The 2026 NFL offseason has already begun for the 18 teams that failed to make the postseason. How can each one improve in the next seven months to achieve better results next season? What important decisions are on the agenda for each front office? We have the next steps for the 18 franchises. To begin, our NFL Nation reporters selected two key offseason priorities for the teams they cover and analyzed the most interesting training situations that deserve attention. National reporters Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano presented the first rumors about an imminent free agent decision for each franchise, and draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid pointed out one thing to know about each team’s draft prospects for 2026. And finally, NFL analysts Aaron Schatz and Ben Solak made a big offseason prediction for each eliminated team. Everything is here as we prepare for the offseason. Alofoke Deportes’ Football Power Index (FPI) and projected cap space (via the Roster Management System) are from January 4th. We will add more teams as they are eliminated during the postseason.
Contents
Jump to a team:
- ARI | ATL | BAL | CIN | CLE
- DAL | DET | IND | KC | LV
- MIA | MIN | NO | NYG
- NYJ | TB | TEN | WSH
Arizona Cardinals
2025 Record: 3-14Final FPI Ranking: No. 26Estimated cap space in 2026: $14.5 million2026 first-round draft selection: No. 3What is their main offseason priority? Deciding what they are going to do with quarterback Kyler Murray. Is it time to part ways or will the Cardinals try to run it back for another season? The former is most likely, but that leads to another question: Do the Cardinals simply cut him or can they trade him to get at least some compensation?What is a secondary priority to consider? Figuring out why there were so many injuries this season. Coach Jonathan Gannon has said more than once that his offseason evaluation will include a deeper dive into how Arizona handles health and wellness. Injuries decimated the Cardinals’ roster on both sides of the ball, preventing them from putting a suitable enough roster on the field this season.The latest on the head coach situation: The Cardinals fired third-year head coach Jonathan Gannon, according to sources, on Monday after their worst regular season of the modern era. General manager Monti Ossenfort will lead the search for a new head coach.The latest on whether they will re-sign safety Jalen Thompson: Safety always comes down to how the team values the position. Thompson, if healthy, is probably one of the most sought-after free agents at the position, so most people I talk to about this situation seem to think he gets more from another team.Early draft outlook: The Cardinals need a lot of help, so they can afford to take a “best player available” approach in the first round. If Murray ends up elsewhere by April, quarterback could be an area to address, but the offensive line is an obvious weakness on the roster. Arizona took 53 sacks entering Week 17, the sixth most in the NFL. Francis Mauigoa from Miami and Spencer Fano from Utah are polished blockers who could become immediate starters at right tackle.Great prediction for the offseason: The Cardinals will keep Murray. Everyone expects a trade, but his level of play and his contract are not so bad that the Cardinals need to trade him immediately. If they don’t find a solid offer for Murray, keeping him for one more year is very defensible.Atlanta Falcons
2025 Record: 8-9Final FPI Ranking: No. 24Estimated space in the 2026 salary cap: minus-$12.7 million2026 First Round Draft Selection: None (traded to LAR)What is their main offseason priority? Deciding who stays and who goes. Owner Arthur Blank has several decisions to make with the coaching staff and front office. General manager Terry Fontenot has not produced a winning season in five years with the team, while the Falcons regressed in year 2 under coach Raheem Morris.What is a secondary priority to consider? Figuring out who will play quarterback in Week 1. Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in November and will be out at least nine months, which could anticipate training camp. The Falcons are committed to Penix, but they could try to bring someone in if he’s not ready and Kirk Cousins isn’t a viable option.The latest on the head coach situation: The Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after two consecutive disappointing seasons. Their departures came hours after Atlanta finished an 8-9 season with a 19-17 victory over the Saints.The latest on whether they will re-sign tight end Kyle Pitts Sr.: He got stronger at the end of his fourth season with the team, finishing with 928 receiving yards. But with the extension of eligible primary wide receiver Drake London, I don’t see the Falcons handing out top tight end money to a player who hasn’t been consistently healthy or consistently great since after his rookie season.Early draft outlook: Although the Falcons don’t have a first-round pick, there are still many options to address their need at cornerback. Julian Neal (Arkansas) and Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State) are a couple of Day 2 names who could play opposite A.J. Terrell Jr.Great offseason prediction: The Falcons will keep Cousins in 2026. Sure, this is finally the year it’s easiest to get out of his contract. But the offense has worked better with Cousins than with Penix, and Cousins seems much healthier a year after the Achilles injury.Baltimore Ravens
2025 Record: 8-9Final FPI Ranking: No. 6Estimated cap space in 2026: $8.4 million2026 first-round draft pick selection: No. 14What is their top offseason priority? Reducing the cap number of quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens will be extremely limited with what they can do in free agency if they don’t reduce Jackson’s cap figure, which amounts to $74.5 million in 2026 (approximately 25% of Baltimore’s cap). The team will likely need to sign him to a new contract, and the latest contract talks with Jackson were challenging because he doesn’t have an agent and represents himself.What is a secondary priority to consider? Adding an impact pass rusher. This is the first season since 1996 that the Ravens didn’t have at least one pass rusher with six or more sacks. In addition, Baltimore’s two most experienced pass rushers, Dre’Mont Jones and Kyle Van Noy, are unrestricted free agents.The latest on the head coach situation: John Harbaugh signed an extension last offseason, keeping him under contract through 2028. But this disappointing season has led to Harbaugh being booed while leaving the field at a home game and questions about his job security. “I try to do the job, I don’t try to keep the job,” Harbaugh said toward the end of the season.The latest on whether they will re-sign center Tyler Linderbaum: Difficult. The Ravens declined Linderbaum’s fifth-year option for the same reason the franchise tag is probably not a possibility, because all offensive linemen are equal in the eyes of the fifth-year option and the franchise tag, and applying either would make Linderbaum the highest-paid center by $4 to $5 million per year. They want Linderbaum back, but he has the advantage.Early draft perspectives: The Ravens’ defense has taken a massive step back this season, which is mainly because they can’t generate any pressure. Zion Young (Missouri) and Derrick Moore (Michigan) are two pass rushers who fit the profile of players Baltimore has gravitated towards in previous drafts.Great prediction for the offseason: The Ravens will part ways with cornerback Marlon Humphrey, either through a trade or simply as a direct cut. Humphrey has been one of the most targeted, and least successful, cornerbacks deep downfield this season. He would hit the Ravens’ salary cap for almost $20 million in 2026, the final year of his current contract.Cincinnati Bengals
2025 Record: 6-11Final FPI Ranking: No. 14Estimated cap space in 2026: $60.8 million2026 first-round draft pick selection: No. 10What is their main offseason priority? Adding pass-rush power. Cincinnati’s young pass-rushers showed promise late in the season, but they were 30th in pass-rush win rate and 26th in sacks per team through Week 17. Recreating the magic of 2021, when Cincinnati added Larry Ogunjobi as an interior pass-rusher, could be key to improving the defense.What is a secondary priority to consider? Solidifying the secondary. While safety Geno Stone deserves credit for helping to fix the defense at the end of the season, he will be a free agent next season. Finding someone to pair with Jordan Battle, as well as landing a starting cornerback, will be critical.The latest on the head coach situation: The Bengals are bringing back coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin, owner Mike Brown announced the day after Cincinnati’s season-ending loss. In seven seasons, Taylor has had two playoff appearances (2021, 2022) and is the only coach in franchise history to make multiple conference championship appearances.The latest on whether they will re-sign pass rusher Trey Hendrickson: This relationship has run its course. The Bengals have the option to franchise tag Hendrickson, but after a year of contentious contract negotiations, the pass rusher seems poised to land elsewhere and capitalize on a booming positional market.Early draft perspectives: The likely loss of Hendrickson, along with the lack of impact so far from first-round picks Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy, should point the Bengals towards pass rushers in Round 1. That coincides with the strength of this class, where David Bailey (Texas Tech) and Keldric Faulk (Auburn) could be realistic options. If Stewart and Murphy are considered capable of replacing Hendrickson, a space-occupying defensive tackle like Caleb Banks (Florida) would improve the line in a rush.Great prediction for the offseason: The Bengals will sign more than one veteran pass rusher, such as Joey Bosa, Yetur Gross-Matos, D.J. Wonnum, or Charles Omenihu. As mentioned above, the Bengals will have to attack the pass rusher free agent class with volume.
Cleveland Browns
2025 Record: 5-12Final FPI Ranking: No. 32Estimated space in the 2026 salary cap: minus-$65 million2026 first-round draft selection: No. 6 and TBD (acquired from JAX)What is their top offseason priority? Get clarity under center. Cleveland needs to solve its quarterback situation after neither Dillon Gabriel nor Shedeur Sanders established themselves as long-term options. The Browns might have played themselves out of position for a top quarterback in the 2026 draft after beating the Steelers in Week 17. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in December that the Browns plan to keep Deshaun Watson on their 2026 roster.What is a secondary priority to consider? Rebuilding the rest of the offense. The Browns need to be younger and more athletic along the offensive line, where only one Week 1 starter is under contract for 2026. They could also use more dynamic players at the skill positions.The latest on the head coach situation: The Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, the team announced on Monday. This season marked his fourth losing season under Stefanski and his second consecutive last-place finish in the AFC North.The latest on whether tight end David Njoku will be re-signed: The emergence of rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has affected Njoku’s playing time, and could affect his future with the team. He likes it in Cleveland, and the Browns like him, so it’s possible, even probable, that they will find common ground on a reasonable deal. The decision could also be affected by potential changes in the Browns’ coaching staff.Early draft outlook: Cleveland is not in contention to draft one of the top two passers after falling from the top two picks, but could use its two first-round picks to trade up and take a QB. If the Browns choose to go elsewhere, offensive tackle and wide receiver are clear needs on the roster. Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa would bring immediate stability at guard or tackle. Carnell Tate (Ohio State) and Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) could be instant-impact starters at receiver.Great prediction for the offseason: The Browns will bring in 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, as they continue their tradition of signing receivers to low-cost contracts in the hope of success. Aiyuk’s days in San Francisco are likely over; the Browns can offer him more money and opportunities compared to any other team in the NFL.Dallas Cowboys
2025 Record: 7-9-1Final FPI Ranking: No. 18Estimated space in the 2026 salary cap: minus-$79.4 million2026 first-round draft selection: No. 12 and TBD (acquired from GB)What is their main offseason priority? Rebuild the defense. Owner Jerry Jones said in Week 16 that he believes the “bones” of a good defense are in place. That can be debated because the Cowboys allowed nearly 30 points per game in 2025. Their strength is at defensive tackle with Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa, but they have questions in all other position groups.
What is a secondary priority to consider? Spending in free agency. The Cowboys will never be big spenders in free agency, but they have to do more than just nibble at the edges, especially defensively. Finding a top-level pass rusher and cornerback is difficult in free agency, but they can do more at linebacker and safety. There have been more questions than answers in recent drafts, so they need a more proactive approach to free agency.The latest on whether they will re-sign wide receiver George Pickens: This may grab as many headlines as any free agent situation in the league, mainly because it’s the Cowboys. Pickens has been spectacular for Dallas since the team acquired him in a trade with Pittsburgh, catching 93 balls for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He comes with concerns due to some of the effort and focus issues he had with the Steelers, even though they haven’t appeared in Dallas. From everything I’ve heard, the franchise tag is the likely option here.Early draft perspectives: One of the worst defenses in the league, the Cowboys desperately need new players at every position. David Bailey from Texas Tech is possibly the best pass rusher in this class, recording 14.5 sacks this season, tied for the most in the FBS. If they choose to add to the secondary in Round 1, Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) would make a lot of sense, as his skill set matches previous Cowboys defensive backs.Great offseason prediction: The Cowboys, after a classic public and prolonged negotiation, will make Pickens the fourth-highest paid receiver in the NFL, just below teammate CeeDee Lamb ($34 million per year) but ahead of Pittsburgh’s DK Metcalf ($33 million). And with Pickens back, quarterback Dak Prescott wins the MVP in 2026.
