The teams that surprise are part of the fun each and every NFL season. As far as what I do as a writer, prognosticating which teams are going to be the turnaround teams in the summer is some of the most fun I have. We all like to think we know what we’re talking about. Just don’t look at our actual records to confirm that. Anyway, as I scan the rosters, the offseason moves, and the coaching changes across the NFL, I see four teams that I think could really surprise fans in 2026. Now, as a quick qualifier, I’m talking about *real* bad-to-good stories. It’s not exactly going out on a limb to say the Kansas City Chiefs or Detroit Lions are going to turn it around in 2026, y’know? What I’m talking about here are teams that have been bad for awhile, but might’ve had good enough offseasons to spark a real turnaround.
Teams That Could Turn It Around in 2026
Atlanta Falcons – I’ve been a Kevin Stefanski apologist for some time now. He’s always struck me as a fantastic game-planner and in what film study I’ve done on his Browns teams, he’s always shown a knack for understanding his opponent’s personnel and how to attack them. Still, I can’t deny that it ran its course in Cleveland (and it’s still difficult to defend the Tommy Rees OC hiring), but maybe a fresh start is just what he needs. Michael Penix Jr. has not been the franchise quarterback Atlanta drafted him to be, and in what limited action I’ve watched of him, I’m not sure where the confidence that he can be that guy is coming from. He can’t stay healthy to begin with, but he also seems to be struggling adjusting to the speed of the NFL. That could explain why Atlanta was so gung ho about acquiring Tua Tagovailoa. To me, this isn’t a competition – it’s Tagovailoa’s job to lose, but that’s probably a good thing for a Falcons offense that is littered with talent and has a solid offensive line to boot. I’m a fan of DC Jeff Ulbrich, and that Falcons defensive depth chart is absolutely loaded with young talent. The pieces are there for this team to go on a run if it gets more consistent quarterback play, and it’s more likely to achieve that with Tagovailoa than Penix. So, things could be looking up in Atlanta.
Cleveland Browns – Of the four teams mentioned here, the Browns are the team I have the least confidence in turning it around in 2026. That’s mainly because of a coaching change that sees Mike Rutenberg in at defensive coordinator for the not-so-amicably departed Jim Schwartz. Todd Monken is a fantastic offensive mind and a needed breath of fresh air after Kevin Stefanski was canned. But, what success the Browns have had in the last two seasons has been because of a relentless defense and I’m curious to see if they can keep that up without their mastermind. But, man…it’s hard to ignore the roster-building they’ve done this offseason. They have completely revamped their offensive line in a single cycle via free agency and the draft. They added two WR1 caliber players in Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion in the draft to complement Jerry Jeudy. They have one of the best young tight ends in the game in Harold Fannin Jr., and Shedeur Sanders isn’t nearly as bad as some analysts would have you think. If the defensive performance doesn’t tail off, this offense could catch up quicker than fans are expecting.
New Orleans Saints – Of the four teams mentioned here, the Saints are the team I have the most confidence in turning it around in 2026. Kellen Moore did an admirable job in 2025. They finished the season at a 4-1 clip in a division that feels wide open heading into the season. Tyler Shough had a fine enough rookie season and should inspire confidence for the foreseeable future. At the very least, he’s earned a little leash in being the guy to build around for now. The Saints did just that in the draft, adding Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance, and Barion Brown to a receiving corps that desperately needs some juice, and a dynamic, albeit underutilized, tight end in Oscar Delp. They added Travis Etienne in free agency and should have one of the better offensive lines in the NFC. All of the ingredients are there on offense for Shough to take the next step. On defense, sure, there’s some work to do – but it feels like the depth chart is in much better shape this offseason than it was last. The NFC South could be their’s for the taking.
Tennessee Titans – Things really started to click for Cam Ward the later into the season the Titans got in 2025. Part of that was a re-dedication to the run game. But, Ward deserves credit for getting his sea legs beneath him. This franchise has been rudderless for the last three seasons. Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll bring a sense of energy to the program that will hopefully lift the locker room up, demand accountability, and inspire results. I still think that from a roster standpoint, the Titans are still one more player acquisition cycle away from being truly competitive. But, it’s hard not to see the change in demeanor of the coaching staff and get excited about a fresh start. The Titans have added some intriguing pieces at key spots, and if they can stay healthy, a new brand of football could produce some surprisingly competitive results.
Conversely, I think there are some prime regression candidates heading into the year too: New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers. Maybe that’s a different post for a different day.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, second on Football & Other F Words, analyst for Stacking The Inbox, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, the NFL Draft, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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