Predicting The 2026 NFL Season: Awards, Contenders, Hot Takes, & More

As always, the excitement for the 2026 NFL season is palpable and in full force. With the league kicking things off on a Wednesday night for the first time ever, it’s clear the NFL remains king among all prominent American professional sports.

This season sees hopes of back-to-back championship appearances from both the New England Patriots and defending champion Seattle Seahawks. Modern perennial contenders like the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Rams plan to spoil those ambitions with formidable rosters, and excluding Philly, elite quarterback play.

And right behind that group is a batch of young and ambitious squads with breakout stars planning to plant the beginnings of their football legacies. Whether it’s the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, or Jacksonville Jaguars, the 2026 season could see a real Super Bowl contender form from the clay of a 2025 movement in the right direction toward contention.

Below I’ll be showcasing my predictions for what I expect to happen this upcoming year, and what is an NFL article without a few hot takes? All of this is meant to spark conversation and bring fans of the sport together.

NFC DIVISION WINNERS

NORTH: Chicago Bears
SOUTH: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
EAST: Dallas Cowboys
WEST: Los Angeles Rams

AFC DIVISION WINNERS

NORTH: Cincinatti Bengals
SOUTH: Jacksonville Jaguars
EAST: Buffalo Bills
WEST: Los Angeles Chargers

PREDICTING THE ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS

MVP: Justin Herbert, QB (LAC)
OPOY: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB (DET)
DPOY: Will Anderson, EDGE (HOU)
COTY: Ben Johnson (CHI)
OROY: KC Concepcion, WR (CLE)
DROY: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE (TB)

HOT TAKES

1. Fernando Mendoza starts fewer than 5 games this season
I truly believe the Las Vegas Raiders are sticking to the old traditional approach in terms of QB development and are willing to punt Mendoza’s true emergence to next year. A lack of receiving talent outside of tight end Brock Bowers and a subpar offensive line feel like a nightmare scenario to throw the Indiana product into.

2. Dallas Cowboys take the NFC East crown from the Philadelphia Eagles
There’s a lot of pressure on Jalen Hurts’ shoulders this season with the departure of AJ Brown. His lack of consistency from the pocket and inability to throw to the middle of the field have become true problems for the Eagles’ offensive unit. The Cowboys, who seem to always believe they’re Super Bowl contenders, are coming in with an improved defensive unit and an offense capable of putting up historic numbers.

3. The San Francisco 49ers Miss The Playoffs
The voodoo surrounding the 49ers’ consistent struggle to keep players healthy has reached an internet fever pitch. Outside of their obvious problem of fielding a mostly healthy roster, it feels like they may be entering a transitionary period. Christian McCaffrey is another year older, and a once-stout offensive line is now an older Trent Williams and a bunch of dudes. All of this without even mentioning the weird offseason issues featuring their head coach and owner.

4. Jahmyr Gibbs Doesn’t Lead The League In Rushing
Fantasy owners might come for me for this prediction, but it’s hard for me to see a path in which Gibbs not only leads the league in rushing yards, but stays healthy throughout the entire season. It feels as if the Detroit Lions are putting the entire kitchen on his plate and hoping he can simply handle the workload. With a defense looking to sport a makeshift backend of defensive backs, it’s also unclear if the team will end up in shootouts looking to outscore their opponents with a heavier passing attack.

5. Caleb Williams Cements Himself As A Top 5 Quarterback
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that my hottest take is also the one I’m most bullish on coming into the season. First, let it be known that I am a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, so this hot take is flavored with plenty of bias, but I saw enough last year to convince me he’s the real deal at the position. Not only will he finally break the 4,000-yard passing season curse, but I expect 30+ passing touchdowns and, as he’s showcased, fewer than 10 interceptions this year.

Tremaine Edmunds Likely Won't Be A Chicago Bear in 2026

It was reported on February 25th, 2026 via Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune that the Chicago Bears have given linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade.

Cutting the former Pro Bowler would save the organization around $15 million in cap space, and leave a little more than $2 million in dead cap on the books.

Despite making an impact on the fanbase and city with his signature post-game celebration, Edmunds now sits as a cap casualty for a team looking to put all their chips in the middle of the table. With teams around the league understanding he’s bound to be cut once the new league year starts on March 11, 2026, it’s unlikely he commands anything more than a late-round pick.

Edmunds’ assumed departure opens the door for last year’s 4th round pick, Ruben Hyppolite II, to have a real shot at garnering substantial playing time. The Bears could also look to FA or the 2026 NFL Draft to find a replacement.

Time will tell if the Bears are able to get any sort of compensation, but Edmunds has certainly played his last snap in the navy and orange.

Bears In Mind: The Most Promising Offensive Players Under 25

By Jerrad Wyche

The Chicago Bears are heading into the 2022 NFL season following a year with plenty of promise on the offensive side of the ball. Despite the unit landing in the bottom third of the league when it comes to almost every prominent offensive statistical measurement, the rookie class, and emerging talent is filled with plenty of potential. From the offensive line to the skill positions, the Bears have plenty to be excited about with a core of players falling under the age of 25.

Justin Fields

Coming off of an up-and-down rookie season with the Chicago Bears, Justin Fields will enter his second season under center at the age of 23. His first season was full of a lot of promise but delivered the numerous rookie quarterback mistakes expected at the NFL level.

In a putrid offensive scheme, Fields showed glimpses of elite quarterback play and often felt like the best athlete on the field. With a new offensive coordinator building the offense to Fields' strengths, it's clear that the Bears know they'll only go as far as he can take them.

Cole Kmet

Cole Kmet has been the target of heavy criticism as the fanbase believes he has the skills and talent to rival some of the NFL's best tight ends such as Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders or Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The truth of the matter is that Kmet will be 23 by the time the 2022 NFL season starts. Twitter user Swiftizm did a great job of providing context to Kmet's development in comparison to other great tight ends in the league, seen here. He has plenty of runway in front of him, and the fact that he already has two years of experience this early means he can only grow from here.

Darnell Mooney

After a year of building a strong rapport with rookie quarterback Justin Fields, wide receiver Darnell Mooney is looking to build on a strong 2021 performance. He finished the year with 81 catches for 1,055 yards, finishing with five total touchdowns. With the Chicago Bears offense ranking in the bottom half in almost every category it's impressive that he was able to haul in such solid numbers.

He's the only pass catcher of note under contract for the team heading into next season and will likely be paired up with a rookie coming out of the 2022 NFL Draft in April. Look for Mooney to take another step towards being one of the best 5th round draft steals in NFL history.

Teven Jenkins & Larry Borom

The pair of rookie offensive linemen had their ups and downs in 2021, but both showed plenty of promise. Larry Borom got most of his starts and experience at the right tackle position but also dabbled on the left side a handful of times. He was proficient in both pass and run-blocking sets, rarely struggling.

With Teven Jenkins, he battled back from a nasty back injury that required surgery but settled in at the starting left tackle spot following an injury to the veteran, Jason Peters. It's unclear where the two will lineup in 2022, but their talent and performance suggest they'll both be starting Week 1 next season.

5 Players The Chicago Bears Should Target In The 2020 NFL Draft

by Jerrad Wyche

Following the Chicago Bears disappointing season that ended with the reigning NFC North champions finishing with a record of 8-8, General Manager Ryan Pace and his head coach Matt Nagy are looking to put the promising roster back on the right track. The 2019 season showcased regression and inconsistency at positions once thought of as strengths. With Khalil Mack and that defensive unit still proving to be dominant, this offseason is important to both the immediate and long-term success of the franchise moving forward. Let's take a look at 5 players they might want to target in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.

James Lynch, DT/DE, Baylor

Coming off of a year in which he just took home the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award, James Lynch is looking to make that same impact at the next level. With Akiem Hicks's injury during the 2019 season, it became really apparent that the Chicago Bears needed more playmaking depth at the 3-4 end position. There was a sizable drop off in consistent interior pressure without Hicks. Lynch is an athletic 300 lbs. and with 8.5 sacks he showcased an ability to get to the quarterback and create consistent pressure. Unless his combine is underwhelming he'll likely be taken in the first 2 rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, but if for some reason he slips, or the Bears love him enough to move up a few spots or take him earlier on it's hard to not support the move. He's a blue-collar type of guy who looks to put the work in day in and day out. Even though Hicks looks to have several solid years still left in the tank, the Bears need to start grooming his eventual successor.

“Showcased an ability to get to the quarterback and create consistent pressure.”

Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota

At this point, it's unclear who Eddie Jackson's running mate at safety is going to be in the Chicago Bears secondary in 2020. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is no longer under contract as he signed a 1-year deal, and unless he gives Chicago a large discount he'll likely be playing elsewhere with a nice new payday under his belt. Antoine Winfield Jr. may be the son of a solid NFL veteran, but he's made a name for himself outside of his father's legacy. He's a solid tackler and playmaker who simply has a knack for finding himself around the ball. He may not be the traditional strong safety you'd like to pair with a rangy safety like Eddie Jackson, but pairing them together could give the Bears defensive unit a lot of versatility in the secondary. Having Jackson play more in the box in 2019 hurt his own playmaking ability and looked to also limit the turnover success of the entire unit. It's unclear whether Winfield Jr. will be available to the Bears when they first pick at the 43rd spot in the 2020 NFL Draft in Las Vegas, NV. A solid combine performance can shoot him up the board as his play on the field speaks for itself.

“Playmaker who simply has a knack for finding himself around the ball.”

Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU

Thaddeus Moss represents a low investment gamble on a tight end prospect who happens to be the son of one of the NFL's greatest receivers of all-time. Moss may only stand at 6'3" but that doesn't mean he can't come in and deliver at the position immediately. Matt Nagy's offensive system requires a solid and consistent performance from the tight end, and with the recent and nagging injuries to both Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen, the Chicago Bears need to find more valuable contributors. Moss is a reliable pass catcher that can be a threat on almost every passing play and is a willing trustworthy blocker in the running game. He's currently sitting on a late Day 2/early Day 3 grade which could be boosted by a solid combine performance. If the Bears find themselves with a chance to snag arguably the greatest tight end in LSU's history, it might be worth the investment.

“Can be a threat on almost every passing play.”

Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

In the coming years, the Chicago Bears will be looking to get younger at the cornerback position through either the draft and/or free agency. Kyle Fuller is still very much in his prime and is a key part of the defensive units' ongoing success, but his starting partner on the opposite side, Prince Amukamara, is coming off of a season with nagging injuries and will be 31 at the start of next season. Jaylon Johnson out of Utah is the type of corner the Bears have looked to pair with Fuller's off-coverage comfort tendencies and could play that press man coverage opposite of Fuller that's made the Bears unit so consistently formidable. Given his ability to stick to receivers once he gets his hands on them he's best suited to play man over zone. He's very physical at the line of scrimmage which is perfect for the Bears system. Coming in at 6 ft. tall he also gives them the length they prefer on the outside. If he can line up at the line of scrimmage and play man every down he could find great success at the next level and the Bears seem like the perfect fit for a guy with a skill set that they'll be in search of in the coming years.

“Ability to stick to receivers once he gets his hands on them.”

Shane Lemieux, OG, Oregon

The Chicago Bears' offense regressed across the board in 2019 and a big reason for that was the offensive line. With Cody Whitehair and James Daniels flipping back and forth at the guard and center positions, both Kyle Long and Bobby Massie sustaining injuries, and Charles Leno Jr. becoming a major liability at left tackle, the entire unit was a major letdown after being a steady and consistent group the previous season. Shane Lemieux, an interior offensive lineman from Oregon, is the type of guy that could come in and immediately contribute. He's not the most athletic guy in space but can be a game wrecker in a box. If the Bears want David Montgomery and the run game to flourish in 2020, adding Lemieux could make that a reality. He has a strong football IQ and a ton of experience as a starter. His combination of raw strength and power is accompanied by excellent hand technique and true competitive toughness. He's a mauler at the point of attack and can very often lay defenders on their back with his full head of steam if they're not careful. Lemieux is a prospect the Bears could take in the mid-to-late 2nd round and 3 years from now have a guy who's possibly considered the steal of the entire 2020 NFL Draft.

“Combination of raw strength and power is accompanied by excellent hand technique.”