After an offseason chock-full of trades, free agent signings and draft picks, all 32 NFL teams have their rosters mostly set for the 2026 season. But how do they stack up when compared to each other?

We've tasked NFL analysts Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder with finding that answer. We asked them to individually rank every lineup in the league, then combined their ballots to form the ultimate preseason roster rankings, considering factors such as talent, age and production.

Clay projected every starting lineup, and then he identified each team's position of strength and weakness. Walder picked X factors for each roster, while Schatz chose nonstarters who could end up being key players this season.

Let's get to the list, starting with a franchise that came close to representing the NFC in last season's Super Bowl and has been aggressive all offseason.

Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

1. Los Angeles Rams

Biggest strength: Quarterback. It's tough to pick one strength, as edge rusher, cornerback, wide receiver and both lines are strong points on the league's clear-cut best roster. Of course, the Rams' Super Bowl chances hinge most on the health and continued strong play of reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, 38. He dominated in 2025, pacing the NFL in both passing yards (4,707) and passing TDs (46) while finishing fourth in QBR. With the league's best roster around him, Stafford is set up for another elite season. First-round rookie Ty Simpson is his new backup. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Tight end. "None" might be the best answer, but I'll pick a position that has a lot of depth but no clear No. 1 option. Tyler Higbee is 33 years old and no longer an every-down player. That has allowed more work for veterans Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen. There is some upside here in the form of recent second-round picks Terrance Ferguson (2025) and Max Klare (2026). A Year 2 breakout from Ferguson could quickly make this another strength area. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The health of Stafford and wide receiver Davante Adams. Less than 12 months ago, Stafford couldn't get on the practice field due to a back issue and was a major question mark entering the season. He ended up playing the whole way -- and winning MVP -- but there's no guarantee that he can repeat that in 2026 at age 38. And Adams has played at least 14 games in each of the past six seasons, but I bring him up because he is 33 and the depth behind him and Puka Nacua is severely lacking. The Rams are the best team in football, but they have a couple of Achilles' heels they must protect. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. Myles Garrett must come off the field occasionally, right? A 2025 third-round pick, Stewart had three sacks and an impressive 17.6% pass rush win rate as a rookie. He has a high motor but can also drop into coverage when necessary. -- Schatz

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Biggest strength: Offensive tackle. The Eagles have many strengths, especially on defense, but it's tough to beat arguably the NFL's top tackle duo of Jordan Mailata (left) and Lane Johnson (right). Mailata has ranked no lower than sixth at tackle in Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade each of the past three seasons. Johnson is 36 years old and missed time due to injury last season, but he continues to play at a high level, ranking in the upper quarter of the league in PFF grade, pass block win rate and run block win rate. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Safety. Reed Blankenship signed with Houston, which positions second-year man Andrew Mukuba (who missed half of his rookie season with a broken ankle) and Marcus Epps (a backup for most of 2025) as the team's top full-time options. Cooper DeJean will also get a run at safety, but his role as the team's primary slot corner will keep him occupied most of the time. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: CB Riq Woolen. I'm a Woolen believer. He has the best yards per coverage snap among all cornerbacks with at least 500 coverage snaps over the past four seasons, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but there's no question opinions are divided on him. He has been benched before and started only seven games (out of 16 played) last season for Seattle. Woolen presents a wide range of outcomes for the Eagles. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: WR Hollywood Brown. He's not going to start, but the 2019 first-rounder is going to play a role in the Eagles' offense. Last season, he had 49 catches in Kansas City for 587 yards and five touchdowns, and his average of 12.0 yards per reception was his highest since 2020. But he also registered a 32 overall score (out of 100) in ESPN's receiver scores. -- Schatz

3. Seattle Seahawks

Biggest strength: Interior defensive line. The defending champs allowed a league-low 17.2 points per game last season and finished third in the league in run stop win rate (32.5%). They remain stacked up front, with Leonard Williams (18.0 sacks over the past two seasons) leading the way and still playing at a high level at age 32. Byron Murphy II (fourth among interior linemen with 7.0 sacks in 2025) made a big Year 2 leap, and Jarran Reed remains a quality rotational player. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Running back. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III signed with the Chiefs and Zach Charbonnet tore an ACL in January, leaving Seattle's backfield with a much different look in 2026. Rookie Jadarian Price -- the final pick of the first round -- could emerge as a standout player, but he is an unknown and has minimal experience as a pass catcher. Holdovers George Holani and Kenny McIntosh, as well as journeyman Emanuel Wilson, will battle for work until Charbonnet makes his return. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: WR Rashid Shaheed. While Shaheed delivered a kick return touchdown in the playoffs, his receiving production after he was traded to Seattle was lower than expected. Shaheed recorded 1.8 yards per route run with the Saints in the first half of 2025 but only 1.1 with Seattle, postseason included. With a full offseason as a Seahawk, perhaps he can emerge as a productive No. 2 option behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge Derick Hall. Rotating the edges is very important in Seattle's defense, and Hall played 37% of the defensive snaps in 2025. Though he had only two sacks in the regular season, he had another two and a forced fumble in the Super Bowl victory over the Patriots. He also had a strong 15.3% pass rush win rate off the edge. The Seahawks gave Hall a three-year, $42 million extension this offseason, highlighting how much he means to their defense. -- Schatz

4. Buffalo Bills

Biggest strength: Quarterback. What else could be the answer, as the team has 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen? Allen has finished no lower than seventh in QBR in each of the past six seasons (third or better in four of them). He hasn't been asked to throw the ball as much in recent years, but he has still finished in the top 10 in passing TDs six seasons in a row. Allen remains a major factor with his legs, leading all QBs in carries, rushing yards and rushing TDs last season. Only Derrick Henry (44) has more rushing TDs than Allen (41) over the past three seasons. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Off-ball linebacker. Terrel Bernard remains the team's top LB, but he has battled injuries (nine total games missed) and ineffectiveness in each of the past two seasons. Running mate Dorian Williams has generally been a situational player but might need to play an expanded role this season. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and fourth-round rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr are his primary competitors. Buffalo might lean a bit more on three-safety looks in the post-Sean McDermott era due to its LB situation. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. One of the upsides of promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach is keeping the consistency and continuity of the potent Bills offense. But on the defensive side, Buffalo is replacing a good coach in Sean McDermott. Will Leonhard be able to get enough out of an imperfect defensive roster to make Buffalo title contenders? -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: RB Ray Davis. James Cook III deservedly gets the accolades, but Davis was excellent in backing up Cook last season. Davis averaged 4.7 yards per carry (14.8% DVOA) and 8.6 yards per reception with two receiving touchdowns (23.9% DVOA). He was also one of the top kick returners in the NFL. -- Schatz

5. Baltimore Ravens

Biggest strength: Safety. Kyle Hamilton is one of the league's best defenders and is entering only his age-25 season. He led all NFL safeties in pass rush attempts last season and finished in the top 10 at the position in tackles, passes defensed and tackles for loss. He is joined by 2025 first-round pick Malaki Starks, who was solid as a rookie. Newcomer Jaylinn Hawkins was an every-down player for the Patriots last season, and all three players played at least 950 snaps in 2025. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Interior offensive line. The coaching staff is new, but this is the same weakness the Ravens had in the previous two seasons. Baltimore could have three new starters on the interior. Standout center Tyler Linderbaum signed with the Raiders, leaving journeyman Danny Pinter (264 snaps played over the last three seasons) as the projected replacement. John Simpson was brought in as a slight upgrade over Andrew Vorhees at guard. There's some upside at the other guard spot after the team spent its first-round pick on Olaivavega Ioane. -- Clay

X factors for 2026: WRs Devontez Walker, Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. It's hard to get too excited about the receivers room behind Zay Flowers (Rashod Bateman is the team's No. 2 WR on paper). But if Baltimore could get a breakout from one of these three -- the latter two are rookies -- it would go a long way to rounding out the offense beyond Lamar Jackson. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: DT Broderick Washington Jr. Washington missed most of 2025 after an Achilles injury, but he'll play an important role for the Ravens as a 5-technique end if Nnamdi Madubuike doesn't return from his neck injury or Calais Campbell finally plays to his age. Washington will need to step up, as his pressure rate of 2.9% in 2024 was near the bottom of the league for interior linemen. -- Schatz

6. Detroit Lions

Biggest strength: Offensive playmakers. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs, WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and TE Sam LaPorta form one of the league's best groups of skill players. This is a group that has helped Detroit finish top five in offensive yards and touchdowns each of the past four seasons. Gibbs is the only back in league history with at least 11 touchdowns, 1,200 rushing yards and 50 receptions in each of his first three NFL seasons. St. Brown is the only player in NFL history with 90-plus catches in each of his first five NFL seasons. Williams has 1,000-plus yards each of the past two seasons. And LaPorta missed half of 2025 due to injury but still sits third among tight ends in TDs (20) since entering the league in 2023. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Secondary. This one is not for a lack of talent, but major availability concerns make Detroit's secondary a massive question mark. Cornerback D.J. Reed missed roughly half of last season due to injury and the other starting position opposite him is in question after 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold was released due to his alleged role in a felony kidnapping case in Tampa, Florida. Veterans Rock Ya-Sin and Roger McCreary are among those competing for an every-down role. At safety, Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles) are both uncertain for Week 1 after suffering major injuries last season. This has the potential to be a very good group, but questions will need to be answered. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Right tackle Blake Miller. We think of the Lions as having a stalwart offensive line, but they had a serious need at right tackle after releasing veteran tackle Taylor Decker and flipping Penei Sewell to the left side. They filled it with Miller in the first round of the draft. Historically, rookie tackles are typically below average in their first season, even if they're first-rounders. We'll find out if Miller can buck that trend and, if so, keep the Lions with two good tackles to bookend their offensive line. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: S Christian Izien. If Branch is healthy enough to play, he'll spend a lot of time in the slot, which will require a third safety on the field. Izien started 10 games for Tampa Bay in 2024, with 75 combined tackles and good coverage metrics, then lost his job to Tykee Smith last season. Can Izien play an important role for the Lions this season? -- Schatz

7. New England Patriots

Biggest strength: Secondary. Christian Gonzalez has emerged as one of the league's top young cornerbacks and is joined on the perimeter by veteran standout Carlton Davis III. Marcus Jones has quickly developed into a standout in the slot. Craig Woodson was a terrific find in the fourth round of last year's draft and will be joined at safety by Jaylinn Hawkins' replacement, Kevin Byard, who continues to play at a high level at age 33. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Edge rusher. New England has a terrific roster, so we'll pick the position group that contributed to the team generating only 35 sacks last season (tied for seventh fewest). Harold Landry III remains an impact player and has now registered 8.5-plus sacks each of the past four seasons. Veteran Dre'Mont Jones (who has never cleared 6.5 sacks in a season) was brought in to help replace the departed K'Lavon Chaisson (7.5 sacks last season), with 2025 UDFA Elijah Ponder and second-round rookie Gabe Jacas the primary depth. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Offensive line. There are ways it can break right. Maybe left tackle Will Campbell improves in his second season or first-rounder Caleb Lomu takes over and has success right away. Alijah Vera-Tucker could stay healthy and live up to his reputation as a plus-guard. And Mike Onwenu can remain solid, too. But it could easily turn the other way. Maybe right tackle Morgan Moses declines further or can't stay healthy. Perhaps Campbell doesn't improve and maybe Jared Wilson won't be as ready for the center job as the team thought. How the offensive line shakes out could make or break the Patriots. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: FB Reggie Gilliam. The fullback has been an important position in so many of Josh McDaniels' Patriots offenses, from Heath Evans to James Develin. Now the Patriots have a real fullback again, and Gilliam was well regarded as a contributor in Buffalo for the past few seasons despite playing only 21% of Buffalo's offensive snaps in 2025. However, the Bills averaged more yards per carry without Gilliam on the field last season (4.9 to 4.4). -- Schatz

8. Denver Broncos

Biggest strength: Offensive line. This was an easy call after the Broncos led the NFL in both pass block and run block win rate in 2024 prior to finishing top eight in both categories last season. Incredibly, Denver will have the same starting five for the third season in a row, all of whom have played good-to-great ball each of the past two years. LT Garett Bolles, LG Ben Powers, C Luke Wattenberg, RG Quinn Meinerz and RT Mike McGlinchey each posted a pass block win rate well above league average both seasons, and four of the five posted good-to-great run block win rates in both campaigns. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Tight end. The Broncos look good on both sides of the ball, so I'll be picky and go after a position group that didn't improve as much as expected last season despite the addition of Evan Engram. The veteran tight end played a career-low 42% of Denver's snaps and found the end zone once. The 32-year-old will compete with Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull and rookie Justin Joly for snaps. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: QB Bo Nix. Assuming he is fully recovered from the ankle injury that cost him the chance to play in the AFC Championship Game (he's now on track to be ready for training camp), the Broncos can get more out of their quarterback to push them over the top. Despite being behind an excellent offensive line last season and with an elite playcaller in Sean Payton, Nix still ranked only 15th in QBR. Now Denver has added wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The defense should do its part. If Nix can up his game a bit, the Broncos would quickly become one of the title favorites. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge rusher Jonah Elliss. He dropped from five sacks as a rookie to 2.5 sacks last season, but he is still an important part of the Broncos' pass-rush rotation. His pass rush win rate of 14.3% last season was roughly equivalent to Aidan Hutchinson's or Danielle Hunter's and would have ranked 17th if he had enough pass-rush snaps to qualify. -- Schatz

9. Houston Texans

Biggest strength: Edge rusher. This is a toss-up between edge and cornerback, but the former gets the nod after generating 46-plus sacks for the third season in a row. Danielle Hunter remains a major force, and his 15 sacks in 2025 and 114.5 since he entered the league in 2015 are both third highest in the NFL in those respective spans. Will Anderson Jr. finished second in the NFL with 62 pass rush wins last season and has 23 sacks in two seasons playing opposite Hunter. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Offensive line. This group is perhaps the NFL's shakiest starting five and remains a major concern after finishing last in run block win rate (68.4%) and 30th in pass block win rate (55.5%) last season. Three 2025 starters -- LT Aireontae Ersery (2025 second-rounder), C Jake Andrews and G Ed Ingram -- remain, though the latter two will face substantial competition from free agent adds Wyatt Teller and Evan Brown. The other guard spot is up for grabs, with first-round pick Keylan Rutledge in the mix. Braden Smith was signed as a potential upgrade over Trent Brown at right tackle. This unit can improve in 2026, but there's plenty of uncertainty -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The running game. Last season, Houston had the second-least efficient ground attack in terms of EPA per play, and the lack of rushing production only made life more difficult for quarterback C.J. Stroud. The question is whether the changes to the offensive line and the addition of veteran running back David Montgomery can improve that aspect of the offense. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: WR Jaylin Noel. Noel will play a larger role in his second season, especially out of the slot, if Tank Dell is unable to return to 100 percent from the severe knee injury that cost him the 2025 season. Noel's 4.38-second 40-yard-dash speed shows that he can be a deep threat, but he is also good at finding holes in zones. Noel had 26 catches for 292 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. -- Schatz

10. Green Bay Packers

Biggest strength: Safety. Quarterback was a consideration, but a safeties room led by Xavier McKinney gets the nod. McKinney produced eight INTs (second most in the NFL) in 2024 and finished top 12 among safeties in tackles and pass deflections in 2025. Evan Williams has emerged as a solid starter, and Javon Bullard (whose primary focus is slot corner) adds depth/insurance. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Interior defensive line. The Packers' defense sported a solid pass rush but ranked 24th in run stop win rate (29.3%) last season. Devonte Wyatt is eyeing a rebound season after an injury-riddled 2025. Running mates Karl Brooks, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse and Jonathan Ford all ranked near the bottom of the position in PFF grade last season. Third-round rookie Chris McClellan and free agent addition Javon Hargrave could help steady the ship, though the latter is no longer an elite producer at age 33. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Their run-pass ratio. Despite designing one of the league's most efficient passing games, coach Matt LaFleur's weakness has been leaning too heavily on running the ball. In 2025, the Packers recorded 0.21 EPA per play on designed pass plays (second best) and minus-0.02 EPA per designed run (16th). Despite that huge gap in efficiency, the Packers ranked 26th in pass rate over expected, per Next Gen Stats. If Green Bay puts the ball in quarterback Jordan Love's hands more often, it should win more games. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: WR Savion Williams. Williams is tall (6-foot-4) and fast (4.48 40) but was always going to be a developmental player in the NFL. He was mostly a gadget player as a rookie last season, with more carries (11) than receptions (10). Has he advanced enough to play a major role in the Packers' passing game if one of their starting wide receivers gets hurt? -- Schatz

11. San Francisco 49ers

Biggest strength: Quarterback. I could've gone a few directions here, but Brock Purdy's continued strong play, coupled with Mac Jones' solid performance in relief duty last season, is enough to push quarterback to the top. Durability has been an issue for Purdy, but his efficiency has been elite, as he has finished his three seasons as a starter ranked first, seventh and, most recently, second in QBR. He threw 20 TDs in only nine games last season -- a pace matched only by Matthew Stafford. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Interior defensive line. This is the same concern area as last year, and the 49ers went on to finish 31st in pressures (157) and last in sacks (20) in 2025. Some help was added in the form of Osa Odighizuwa, who was effective while playing 62% of Dallas' defensive snaps during his first five pro seasons. Behind him are second-year players Alfred Collins and C.J. West, who tied for the second-worst PFF grade among 115 qualified defensive tackles last season, and fourth-round rookie Gracen Halton. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: WR Mike Evans. He signed a below-market deal that made him a no-brainer addition for the 49ers. But it would be foolish to pretend there isn't risk. Evans will be 33 before the season starts, he played in only eight games in 2025, and his open score dropped to a below-average 46 (the scale goes from 0 to 99). He scored a 91 the prior season. If Evans isn't what the 49ers hope or expect, San Francisco will quickly become very reliant on Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk and/or second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Stribling. Kyle Shanahan offenses used to dominate the league in yards after the catch. But last season, Pearsall was last in the league in YAC vs. expectation, and new 49er Evans was next-to-last. So where are the 49ers going to get their big YAC plays? Perhaps they will come from this tall and fast second-round rookie out of Ole Miss, who will start out competing with Kirk for snaps out of the slot. -- Schatz

12. Kansas City Chiefs

Biggest strength: Quarterback. Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a left torn ACL and hasn't finished better than sixth in QBR since 2022, but he remains Kansas City's best player. Before his injury-shortened 2025 season, the two-time league MVP had led his team to 10-plus wins and the AFC Championship Game seven seasons in a row. He has won the Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP three times each and is still only 30 years old. Expected to be ready for Week 1, Mahomes will be counted on to lead the Chiefs to a bounce-back season. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Offensive tackle. The Chiefs added just enough at corner to allow me to stick with offensive tackle for the third consecutive year, as Kansas City's tackles ranked 31st in run block win rate (70.8%) last season. The head-scratching, four-year, $80 million deal handed to RT Jawaan Taylor a few years ago did not work out, and the Chiefs moved on during the offseason. They'll now turn to long-time reserve Jaylon Moore there. Left tackle Josh Simmons was serviceable in eight appearances as a rookie, and the 2025 first-round pick is a candidate for a Year 2 leap. Kansas City is also less deep after trading Wanya Morris in June. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The second edge rusher. Maybe that's second-year player Ashton Gillotte. Perhaps it's former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Or it could be R Mason Thomas, this year's second-round pick. Regardless of who it is, the Chiefs need one of those players to emerge and become a pass-rushing threat opposite George Karlaftis. If not, that will be a weak point for the Chiefs' defense. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: RB Emari Demercado. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is now Kansas City's primary back, but he has never had more than 230 carries in a season and played all 17 games only once (last year). The Chiefs will probably have to depend a little bit on their backups, and the top guy is Demercado, an ex-Cardinal. Similar to Walker, Demercado is good for some explosive runs and had a career average of 6.5 yards per carry over three seasons with Arizona. He also has 50 career receptions. -- Schatz

13. Los Angeles Chargers

Biggest strength: Offensive tackle. Rashawn Slater (patellar tendon) missed every game and Joe Alt (ankle) was limited to 294 snaps in what was a lost 2025 season for perhaps the league's best tackle duo. Both are expected to be healthy for 2026, and that is massive news for a Chargers team that finished last in pass block win rate (53.9%) and 31st in run block win rate (68.9%) last season. When they were last healthy together in 2024, Slater was PFF's second-highest graded tackle and ranked 10th among all linemen in run block win rate, and Alt (then a rookie) ranked seventh in pass block win rate and 14th in run block win rate among 80 qualified tackles. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Guard. The return of Slater and Alt is especially important, considering Los Angeles' underwhelming guard situation. The team moved on from both of last season's starters, Zion Johnson and Mekhi Becton, and will look to free agent Cole Strange and second-round rookie Jake Slaughter to fill their spots. Trevor Penning and Kayode Awosika provide veteran fallback options. Strange, Penning and Awosika have played primarily as reserves in recent seasons. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The pass rush. Can Khalil Mack deliver again at age 35? Can Akheem Mesidor be disruptive as a rookie? If the answer to those questions is yes, that would go a long way toward helping a Chargers defense that lost former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. If no, then those two and Tuli Tuipulotu could hold back the defense. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: TE Charlie Kolar. Kolar had only 10 catches for 142 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore last season, but the Chargers didn't bring him in to be a receiver. Los Angeles handed him a three-year, $24.3 million contract to block, part of the leaguewide rise in the value of blocking tight ends. You'll see a lot of Kolar in 12 and 13 personnel, as the Ravens averaged 5.7 yards per carry with Kolar on the field last season and 4.7 yards per carry without him. -- Schatz

14. Dallas Cowboys

Biggest strength: Wide receiver. Similar to last year, we'll focus on a wide receiver room that helped the Cowboys lead the NFL in passing yards in 2025. It starts with CeeDee Lamb, who, despite missing five games over the past two years, has delivered 1,000-plus receiving yards in five consecutive seasons. Since entering the league in 2020, Lamb sits in the top five in receptions (571) and receiving yards (7,416). George Pickens is fresh off a breakout 2025 season (his first in Dallas) in which he finished no lower than seventh among wide receivers in catches, receiving yardage, touchdowns and yards per target. Ryan Flournoy and versatile KaVontae Turpin add depth. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Cornerback. Dallas doesn't have many major problem areas, so an unproven cornerback room is the biggest red flag. This area must be better after the Cowboys finished last in defensive EPA, allowed a 58.4 QBR (29th) and generated only six INTs in 2025. DaRon Bland battled injuries in 2025 but remains the clear star of this group. Ex-Rams Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick were added this offseason and will battle second-year man Shavon Revel Jr. (last among CBs in PFF grade in 2025), fourth-round rookie Devin Moore and others for starting roles. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Safety Caleb Downs. The Cowboys need defensive playmaking to come from somewhere. Perhaps Donovan Ezeiruaku or Malachi Lawrence can deliver pressure from the edge. Maybe Bland can haul in a bunch of interceptions again. But if there's going to be a long-term, positive change to this defense, it could come from Downs -- for whom the Cowboys traded up to select at No. 11. If he can help make the Cowboys simply an average defense, watch out. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Turpin. We know he's one of the best kick return men in the NFL, but Turpin has also been extremely useful as a depth receiver, with receiving DVOA over 15.0% in two of the past three seasons. Last season, he caught 26 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 2.3 YAC over expectation. -- Schatz

15. Cincinnati Bengals

Biggest strength: Wide receiver. I could've gone quarterback here, but not many teams can match Cincinnati's elite Ja'Marr Chase/Tee Higgins duo. Chase continues to dominate. In 2024, he became the first player in league history to reach at least 1,700 receiving yards and 17 TD catches in a season. Last season, he became the third receiver to produce 120-plus catches and 1,400-plus yards in multiple campaigns. Higgins is arguably the league's best No. 2 receiver and sits fourth in the league with 21 TD catches over the past two seasons. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Off-ball linebacker. Despite finishing last in pass rush win rate (28.8%) and tackles for loss (56) last season, the Bengals will run it back with a linebacker corps that includes second-year players Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., along with veteran Oren Burks. All three struggled badly in 2025, ranking 83rd, 85th and 88th, respectively, in PFF grade among 88 qualified LBs. Cincinnati hopes Carter and Knight make a big leap in their second pro seasons. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The left side of the offensive line. Orlando Brown Jr. and Dylan Fairchild ranked in the bottom 20th percentile in pass block win rate at their positions last season, and keeping quarterback Joe Burrow upright is critical to Cincinnati's success. Brown has posted far better win rates in the past, and Fairchild was a rookie, so both could be better in 2026. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: TE Erick All Jr. Drew Sample is primarily a blocker, and Mike Gesicki is basically a big slot receiver, but All gives the Bengals a tight end who can block and catch. His problem is injuries. All dealt with back injuries at Michigan, tore his right ACL after transferring to Iowa in 2023, then tore the same ligament again against the Raiders in November 2024 and missed all of last season. But All is healthy and fully participated in OTAs. He caught 20 passes out of 22 targets as a rookie for 158 yards before that ACL tear. -- Schatz

16. Jacksonville Jaguars

Biggest strength: Edge rusher. Josh Hines-Allen has emerged as one of the league's top edge rushers, and 2022 No. 1 pick Travon Walker has become a quality running mate. Hines-Allen ranks 10th in the NFL with 61 sacks since he entered the league in 2019. Walker's play dipped a bit last season (primarily because of injury), but he reached 10 sacks the previous two seasons and remains in his prime at 26. Dennis Gardeck and fourth-round rookie Wesley Williams offer depth. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Running back. Jacksonville has some of the league's shakiest running back and interior defensive line situations, but we'll focus on the former. With Travis Etienne Jr. gone, 2025 picks Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. will team up with journeyman Chris Rodriguez Jr. to form a three-headed committee. Tuten flashed as a rookie but was limited to 83 carries and 14 targets. Rodriguez has been effective as a rusher (career 4.6 yards per carry), but the sample is small (198 carries) and he's not a receiving option (six career catches). Expect Allen (23 carries, 11 targets as a rookie) to see occasional work in passing situations. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: CB/WR Travis Hunter. His ceiling is probably an elite cornerback who also adds in the receiving game. After a disappointing, injury-shortened rookie season, there might be less optimism about him hitting that level than there was 12 months ago, but the upside is still there. Jacksonville took a big step forward in 2025, and Hunter living up to his draft stock could thrust the Jaguars into real contention. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: S Caleb Ransaw. Ransaw played outside and slot cornerback at Tulane, then missed his rookie season last year because of a foot injury. He's fast (4.33 in the 40) and explosive with good tackling skills. The Jaguars have moved him to safety, although he could also play nickel if necessary. Ransaw could compete with veteran Eric Murray for a starting job in training camp. -- Schatz

17. Chicago Bears

Biggest strength: Offensive line. After allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, Chicago overhauled its offensive line during the 2025 offseason. It certainly paid off, as the Bears led the NFL in pass block win rate (73.6%) and finished fifth in run block win rate (73.5%) last season. Standout guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson return for 2026, as does right tackle Darnell Wright. Garrett Bradbury was acquired to replace the retired Drew Dalman at center. Projected starting left tackle Ozzy Trapilo tore his patellar in January and might miss the season, but veteran Braxton Jones was brought back to keep things afloat. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Defensive line. Chicago didn't do much to upgrade the front line of a defense that ranked 31st in pass rush win rate (28.8%) and 26th in run stop win rate (29.1%) last season. Grady Jarrett (now 33 years old) and Gervon Dexter Sr. return at defensive tackle, with journeyman Neville Gallimore the most notable rotation addition. There is plenty of upside at edge rusher, though with some uncertainty. Montez Sweat (10 sacks last season) is terrific, but third-year man Austin Booker has yet to play a full season, while Dayo Odeyingbo is recovering from a torn Achilles. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: QB Caleb Williams. For all his highlights last season, there is still plenty to iron out in Williams' game, with accuracy being the most critical. Williams ranked last among QBR-qualifying quarterbacks in off-target rate and completion percentage over expected, per Next Gen Stats. If he can bring those numbers just to league average, that would result in a big step for him and the offense. But that's a big "if." -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Odeyingbo. He signed a big free agent contract last year to come over from Indianapolis but was disappointing, with just one sack in eight starts before getting hurt. Can he get healthy and get his groove back? The Bears need edge help behind Sweat and Booker. -- Schatz

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Biggest strength: Defensive front. This is a balanced roster, so it was tough to pick a clear strength, but we'll give a nod to a good-looking defensive front. It starts with Vita Vea, who is 11th among interior linemen with 23.5 sacks since 2022. Calijah Kancey (7.5 sacks in 2024) returns after missing all but 91 snaps last season due to injury. Veteran A'Shawn Robinson was a strong offseason addition. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Tight end. The Bucs are set to return the same tight end room that ranked last in the NFL in receiving yardage last season. Cade Otton has been solid (40 to 60 receptions in all four of his NFL seasons), but is often phased out of the passing attack when the team is healthy at wide receiver. His lone touchdown came in Week 18 last season. Backups Payne Durham, Devin Culp and Ko Kieft combined to run seven routes per game last season, and sixth-round pick Bauer Sharp was the only offseason addition. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: WR Emeka Egbuka. He came out of the gates flying last season as a rookie but cooled off immensely down the stretch. Which version will the Buccaneers get in 2026? With Mike Evans gone and Chris Godwin Jr. now 30 years old, they'll need early-season Egbuka to come through. One number that has me a little concerned -- Egbuka posted just a 36 open score last season, which ranked 104th out of 110 wide receivers. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Durham. The Buccaneers used multiple tight ends roughly 24% of the time last season, and Durham started 10 games as the resident blocking tight end and backup to Otton. Yet, he had only one reception on just four targets last season, and the Buccaneers' running backs had roughly the same performance with Durham on the field as they had without him. -- Schatz

19. Pittsburgh Steelers

Biggest strength: Edge rusher. The Steelers ranked fourth in the NFL with a 41.3% pass rush win rate and were sixth with 48 sacks last season. T.J. Watt is not coming off his best season, but he has been an All-Pro in each of his past five healthy seasons and is second in the NFL with 115 sacks since entering the league in 2017 (only he and Myles Garrett have more than 96 during that span). Alex Highsmith (37.0 sacks over the past four seasons) is a terrific running mate. Nick Herbig registered a career-high 7.5 sacks last season, and his 24.7% pass rush win rate since entering the league is second to only Micah Parsons during that span. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Off-ball linebacker. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson are back as the starters, and that might not be a good thing after Pittsburgh ranked 27th in run stop win rate (28.9%) last season. Queen remained an every-down player last season but slipped to 61st among 67 qualified off-ball linebackers in PFF grade (he ranked 54th among 69 qualified in 2024). Wilson could make a Year 3 leap, though he struggled to fend off Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison, who both remain on the roster, for snaps last season. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The cornerbacks. Pittsburgh's most likely path to success involves having a great defense, and the pass rush is certainly there. But what will the Steelers be like on the back end? Jamel Dean and Joey Porter Jr. are coming off seasons in which they posted 0.7 and 0.9 yards per coverage snap (per Next Gen Stats), respectively, both better than the 1.1 average for an outside corner. If they can pick up where they left off and the Steelers can get one more good season out of Jalen Ramsey, Pittsburgh could be tough to throw against. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: DT Sebastian Joseph-Day. The most important nonstarter is Herbig, but we covered him already, so let's look at some of the strong depth on Pittsburgh's interior defensive line. Joseph-Day had 41 combined tackles and two sacks for Tennessee last season. The 31-year-old veteran also provides versatility because he can play either 5-tech end or nose for the Steelers. -- Schatz

20. Indianapolis Colts

Biggest strength: Running back. Jonathan Taylor is one of the league's best backs and is fresh off a terrific 2025 campaign in which he led the NFL in carries and touchdowns while also finishing in the top three in touches and rushing yardage. Once a minimal part of the Colts' passing game, Taylor also ranked in the top 10 among backs in routes, targets, catches and receiving yards, setting career highs in each. This all happened despite a big dip in production when quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14 -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Off-ball linebacker. The Colts weren't as aggressive as expected in upgrading their linebacker room on a defense that ranked 30th in pass rush win rate (29.1%) and 25th in run stop win rate (29.2%) last season. Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt departed, and the team replaced them with journeyman Akeem Davis-Gaither and rookies CJ Allen (second round) and Bryce Boettcher (fourth). Davis-Gaither has worked as a situational player during most of his six NFL seasons, but he and the rookies will battle for every-down work in 2026. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Jones. In the first eight weeks of last season, Jones was playing well. He was second in QBR, second in yards per dropback, fourth in turnover rate, sixth in completion percentage over expected (per Next Gen Stats) and third in sack rate. He was buoyed by a strong running game, but those are great numbers. His efficiency dropped over the rest of his season, as he played with a fibula injury before tearing his Achilles in early December. There's also Jones' history, which is nowhere near as strong as what he showed in the first half of 2025. Which version of Jones will the Colts get coming off the injury? That will mean everything to their 2026 prospects. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: CB Justin Walley. Chosen with the 80th pick in the 2025 draft, Walley turned a lot of heads at Colts training camp, then promptly tore his ACL during a joint practice with the Ravens. He was an outside corner in college, but he'll compete with Mekhi Blackmon for the starting slot corner role, in part due to a lack of length. Walley is good at reading receivers and deflecting passes and was eighth in the FBS with 12 passes defensed in 2024. -- Schatz

21. Washington Commanders

Biggest strength: Quarterback. This one might be a slight surprise, but we shouldn't let an injury-plagued 2025 season distract us from Jayden Daniels' elite rookie season in 2024. Daniels ranked fourth in QBR, tossed 25 touchdowns and posted a 148-891-6 rushing line in what was arguably the best rookie quarterback season ever. The dual-threat, 25-year-old is primed for a rebound season and has a good backup in Marcus Mariota. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Cornerback. The Commanders allowed a league-high 384.3 yards per game, in large part thanks to a secondary that surrendered a 59.2 QBR (second worst) last season. The Commanders will be hoping for a better season from Mike Sainristil and a Year 2 leap from 2025 second-round pick Trey Amos in 2026. Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon were brought in as veteran competition after primarily working as situational players during the past few seasons. -- Clay

X factors for 2026: All the defensive additions, including edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson, linebacker Sonny Styles, safety Nick Cross and Robertson. Can this group liven up what was a wildly lacking defensive unit from a year ago that ranked 30th in EPA per play? The Commanders badly need that to happen. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: WR Dyami Brown. The 27-year-old had only 20 catches for 227 yards and a touchdown in his one season in Jacksonville. Now, he's back in Washington and back to being the designated deep threat in the Commanders' receiving corps. There's an opportunity to carve out a big role in this offense if Brown can prove he's capable of more than running deep routes. -- Schatz

22. Minnesota Vikings

Biggest strength: Pass catchers. Receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and newcomer Jauan Jennings and tight end T.J. Hockenson form a terrific group of targets for whoever wins the QB job. Even in a down season (no fault of his own), Jefferson delivered his sixth consecutive season with 1,000-plus receiving yards in 2025 and remains arguably the league's best wide receiver. Addison produced 875-plus receiving yards and nine-plus TDs in his first two seasons before the QB woes of 2025. Jennings broke out in 2024 with the 49ers and has a 132-1, 618-15 receiving line over the past two seasons. Hockenson's stats have been down the past two seasons, but the 29-year-old remains one of the league's best two-way tight ends. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Running back. It was a bit surprising that Minnesota did little to address this position after its running backs finished 30th in both rushing yards and scrimmage yards last season. Aaron Jones Sr. has been solid throughout his career, but he's entering his age-31 season and ranked dead last among 65 qualified backs in forced missed tackle rate and elusive rating in 2025, per PFF. Jordan Mason is an effective rusher (career 5.1 YPC) but isn't a receiving option (28 career receptions). Undersized sixth-rounder Demond Claiborne was the team's only offseason addition of note. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Interior offensive line. Will Fries struggled last season at guard after signing a big free agent contract, with a sixth percentile pass block win rate. But he boasts upside, as does fellow guard Donovan Jackson, Minnesota's first-round draft pick in 2025. Blake Brandel played 347 snaps at center last season in his first time playing the position in the NFL. He is expected to start there again in 2026. How those three players improve could play a big role in how much offensive success the Vikings have this season. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: DL/Edge Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. A fifth-round pick out of Georgia in 2025, Ingram-Dawkins is the only drafted player on the edge depth chart behind starters Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. He's moving over after playing inside as a 5-tech defensive end last season. In 2025, he had a higher pass rush win rate inside (17.6%) than on his edge snaps (8.0%). None of Minnesota's edge rushers played more than 67% of the snaps last season, so Ingram-Dawkins is going to get even more chances to make plays in 2026. -- Schatz

23. New York Giants

Biggest strength: Edge rusher. The Giants' 41.3% pass rush win rate ranked fifth in the NFL last season, and the entirety of their elite edge trio is back for 2026. Brian Burns is the headliner after finishing second to only Myles Garrett with 16.5 sacks last season. Abdul Carter was as advertised as a rookie, finishing seventh in the NFL with 53 pass-rush wins. Kayvon Thibodeaux's production was down with the addition of Carter, but he is as good as you'll find for a third edge. No. 5 overall pick Arvell Reese will focus on off-ball linebacker, but he'd be the top edge rusher on a lot of teams and will get some pass-rush work, too. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Defensive tackle. New York is doing its best to patch up this position after trading away superstar Dexter Lawrence II. It's a tough assignment after the Giants ranked 28th in the NFL in run stop win rate last season (28.3%) with Lawrence. Offseason signing Roy Robertson-Harris already tore his Achilles, leaving DJ Reader and Shelby Harris as potential starters (both are 32 and older) and the likes of Darius Alexander and Leki Fotu competing for significant roles. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: TE Isaiah Likely. With Malik Nabers' health in question to start the season, the Giants are going to need at least one other pass catcher to step up in a big way. The wide receiver group has pretty limited upside, but Likely still has some promise of becoming a star-level tight end. Now out from Mark Andrews' shadow, is this the season Likely finally hits his ceiling? -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Alexander. The 2025 third-round pick is likely to be the third defensive lineman when the Giants are in their 3-4 base. Last season, Alexander had 3.5 sacks and made 13 run tackles with an average gain of 2.1 yards. Scouts Inc. had Alexander ranked as a late first-round talent before the 2025 draft. He can stack and shed blocks and plays well against double-teams. -- Schatz

24. Carolina Panthers

Biggest strength: Offensive line. This might be surprising considering that left tackle Ikem Ekwonu tore his patellar tendon in January and will miss some (or perhaps all) of 2026, but the Panthers have a contingency plan. They signed veteran Rasheed Walker and drafted Monroe Freeling in the first round. Taylor Moton remains an effective right tackle and Carolina has a pair of solid guards in Damien Lewis and now-healthy Robert Hunt. And newcomer Luke Fortner might be able to slot in as a replacement at center for Cade Mays, who departed in free agency. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Running back. Chuba Hubbard returns after a rough 2025 season in which he battled injuries and ineffectiveness while losing lead back duties to Rico Dowdle. With Dowdle gone, 2024 second-rounder Jonathon Brooks (one appearance in two seasons due to a pair of torn ACLs) will battle for work and provides youth and potential, as does 2025 fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne. There's hope that this group can be solid, but its unproven nature makes it an obvious concern area -- Clay

X factors for 2026: The defensive additions -- edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. The Panthers are coming off a season in which they ranked 22nd and 26th in EPA allowed per dropback and designed run, respectively. If they get what they are expecting from Phillips (pass game disruption and a player who can augment the run stop) and Lloyd (playmaking and turnover generation), they could be OK on that side of the ball. If not? Then Carolina's defense could struggle again. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: S Lathan Ransom. A former All-Big Ten choice at Ohio State in 2024, Ransom is strong safety who can be aggressive in run support and intimidating against tight ends in man coverage. He's playing behind Nick Scott but will see considerable playing time. Ransom started six games last season, with 51 combined tackles and an interception of Baker Mayfield that clinched a key Week 16 victory for the Panthers. -- Schatz

25. New York Jets

Biggest strength: Off-ball linebacker. This one might be a bit controversial, but Demario Davis is back and still playing at a high level at age 37. Davis ranked 10th in the NFL with 143 tackles last season, and he's now cleared 100 in nine consecutive seasons, totaling 36.5 sacks during that span. The future Hall of Famer will team up with Jamien Sherwood, whose 308 tackles over the past two seasons are second most in the NFL. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Quarterback. The Jets' roster is improved, but that might not matter much if they don't get better quarterback play. Geno Smith is the next man up. While he's clearly not the long-term answer at 35 years old, it's possible he can hold down the fort if he's cleared from off-field allegations. Smith struggled badly with the Raiders last season (27th among 28 qualified QBs in QBR) but was quite effective during his three seasons as the starter in Seattle (2022-24). Fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik figures to get some run if Smith stumbles or cannot play. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Young pass catchers. Imagine a world where Adonai Mitchell fulfills his tantalizing promise while Omar Cooper Jr. and Kenyon Sadiq are instant-impact rookies. Suddenly, the Jets would be flush with talent. But none of those three players are guaranteed producers. If they all flop, things would revert to Garrett Wilson not getting much help. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: WR Isaiah Williams. Last season, the Jets had one of the top 10 special teams units since 1977 by DVOA, and Williams played a huge part. He was voted MVP by his teammates because of his kick and punt return abilities. Will Williams have more of an opportunity to play receiver as well this season? He caught 26 passes in 2025, but for only 193 receiving yards for a mere 7.4 yards per reception. -- Schatz

26. New Orleans Saints

Biggest strength: Wide receiver. We'll start with Chris Olave, who went from potentially career-threatening concussion woes in 2024 to a career season in 2025, in which he finished no lower than seventh among wide receivers in targets, catches, receiving yards and touchdowns (all were career highs). The 26-year-old will be joined by Jordyn Tyson -- the eighth pick of this year's draft, setting up New Orleans with one of the league's best, young WR duos. Devaughn Vele and fourth-round rookie Bryce Lance add depth. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Cornerback. The good news is that the Saints seem to have found something in 2024 second-round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry, whose 17 pass deflections were sixth in the league last season and two off the league lead. The concern is that second-year man Quincy Riley and journeyman Isaac Yiadom are the only other corners on the roster who played a snap last season. They'll compete with newcomer Martin Emerson Jr., who is on the comeback trail after missing the 2025 season because of a torn Achilles. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: QB Tyler Shough. His rookie season went better than expected, with Shough solid in turnover rate (12th best among QBR qualifiers) and accuracy (16th best in off-target rate and pass rate over expected) while getting rid of the ball quickly and without a ton of play-action help. But Shough struggled with sacks (27th in sack rate) and had a low rate of explosive plays. The result was a 48.8 QBR, which ranked 21st. It was good enough for the Saints to not explore other quarterback options this offseason. But the fate of the 2026 Saints -- and Shough's long-term status in New Orleans -- depends on how much he improves this season. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge rusher Tyree Wilson. The seventh pick in the 2023 draft, Wilson never quite lived up to his potential in Las Vegas. But with 12 sacks over his first three seasons, he has still been useful. The Saints made a trade to pick up the last year of Wilson's rookie deal, and he has an opportunity to set himself up for his next contract if he can have success in New Orleans' edge rotation. -- Schatz

27. Las Vegas Raiders

Biggest strength: Tight end. An injury-riddled 2025 campaign is not enough for us to overlook superstar Brock Bowers. The 2024 first-round pick began his career with 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns and was just as dominant when healthy in 2025. Despite missing five games and battling through early-year limitations, Bowers finished with 64 catches for 680 yards and seven TDs -- all three of which were top 10 at the position. The 23-year-old is a strong bet for a big bounce back with Kirk Cousins and/or Fernando Mendoza under center in 2026. Michael Mayer and former Carolina starter Ian Thomas add terrific depth. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Interior defensive line. The good news is that the Raiders have some continuity up front, returning all three interior linemen who played at least 50% of their defensive snaps last season. The bad news is that none of the three -- Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu and Thomas Booker IV -- were especially good last season, combining for 12 tackles for loss and five sacks. Free agent addition Benito Jones, Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues also struggled in 2025 and will compete for snaps up front. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The right side of the offensive line. This season needs to be about the development of Mendoza and figuring out who can contribute to a contender in the future. The right side could be a weakness in pass protection if Jackson Powers-Johnson (guard) and DJ Glaze (tackle) are starting. Powers-Johnson has a 90.9% pass block win rate at guard (below average), and Glaze's 85.5% pass block win rate was in just the 6th percentile among tackles last season. But if they can improve their pass protection, then the Raiders' offensive line will be in good shape to support Mendoza. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: G Caleb Rogers. The Raiders' offensive line was a problem last season, but Rogers was not. He was primarily a tackle at Texas Tech before moving inside for the Raiders, and in six starts, he had a 90.7% pass block win rate. The Raiders are moving to more of a zone-running game in 2026, and that would seem to fit Rogers' skill set. He'll compete with Jordan Meredith and Spencer Burford for the starting left guard spot and provide the Raiders with good depth in case injuries hit the line. -- Schatz

28. Tennessee Titans

Biggest strength: Wide receiver. The Titans invested heavily here during the offseason to turn a weakness into a strength, signing Wan'Dale Robinson (one of four receivers with 90-plus catches each of the past two seasons) to a four-year, $70 million contract and selecting Carnell Tate with the fourth pick of April's draft. That duo will team up with veteran Calvin Ridley, and second-year players Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor will add solid depth. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Safety. Amani Hooker has been an every-down player in Tennessee since 2021, but he has missed 21 games because of injury during that span. Struggles in coverage last season helped opposing quarterbacks post a 58.7 QBR against the Titans, the third-worst mark in the NFL. Second-year man Kevin Winston Jr. played 297 snaps as a rookie but will now battle veteran newcomer Tony Adams for the other starting gig. -- Clay

X factors for 2026: CB Alontae Taylor and CB Cor'Dale Flott. Both were signed as outside free agents, and I was skeptical of both deals, but they could prove me wrong. If they (and Joshua Williams, who could be interesting depth at the position) can deliver, then the Titans' defense would start to look quite a bit more threatening. If not? Opposing quarterbacks might have several good passing games against Tennessee. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge rusher Keldric Faulk. We know that Robert Saleh likes to rotate his defensive linemen, so the Titans' second first-round pick will get considerable playing time this season. Faulk had only two sacks last season at Auburn, but his combination of size and explosiveness suggests he can be a lot more successful at the NFL level. He's a project, though, so that success might not come right away. -- Schatz

T-29. Arizona Cardinals

Biggest strength: Tight end. This starts and ends with Trey McBride, who has emerged as one of the NFL's top playmakers at the position. The 26-year-old is the only tight end in league history with 110-plus catches in more than one season. In 2025, he became the only tight end to reach 120 catches, 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in a season. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Quarterback. Kyler Murray is gone, leaving Jacoby Brissett as the probable Week 1 starter. The veteran racked up the counting stats in 12 starts last season (3,366 passing yards, 23 TDs), but Arizona throwing a league-high rate (partially due to always being behind) was a primary factor. Brissett finished 24th among 28 qualified quarterbacks in QBR (41.2). Gardner Minshew II and third-round rookie Carson Beck could also get some run. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: WR Michael Wilson. In Weeks 1-10, Wilson managed a meager 0.8 yards per route run, making him one of the least efficient wide receivers in the league. But from Week 11 on -- with Marvin Harrison Jr. out for much of that time -- Wilson's production ballooned to 2.6 yards per route run, 12th-best among wide receivers in those weeks. This Cardinals' season is all about finding out who can be their pillars going forward, so this season will be telling regarding Wilson's long-term role with the franchise. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge rusher BJ Ojulari. Trade rumors are circulating around Josh Sweat, and Baron Browning and Zaven Collins combined for only 3.5 sacks last season. It's time for Ojulari to step up and fulfill the potential he showed as a second-round pick in 2023, when he had four sacks as a rookie, before a 2024 knee injury knocked his career off track. -- Schatz

T-29. Atlanta Falcons

Biggest strength: Running back. Bijan Robinson continues to improve, having increased his production in yards per carry, receptions, touches and total yards during each of his three pro seasons. He has finished no lower than fifth among backs in carries, rushing yards, catches, touches and scrimmage yards during each of the past two seasons, and scored 10-plus touchdowns in both. Robinson is one of the league's top offensive playmakers, and newcomer Brian Robinson Jr. is a solid backup. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are battling for the job. The eighth pick in 2024, Penix has yet to emerge as a capable starter, totaling 14 touchdown passes in 14 games while struggling with accuracy. He tore his left ACL in Week 11 last season and now has added competition in Tagovailoa. The former Dolphin has flashed at times during his career, but Miami took on a record $99 million in dead money to move on from him after a disappointing 2025 season -- Clay

X factor for 2026: CB Avieon Terrell. Last season, Mike Hughes allowed 1.5 yards per coverage snap, much higher than average for an outside cornerback. Could Terrell, who was the Falcons' first selection in this year's draft at No. 48, end up being a better solution at outside corner opposite his brother A.J. Terrell Jr.? If so, that would be a good sign for Atlanta's secondary. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: Edge rusher Samson Ebukam. Ebukam missed 2024 because of a torn Achilles and had only two sacks for the Colts last season. But the 31-year-old will need to step up if the league disciplines second-year man James Pearce Jr. because of his legal issues. -- Schatz

31. Cleveland Browns

Biggest strength: The front seven. This group lost Myles Garrett but still has the potential to be good after Cleveland finished second in pass rush win rate (45.7%) and run stop win rate (33.5%) last season. Jared Verse (12th in the NFL with 86 pass rush wins during his two NFL seasons) came over in the Garrett deal and is a capable replacement. He'll join Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire on the edge. DT Mason Graham and LB Carson Schwesinger look the part after good rookie campaigns. Quincy Williams will help replace Devin Bush alongside Schwesinger at linebacker. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Quarterback. New season, same weakness. Cleveland is letting now-healthy Deshaun Watson battle it out with 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders for the starting job, with Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green also on the roster. Watson has struggled badly during 19 games played in four seasons with Cleveland, and missed all of 2025 because of a torn right Achilles. Sanders produced eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games as a rookie while completing a league-worst 57% of his passes. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: The remade offensive line. Four of the Browns' five projected O-line starters weren't in Cleveland last season, and the fifth -- Teven Jenkins -- started only four games. The Browns are betting that the entirely new group will jell quickly and protect whoever is playing quarterback. The group is a mix of profiles, from first-round rookie Spencer Fano to versatile veteran Elgton Jenkins to guard Zion Johnson, whose run block win rate took a big step up last season. The range of outcomes for this unit is wide. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Yes, he is coming from a mid-major program (Toledo), but it was a bit surprising when McNeil-Warren fell to pick No. 58 in the second round. He's a natural box safety who will need to work on his coverage skills in the NFL, so expect him to play a linebacker-like role in a lot of three-safety sets. -- Schatz

32. Miami Dolphins

Biggest strength: Running back. The recently extended De'Von Achane is the star of Miami's offense, and it's not close. The 2023 third-rounder has scored either 11 or 12 touchdowns in each of his three NFL seasons and gained a career-high 1,838 scrimmage yards in 2025. Achane's elite receiving production is nothing new (he has finished in the top five among backs in targets and receiving yards in each of the past two seasons), but he made another leap forward as a rusher in 2025, finishing fifth in rushing yards. His 5.62 yards per carry is best among qualified backs since he entered the league. Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II add depth. -- Clay

Biggest weakness: Secondary. The Dolphins are in full rebuild mode and have several units that rank among the league's worst. That makes it hard to pick for this exercise, but we'll go secondary. On paper, this is a worse group than the one that allowed a 58.3 QBR last season (fifth worst). First-round rookie Chris Johnson figures to immediately become an every-down starter, with Storm Duck, slot Jason Marshall Jr., Darrell Baker Jr., JuJu Brents and Alex Austin battling for substantial roles. With Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ashtyn Davis gone, 2025 fifth-rounder Dante Trader Jr. and journeyman Lonnie Johnson Jr. are strong candidates to start. -- Clay

X factor for 2026: Edge rusher Chop Robinson. From Week 10 on in his rookie season of 2024, Robinson recorded a 20.5% pass rush win rate at edge -- fifth best in the league in that span. He seemed destined to be a sack machine. But he took a step back in Year 2, with just a 14.6% pass rush win rate at edge and only four sacks last season (after six as a rookie). After resetting this offseason, Miami needs to find core players it can build around. Robinson might be one of those players, but he must prove it. -- Walder

Nonstarter to know: DT Jordan Phillips. Phillips started 16 games at nose tackle as a fifth-round rookie last season but will move to the bench as the Dolphins transition to a 4-3 base under new coach Jeff Hafley. Nonetheless, Phillips will be an important part of stopping the run for the Dolphins, especially if they want to come back when trailing late in games. Based on down and distance, he stopped opposing runners short of a successful gain on 77% of his run tackles last season. -- Schatz