The Biggest Offseason Need for Every NFC Team That Missed the Playoffs

From the Cowboys to the Vikings, here’s one thing that each non-playoff NFC team must address this offseason.

Jerry Jones must shore up the Cowboys defense this offseason. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Nine NFC teams are heading back to the drawing board this offseason, looking to better their roster and become next year’s feel-good story.

The NFC saw four teams make the playoffs this year after a no-show in ‘24—the 49ers, Panthers, Bears and Seahawks—while the Vikings, Lions, Commanders and Buccaneers missed out despite reaching the postseason a year ago. Those teams will look to bounce back in 2026 while other franchises across the conference try to build themselves up into contenders.

As the offseason kicks off, here’s the biggest need for every NFC team that missed the playoffs to address:

Arizona Cardinals: Quarterback

The Cardinals parted ways with head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday, and appear primed to move on from quarterback Kyler Murray this offseason as well. Though the Cardinals have the No. 3 pick in the draft, it doesn’t appear there will be a quarterback worth a top-five pick available (as Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore are projected to go No. 1 and No. 2), so Arizona might be best suited pursuing a promising young option like Malik Willis—who will be highly coveted this offseason.

Dallas Cowboys: Defense

From pass rush to linebacker to the secondary, the Cowboys need help at all levels of the defense. The Cowboys’ defense gave up a league-worst 511 points during the 2025 season, the most in franchise history. Dallas should not only prioritize adding the best defensive player available in the draft, but also buck their trends and pursue defensive talent through free agency. The defense simply needs an overhaul, and the Cowboys cannot solely rely on the draft to get that done.

New York Giants: Run defense

The Giants have assembled a strong group of pass rushers in Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence, but now must shore up the run defense. New York allowed an average of 145.3 yards per game on the ground, second-worst in the NFL, and Pro Football Focus gave them a grade of 44.5 when defending the run, which ranked last in the league. If the Giants can rush the passer and stop the run, their defense will become much more dangerous in 2026.

Washington Commanders: Defensive line

The Commanders enter a critical offseason. After a surprising Cinderella run to the NFC championship game behind the clutch play of Jayden Daniels, the Commanders went all-in for the 2025 season. Unfortunately, the choice backfired as they invested too heavily in an aging, veteran roster while Daniels missed significant time due to multiple injuries. Washington will need to prioritize getting younger while simultaneously building up its roster around Daniels.

As the Commanders look to get back into contention, they’ll need to prioritize defense—and particularly the defensive line. Washington needs help at all levels of the defense, but the defensive line should be the priority as the Commanders look to shore up their pass rush and run defense.

The Commanders’ run defense ranked third-last in the NFL, only ahead of the hapless Giants and Bengals. Along with giving up an average of 141.8 yards per game on the ground, the Commanders also struggled to consistently get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Improving the line will help Washington set the tone against the run and pass.

Atlanta Falcons: Consistent quarterback play

Despite missing the playoffs for an eighth straight season, the Falcons have a talented roster. They have a good offensive line, blue-chip pieces offensively in Bijan Robinson and Drake London and a pass rush that emerged into one of the best in the league in 2025. Now, they just need to capitalize. That starts with quarterback play.

Michael Penix Jr. will be the presumed starter once healthy. Though he has less than a full season of experience, the Falcons need a better offensive scheme to suit his skillset—like running more play-action or getting him comfortable at running the offense from under center. Atlanta is simply too talented to not be winning a weak NFC South, and consistent play from Penix could allow them to realize those goals. If Penix is unavailable for the start of the season, retaining Kirk Cousins or adding a different reliable backup would be beneficial.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Pass rush

The Buccaneers will be taking a long look in the mirror after finishing the season 2-7 to miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Tampa Bay dealt with a number of key injuries, but its losing streak also showcased some flaws, particularly when it comes to the pass rush. The return of Calijah Kancey will be significant for the Buccaneers next season, but they still could use more help rushing the quarterback after Haason Reddick didn’t provide the impact the team was looking for.

New Orleans Saints: Improved run game

The Saints have found their quarterback going forward in Tyler Shough and now need to provide him support. One of the best ways to do that is to improve the running game around him. The Saints ranked 28th in rushing yards per game and 31st in PFF’s run blocking grades and run offense grades. Alvin Kamara led the team with 471 rushing yards before sustaining a knee injury in November, but is 30 and averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. The Saints should look to boost the team’s interior offensive line, run blocking and perhaps add another back to complement the run game and Shough.

Detroit Lions: Offensive line

The Lions fell off from Super Bowl contention in 2025 as inconsistent play plagued Detroit throughout the year. A key way for the Lions to return to contention is improving the offensive line. The sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow clearly hindered the line, and outside of rookie guard Tate Ratledge—who had a promising first season—the Lions’ interior offensive line has a number of question marks. With tackle Taylor Decker acknowledging he will consider retirement for the first time, the Lions need to both boost the interior and ensure they have depth across the line.

Minnesota Vikings: Improved quarterback play

Thanks to a five-game win streak to end the year, Minnesota finished only a game outside of the playoff race. The Vikings’ defense and supporting cast was good enough to return to January football, but injuries and growing pains at the quarterback position ultimately held them back.

Heading into the offseason, the Vikings’ No. 1 priority must be improving the play of quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who showed growth over his final games of the year. The Vikings need McCarthy to spend time refining his mechanics and take the next steps so he can lead Minnesota with greater success next season. The Athletic has reported that the Vikings will look for veteran quarterback options this offseason which will be important both for insurance due to McCarthy’s injury history or if he struggles again next season.

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