2026 NFL Odds: Which Division Loser Can Go Worst To First?

Hope springs eternal with each new NFL season. Translation: Could a team that had a lackluster 2025 turn it all around in 2026? Here's a look at the odds for which teams will turn it around in division this season, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 21. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Any team to go from worst to first in division Yes: -210 (bet $10 to win $14.76 total)No: +170 (bet $10 to win $27 total) Here's what to know regarding each last-place division finisher last season: Jets (3-14 overall, 0-6 AFC East): New York was one of five teams that finished with the worst record in football last season. It picked what many believed to be the best pass rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft, Texas Tech's David Bailey. Why? Well, the Jets had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL last season (26), along with the fewest hurries (31) and fewest pressures (87) of any team. On top of that, they finished the season with zero interceptions, likely due to their inability to pressure the opposing quarterback. Browns (5-12 overall, 2-4 AFC North): Who will the Browns start at QB next season? All signs point toward Deshaun Watson reentering the fray, after missing all of 2025 due to injury and having played just 19 games in four years with the Cleveland franchise. If he is the starter, can he somehow return to the Pro Bowl form he found in Houston? His return to under center, should he win the job over Shedeur Sanders, will be a major storyline this NFL season. Titans (3-14 overall, 0-6 AFC South): One of the five teams that finished with the league's worst record, the Titans and their fans will look for last year's No. 1 pick, Cam Ward, to have a breakout season in his sophomore campaign. They gave him some reinforcements at wide receiver, taking Ohio State's Carnell Tate with the fourth pick. Ward started 17 games last season, tossing 15 touchdowns and seven picks. He only completed 59.8% of his passes and was the most-sacked QB in the league (55). Raiders (3-14 overall, 1-5 AFC West): Another squad that finished with just three wins, the Raiders landed Indiana's Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, will Mendoza even start to begin the season? Las Vegas signed veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins to a two-year deal, and all reports are that he will start under center, while Mendoza is brought along slowly. What will Raiders fans make of that? Las Vegas had the second-most interceptions thrown last season (19), along with the fewest rushing yards (1,317) and fewest rushing touchdowns (5). In other words, that offense needs help in multiple areas. Giants (4-13 overall, 2-4 NFC East): The Giants finished just a single loss behind Washington in the division last season, and this year, they are officially turning over their program to new head coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh spent the last 18 seasons as head coach of the Ravens, making 12 playoff appearances and winning Super Bowl XLVII. This past season was only the third time he finished below .500 as a head coach, but he and the Ravens still decided it was time for a change. His new QB, Jaxson Dart, went 4-8 in 12 starts last season, throwing for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. Lions (9-8 overall, 2-4 NFC North): The shocker of the bunch. After going a combined 27-7 in 2023 and 2024, which included back-to-back NFC North titles, Detroit finished last in the division in 2025. The Lions didn't get off to a bad start, going 5-2 in the first seven weeks, before losing six of their last 10. Saints (6-11 overall, 3-3 NFC South): Although a non-factor last season, the Saints weren't that bad of a team. All four teams in the NFC South finished 3-3 in the division, and New Orleans won four of its last five games. Now, two of those wins came against Tennessee and the Jets, but the other two were against Tampa Bay and Carolina, the two teams that finished atop the NFC South. QB Tyler Shough went 5-4 in nine starts as a rookie and completed 67.6% of his passes. Cardinals (3-14 overall, 0-6 NFC West): Last season almost wasn't fair to Arizona, considering it shared a division with 14-3 Seattle, the 12-5 L.A. Rams and 12-5 San Francisco. All three of those teams made the playoffs, the Seahawks and Rams faced off in the NFC title game, and Seattle eventually won the Super Bowl. In short, there had to be a bad team in this division. However, things don't seem to be looking up for the Cardinals, who will likely enter this season with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew or Carson Beck starting under center, after they released longtime starter and former No. 1 pick Kyler Murray back in March. Arizona picked Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love fourth overall, as it looks to rebuild its offense going forward.

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2026 NFL Uniforms: New York Jets Wearing White Helmets For Home Opener

The only constant in life is change, and in the NFL, that can mean a million different things. One of those changes could be a team's appearance, and we've already seen multiple teams announce new jerseys for next season. Here are the teams that have released a new uniform and/or rebranded their entire look for the 2026 NFL season: New York Jets The New York Jets have declared a whiteout. Gang Green will be wearing a white helmet with a base white jersey and pants in its 2026 home opener against the Green Bay Packers. On that note, the Jets have asked their fans to dress the part in a whiteout. Baltimore Ravens Baltimore released "The Next Flight" uniform collection on Apr. 16. This collection features two new helmets. The first one is "The Darkness Helmet," which has black talon stripes and a two-toned front-facing Ravens logo with red eyes, and the other is the "Purple Rising" helmet, which features a front-facing team logo and can be worn with multiple uniforms. Every team jersey has "Midnight Purple" in the numbers, a color-theme which can be seen on various parts of the attire, and the collar of the uniform is also designed to be a raven spreading its wings, with the claws of said bird being in place of stripes down the pants. Meanwhile, the gold drop shadow has been removed from the perimeter of the numbers in favor of the midnight purple stroke, which is also the theme of the shield patches. Plus, the team's white jerseys now say "Baltimore" under the collar, instead of "Ravens." Los Angeles Rams Add the Rams to the list! Los Angeles dropped its new look for the 2026 season on Apr. 16. The Rams' chest tag has been removed, 3D bumper logos were added to their helmets and a modern horn sleeve has been added to their pants. They also have the option to wear white pants, while the white "LA" in their logo is now yellow. The bold font of the team's jersey is more refined. "As we look ahead to the next decade of Rams football in LA, this refresh is about sharpening what already defines us," Rams Chief Marketing Officer Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick said in a statement. "It's a modern refinement—elevating our identity with clarity and purpose while carrying our history forward, and matching the toughness, precision and competitiveness of our team." The Rams will reveal two alternate jerseys later this year and have removed the primary gray "Bone" look from the rotation. Washington Commanders The Commanders are set to have a new look for the upcoming season. They unveiled a fully redesigned uniform set, blending elements of the franchise’s past with a bold, modern identity.  The updated look, according to the team, signals a new era, pairing refreshed aesthetics with a nod to the team’s longstanding tradition. The Commanders will retain their burgundy home and white away uniforms, although those jerseys received an updated look to help blend in the old era with the new. They also introduced a new "Hail Raiser" alternate set. The all-black look is paired with a matching black helmet, featuring a Spear W logo decal on both sides. Owner Josh Harris told reporters at the owners meeting in March that the team was focusing on the vision behind the redesign and how it connects to the franchise’s identity moving forward. "The priority is honoring our past and then looking to the future; updating but not forgetting about our heritage, who we are and honoring that," Harris said. "And we have a bunch of things up our sleeves. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but we're going to continue to embrace our past, but then update it. And so, stay tuned." Atlanta Falcons Atlanta announced on Apr. 2 that it's rolling out a new base uniform. The home look features a black helmet with a red uniform and white numbers and pants, whereas the road appearance features a black helmet with a white uniform, red numbers and the option for either black or white pants. The Falcons will break out throwback red helmets on occasion. "While the uniforms are the most visible elements of our brand, it's just one piece of where our brand shows up," Falcons Chief Marketing Officer Shannon Joyner said in an interview with the team's website. "Our brand shows up in a variety of spaces from uniforms, to what you see in terms of buildings and the stadium, all the different fan gear, all the different places where our brand shows up — through that lens, and through thoughtful research, analysis and consideration, our brand is in a really strong spot, and we have had a lot of positive growth of our brand since we switched to our current design set with the bird logo in the early 2000s, so we wanted to continue to invest in that." Tennessee Titans On Mar. 12, Tennessee revealed a new look that pays homage to its Houston Oilers' roots. The Titans' home look features a blue jersey and white pants, while the road look features a white jersey and the option for either light blue or white pants. Meanwhile, "TITANS" is stitched across the chest for the home jersey, while "TENNESSEE" is stitched across the chest for the road jersey. "We wanted to come up with something that took the best parts of all of that and bring it together in a way that makes sense," Titans President and Chief Executive Officer Burke Nihill said in an interview with the team's website. "I feel like we're building on the legacy of what got us here, and we're doing it in a way that is going to set the course of this organization for decades to come in a pretty special way."

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Sound Smart: 4 Offseason Observations Ahead Of NFL Training Camp

I can already smell the freshly cut grass. I can hear the players' barks, grunts and screams of excitement. I can feel the August sun. Training camp is almost here. Which means football season is almost here. And, man, what an offseason it has been. So before we look ahead to the 2026 season, let's make sure we take stock of the offseason, which will inform what comes next. I've been on paternity leave, and I can't wait to hit on a few controversies and blockbuster trades. There's nothing better. This is "Sound Smart," where I try to spin forward, dive deeper and think outside the box. If I do my job, you’ll have a better understanding of what really happened during the NFL offseason. When it comes to Jalen Hurts, there might not be a quarterback who says less but who is discussed more. Hurts is actually the personification of a handful of clichés about football players. For example: He lets his play do the talking. Here’s another one: All he wants to do is win. That’s the personified cliché that interested me most as the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 season wound down. Ironically, in a league that values winning above all else, Hurts' obsession with winning is what makes him polarizing. His at-times unorthodox playing style makes for a nontraditional path to victory. It's also possible that distinctive playing style is what led star receiver A.J. Brown to leave Philly. But Hurts does win — quite often. He has won 69.5% of his games as a starter, ninth-best all time (among QBs with at least 70 starts). It’s just a hair below Peyton Manning (70.2%) and it’s better than Aaron Rodgers' mark (63.6%). You’d think that’s the type of statistic that implies greatness. But you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who'd call Hurts "elite." There’s the crowd that doesn’t think wins are a quarterback stat. To some degree, I’m with them. Football is a team game. When a team loses, the blame unfairly falls on the quarterback. And when a team wins, the praise overwhelmingly lands on the QB. Roughly five years ago, it felt like wins were an overly common metric to measure a QB’s success. And yes, again, that was unfair. But there are exceptions to the rule. Hurts might just be one of them. "I think it's convenient," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni told me in April when I asked about how to assess Hurts’ winning percentage. "It's convenient to say that wins matter for this particular player. And then sometimes we forget about that [and say wins don’t matter]. I think wins for a quarterback is huge. And I think what you've seen with Jalen is he's won every different way we've asked him to, and I think that's what I admire about him." Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the perfect example of a player whose wins are a clear reflection of his success. During the Chiefs' incredible Super Bowl run, five title games in six seasons, Mahomes was widely considered the best QB in the NFL, even when his statistics were average at best. Because he was winning. The longer he did it, the more those wins became a part of his legacy. And yet the same isn't true of Hurts. In my conversation with Sirianni, I bought up Tom Brady, who spent most of his early career with the New England Patriots dealing with criticism that he was a game manager and a system quarterback — even after winning three Super Bowls. At many different points in his career, Brady sacrificed his individual statistics for team success. When the Patriots lost, it made the criticism of Brady even louder. That must sound familiar to the Eagles. "That's what I'm saying," Sirianni told me. "What’s bizarre is like, we look at these stats and put a player's worth on it. Like, ‘Oh, he threw for a lot of touchdowns.’ Well, you know what? When we get down in the red zone to win the game, we run it, and when we get real close, the quarterback sneaks it in. So maybe he doesn't have as many touchdown passes. And that affects your passing efficiency [and passer rating]. "What does that matter when you're scoring the touchdown? That’s the ultimate goal there, and I'm really thankful to have a quarterback that's like that." Now, of course, Brady has seven Super Bowl wins and Mahomes has three. Hurts has one. And maybe those numbers — alone — explain why he gets different treatment, despite having a similar mentality to Brady and Mahomes. Hurts has dealt with plenty of criticism following the team’s defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round of last season's playoffs. Infamously, we now know Hurts asked his coaches to let him run four-verts on the team’s final offensive play from scrimmage, where he threw an incompletion. He called his shot, which included a play that is as simple as plays come, and it didn’t work. He took the blame publicly. "They played a cover-four structure," Hurts told reporters, saying that was the expected coverage. "I just didn’t make the play. I own it. I own it all." But the Eagles’ struggles led to the trade of their star receiver, Brown. The Eagles also fired offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Philly’s issues have also triggered speculation that maybe the Eagles could move on from Hurts — not this offseason but perhaps in 2027, particularly following an ESPN report in April that the QB is not always receptive to coaching. I, for one, thought the anecdotes in the story showed Hurts’ strong-willed leadership style, the type that generates respect for Rodgers. In this case of comparison, Rodgers has one Super Bowl victory, just like Hurts. The key difference is that Rodgers' physical tools in his prime (particularly as a thrower) were undeniable. Hurts' arm can't compare to Rodgers. One year after Hurts’ Super Bowl win and Super Bowl MVP, he is among the league’s most polarizing quarterbacks. Pull up the lowlights and you’ll see a QB who struggles to optimize an offense with some of the league’s best skill players. Pull up the highlights and you’ll see a guy who just finds a way while blending his rare mobility and throwing abilities. "He'll do whatever he needs to do," Sirianni told me. "Every quarterback wants to throw it, but there's times where he knows that the best thing for us to win the game is to hand it off or to run it. And that's what you admire about him, because all he really cares about at the end of the day is getting the win. And I love that about him." Sirianni added: "When your best players play that way and live that way, that sets the table for the entire football team." When I asked Sirianni for examples of Hurts’ will to win, he picked neither the highest highs nor the lowest lows. He picked a pair of games I didn’t expect. First, he brought up Philadelphia's 38-7 win over the New York Giants in the divisional round of the 2022 playoffs, when Hurts was 16-of-24 for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 34 yards and another touchdown. Even if you look at the advanced statistics, you won’t come away marveling at what Hurts did. The Giants blitzed on 53.8% of his dropbacks, and he managed the game and avoided mistakes. But this was a game Sirianni brought up to exemplify Hurts’ winning mindset. He quietly played his role in a massive blowout that set off a run to the Super Bowl (where the Eagles lost to the Chiefs). Then, Sirianni brought up another playoff game — this time from 2024 during Philadelphia's Super Bowl-winning run. Hurts was 13-of-21 for 131 yards and two touchdowns with 36 rushing yards. Again, ho-hum. But the Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers 22-10 in the wild-card round. "We didn't throw for a bunch of yards. We didn't play great on offense," Sirianni told me. "All Jalen wanted to do is win that game and move on. And we ended up doing the most ultimate thing [by winning the Super Bowl]. And so he's a stud. I can't say enough good things about it." The Eagles are not necessarily rebuilding this year, but without Brown, they might not be the same juggernaut. Hurts will have to do more, and with his sixth offensive coordinator in his seventh NFL season. Hurts will have to contribute in bigger — and perhaps unorthodox — ways. And you can bet that the success of his season will be measured one way — above all others. It’ll be the Eagles’ win total. Hurts' win total. That's all that matters to him. And you're kidding yourself if you don't admit it's what really matters. I haven't yet seen the "Dream Team" expression bopping around. And even though it's something of a curse, it's also fairly accurate when looking at what the Rams have assembled. These are The Avengers. Iron Man: Matthew StaffordBlack Panther: Myles GarrettCaptain America: Kyren WilliamsFalcon: Blake CorumDoctor Strange: Sean McVaySpider-Man: Puka NacuaVision: Davante AdamsThor: Alaric JacksonLoki: Trent McDuffieWar Machine: Kevin Dotson Now, I know you're wondering … who's The Hulk? Or maybe you already know: Aaron Donald. This team was a play away from making the Super Bowl last year. And so L.A. responded by adding two of the league's most outstanding players: record-setting edge rusher Garrett and All-Pro cornerback McDuffie. They might just add their third in Donald, one of the best defensive linemen ever. He was spotted working out at the Rams' facility after the team added Garrett. Donald reportedly wanted to do a trial run on his body after two seasons in retirement. If (and maybe when) Donald returns, the Rams could quickly form the most unblockable defensive line since the turn of the millennium. Because nose tackle Poona Ford might not be a household name, but he was the team's top-rated defensive player in 2026, per PFF. He's incredibly reliable despite his humble stats: 47 tackles and two sacks. It has long been a curse to throw around "Dream Team." And I wouldn't dare. But … also … how could you not?! It has stuck with me that, in the A.J. Brown trade, the Eagles received a 2028 first-round pick. When they make that selection, the country will be talking about the next presidential election. We’ll be about ready to watch the L.A. Olympics. And NASA will have sent someone back to the moon for the first time since the 1970s. In other words, that feels a long way away. When the teams began seriously talking about the deal at the NFL Combine in February, the pick was three drafts away. So not only did the Eagles decide they were OK with bypassing the 2026 pick (in large part because of the financial incentives for waiting until June 1 to split up Brown’s salary cap hit), but Philly also accepted that it wouldn’t get a 2027 first-rounder either. Nominally, the compensation looked like a win for the Eagles: a first-rounder. But it’s not so clear-cut, given how long they’ll have to wait to get paid (so to speak). Yes, they’ll also got a 2027 fifth-rounder, but if Eagles GM Howie Roseman converts that pick into a starter, then it’ll be his best fifth-round selection … ever. It’s not an area of the draft where Roseman has thrived. The point is, this deal looked typical on paper: an (aging) star receiver for a first-rounder. But I think it’s much more unusual than you’d think. In fact, I can’t think of a deal over the past few years that (effectively) deferred payment quite like this one. "We’ve always been in the mindset a pick is a pick — a first-round pick is a first-round pick. Doesn’t matter. Teams are still going to be playing football in 2028," Roseman said last month after the trade. "I know there’s a lot of attention on the 2027 draft, but at the same time, looking at the ‘28 draft, I feel confident that that’s going to be a good draft as well, and that we’ll be in position to really improve our football team." That helps explain, at least partially, why the Patriots were happy to defer payment — and give up that 2028 pick. This year, they’re all-in on the core they’ve built around Mike Vrabel. In free agency, New England snagged receiver Romeo Doubs, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones and safety Kevin Byard to serve as starters. The Patriots have actually upgraded their Super Bowl roster, which suffered only a few key departures, like receiver Stefon Diggs, DT Khyris Tonga, edge K’Lavon Chaisson — most of whom the team promptly replaced. Next year’s draft class is about as hyped as draft classes get, loaded with elite quarterback and receiver prospects. (Yes, the Patriots already have their quarterback. But if five quarterbacks go before the Patriots make their pick, that means the prospect that slides to them is that much better.) New England was smart to hold onto that selection. The Patriots want to stack their roster as they build around Drake Maye. But they also want to build a young core, which was sorely lacking following the departures of coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo. "We have to win. That's our job, is to win," Vrabel said following the trade when asked about the first-round pick — and whether his team is in win-now mode. This deal is a major investment in the Patriots now. It’s also more of a coup for New England than people realize. It’s possible that Brown isn’t on the Eagles in 2028 when the team makes the Patriots’ first-round selection. But that won’t necessarily mean that the Patriots didn’t win the trade. What happened here? The NFL players ranked their peers this offseason, and Jackson fell from No. 2 to 69th in the "NFL 100" rankings. So far, Jackson hasn't responded, not on X nor in a press conference setting. But it's pretty safe to assume that he saw it, in part because he doesn't live under a rock and in part because he reposted the news that Zay Flowers landed at 71st in the same ranking. It's just that Jackson couldn't have possibly expected to land just two spots away. It's one thing for a player to get criticism from the media. It's another to see this level of disrespect from his fellow players. It's possible that Jackson's athleticism is fading. It's possible that his body is breaking down. No doubt, he struggled to play through injuries last year. But I don't see what the players are seeing. I don't see him landing at this spot in 2026. Lamar is going to be a top 10 QB — and perhaps even a top 10 player overall.

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NFL Offseason Check-In: Should the Bucs Give Baker Mayfield the Bag?

It is rare for a starting quarterback to hit the free-agent market, but the ongoing impasse between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield could make the former No. 1 overall pick a hot commodity when the free-agent carousel starts spinning in 2027. After earning consecutive Pro Bowl selections with Tampa Bay, while producing a pair of 4,000-yard seasons and guiding the club to back-to-back division titles in 2023-24, Mayfield has been unable to secure the long-term deal he covets as a franchise quarterback. Although the Bucs are likely slow-playing the negotiations to gauge the quarterback market, with Lamar Jackson and others also awaiting contract extensions, the financial tug-of-war between Tampa Bay and Mayfield is a different discussion. What Is Mayfield Worth? Unlike Jackson, who should command a contract that averages $60 million-plus annually as a two-time MVP who has consistently ranked as a top-five quarterback, the veteran should target a deal that puts him in the "$50 Million Club" based on his résumé compared to Dak Prescott (four-year, $240 million), Trevor Lawrence (five-year, $275 million), Jordan Love (four-year, $220 million), Brock Purdy (five-year, $265 million), Tua Tagovailoa (four-year, $212.4 million) and Jared Goff (four-year, $212 million). Considering each of those quarterbacks signed their deals within the past two years, while posting numbers that are in Mayfield’s range, the 31-year-old gunslinger has enough leverage to stand firm on a contract extension that pays him like a top-10 QB. As a late-blooming star who played on a "prove-it" deal in 2023 valued at $8.5 million before signing a three-year, $100 million contract in 2024, Mayfield has far outproduced his contract. He has started every regular-season and postseason game for the Bucs since 2023, while posting a 66.3% completion rate with 95 touchdowns and 37 interceptions. Additionally, he has compiled a 97.4 passer rating, a 27-24 record, and a pair of division titles during that span. Given that his success has come with a revolving door of offensive coordinators (Dave Canales, 2023; Liam Coen, 2024; and Josh Grizzard, 2025), Mayfield has shown the football world that he is more than a game manager propped up by a creative playcaller. From his significant improvement in completion rate (64.3% to 71.4%), touchdowns (28 to 41), and passer rating (94.6 to 106.8) from his first to second year in Tampa Bay, to his ability to survive with injuries to his playmakers and protectors around him, Mayfield oozes franchise quarterback vibes when he is in a Buccaneers’ uniform. He has orchestrated eight game-winning drives during his tenure, including four in 2025 with a banged-up offensive lineup. Considering Mayfield played through an assortment of injuries last season that compromised his ability to play to his standard, the Buccaneers shouldn't downplay his talent, toughness and winning pedigree. Mayfield was on the team’s injury report for 10 of 18 weeks — he recently revealed he suffered a sprained MCL and PCL in his right knee in Week 2 — yet did not miss a single game. For the first half of the season, in fact, Mayfield was thriving in spite of his many ailments. He led the Bucs to a series of come-from-behind wins before the club's many injuries hampered the entire operation. But for three years, Mayfield has exuded everything you'd expect from a franchise quarterback, from his leadership to his courage to his commitment, while often performing at a top-10 level. That's not a pedigree you often find on the open market, which should make the Bucs more than willing to extend him on a deal commensurate with his peers after initially acquiring him on a discounted deal. With the franchise tag for quarterbacks inching toward the $50 million mark ($43.8 million in 2026), the Buccaneers must be prepared to pay Mayfield "elite" quarterback money ($55 million-plus) to make it sensible for the nine-year veteran. If the Buccaneers simply follow the blueprint established by Goff and the Detroit Lions, both sides should be able to close a deal that rewards Mayfield for his play while providing enough room for Tampa Bay to continue building around him. How The Bucs Must Build Around Baker Credit general manager Jason Licht for proactively upgrading the roster in anticipation of a quarterback deal that will change the team-building process. The decision to draft Emeka Egbuka with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 draft put a WR1/WR2 in the rotation to replace Mike Evans and complement Chris Godwin on the perimeter. The team added another big-bodied pass catcher in Ted Hurst (third round, 2026) to join Jalen McMillan as a designated playmaker with big-play potential. The offensive line has undergone a makeover, with Tristan Wirfs moving to the blindside while continuing to play at a Pro Bowl level. With the team committed to investing top picks on the front line (Graham Barton, first round, 2024; Cody Mauch, second round, 2023; and Luke Goedeke, second round, 2022), the unit's chemistry and continuity should help Mayfield continue to play at a high level. After watching the veteran take hits on 700-plus offensive snaps in 2025, it is imperative for the offensive line to stay healthy and loaded with top-notch talent. The Buccaneers must address the running game if they want Mayfield to be at his best as a playmaker. Despite adding Kenneth Gainwell to pair with Bucky Irving, the team needs a star in the backfield to command the defense’s attention and alleviate some of the burden on the QB to carry the offense. Adding a dynamic ballcarrier will be crucial to forcing opponents to abandon the two-high coverages that limit explosive plays in the passing game. Moreover, the Buccaneers can run a more balanced attack, allowing Mayfield to seamlessly transition from game manager to playmaker as the situation warrants. If the Buccaneers’ defense regains its swagger amid a young collection of bullies joining the squad (Rueben Bain Jr., Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott), the club could be a contender for the foreseeable future with Mayfield at the helm.

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Alvin Kamara Staying In New Orleans, Reportedly Agreeing To Restructured Deal

Alvin Kamara won't be leaving the Big Easy this offseason. The star running back has agreed to a restructured deal with the New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Football reported Wednesday. The terms of Kamara's restructured deal aren't known. Kamara, who'll turn 31 later in July, has been in trade rumors since the middle of the 2025 season. Those rumors intensified when the Saints signed former Jacksonville Jaguars standout running back Travies Etienne to a four-year, $48 million contract with $28 million guaranteed. Now, the Saints will have one of the top running back duos on paper in the league. Kamara's a five-time Pro Bowler, while Etienne has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in three of the last four seasons. However, Kamara will likely play second fiddle to Etienne in 2026. As Etienne rushed for 1,107 yards and had 13 total touchdowns last season, Kamara ran for a career-low 471 yards on 3.6 yards per carry in 11 games in 2025. Still, the Saints' decision to keep Kamara shows their continued investment in second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. New Orleans has prioritized adding talent around Shough this offseason after he went 5-4 in nine starts last season. In addition to signing Etienne, the Saints also added one of the top interior offensive linemen in free agency, inking former Buffalo Bills guard David Edwards to a deal. In the draft, the Saints used the eighth overall pick on Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. They also selected Georgia tight end Oscar Delp in the third round, which came after they signed veteran tight end Noah Fant in free agency.

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Top 10 NFL QBs: Josh Allen Or Patrick Mahomes At No. 1? Caleb Williams Top 5?

The debate over who is the best quarterback in the NFL might be the most open it's been in years. Patrick Mahomes struggled in 2025 before tearing his ACL, leading to some questions about what his future might look like. Josh Allen won MVP in 2024 and has been a strong contender for the award in recent years, but he hasn't gotten over the hump in the playoffs. Matthew Stafford won his first MVP in 2025, although he's 38 entering the new season. And we can't count out young quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Caleb Williams from the discussion either, even if they haven't had sustained success yet. So, as the debate over the quarterback hierarchy rages on, Colin Cowherd gave a try at ranking the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL ahead of the 2026 season on "The Herd." Cowherd's thoughts: "Drake Maye edges out Lamar Jackson. Listen, he was the first quarterback in league history to ever have a 70% completion percentage and 4,000 passing yards before turning 25. It feels like he's in his prime and he's a kid and he did it last year with a bad offensive line and an average running game. No one thought they would get to the Super Bowl. He was the most accurate quarterback in the NFL last season, for a kid! He reminds me a little bit of Herbert with a little bit of accuracy." Cowherd's thoughts: "The most underrated player in the league is Jordan Love. I'm pretty sure Jordan Love is underrated. Now, he gets off to bad Septembers. It's inexplicable. It's bad. I cannot explain Septembers. He completes 60% of his throws since he's been a pro quarterback in September and he's 4-5-1. I think it's Matt LaFleur's offense. … But in terms of arm, whip, size, smarts, toughness — he'll get banged up, but he doesn't miss a lot of starts — I think he's a huge talent." Cowherd's thoughts: "Goff's one of these guys that got a new coordinator — again, we're considering everything. He doesn't miss starts, he's unbelievable from the pocket. He does need O-line protection to flourish. But he's got Drew Petzing. Last year, the OC situation wasn't ideal. He wasn't quite the same. But he leads the NFL in passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins over the last three seasons. That accounts for a lot." Cowherd's thoughts: "I don't know what there is to argue. Last four seasons, four different teams, he's 28-6. He's now got a trophy. He is one of the two quarterbacks in the whole league with 4,000-plus passing yards in back-to-back seasons. He led the Seahawks with a defensive coach having lost DK Metcalf and a running back that couldn't stay healthy to the No. 1 offense in probably the second-best division in football. He's in his prime. … He's one of the younger great quarterbacks in the league. Really, if you look at his age, he's got six years of prime left." Cowherd's thoughts: "I love Joe Burrow. But, in two of the last three seasons, he gets banged up, [and] only played eight games last year. I also think he doesn't have the support system of a Herbert, Patrick Mahomes or now, with Ben Johnson, a Caleb Williams. I love Burrow. He's the all-time leader in completion percentage. He's one of the great third-down quarterbacks.  think he's in Brady's category, Mahomes' category. I think he's unbelievable. I have to consider everything: durability and offensive line, which have yet to be mediocre, have to be considered." Cowherd's thoughts: "Justin Herbert has a new coordinator. He finally has a head coach and a big-time OC, Mike McDaniel. By the way, the remarkable thing about Herbert: he made the playoffs with the 30th-ranked offensive line. I've seen Mahomes get buried in a Super Bowl when he had a bad O-line. This kid made the playoffs and he was getting hammered for 17 straight weeks." Cowherd's thoughts: "My one old guy [on this list]. He had the highest passer rating in the league. Is his back going to hold up? Will he have a left tackle? I don't know. I just know that when he lets go of the football, it is a thing of beauty. Pre-snap, post-snap, I don't get a lot of movement. If it's just pure throwing the football and reading the defense, he is near the top." Cowherd's thoughts: "I don't know why people will push back on this. … Folks, he made two plays in the playoffs last year — one against the Green Bay and one against the Rams — that broke football physics. It was early Mahomes. They just didn't make any sense. The throw up the left sideline against Green Bay just made no damn sense. The throw in the back of the end zone against the Rams — what in God's name is happening? That's early Mahomes. By the way, lowest interception percentage of any quarterback in league history with 1,110 attempts." Cowherd's thoughts: "He now has a run game and an upgraded O-line. I think he will be Patrick Mahomes again, but I need to wait and see it. The most remarkable stat about Patrick Mahomes is this: He's won half the games in his career, 20-20, when he's trailed by 10-plus points. He is the great [John] Elway. He is the great ‘come from behind’ quarterback of my life." Cowherd's thoughts: "Josh Allen has his health. He's a force of nature. Six straight years with at least one playoff win. He's in his prime. He's done remarkable things with a coach on the defensive side that got fired. I think his organization, in my opinion, has let him down. I don't think he's had Patrick Mahomes infrastructure. That's not saying he would have as many trophies as Mahomes. But I think his size, his arm, he's healthy, he's in his prime, Josh Allen is the best quarterback in this sport."

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Adam Vinatieri Set For Lucas Oil Stadium Return in Colts’ Ring of Honor Induction

Adam Vinatieri, the NFL's career scoring leader who was also widely considered the best clutch kicker in league history, will have one more celebration on the Indianapolis Colts' home turf this season when he's inducted into the team's Ring of Honor. Team officials announced Wednesday that Vinatieri would be honored during the Colts' game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 18, a little more than two months after his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Vinatieri will become the Colts' 21st Ring of Honor honoree five years after he officially retired. He'll join a group that includes former teammates and fellow Hall of Famers Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Dwight Freeney, as well as Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday and Reggie Wayne. Tony Dungy, the Hall of Fame coach for whom Vinatieri played; Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, who signed Vinatieri as a free agent before the 2006 season; and late team owner Jim Irsay are also in the Colts' ring. The four-time Super Bowl champion shocked many when he left New England as the franchise's career scoring leader after 10 seasons and wound up with longtime rival Indianapolis. But Vinatieri was far from finished and went on to break the Colts' career scoring mark, too. Though Vinatieri's stats tell one tale: He finished his career with 2,673 points and as the league's all-time leader in field goals made (599), field goal attempts (715), consecutive field goals made (44) and 100-plus point seasons (21). But it was his penchant for making kicks in the toughest conditions and most crucial moments that stuck with him. His 45-yard field goal into swirling winds amid snowy conditions for New England in a January 2002 AFC divisional round game tied it and sent the Patriots into overtime against the then-Oakland Raiders. He then kicked a 23-yarder to start New England's trek to coach Bill Belichick's first Super Bowl. Two weeks later, Vinatieri did it again by making a 43-yarder in the waning seconds to give the Patriots their first Super Bowl title with a 20-17 victory over the then-St. Louis Rams in much more ideal conditions. Vinatieri 41-yarder with 4 seconds left broke a 29-29 tie with the Carolina Panthers for New England's second Super Bowl title two years later. Vinatieri continued to excel in Indy, where he first played inside a dome stadium and later a retractable roof stadium. In January 2007, the South Dakota State alum made five field goals in a divisional round game that featured no touchdowns at Baltimore. The 15-6 victory set up an AFC title game rematch between the Colts and Patriots, this time in Indy with Vinatieri on the opposite sideline from Tom Brady and his ex-teammates. Vinatieri's playoff run continued as the Colts reached their first Super Bowl since the franchise moved to Indianapolis. Vinatieri made three more field goals and captured yet another ring while finishing that postseason with 49 points and 14 field goals, both one-season playoff records, while becoming the first player to make three or more field goals in four consecutive postseason games. Vinatieri ranks second all-time in NFL victories (242), regular-season wins (221) and postseason wins (21) and is one of five players who appeared in a game at age 46. He's the only player in league history to make 250 or more field goals and scored 1,000 points for two teams. The three-time All-Pro also was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Reporting by the Associated Press.

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