Burning Questions for Every NFL Team Heading Into the 2026 Season

The bulk of the NFL offseason has concluded now that teams are reporting to training camp. Teams have filled out coaching staffs, added to their rosters in free agency and the draft, and finished their offseason programs, but there is still plenty of uncertainty remaining heading into the regular season.

From positional battles, contract stalemates, the arrival of 10 new head coaches and even more new coordinators, there are plenty of questions about how the season will unfold for every team. As training camp gets underway, here are two burning questions for each squad as the ramp-up to the 2026 season begins.

Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders

Arizona Cardinals

How will the Jacoby Brissett situation be resolved?

The Cardinals have spent much of this offseason in a contract stalemate with Brissett, who is expected to become the team’s starting quarterback. Brissett did attend mandatory minicamp after skipping OTAs, but he did not practice. Will he hold out or hold in during training camp and force the Cardinals to turn to Gardner Minshew II or Carson Beck? Or will he and the Cardinals finally get a deal done that satisfies both sides?

Will Josh Sweat land on the trade block?

Sweat has become the subject of trade rumors this offseason, with teams reportedly calling Arizona about the veteran edge rusher, who tallied 12 sacks in 2025. Sweat notably was missing for the voluntary part of the Cardinals’ offseason program and did not practice during mandatory minicamp, but also prefers to train on his own. This further fueled trade rumors, though Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. previously called a post on X that Sweat requested a trade “cap,” while Ian Rapoport reported in June that the Cardinals aren’t trading Sweat. The Cardinals might not plan to trade Sweat yet, but could that change if they are struggling near the midseason deadline?

Atlanta Falcons

Who will win the quarterback competition?

There is no more important question in Atlanta than whether Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. will win the quarterback competition. While Penix was the starter a season ago before sustaining a torn ACL, the Falcons are under a new regime that doesn’t hold ties to him and instead brought in Tagovailoa on a one-year deal. The Falcons could reasonably contend for the division this season, but they need one of their quarterback options to work out to do so.

Is the Falcons’ quarterback of the future on the roster?

Perhaps the bigger question than who will win the quarterback competition this year is if either Tagovailoa or Penix are the quarterback of the future in Atlanta. The Falcons are not considered among the quarterback-needy teams such as the Browns, Jets and Cardinals, but if neither Tagovailoa nor Penix impresses, they might need to join the trio and begin closely examining the 2027 quarterback class.

Baltimore Ravens

What will Declan Doyle’s offense look like with Lamar?

Like a number of other teams this offseason, the Ravens are pivoting in a new direction, particularly with their coaching hires. This includes offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who is the youngest OC in the league and has never called plays at the NFL level before. Doyle is a disciple of Ben Johnson and will look to bring similar success to Baltimore. He will have the advantage of working with a two-time MVP, Lamar Jackson, who is entering his fourth scheme in the NFL. Thus far, Jackson and the Ravens have praised Doyle’s offense, which is slated to place a greater emphasis on play-action and explosive plays.

Will Nnamdi Madubuike be able to play?

The status of star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike remains uncertain heading into training camp. The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a neck injury in Week 2 last season, causing him to miss the remainder of the season and casting uncertainty regarding his future in football. Madubuike underwent neck surgery in April, and coach Jesse Minter said in May that he is “trending in a great direction,” but did not have a timeline for his return to practice.

Buffalo Bills

How will DJ Moore do in Buffalo?

The Bills had notoriously been lacking a No. 1 receiver since the departure of Stefon Diggs, and finally decided to fill that role by trading a second-round pick for DJ Moore. Moore has surpassed 1,000 yards four times in his career, but is coming off a down season in Chicago, which saw him record just 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns over 17 games as the Bears’ No. 1 receiver. Will Moore be able to adequately fill the team’s weakness and be the go-to target Josh Allen has needed since Diggs left town?

What will Jim Leonhard’s defense look like?

The Bills will be undergoing a significant transition on defense, shifting from McDermott’s 4-3 scheme to Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 defense. Leonhard comes from a Broncos defense that excelled at pressuring and sacking quarterbacks. Will he be able to get more out of the Bills’ pass rush, and the players on defense in general? The Bills don’t have the superstars on defense that the Broncos do, so they’ll be counting on Leonhard to maximize their talent—particularly in the postseason, when the unit has often fallen short in the Bills’ losses.

Carolina Panthers

Will Bryce Young take more steps forward?

Bryce Young continued to take baby steps forward in 2025, putting in solid performances against the Rams, Falcons and Cowboys while helping lead the Panthers to the playoffs for the first time in 2017. Even with this improvement, Young still ranks well below average in several categories, including 30th in total EPA and pass EPA, 31st in success rate and 21st in passing yards per season. The Panthers have picked up his fifth-year option, but can he do enough to confidently prove he should be their quarterback of the future?

How good can the Panthers’ defense be?

Three years ago, E.J. Evero joined the Panthers and helped them finish top-five in both total yards and passing yards allowed. The following season, Evero was retained as the Panthers changed their coach and general manager to Dave Canales and Dan Morgan, but the defense was a mess, allowing over 170 rushing yards per game, last in the league. Evero began turning the defense around this past season, but will look to make the unit a true strength after the additions of Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd. After three up-and-down years in Carolina, Evero has the pieces for the defense to really succeed. Can they become a top-10 unit?

Chicago Bears

Can Caleb become more consistent?

Caleb Williams was magical in his second season, but he wasn’t consistent. His completion percentage was just 58.1%, and while he didn’t turn the ball over much or take many sacks, he also was far from an accurate quarterback throughout much of the season. The potential of the Bears’ offense is as high as almost any other, but can Williams become more accurate and efficient this season to help them become the machine they could be?

Will their defense be good enough if turnovers regress?

The 2025 Bears’ defense ranked just 21st in EPA per play and 26th in opponent success rate, but they were able to get away with largely because they forced a league-high 36 turnovers. Turnovers are a stat that typically regresses toward the mean each season, leaving the question of whether the Bears’ defense can be as good or improve while likely not recording the same number of takeaways in 2026. The Bears overhauled their secondary, but did not make many significant additions to their pass rush, so it’s fair to wonder how much better this unit got personnel-wise.

Cincinnati Bengals

What is the potential of the Bengals’ revamped defensive line?

The Bengals took action when it came to bolstering their defensive line, signing Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, drafting Cashius Howell and trading for Dexter Lawrence II. In addition to these new pieces—highlighted by the trade for Lawrence—the Bengals also have two former first-round picks in Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy, two players with untapped potential. While this group has a ton of potential, there is also a lot of variability with how they’ll perform. Lawrence and Allen didn’t have their best seasons in 2025, Howell is a rookie, Mafe was primarily a rotational piece in Seattle last season and both Stewart and Murphy remain unproven. Can they do enough to get the pass rush going after Trey Hendrickson’s departure and stop the run?

How will the team’s linebacking corps hold up?

Naturally, many of the questions surrounding the Bengals revolve around the defense, and that continues with the team’s linebacking corps. While the Bengals made a number of moves along the defensive line, they are sticking with Demetrius Knight Jr., Oren Burks and Barrett Carter at linebacker, three players who joined the team last year (Knight and Carter as rookies, Burks as a veteran signing). The Bengals felt some of their young players improved over the course of 2025, including their linebackers, and will be counting on them to build on that in 2026, particularly to help a defense that allowed more rushing yards than any other.

Cleveland Browns

What will the revamped offensive line look like?

The Browns’ quarterback competition is naturally garnering all the headlines in Cleveland, but at this point, it appears the best-case scenario for the Browns is having an entirely new signal-caller under center by next year. What is perhaps more important for the Browns in the present and future is how the new offensive line gels. The Browns completely overhauled their offensive line with five new starters—Spencer Fano, Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, Teven Jenkins and Tytus Howard—and while change was certainly needed, it will only be beneficial if these pieces play well together.

What will the defense be without Myles Garrett and Jim Schwartz?

The strength of the Browns in recent seasons has been their defense, which was led by future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett and renowned defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but both those pieces have departed this offseason. Can the Browns’ defense still be a top-five, or even top-10 unit without them? The Browns still have some great pieces in Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward and Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, but they’ll have to balance the loss of two greats of the sport in one offseason.

Dallas Cowboys

How improved is this defense?

Like the Bengals, the Cowboys had one priority this offseason—defense. They’ve taken action, hiring Christian Parker as defensive coordinator, acquiring Rashan Gary and Dee Winters and drafting Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence. While they did not go heavy in free agency as Jerry Jones initially indicated, they did take advantage of trades and the draft to bolster the defense, which they need to be better to become a playoff and Super Bowl contender. Will the defense respond? The Cowboys don’t need a top-10 defense, but a top-20 unit would be a game-changer for Brian Schottenheimer’s squad.

Who will win the left guard battle?

The Cowboys have a strong offensive line, but the one position with uncertainty is left guard, where they are holding a competition between Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas. Guyton, the team’s first-round pick in 2025, was the primary starter last year, starting all 10 games he appeared in. The Cowboys are calling for more consistency from Guyton, however, and want to make him earn the starting job this season.

Denver Broncos

Can they start games faster?

The Broncos lived up to Sean Payton’s preseason comments calling them Super Bowl contenders by reaching the AFC championship game and falling four points short of a Super Bowl berth. The journey, however, wasn’t always pretty for the Broncos, who consistently started games slowly or played down to opponents such as the Giants, Jets, Raiders and Commanders. The Broncos bolstered the offense with the addition of Jaylen Waddle and Bo Nix will have another year in the system, but will it be enough for them to perform better and earlier against their opponents?

How will Davis Webb do calling plays?

Outside of adding Waddle, the biggest change to the Broncos’ offense was Sean Payton handing off play-calling duties to Davis Webb. Payton has called plays for the vast majority of his head coaching career, but felt confident enough in Webb, a rising coaching candidate, to make him the team’s play-caller. Webb will also be an offensive coordinator for the first time in 2026, and look to help an offense with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations live up to its potential. No pressure.

Detroit Lions

Is their secondary good enough?

With Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph returning from injuries, and Terrion Arnold released after he was arrested on kidnapping and armed robbery charges, the Lions’ secondary is looking thin. Statistically, the Lions pass defense wasn’t horrible last season—ranking 21st in passing yards allowed and 14th in EPA per pass—but there were plenty of moments they left more to be desired between their games against the Packers, Giants and Rams. With Arnold’s release and injuries to its two best secondary players, the unit could be at risk of regressing in 2026.

How will Drew Petzing do as OC?

The Lions were never going to be able to properly fill the shoes of Ben Johnson after his departure for the Bears, but their next offensive coordinator, John Morton, left plenty to be desired. As such, Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties during the 2025 season, and Morton was replaced by Drew Petzing this offseason. Petzing comes from the Cardinals and will look to get more out of a Lions offense that still ranked sixth in EPA per play and fifth in total yards in 2025 with a one-and-done OC. Petzing isn’t Johnson, but can he do enough to keep the Lions’ offense a juggernaut and keep it from falling into slumps?

Green Bay Packers

Can another pass rusher step up?

The Packers will be without Micah Parsons to begin the season as he returns from a torn ACL, leaving them reliant on their other pass rushers. Last season, Parsons led the team in sacks with 12.5 while Rashan Gary finished second with 7.5 before leaving for the Cowboys this offseason. No other player on the Packers last season had more than four sacks, and they did not invest much into the position in free agency or the draft. The Packers have expressed excitement about Van Ness, even exercising the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option. They will look to see more from him after he missed much of last season due to injury.

“I think Luke is someone that people sleep on the most, and I don’t know why,” Parsons said of Van Ness, via The Athletic. “I think by the end of this season, if Luke stays healthy, I think he’ll probably be the favorite. That’s how much confidence I have in him.”

Will the running game improve?

The Packers’ running game notably took a step back last season, dropping from eighth in EPA per rush in 2024 to 18th in 2025 while averaging 27 fewer rushing yards per game. After rushing for 1,329 yards in 2024, Josh Jacobs saw his production drop to 929 yards over 15 games this past season. Jacobs notably has been dealing with legal issues this offseason after getting arrested on charges of domestic violence. He has since been released and returned to practice, but remains under investigation. The Packers also lost Emanuel Wilson this offseason, but are hoping MarShawn Lloyd can stay healthy to complement Jacobs.

Houston Texans

Can C.J. Stroud rebound from the playoffs?

There is nothing more important for the Texans than C.J. Stroud bouncing back after his four-interception game in a disastrous loss to the Patriots last January. Stroud did have an overall good season last year apart from his playoff performance, and the Texans have maintained confidence in the fourth-year signal-caller, but he will be measured by how he responds in 2026—especially when the postseason rolls around. If Stroud struggles again in the playoffs, Houston might have a problem.

Will the offensive line work out this time?

For the second consecutive offseason, the Texans have revamped their offensive line—this time by trading Tytus Howard, drafting Keylan Rutledge and signing Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith. Will this offensive line combination work out better this time? The Texans and Stroud are counting on it. Keeping Stroud protected is the easiest way to help ensure his success.

Indianapolis Colts

How will Daniel Jones play when he returns from injury?

The Colts seemingly found their quarterback last season after Daniel Jones led the offense to a historic start, but all the positive momentum came to an abrupt halt when Jones got injured, including suffering a season-ending torn Achilles. While Jones should be back for the start of the season, there are plenty of questions about how he will play when he makes his return. An Achilles injury is one of the toughest to come back from and return to the same level of play.

Can Alec Pierce and Josh Downs handle bigger roles in the Colts’ offense?

Since the Colts decided to pay Alec Pierce, they ended up moving on from longtime receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was traded to the Steelers. Now, Pierce and teammate Josh Downs will take on larger roles in the passing game. Both should be capable of carrying a greater role—and the Colts still have other weapons in Tyler Warren and Jonathan Taylor—but will the offense remain as efficient with Pittman no longer in the fold?

Jacksonville Jaguars

How will Brian Thomas Jr. rebound in 2026?

Perhaps more surprising than the Jaguars’ rise in 2025 was their success in spite of a sophomore slump from wideout Brian Thomas Jr. In a stacked 2024 receiver class, Thomas had the best rookie year of all, finishing third in the NFL in receiving yards as he recorded 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. His numbers dropped significantly to just 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 2026 as he dealt with drops and connecting with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, even spurring trade rumors. The Jaguars wisely shut those down as Thomas is one of the most promising young wideouts in the game. Now the question is if he can rebound and re-establish himself as one of the most explosive receivers in the game on a consistent basis.

Is the run game good enough?

Though there is uncertainty regarding Thomas, the Jaguars overall have a deep receiving core. What isn’t as deep is their running back room, particularly after letting Travis Ettiene Jr. walk in free agency. The Jaguars will be relying on Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen Jr. and free agent addition Chris Rodriguez Jr., three backs that have yet to record more than 500 rushing yards in a season. Their roles should all increase this season as Liam Coen looks to improve a running game that declined over the course of the season, but will they be able to handle these increased roles well and balance out the offense?

Kansas City Chiefs

Is the receiver and tight end room good enough to support Mahomes?

One of the biggest surprises of the offseason was that the Chiefs did not do more to help out Patrick Mahomes. Outside of adding running back Kenneth Walker III, the Chiefs primarily prioritized improving their defense. This was necessary, but they also did not address their receiver and tight end room enough. This is particularly concerning, given that the receiving core was a glaring weakness in 2025. The Chiefs are counting on some of their younger players such as Xavier Worthy to be better, but it might not be enough for this passing game to get back on track.

How will the new defensive pieces come together?

Speaking of that defense, the Chiefs underwent a lot of turnover on that side of the ball. They moved on from players such as Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Mike Danna, Leo Chenal, Charles Omenihu and Bryan Cook while bringing in Alohi Gilman, Khyiris Tonga, L’Jarius Sneed and drafting Mansoor Delane and Peter Woods. Steve Spagnuolo will be tasked with melding these new pieces together, and fortunately for K.C., there’s no better defensive coordinator to count on just doing that.

Las Vegas Raiders

How much better will this offensive line be?

The Raiders’ offensive line was easily the team’s biggest weakness in 2025, allowing a league-high 64 sacks while blocking for a run game that finished last in EPA per rush. A good portion of the offensive line’s struggles a season ago were attributed to coaching, and the unit should improve with a new staff in Vegas, the return of Kolton Miller and signing of Tyler Linderbaum. While the Raiders’ offensive line has nowhere to go but up, how good can it be? Will it be enough to successfully block for Ashton Jeanty, or protect Fernando Mendoza when he gets to start? Or will the offensive line still be a liability?

When will Fernando Mendoza start?

Can you hear the drums, Raider Nation? The Fernando Mendoza era is coming soon. Since the combine, however, the Raiders have been clear that they do not prefer to start a rookie quarterback right away, and brought in Kirk Cousins as a bridge while Mendoza learns the offense and develops. It remains unclear how long it will take for the Raiders to hand the keys to Mendoza, and how ready he will be when the opportunity arrives.

Los Angeles Chargers

Can the offensive line protect Justin Herbert?

There is no greater priority for the Chargers going into 2026 than to protect Justin Herbert, who was sacked 54 times and pressured at a higher rate than any other quarterback a season ago. The Chargers signed a new center, drafted Jake Slaughter and will get tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back from injury, but the question remains if this will be enough to keep Herbert upright. Fortunately, the Chargers hired Mike McDaniel as their next offensive coordinator, who runs a system that puts less pressure on the offensive line to protect the quarterback.

How will the Chargers survive losing Jesse Minter?

The Chargers’ biggest loss this offseason was undoubtedly defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who left to become the head coach of the Ravens. Though the Chargers’ defense is not a star-studded unit, Minter turned them into a top-10 defense. The Chargers will now be turning to Chris O’Leary, who was the team’s safeties coach under Minter in 2024. He has never been a defensive coordinator at the NFL level, and his first experience as a defensive coordinator came last season for Western Michigan. O’Leary will provide continuity in the defensive scheme, but it’s unclear if and how big of a drop-off there will be with Minter leaving.

Los Angeles Rams

Do they have the depth they need offensively?

On paper, the Rams have, without a doubt, the most stacked roster in the NFL, but do they have the depth if any key players go down? This is particularly the question along the offensive line and in the receiving core, especially after they used their first-round pick on quarterback Ty Simpson, who likely won’t contribute to a win-now team in 2026. The Rams have a top offensive line and receiver duo, but if injuries cause any players to miss significant time, it could hurt their Super Bowl aspirations.

What Sean McVay innovation is next?

Since becoming coach of the Rams in 2017, McVay has been at the forefront of NFL trends and offensive innovation. In 2025, his use of 13 personnel took over, helping the Rams offense become a juggernaut and spurring the run on tight ends in the draft. So what will McVay do next in 2026, particularly as the Rams look to capitalize on their Super Bowl aspirations?

Miami Dolphins

Does Malik Willis have enough playmakers?

Malik Willis has finally received his opportunity to be a starting quarterback, but his supporting cast might be the worst in the NFL. Outside of running back DeVon Achane, there are no proven weapons on the offense. No receiver on the Dolphins has recorded more than 610 yards in a season, and Willis will have to rely on unproven commodities as he looks to make his case to be a long-term starter.

How will Bobby Slowik do as he returns to play-calling?

Bobby Slowik will call plays once again after he was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason. Slowik previously called plays for the Texans for two seasons, and while he was praised for Stroud’s rookie-season success and considered a head-coaching candidate, he also took the brunt of the blame and was fired after Stroud’s sophomore slump. He will look to rebound while calling the offense for a Dolphins team lacking playmakers outside of Achane.

Minnesota Vikings

Who will win the QB competition?

There is one main focus in Minnesota—will Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy win the starting job? McCarthy was the Vikings’ starter in 2025, but between injuries and inconsistency, the Vikings felt the need to bring in competition. In comes Murray, a former No. 1 pick and Pro Bowler with the talent that can elevate a squad that went 9-8 even with inconsistent quarterback play. McCarthy has been putting in the work this offseason to challenge Murray to retain the starting job, but will it be enough to overtake the talented former Cardinal?

What will be the fallout of the QB competition?

Perhaps as interesting as who wins the quarterback competition is the fallout afterward. The Vikings have made clear that McCarthy is not the type of player who would request a trade if he loses the quarterback competition, but would they look into dealing him if he doesn’t win the gig and they receive offers from other teams? What would happen to Murray if he loses the job? One quarterback won’t be happy with the results of the competition, and the ramifications are sure to be interesting.

New England Patriots

How will Drake Maye and Will Campbell rebound from postseason woes?

The Patriots’ Cinderella season was dwindled by poor postseason performances from two key young players, Will Campbell and Drake Maye. Campbell, who the team is keeping at tackle over moving to guard, struggled to hold up while returning from injury and facing some of the league’s best pass rushers, giving up 14 pressures in the Super Bowl. Maye, meanwhile, was under duress throughout much of the postseason and took 21 sacks while fumbling multiple times. The MVP runner-up will look to return his 2025 regular-season form in 2026, and with better protection in front of him.

When will Christian Gonzalez get extended?

After Drake Maye, Christian Gonzalez might just be the best player on the Patriots—and he’s ready to get paid. Gonzalez, who became extension eligible this offseason, skipped OTAs as he looks to secure a new contract. Will the Patriots be able to get a new deal with Gonzalez done before the start of the regular season? Or before the contract situation turns into an issue?

New Orleans Saints

Are they ready to make the leap?

The Saints have become a popular hipster pick to win the NFC South this season, but are they ready to make the leap? New Orleans ended the 2025 season with the right momentum, winning four of their last five games as Tyler Shough continued to get better over the end of the season. They’ll look to carry that into 2026. The Saints have primarily played spoiler on their division opponents since their last playoff appearance in 2020, but will look to actually break through into contention this time.

At the very least, Shough has seemingly been providing the right leadership for the Saints, coordinating team workouts in San Diego during the break and even inviting Hall of Fame quarterback and franchise legend Drew Brees.

What will Alvin Kamara’s role with the Saints be in 2026?

After an awkward offseason, the Saints and running back Alvin Kamara finally agreed to a new deal, per Nick Underhill, ensuring that Kamara will remain in New Orleans in 2026. With Kamara officially back, the question will be what his role is after the Saints brought in Travis Etienne Jr. on a four-year, $52 million deal. Both Etienne and Kamara have been positive about the idea of working together, but it will be interesting to see how he is used after his worst season as a pro in 2025, when he rushed for just 471 yards and averaged 3.6 yards per carry as the Saints’ run game struggled.

New York Giants

Can Matt Nagy do better as the Giants’ OC?

The Giants’ hiring of John Harbaugh created plenty of excitement across New York, but the team’s other coaching additions—particularly on the offensive side of the ball—did not exactly inspire the same kind of excitement. Harbaugh’s preferred offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, was hired to be the Browns’ head coach, so Harbaugh pivoted and tabbed Matt Nagy as his offensive coordinator. Nagy spent the past three seasons as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, and despite having Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ offense notably declined over that span. Nagy will now be tasked with calling plays for the Giants and aiding in the development of a young quarterback in Jaxson Dart. Can he be more successful this time around?

When will Malik Nabers be ready to go?

The Giants are counting on the return of Malik Nabers offensively—he is easily their top weapon—but Nabers is still coming back from a torn ACL he sustained in Week 4 last season. Nabers underwent a cleanup procedure earlier this offseason, making his timeline to return appear murkier. General manager Joe Schoen told Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein in June that he still thinks Nabers can be ready to go Week 1, but at this point, that is far from a guarantee.

New York Jets

How will Geno Smith’s return go?

Geno Smith might be a bridge quarterback for the Jets, but it will still be interesting to see how he performs back with the Jets for the first time in a decade. It will also be intriguing to see how Smith rebounds from a rough season with the Raiders. He will have a much better offensive line in New York, as well as a slew of young playmakers to help him out.

How will Aaron Glenn turn this defense around?

After the Jets’ defense finished 30th in EPA per play and 32nd in EPA per pass, the Jets turned over the unit by bringing in both young and veteran talent. They signed Nahshon Wright, Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeMario Davis, Joseph Ossai, David Onyemata and drafted David Bailey and D’Angelo Ponds. Glenn will return to calling plays—his superpower—and look to bolster a Jets defense that didn’t even intercept a pass in 2025. His job could depend on it, as after a 3-14 first season in New York, Glenn’s seat is already warm heading into his second year.

Philadelphia Eagles

How will Jalen Hurts and the Eagles fit into this new offense?

Few teams are making a greater schematic change than the Eagles this offseason, who are switching to a McVay-rooted scheme under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. The offense is now slated to feature more motion and plays from under-center—things Hurts reportedly refrained from in previous offenses. Mannion has praised Hurts for his adjustment and attitude toward the offense so far, but it will take until the season to see how it all comes together.

Can the running game get going again?

Another key to the Eagles’ offense will be if the running game can get going again. Saquon Barkley will no longer have the Madden curse weighing him down, but the rushing attack is still looking to rebound after an underwhelming campaign that saw him rush for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns, down from a 2,000-yard rushing campaign in 2024. An important piece to this will be if the offensive line can stay healthier—and how they’ll do with Chris Kuper taking over for longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.

Pittsburgh Steelers

How will this team look different without Mike Tomlin?

For the first time in 20 years, the Steelers will have a new coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down. The Steelers will naturally be different schematically after hiring Mike McCarthy and new coordinators this offseason, but what other elements of the team will be different? The Steelers are bringing in an experienced coach in McCarthy, who will set a new culture for a squad that was distraught after Tomlin’s departure. Can he keep the Steelers’ streak of never having a losing record ongoing?

Will they keep four quarterbacks?

After drafting Drew Allar and re-signing Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers now have four quarterbacks on their roster heading into training camp—Allar, Rodgers, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. Will they keep all of them? The Browns notably went into training camp last year with four quarterbacks—including two young signal-callers—but traded Kenny Pickett before the start of the regular season. The Steelers will clearly retain Allar and Rodgers, but could Rudolph or Howard be on the move, or at least designated to the practice squad?

San Francisco 49ers

Can they stay healthy?

It goes without saying, there is no more important question for the 49ers than if they can stay healthy. The 49ers have dealt with injuries to all of their star players over the past two seasons, with Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk missing the majority of the 2024 campaign and Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Ricky Pearsall and Trent Williams all missing time in 2025. Injuries are inevitable in football, and the 49ers were still able to advance to the divisional round, but their ceiling was certainly diminished by the loss of star talent.

The 49ers will face the challenge of maintaining their health while traveling more than any other team in 2026, including a trip to Australia to begin the year—a major shake-up to their routine.

Can the running game rebound?

The 49ers had a top-10 offense once again in 2025, but, surprisingly, it was despite their run game. The 49ers’ rushing attack averaged only 106.9 yards on the ground per game, the fewest for a Kyle Shanahan offense since he took over the franchise in 2017. Additionally, the 49ers’ ranked 24th in rushing yards per game, the worst mark in any Shanahan-led offense since 2011 Washington.

The running game has traditionally been a staple in any Shanahan offense, but it was inefficient last season. Will they be able to get it back on track with McCaffrey another year removed from his Achilles issues? A run game could go a long way toward helping the 49ers offense stay more balanced against the top teams in the league.

Seattle Seahawks

How will the RB room shake out?

Following the departure of Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks will have a new-look running back room in 2026. While Zach Charbonnet will presumably be the lead back when he returns from a torn ACL, the Seahawks also have George Holani, signed Emanuel Wilson and selected Jadarian Price with their first-round pick. It has yet to be seen how carries will be divided between the backfield, particularly once Charbonnet comes back.

How will the Seahawks’ offense perform without Klint Kubiak?

The Seahawks’ offense wasn’t always a consistent one in 2025, but it was explosive. The addition of Klint Kubiak proved paramount for the Seahawks, helping Jaxon Smith-Njigba win Offensive Player of the Year, while Sam Darnold ranked fifth in EPA and second in completion percentage over expected on throws 20 or more yards in the air. With Kubiak taking over as the Raiders’ coach, the Seahawks have hired Brian Fleury as their next offensive coordinator. Fleury comes from a similar Shanahan-style scheme as Kubiak, and the two even spent time together on the 49ers in 2023, but this will be his first time calling plays at the NFL level. Will he be able to bring the continuity the Seahawks’ offense needs?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

How will the new-look Buccaneers defense come together?

The pressure is on Todd Bowles heading into 2026 after his defense finished just 27th in passing yards allowed and 23rd in opponent success rate a season ago. The Buccaneers turned over parts of the defense this offseason, moving on from Jamel Dean, Deion Jones and Hasson Reddick while bringing in Alex Anzalone, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Rueben Bain Jr. They also lost longtime linebacker Lavonte David, who retired following a stellar 14-year career. The Buccaneers are counting on these moves to particularly improve the pass rush and pass defense, which fell short a season ago. If the defense can’t rebound, Bowles’s seat could get even hotter.

How will Baker Mayfield, Emeka Egbuka rebound from late-season slump?

After a start to the season in which Baker Mayfield became an MVP candidate and Emeka Egbuka, both players—and the Buccaneers offense as a whole—fell off toward the end of the 2025 season. Mayfield and Egbuka each battled through injuries during that time, which clearly affected their performances. With a new offensive coordinator in Tampa and Mike Evans leaving for San Francisco, the Buccaneers will be counting on them even more in 2026. Can Mayfield and Egbuka bounce back enough to help the Buccaneers take control of the division once more?

Tennessee Titans

How will the Brian Daboll and Cam Ward pairing work out?

Few things are more important for the Titans than the development of their promising young quarterback, Cam Ward. The person tasked with leading this development? Brian Daboll. Daboll has previously had success helping out a young Josh Allen and briefly Jaxson Dart a season ago, but he will now be tasked with doing the same for Ward. As a rookie, Ward’s efforts were statistically putrid, ranking 36th out of 37 quarterbacks in both EPA per play and success rate, but he showed promise, making some of the most exciting plays in the league. It will be on Daboll to help Ward find more consistency in his game.

Can Robert Saleh be a winner as a head coach?

The Titans rightfully decided to give Robert Saleh another chance at a head coaching position after his first job with the dysfunctional Jets did not go well. With it, Saleh will need to prove that he can become a winner, as the Jets went 20-36 in his tenure. The Jets were, of course, marred by quarterback injuries during his time in New York, which affected their ability to compete. Notably, Saleh’s defenses did do well, which should be encouraging. Perhaps most importantly, Saleh already has his starting quarterback this time around, though his success will largely hinge on Ward's development.

Washington Commanders

How will the new schemes work out?

After previously letting young but inexperienced coaching candidates leave during his time in Atlanta, Dan Quinn decided not to make the same mistake again. As such, he hired two unproven coaches as his coordinators, David Blough and Daronte Jones. While both are well-regarded up-and-comers in the coaching ranks, they still have never called plays at the NFL level and have to prove themselves. This is especially important on offense, where Blough will be tasked with leading one of the league’s most promising young quarterbacks in Jayden Daniels, who has proven capable of playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Does Jayden Daniels have enough support around him?

The Commanders spent their primary offensive investments on their defense, which was much needed for a unit that finished 31st in EPA per play and 32nd in yards allowed per game, but those efforts could have come at the expense of getting Daniels another much-needed playmaker outside of Terry McLaurin. The Commanders did bring in Rachaad White and Chig Okonkwo and drafted Antonio Williams, but did not add a bona fide WR2 to the mix.

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