026 and beyond. Get on board now, while there are still seats available.
THE TEAMS
Performing this same exercise one year ago, I opened the file by imploring everyone to hop on the Patriots bandwagon. As I admitted at the time, that request felt wildly uncouth, seeing how the Pats dominated the first two decades of this millennium so thoroughly that they engendered enmity across the football world. But consecutive 4-13 seasons in 2023 and '24 dropped New England to the bottom of the AFC East, stripping the franchise of its “Evil Empire” might. Consequently, I pitched the Patriots as buy-low candidates in 2025, and they provided enormous returns, making it all the way to the Super Bowl.
So, here I am grabbing another lightning rod with both hands. The Cowboys bandwagon is always crowded, but it rarely delivers a fully satisfying ride. Coming off back-to-back losing campaigns, Dallas hasn’t made it past the Divisional Round in 30 years. But I’m ready to make the potentially grievous miscalculation that this year will be different. Why? Well, it starts with the Cowboys themselves.
Offensively, they just rode a resurgent Javonte Williams to a top-10 ground game, leading to a nice extension for the 1,200-yard rusher this offseason. With all five starters returning along the O-line, Dallas has the continuity to continue effectively pounding the rock. And that’s not even what this offense majors in. Having just signed the franchise tag, George Pickens will once again comprise one of the league’s best receiving duos with CeeDee Lamb, allowing Dak Prescott to bedevil defenses through the air once again. This could be the best offense in football. Dallas’ defense, of course, remains a work in progress, having bottomed out over the last two seasons. But I do like many of the fresh faces brought in this offseason, starting with hot new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Given that the former defensive backs coach just made Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell first-team All-Pros in Philadelphia, I’m fascinated to see what he can do with Caleb Downs, a first-round pick with the versatility and football IQ to bring everything together in Dallas’ defensive overhaul. And above all, Brian Schottenheimer feels like he has the right temperament to be the ringleader of the circus in sports.
This isn’t just about the 'Boys, though. My bullishness on Dallas is propelled by my simultaneous bearishness on the rest of the division. The Eagles just became the first team in more than two decades to win consecutive NFC East titles, but I’m pessimistic about a threepeat. A.J. Brown’s apparently on his way out, while Saquon Barkley is at risk of being worn out. Heading into his last season in his 20s, Barkley has racked up a whopping 828 touches over the past two years (postseason included), nearly 100 more than any other player. Meanwhile, I question whether the Commanders have done enough to support Jayden Daniels and I doubt the Giants are poised to seriously compete in Year 1 of the John Harbaugh era.
I like the Cowboys’ chances to win the NFC East and finally do some real damage in the playoffs.
I know what you’re thinking …
First, you ask me to back the annually overhyped Cowboys, and now you’re promoting the eternally snake-bitten Chargers. Are you freakin’ CRAZY?!
Apparently so!
The Chargers made some targeted additions at key spots in free agency (C Tyler Biadasz, blocking TE Charlie Kolar) and the draft (OLB Akheem Mesidor, OG Jake Slaughter), but their most compelling offseason pickup was Mike McDaniel. Who else is utterly fascinated to see what kind of run game the new offensive coordinator cooks up with Jim Harbaugh? The Chargers haven’t fielded a top-10 rushing attack since LaDainian Tomlinson’s final Pro Bowl season back in 2007. I think that drought comes to an end in 2026, with battering ram back Omarion Hampton leading the charge and free-agent signee Keaton Mitchell hitting some home runs. And when I start thinking about this team having a proper ground game -- in addition to, hopefully, some better health luck along the offensive line -- I can’t help but believe this is the season where we finally get Justin Herbert in full bloom.
No one doubts Herbert’s natural ability. And the Chargers quarterback performed heroically throughout the 2025 regular season, even earning after playing though myriad injuries to himself and his surrounding cast. But for the second straight year, an inspiring campaign ended with a resounding thud on Wild Card Weekend. Maybe I’m being an apologist for the guy, but it felt like the weight of carrying the team for four months ultimately took its toll in January. With better support, I envision us getting the best Herbert when it counts -- and that would make the Bolts a true threat in the race for the Lombardi Trophy.
Like every other living, breathing football fan on Planet Earth, I enjoy watching the Texans play defense. With an intoxicating mix of raw talent and raw violence, DeMeco Ryans’ D overwhelms opponents. And the second-round selection of Kayden McDonald -- a 326-pound run-stuffer with rare tackle production -- should make this game-wrecking unit even stouter. But I’d actually like to talk about what Houston has done over the past few months on the other side of the ball.
Texans GM Nick Caserio clearly entered the offseason with one item bolded atop the to-do list: Build a hard-nosed ground game. First, Houston traded for David Montgomery, an early-down pounder who pushes Woody Marks into a more fitting third-down role. Then the team prioritized gritty people movers in free agency (re-signed OG Ed Ingram; signed OG Wyatt Teller and OT Braden Smith) and the draft (selected IOLs Keylan Rutledge and Febechi Nwaiwu). All of this was done to give C.J. Stroud a reliable rushing attack to lean on. Makes plenty of sense, considering the young quarterback’s regression from his transcendent rookie campaign, with his most recent outing being a four-pick flop in January’s Divisional Round defeat at New England. Houston continues to publicly back Stroud, and rightfully so: He’s still just 24 years old, having already flashed the kind of passing ability that screams FRANCHISE QB. But it appears Caserio felt the Texans would be best served taking some of the offensive load off Stroud’s plate. I like that approach, for both the quarterback and the team.
With a stifling defense already in place, fielding a complementary ground game would give Houston a consistent baseline to compete against just about anyone. And it would also put Stroud in favorable positions to show off his undeniable arm talent. We’ll have to wait and see if Caserio’s big offseason project ultimately bears fruit in the fall, but I’m supplying my vote of confidence here. Don’t be surprised if this well-rounded roster ripens into a world-beater in 2026.
THE PLAYERS
I actually told everyone to hop aboard the Ward bandwagon in this space one year ago. Why am I doubling down? Because the Year 1 flashes were titillating enough to keep me heavily invested in Year 2. Tennessee’s 3-14 record doesn’t tell the story. Neither does Ward’s unremarkable season stat line. But the kid showed enticing potential, especially in December, and I’m quite intrigued to see how that carries over into this September.
With a slow start factoring into the firing of his head coach six games into his professional career, Ward could have completely come apart, but he showed growth as the season wore on. After coughing the ball up 11 times in his first eight games, he committed just three turnovers in his final nine outings. It wasn’t just safer play, either; Ward showcased plenty of alluring playmaking ability. It was the kind of progression that made me think he could be in for a sizable jump in his sophomore campaign, especially with better support -- and Tennessee has supplied that this offseason.
Granted, the O-line remains unsettled, but now the offense is coordinated by Brian Daboll, a coach boasting plenty of experience fostering young quarterbacks (SEE: Josh Allen in Buffalo; Daniel Jones and Jaxson Dart with New York). Furthermore, the Titans added a target vacuum in free agency (Wan’Dale Robinson) and a deep threat in the draft (Carnell Tate). I’m not saying Cam’s about to make a second-year run at MVP, Drake Maye style, but I think the 23-year-old could really cook with some better ingredients on hand. Thus, I’m keeping my seat on the bandwagon.
Prior to the injury-abbreviated 2025 season, Wilson eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first three pro campaigns. No small feat, considering the Jets ranked 25th, 31st and 24th in total offense during that span. Now, it feels like the 25-year-old could be poised to make his first Pro Bowl.
Geno Smith’s Vegas residency certainly didn’t go as planned -- as evidenced by the league-high 17 interceptions -- but I still believe the 35-year-old is a professional quarterback. Add in a pair of first-round pass catchers (TE Kenyon Sadiq and WR Omar Cooper Jr.), and it appears the Jets could field a professional passing attack. That’s a foreign luxury to Wilson, who’s set up to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s well worth last summer’s $130 million extension.
I like both of the Bears’ young receivers, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, but I just like their second-year tight end more. Loveland got off to a slow start as a rookie, missing some time with a hip injury and failing to immediately produce like a top-10 pick. But once the calendar flipped to November, he became one of the league’s most prolific tight ends. From Week 9 through Week 18, Loveland racked up 597 receiving yards -- second at the position, behind only first-team All-Pro TE Trey McBride. And then the rookie added 193 more yards in two playoff games, playing a starring role in Chicago’s stirring comeback victory over Green Bay.
The Bears just spent a pick early in the third round on another tight end, but Sam Roush's calling card is his blocking, so he replaces free-agent departure Durham Smythe in Chicago's 13 personnel. The new guy could cut into Cole Kmet's in-line snaps, but I can't imagine his addition does anything to alter Loveland's rocketship trajectory. A slick route-runner at 241 pounds with an enormous catch radius 6-foot-6, Loveland is Ben Johnson's most unique weapon.
Bain should not have lasted until the 15th overall pick last month, and he knew it. Everyone saw him as a man driven by disrespect -- honestly, it felt like a supervillain origin story -- and I can’t wait to see him take it out on the league.
Bain fell victim to arm-length concerns, with his 30 7/8-inch measurement making him an outlier on the edge. But that shortcoming didn’t stop the ferocious defender from posting an FBS-high 83 pressures last season. His awesome ability to wreak havoc was on full display in the College Football Playoff, with Bain racking up five sacks in Miami’s four-game run.
For a Bucs team that needed more pass rush, landing Bain was a dream scenario. GM Jason Licht gleefully acknowledged as much a few days after the draft on NFL Network: “My youngest is 12 years old. He texted after the pick and said, â€What percent chance did you think that would happen?’ I said, â€Probably 1.’ ”
THE COACHES
Coen understandably experienced some fits and starts in the early goings of his first year as a head coach at any level of football. But the Jaguars took off in the back half of the regular season, winning their final eight games while Coen’s offense averaged a league-high 32.5 points per game. With a takeaway-happy defense that simultaneously yielded a league-low 14.5 PPG during this span, Anthony Campanile deserves his share of credit for coordinating that side of the ball. Still, Coen made quite a mark in his Jacksonville debut, turning Trevor Lawrence into an MVP candidate, leading the Jags to an AFC South title and finishing a close second to Mike Vrabel in Coach of the Year voting. And while Tampa Bay suffered a wave of injuries, it’s fair to surmise Coen’s departure significantly factored into the Buccaneers’ steep regression on offense. He just seems like he could be one of those special coaches, especially as an offensive schemer and play-caller.
No head man has enjoyed sustained success in Jacksonville since Tom Coughlin in the franchise’s infant stages last millennium. However, the 40-year-old Coen heads into Year 2 with the wind at his back. Will he log another 13-win season? That’s a tall order in an AFC South that’s no longer a league punchline. But while I currently like the Texans more in the division race, I struggle betting against a bright, young offensive mind like this.
While Coen worked wonders with the Jaguars’ offense last season, Ulbrich did the same with the Falcons defense. So much so that Atlanta’s new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, decided to retain the DC after his hiring in January. It was a no-brainer move, really, considering Ulbrich’s inspired effort as the franchise’s defensive play-caller in 2025. The pass rush had long been an issue in Atlanta, with the Falcons finishing second-to-last in sacks in 2024. One year later, they ranked second, setting a new franchise record with 57 sacks.
Now, heading into 2026, there’s some uncertainty around Atlanta’s sack leader from last season. After a domestic incident back in February, James Pearce Jr. entered a pre-trial intervention program that could result in all charges being dropped, but the second-year pro might face NFL discipline for violating the league's personal-conduct policy. Putting Pearce aside, though, Ulbrich just cultivated a breakout season from defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus, while Jalon Walker should continue developing as an edge force in his second pro campaign. Not to mention, Atlanta’s secondary is flush with talent. Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts comprise as good a ballhawking duo as you’ll find at safety. And yes, I’m excited about the Terrell family reunion. It’ll just be plain fun seeing A.J. and Avieon line up in the same defensive backfield, but more importantly, the younger Terrell is a feisty, versatile addition to Atlanta’s coverage unit. Ulbrich has a robust collection of DBs to mess around with, especially if Billy Bowman Jr. can recover from last November’s Achilles tear.
Ulbrich didn’t shine as interim head coach of the Jets two years ago, but that was a tough spot with a long-suffering franchise. And unfortunately, that put a damper on the fine work he did for multiple seasons as New York’s defensive play-caller. If Atlanta’s D continues to flourish under Ulbrich’s watchful eye, who’s to say he doesn’t re-emerge as a head-coaching candidate?
