Every NFL Defense's Best- and Worst-Case Scenario in 2026

The NFL may be more offense-centric than ever before, but the old adage "defense wins championships" is as true as ever—the last two Super Bowls are proof of that.

Of course, not all NFL defenses are created equally. Some units, like the Seattle Seahawks or Houston Texans, rank among the league's best, while others—such as the Cincinnati Bengals or Dallas Cowboys—have struggled to find consistency. Some teams fall closer to one end of that spectrum than the other, while others sit squarely in the middle.

No matter how good (or bad) those defenses are, all 32 dedicated the offseason to improving, whether it be through free agency or the draft. And quite a few NFL defenses look considerably different than they did in February.

Of course, free-agent signings and draft picks aren't guaranteed to succeed. There's no assurance that a blockbuster trade will pay off. For every NFL defense, there is a best- and a worst-case scenario for the season to come.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Cardinals edge Josh Sweat

Best Case

Given the Cardinals were 27th in total defense last year, there's no shortage of room for improvement.

If Josh Sweat can back up last year's 12 sacks, Arizona's linebacker corps of Mack Wilson Sr. and Cody Simon plays relatively well and young cornerback Will Johnson takes a step in his second season in a secondary that lost longtime starting safety Jalen Thompson, the Redbirds might be able to crack the top-20 defenses.

That would represent meaningful progress.

Worst Case

Unfortunately, there are plenty of paths to a worst-case season for the Arizona defense. Sweat has very little help getting after opposing quarterbacks. Wilson and Simon are one of the weaker linebacker duos in the game. Arizona's cornerbacks are young. And while the team signed Andrew Wingard to replace Thompson, he's an average safety at best.

It's not hard to imagine this defense being as bad as the 2025 iteration—if not worse.

Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Falcons CB A.J. Terrell

Best Case

The Falcons showed real improvement defensively last year, and the best-case scenario in 2026 is for that improvement to continue. They need a pass rush that again ranks at or near the top of the league in sacks and a seamless replacement of the departed Kaden Elliss with Divine Deablo at linebacker. They also need a third cornerback to step up alongside A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes. If they get those things, the Falcons could have the NFC South's best defense.

Worst Case

Second-year pro James Pearce Jr., who led the team in sacks last year, is facing a potential personal conduct suspension following an offseason incident, per ESPN, and any extended absence would deal a major hit to the pass rush. Deablo is also far from a sure thing at linebacker, and the depth chart behind him is unimpressive. Atlanta was 24th against the run last season and could again be soft up the middle in 2026.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Ravens LB Roquan Smith

Best Case

The Ravens were terrible last year against the pass (30th in the NFL) in part due to a lack of sacks (30—third-fewest in the league), and that team attacked that weakness in the offseason with the signing of edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson. If Hendrickson can recapture the form that saw him post 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024 and Baltimore's veteran secondary plays up to its potential, the Ravens could field the best defense in their division.

Worst Case

Hendrickson is also well past 30 and is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, so it's not certain he will instantly become a Pro Bowl edge-rusher again. Two years ago, the Ravens logged 54 sacks (second-most in the NFL) and the pass defense ranked, um, 31st in the league. There's no shortage of big names on the back end in Baltimore, but if the Ravens are abysmal against the pass again the team is going to be in major trouble.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Bills DT Ed Oliver

Best Case

The best-case scenario for the Bills in 2026 defensively is simple: Keep up their stellar pass defense (tops in the NFL a year ago) while improving their run defense, which was the fifth-worst in the league in 2025. They also tallied a mediocre 36 sacks last year, and the team's biggest free-agent addition on defense was brought in to address that need. If Bradley Chubb plays like it's 2023 and the defense stays healthy, it'll be a good one.

Worst Case

The Bills had injury issues a year ago defensively, especially in the front-seven. If those continue trouble could be brewing, especially if Chubb (who missed the entire 2024 season with an ACL tear) joins them. Add to that potential issues in the slot after the departure of Taron Johnson, and the nightmare scenario is a defense that is largely unchanged in 2026 backsliding against the pass while once again struggling against the run.

Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Panthers S Tre'von Moehrig

Best Case

The Panthers were a playoff team last year, but the defense was mediocre at best—and the team went hard at it in free agency. Carolina swapped out Christian Rozeboom for Devin Lloyd at linebacker, and the team handed Jaelan Phillips $30 million a season to improve a pass rush that tallied just 30 sacks in 2025. If that front-seven can be more impactful in 2026, the Panthers have quietly assembled a solid secondary. Carolina's defense isn't elite, but it has the potential to be more asset than liability.

Worst Case

Phillips has never had more than 8.5 sacks in a season, and that was his rookie year in 2021. Lloyd picked off five passes and made the Pro Bowl last year, but he barely topped 80 total tackles. Big bucks don't equal sure bets, and if those acquisitions don't pay off then the Panthers could easily have the same issues defensively they did a year ago when they ranked in the bottom-half of the league in more statistical categories than not.

Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Bears EDGE Montez Sweat

Best Case

The Bears will take any kind of defensive improvement they can get in 2026 after the team allowed the fourth-most yards per game in the league last year and surrendered the 10th-most points per contest. But any improvement will likely be incremental—going from Tremaine Edmunds to Devin Bush was a lateral move, and the secondary will be rolling out a pair of new safeties in Coby Bryant and rookie Dillon Thieneman.

Worst Case

Chicago can't afford any sort of defensive backslide if they want to win the NFC North again, but said backslide can't be ruled out. After reportedly taking a run at Maxx Crosby, a pass rush that logged just 35 sacks last year wasn't improved. Bryant would appear an upgrade at deep safety, but while Thieneman is talented he's also untested. It won't take much for this to be a bottom-five defense. And that would be a real problem for Chicago's postseason chances.

Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Bengals LB Barrett Carter

Best Case

The Bengals were wildly aggressive in addressing the defensive line in the offseason, trading for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and signing edge-rusher Boye Mafe and tackle Jonathan Allen. The Bengals were abysmal defensively last year—dead last in the AFC in total defense and 30th in scoring defense. If that overhaul up front makes the Bengals a top-20 defense, they are contenders. Into the top 15 and the Bengals are the best team in the AFC North.

Worst Case

The worst case is a repeat of last year's performance. There are issues at linebacker (Barrett Carter has struggled) and on the back end. Mafe fell from favor in Seattle. Lawrence is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Allen's best days as a player are behind him. If the new-look defensive line doesn't pay off and the Bengals remain one of the league's weakest defenses, another high-powered offense will fall short because of the group on the other side of the ball.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Browns CB Denzel Ward

Best Case

Right now, Cleveland Browns fans are hoping against hope that the departure of Jim Schwartz and the Myles Garrett trade don't rip the heart out of a defense that was among the NFL's best last season. The team still has a pair of former Defensive Rookies of the Year in Jared Verse and Carson Schwesinger and a five-time Pro Bowler at cornerback in Denzel Ward, so a top-10 season isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Worst Case

Given the franchise's recent volatility, a defensive freefall can't be ruled out. Verse is a fine young edge-rusher, but he has 12 sacks over two NFL seasons, compared to the 23 Garrett posted last year. If Cleveland's pass rush tails off, Ward and the rest of the secondary will be under far more pressure than in the past. Combined with an adjustment to a new scheme, a defense that effectively carried the team in 2025 could slip back toward mediocrity.

Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Gareth Patterson

Cowboys S Caleb Downs

Best Case

The Cowboys were the only team to allow 30 points a game last year and overhauled the unit in the offseason. New edge-rushers in veteran Rashan Gary and rookie Malachi Lawrence. A new linebacker in Dee Winters. Two new starters at safety in Jalen Thompson and Caleb Downs. It's a lot of new pieces, but if those players are close to as advertised and the Cowboys are even average defensively, Dallas is going to be a force in the NFC East.

Worst Case

There are no guarantees in the NFL. Gary hasn't had eight sacks in a season since 2023. Winters barely topped 100 tackles in 2025. Lawrence and Downs are immensely talented, but they have yet to play a snap in the NFL. And there are still questions at the cornerback position. The Cowboys are counting on drastic improvement defensively. If the team doesn't get it, all that offseason moving and shaking will be regarded as a disappointment.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Broncos LB Alex Singleton

Best Case

The Broncos essentially lived the best-case scenario for the defense last year. They were second in total defense, seventh against the pass, third against the run, second in points allowed and led the league with 68 sacks. They are as complete a defensive football team as there is in the NFL. Essentially all they need to do is repeat 2025 to be in the conversation as the league's best defense in 2026.

Worst Case

That repeat may be easier said than done. Defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers is gone. Edge-rusher Jonathon Cooper could face league discipline after multiple off-field incidents, per NFL.com, and any suspension would be a major blow to Denver's pass rush. The Broncos linebackers are tough and experienced, but they aren't elite talents. It's not that hard to envision at least a minor backslide defensively this year, and for a team with its sights set on the Super Bowl, any step in wrong direction is cause for concern.

Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

Lions edge Aidan Hutchinson

Best Case

The Lions weren't terrible defensively last year, but they weren't great, either—they were 22nd in points allowed. This is a defense that needs players to step up. The Lions need an edge-rusher to step up as a complement to Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit needs a linebacker to step up opposite Jack Campbell after Alex Anzalone. And perhaps most of all, the team needs some stability from a secondary that was inconsistent last year.

Worst Case

There are some major questions facing the Lions defense in 2026. The fact is that until we see otherwise, Hutchinson remains the clear focal point of the front. Star safety Brian Branch is working his way back from an Achilles tear and iffy at best for Week 1. Cornerback Terrion Arnold's status for 2026 is in doubt following an offseason arrest on serious charges, per multiple reports, and any extended absence would leave the Detroit secondary exposed. If the pass defense is a liability again, the Lions will be pressed into trying to win shootouts—again.

Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Packers EDGE Micah Parsons

Best Case

The Packers mortgaged their future last year to obtain the services of star edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who had 12.5 sacks in 14 games before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. The best-case scenario for the Packers is a quick return to action for Parsons (at close to 100 percent) and for new "green dot" linebacker Zaire Franklin to take over seamlessly for the departed Quay Walker.

Worst Case

It doesn't sound like the Packers are going to get that quick return from Parsons, and if he misses a big chunk of the season and isn't close to 100 percent when he does return, the pass rush is going to be a massive question mark. Green Bay has talent at both cornerback and safety on the back end, but no NFL secondary can hold up forever—if Green Bay is sitting at the bottom of the league in sacks, the Packers defense is going to be in big trouble.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr.

Best Case

In terms of both points and yards allowed last year, the Texans were the best defense in the NFL in 2025—and that defense is largely intact this year. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter on the edge. Azeez Al-Shaair at linebacker. Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and Jalen Pitre in the defensive backfield. This defense is as loaded and balanced as any in the game. Provided they can avoid major injuries, the Texans are going to be hard to move the ball on once more.

Worst Case

Frankly, a rash of injuries appears to be about the only thing that could derail the Texans defense this year. Houston just doesn't have a glaring weak spot at any level defensively. In fact, the team could probably weather an injury or two and still be a top-10 unit. But say the loss of Anderson or Stingley for a prolonged period of time would be a major blow for a team with hopes of a deep playoff run.

Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Colts CB Sauce Gardner

Best Case

The Colts were not a good defensive team in 2025—Indy ranked outside the top-20 in both yards and points allowed and lost their top-two tacklers in the offseason in linebacker Zaire Franklin and safety Nick Cross. The best-case scenario for the Colts is that rookies C.J. Allen and A.J. Haulcy are up to the task of replacing them and that cornerback Sauce Gardner returns to health and looks like the shutdown corner the Colts thought they were getting when they traded for him last year.

Worst Case

Unfortunately, there are multiple paths to a worst-case season for the Colts defense. Gardner battling calf injuries like he did in 2025. Allen and Haulcy not being ready start right away. A pass-rush that managed less than 40 sacks last year once again struggling to generate consistent pressure, especially with edge-rusher Kwity Paye now in Las Vegas. The Colts offense can't carry this team—if the defense falters, this is going to be a mediocre team at best.

Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Jaguars EDGE Travon Walker

Best Case

The Jaguars were a bit Jekyll and Hyde defensively last year—no team in the league gave up fewer yards per game on the ground, but the Jaguars weren't great against the pass and amassed just 32 sacks for the season. A rebound season from edge-rusher Travon Walker (who had just 3.5 sacks a year go) could solve the latter problem. The hope is that plying second-year pro Travis Hunter more at cornerback in 2026 will help fix the former.

Worst Case

The worst-case scenario for the Jaguars defense is regression against the run and a lack of improvement against the pass. For the departure of Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd to punch a hole in the run defense. For Hunter to struggle on the back end. For Walker to have another down season getting after the quarterback. If the Jacksonville defense plays well, the Jaguars have the talent to be a Super Bowl contender. If they falter, last year's 13-4 campaign could look like a one-off.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Peter Aiken

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton

Best Case

The Kansas City Chiefs would just as soon pretend that the 2025 season never happened, but as the team tries to wipe off the stink of a six-win campaign, they will do so with a retooled secondary after Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson both wound up in Los Angeles. The best-case scenario for the Chiefs is L'Jarius Sneed recapturing his past form, rookie Mansoor Delane is a quick study and the Chiefs secondary isn't a liability this year.

Worst Case

The worst-case is the flip side of that coin. Delane struggling, as rookie cornerbacks often do. Sneed struggling to stay healthy as he did in Tennessee. With a pass rush that racked up just 35 sacks last year, the last thing Kansas City can afford is a group of cornerbacks who also can't cover. Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, but there's only so much he can do if the personnel just aren't there.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Foto/Maria Lysaker

Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby

Best Case

Not much went right for the Raiders a year ago, including a defense that allowed the eighth-most points per game. That defense underwent quite a few changes in the offseason, including an overhauled linebacker corps after the team handed big-money deals to a pair of veterans in Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean. It's not realistic to expect that defense to be elite this year, but if the Raiders can crack the top-15 defensively that should help accelerate the rebuild in Sin City.

Worst Case

It's far from guaranteed that defense will be able to crack the top-15. Star edge-rusher Maxx Crosby has been saying all the right things, but it's fair to wonder if there are at least some hard feelings after the Raiders tried to trade him to Baltimore. The team also has a young secondary outside slot corner Taron Johnson, and that defensive backfield could be prone to inconsistency.

Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Chargers S Derwin James Jr.

Best Case

The best-case scenario for the Chargers defensively in 2026 is essentially a repeat of last year's fifth-place finish in total defense despite the departure of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who is now the head coach in Baltimore. Personnel-wise, the team is set up well to take a run at matching their 2025 success—the defense in largely unchanged outside the departure of edge-rusher Odafe Oweh, which the Bolts addressed by taking Miami edge-rusher Akheem Mesidor in the first round of April's draft.

Worst Case

In a brutal AFC West, the Bolts can't afford a significant backslide defensively, but one could happen. Khalil Mack isn't getting any younger opposite Tuli Tuipulotu on the edge, and while Mesidor is talented he is also unproven. There are also potential questions in the secondary—Derwin James is one of the best safeties in the game, but veteran cornerback Donte Jackson will be counted on to anchor a cornerback group that is young and largely untested.

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Rams DT Kobie Turner

Best Case

In a best-case scenario, the Rams could field the NFL's top defense. They added the league's best edge-rusher to a front that already included Byron Young and tackles Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. The team hit the cornerback position hard with the trade for Pro Bowler Trent McDuffie and the signing of Jaylen Watson. There just aren't any weak spots on this defense, and it could easily be the best in the league on paper.

Worst Case

Games aren't played on paper of course, and if the Rams suffer injuries on defense that's about the only thing that could derail this unit. The depth at linebacker is questionable behind Nate Landman, and an injury to McDuffie could leave the Rams with the same sort of problems on the back end that derailed the team's playoff push in 2025. But barring some kind of unforeseen disaster, this defense is going to be a handful for opponents in 2026.

Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Dolphins edge Chop Robinson

Best Case

The Dolphins struggled defensively last year—they allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game and ninth-most points per game. The offseason personnel purge didn't spare the defense, either, although there is some talent on that side of the ball—especially at linebacker. Given the offensive challenges Miami is likely to face, the defense may frequently be playing from behind. If it can just be relatively respectable, that's a win for defensive coordinator Sean Duggan.

Worst Case

If edge-rushers Chop Robinson and Josh Uche can't generate consistent pressure, the Dolphins don't have the talent at cornerback to hold up in coverage for an extended period of time. The secondary is largely made up of lesser-known players with limited track records. An injury to one of the few defensive linchpins still left in Miami (like defensive tackle Zach Sieler) would also be devastating. This is a defense likely headed for a long season.

Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Stacy Bengs

Vikings S Joshua Metellus

Best Case

The Vikings missed the playoffs last year, but the fault for that shortcoming can't be laid at the feet of Brian Flores' defense—Minnesota led the NFC in total defense and ranked seventh in points allowed. There are changes on that defense this year, but if young edge-rusher Dallas Turner continues his ascension and the team can overcome the losses of veterans like tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Harrison Smith, the Vikings could have the NFC North's best defense.

Worst Case

Overcoming those losses is no sure thing, with rookie Caleb Banks and Theo Jackson penciled in to start at those spots. Edge-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel is coming off a down year, and if he struggles again in 2026 a cornerback that is Minnesota's weak spot could be exposed. Minnesota's front-seven looks solid on paper, but that's going to have to translate to game days to avoid a potential slip from the top-10 to defensive mediocrity.

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Steve Luciano

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez

Best Case

No team surprised more last year than the Patriots, and the defense did its part—New England was eighth in total defense, ninth against the pass, seventh against the run and fourth in points allowed. It's a solid unit with a mixture of veterans and youth at all three levels, and the addition of safety Kevin Byard III should be a boost on the back end. If the Patriots can get the same level of defensive performance in 2026, the team will once again be Super Bowl contenders.

Worst Case

This isn't to say there aren't questions on the defense in New England. New England managed just 35 sacks in 2025, and the pass-rush isn't visibly better this year than last. The secondary is a deep and talented group on paper, but multiple members of that defensive backfield have injury histories. The Patriots also had just 19 takeaways last season, and that lack of big-play punch could come back to haunt the team.

New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Saints EDGE Chase Young

Best Case

The Saints were quietly solid defensively in 2025—ninth in the league in yards allowed and fourth in pass defense. The best-case for the team is continuing on that track and getting better against the run and in terms of points allowed. There's a new "green dot" linebacker running the show this year in veteran Kaden Elliss, but outside that there were no major changes made in the offseason. This is a team looking to get better from the inside.

Worst Case

The Saints need to get better against the run after allowing over 120 yards per game on the ground a year ago, and New Orleans was only average at taking the ball away in 2025. The nightmare scenario is the pass rush and secondary taking a step backward in 2026 while the run defense remains mediocre. That puts pressure on players like edge-rusher Chase Young and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry to repeat their successful 2025 campaigns.

New York Giants

AP Photo/John Locher

Best Case

There's considerable reason for optimism with the Giants defense in 2026. Abdul Carter turned it on down the stretch last year, and he and Brian Burns could form one of the league's best duos on the edge. There are a pair of new starters at linebacker in veteran Tremaine Edmunds and rookie Arvell Reese. New York has the talent on the back end to be sneaky-good in coverage. If things click for all the new faces, New York should field one of the NFL's most-improved defenses in 2026.

Worst Case

Part of the "most improved" case is that the Giants defense ranked near the bottom of the league last year—they allowed the fifth-most yards per game and seventh-most points per contest in the league. Carter and Reese are talented but relatively unproven. Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is gone. The secondary struggled to stay healthy last year. The Giants could be better defensively and still be below-average—and that's not going to cut it.

New York Jets

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Jets CB Brandon Stephens

Best Case

Given the Jets are coming off yet another miserable season in which the defense finished 25th in total defense and allowed more points than any team in the AFC, head coach Aaron Glenn would gladly take a defense that is simply competent. And there are some reasons for hope—No. 2 overall pick David Bailey Jr. should add pop off the edge, Demario Davis is a steady veteran presence inside and the Jets added a pair of veterans in the defensive backfield in safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and cornerback Nahshon Wright.

Worst Case

The problem is that none of those newcomers are guaranteed upgrades. Bailey is a rookie playing on a line where he may not get much help. Davis is a 37-year-old linebacker. Wright had never been a full-time starter until his career year in Chicago in 2025. Fitzpatrick is playing on his third team in as many years. The worst case for the Jets is those players not panning out—and another year having one of the league's worst defenses.

Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell

Best Case

The best-case scenario for the Eagles is simple enough: the sort of dominant defensive season the team rode all the way to a victory in Super Bowl LIX. That's a result well within Philadelphia's range of outcomes—the Eagles were eighth against the pass and fifth in scoring defense last year, and the addition of cornerback Riq Woolen on the back end could give the Eagles one of the best cornerback groups in the league.

Worst Case

The key to defensive success in Philadelphia has long been tied to the pass rush, and while Philly managed 42 sacks last year, there are questions on the edge and against the run. Philly traded for veteran edge-rusher Jonathan Greenard in the offseason, but youngsters like Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt need to step up. Young linebacker Jihaad Campbell also needs to take a step—the Eagles can't afford to allow nearly 125 yards per game on the ground this year. A mediocre pass rush and run defense isn't going to get Philadelphia back to the Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey

Best Case

The Steelers have the pieces to field an excellent defense in 2026. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig are a formidable trio on the edge. Cameron Heyward is an ageless wonder at defensive tackle. A secondary that already featured cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr. and safety DeShon Elliott added another proven veteran in Jamel Dean. It's just a matter of staying healthy and those veterans playing to their potential.

Worst Case

The pass defense in the Steel City may not be short on name value, but it struggled in a big way last year—only three teams allowed more yards per game through the air last year than the 243.9 yards the Steelers surrendered. Pittsburgh was solid when it came to generating big plays last year, but those can be high-variance from season to season. In a division with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson, the Steelers have to get better against the pass while maintaining their impact play production to stay in the race in the division.

San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

49ers LB Fred Warner

Best Case

As sad as it sounds, the best-case scenario for the San Francisco 49ers in 2026 may well be just being able to field their starting defense. The team's top-two defenders (edge-rusher Nick Bosa and inside linebacker Fred Warner) both went down with serious injuries early last season, and while the Niners managed to patch things together fairly well, those losses proved to be too much to overcome in the postseason.

Worst Case

Getting both of those players back at 100 percent to open the season isn't guaranteed, especially with Bosa, who tore his ACL for the second time last year. There are also questions at the back end of the defense—cornerback Deommodore Lenoir is a capable veteran starter, but Upton Stout and Renardo Green are far less proven commodities. In the NFC West, a shaky pass-rush and/or secondary is a recipe for disaster—and the Niners could have both in 2026.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Seahawks DT Leonard Williams

Best Case

If you watched Super Bowl LX, you know the best-case scenario for the Seattle defense: 17 performances just like that. A smothering front four that generates consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Solid play against the run. And one of the best pass defenses in the league. Last year the Seahawks were a top-10 defense across the board, including surrendering the fewest points per game in the league.

Worst Case

Getting that repeat performance might be easier said than done. The Seahawks lost more than a little talent over the offseason, including edge-rusher Boye Mafe, cornerback Riq Woolen and safety Coby Bryant. In theory the Seahawks have the depth to absorb those losses, but that depth was one of Seattle's defensive strengths last year, and an injury or two could be significantly harder to overcome this time around. In a division that sent three teams to the postseason in 2025, there is precious little margin for error.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Buccaneers EDGE Yaya Diaby

Best Case

After last year's second-half collapse, there's work to be done on the Tampa defense—especially with longtime inside linebacker Lavonte David gone. In fact, there are four players vying for the starting spots inside this year. There's also a new edge-rusher in first-rounder Rueben Bain Jr., and the Buc need the youngster to be a quick study—Tampa had just 37 sacks last year. Fill the hole in the middle and get after the quarterback more consistently, and this can be an above-average defense.

Worst Case

None of that quartet of linebackers (SirVocea Dennis, Alex Anzalone, Josiah Trotter and Christian Rozeboom) are close to the player David is. Edge-rusher Yaya Diaby has been OK, but little more. If the Buccaneers are soft up the middle and Diaby and Bain can't get after opposing signal-callers, then this defense could backslide—and it was a bottom-half unit a year ago.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Titans LB Anthony Hill Jr.

Best Case

After a 2025 season in which the Titans allowed over 345 yards of offense and the fifth-most points per game in the league, new head coach Robert Saleh is looking for the same thing on both sides of the ball. Improvement. Not dominance. Just improvement. The Titans were wildly aggressive in free agency, paying big bucks for defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and adding two new corners in Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott. Add in rookie linebacker Anthony Hill, and there could be a handful of new faces on the field come Week 1.

Worst Case

Franklin-Myers is a solid player, as is edge-rusher Jermaine Johnson. But Tennessee's pass rush is a legitimate question mark in 2026. Taylor and Flott got nice contracts, but neither is a "shutdown" corner. Hill is talented but untested. While there is optimism this defense will be better this season, there are also multiple things that could go wrong. If a few do, Saleh's defense won't be any better than last year's bunch.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Commanders LB Sonny Styles

Best Case

The Commanders ranked last in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed in 2025. They went hard at getting better on that side of the ball in the offseason, whether it was multiple free-agent signings or the selection of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. If head coach Dan Quinn can coach those new pieces up and the Commanders can go from terrible to so-so, that's a win for Washington.

Worst Case

There's also significant downside risk. Styles struggling to replace Bobby Wagner as the "green dot" linebacker. Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson not living up to their contracts and the Commanders pass rush actually taking a step backward relative to last year's 42 sacks. Safety Nick Cross being the same liability in coverage in D.C. that he was in Indianapolis. Cornerback Amik Robertson failing to meet expectations. If the unit doesn't show substantial improvement, Dan Quinn's position will come under serious scrutiny.