NFL NationFeb 13, 2026, 06:00 AM ETCloseNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season.Multiple Authors
play0:48Will Lamar and Jesse Minter lead Ravens to a Super Bowl?Jeff Saturday and Jason McCourty weigh in on what the Ravens need to do to be in the Super Bowl conversation next season.
play1:54How good will the Giants be next season?The “Get Up” crew evaluates the current state of the Giants and debates what they are capable of achieving next season.
Why Stephen A. still believes in Drake Maye (1:26)Stephen A. Smith explains why he still has faith in Drake Maye despite a “precipitous drop-off” in the postseason for the Patriots. (1:26)
Will Lamar and Jesse Minter lead Ravens to a Super Bowl?Jeff Saturday and Jason McCourty weigh in on what the Ravens need to do to be in the Super Bowl conversation next season.
Jeff Saturday and Jason McCourty weigh in on what the Ravens need to do to be in the Super Bowl conversation next season.
How good will the Giants be next season?The “Get Up” crew evaluates the current state of the Giants and debates what they are capable of achieving next season.
The “Get Up” crew evaluates the current state of the Giants and debates what they are capable of achieving next season.
play1:57Nacua on Stafford’s return announcement: ‘I almost did a front flip’Puka Nacua joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss his relationship with Matthew Stafford and the veteran’s return at QB for the Rams.
Nacua on Stafford’s return announcement: ‘I almost did a front flip’Puka Nacua joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss his relationship with Matthew Stafford and the veteran’s return at QB for the Rams.
Puka Nacua joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss his relationship with Matthew Stafford and the veteran’s return at QB for the Rams.
The 2026 NFL offseason is in full swing, which means it’s time for every team to finally address its glaring holes. Whether it be through remaining hirings, free agency (March 11 at 4 p.m. ET) or the draft (April 23).
Teams looking for a quarterback might have a hard time, but other position groups offer a great variety of trade candidates. Will some team pick up Maxx Crosby from the Raiders or A.J. Brown from the Eagles? Which teams might make big moves in the draft? What improvements will the Broncos and Chiefs make in time for their injured QBs to return?
We asked our NFL Nation reporters to take a close look at the biggest question each team will face this offseason and give their insight into what could happen over the next few months.
Former coach Sean McDermott’s vision guided the defense for nine seasons, but the unit should look different under Leonhard. Free agency and the draft will reveal which players he wants to build the defense around for years to come. Leonhard was formerly the defensive pass game coordinator for the Broncos, who allowed the second-fewest yards per game (278.2) with a true shutdown corner in Pat Surtain II. — Alaina Getzenberg
This is the first time in his career that he is eligible for an extension, even though he is technically under contract for one more season. So does Gonzalez force the issue? Or will he be patient and let the process play out? Gonzalez (four tackles, three passes defended) reminded everyone in Super Bowl LX that he is still an elite talent and critical to the Patriots’ success. — Mike Reiss
Will Lamar and Jesse Minter lead Ravens to a Super Bowl?
The Bengals got worse defensively in 2025 despite making a change at coordinator. Under Al Golden, Cincinnati surrendered big plays at an alarming rate and didn’t do a good enough job of helping QB Joe Burrow and the offense. With Burrow now entering his seventh season and the team in a three-year playoff drought, the Bengals need to add defensive playmakers in free agency and also develop players they’ve drafted. Both of those aspects have been lacking in recent years. — Ben Baby
The Jaguars must make getting the quarterback on the ground a priority; they ranked third in QB pressures (222) but 27th in sacks (32) in 2025. This year’s class of edge rushers is regarded to be pretty deep, which is good since Jacksonville doesn’t have a first-round pick because of the Travis Hunter trade last year. Could the Jags get involved in the pursuit of the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby? — Michael DiRocco
This offseason could be one of Brian Gutekunst’s biggest challenges since he took over as general manager in 2018. He doesn’t have a first-round pick after giving it up (and next year’s as well) in the Micah Parsons trade, and the Packers aren’t exactly flush with salary cap space. Yet there are positions in desperate need of an upgrade — with cornerback being at the top of the list — if they’re to go from being a one-and-done playoff team to a legitimate Super Bowl contender. — Rob Demovsky
play1:57Nacua on Stafford’s return announcement: ‘I almost did a front flip’Puka Nacua joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss his relationship with Matthew Stafford and the veteran’s return at QB for the Rams.
Nacua on Stafford’s return announcement: ‘I almost did a front flip’
Tua Tagovailoa is still under contract, yet the Dolphins are reportedly looking to trade their former franchise quarterback. But first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said the team will first focus on its infrastructure around its next quarterback before even finding him — which could suggest either a season of a bridge veteran or 2025 seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers under center. Either way, Miami isn’t likely to find a long-term answer this offseason due to the lack of impactful options in free agency and the draft. But it’s still important for the Dolphins to have a proper support system in place before identifying their next franchise quarterback. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
This could be a make-or-break question for coach Aaron Glenn. Justin Fields and Brady Cook are under contract, though neither is guaranteed to be on the roster because both played poorly in 2025. The Jets will look to acquire one, possibly two veterans. Names to watch include Malik Willis, Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett. The latter three are under contract, but could become available through a trade or release. If they add the best bridge QB available for 2026, they can hope to find their long-term answer in the 2027 draft — New York will have three first-round picks next year. — Rich Cimini
Baltimore needs to get a new deal done with Jackson to lower its $74.5 million salary cap number and create between $25 million and $30 million in cap space. This will allow the Ravens to address their offensive line and Jackson’s targets in the passing game. Last season, Jackson was sacked on 9.8% of his dropbacks, the worst rate of his career. Baltimore will look to re-sign Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who is the team’s top free agent, and upgrade at both starting guard spots. The Ravens also need to help Jackson in the passing game, where he had only one target average over 25 yards receiving per game (wide receiver Zay Flowers). — Jamison Hensley
Cleveland hired Todd Monken as coach to help lift an offense that has ranked last in scoring (averaging 14.5 points per game) over the past two seasons. Now the spotlight turns to general manager Andrew Berry to infuse that side of the ball with the talent needed to compete in the AFC North. The Browns, stocked with two first-round picks and 10 total selections in the 2026 draft, will have to replace as many as four offensive linemen, add playmakers and decide how to approach their quarterbacks room. — Daniel Oyefusi
The Texans had a good base of rookie talent around Stroud last season in wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, running back Woody Marks, and left tackle Aireontae Ersery. So don’t expect them to overspend in the offseason. But Houston still must make shrewd moves to help improve around Stroud — specifically on the offensive line — to get him back to producing like he did during his rookie season. Last season, the O-line was tied with the Lions’ for the NFL’s second-worst pass block win rate (55.5%). — DJ Bien-Aime
The Colts showed signs of improvement on defense last season, but the consistency wasn’t there. Late in the season, things broke down, and Indianapolis finished 21st in scoring defense (24.2 points per game) and 23rd in yards allowed (349.8 per game). Look for some moves this offseason to invigorate the pass rush and bolster an underwhelming linebacker unit. General manager Chris Ballard made an admission at the end of the season, conceding, “We’ve got to get faster on defense.” — Stephen Holder
Ward closed the season on a high note before suffering a shoulder sprain to his throwing arm. Perhaps that injury hasn’t impacted his offseason training since he’s been working mostly on footwork? But his rehab paired with learning a new offense led by new-to-Tennessee coordinator Daboll will likely be a challenge for Ward. Daboll most notably helped Bills QB Josh Allen go from a raw rookie to an All-Pro passer. The Titans are banking on a similar jump for Ward that would help turn the franchise around. — Turron Davenport
Start with whether coach Sean Payton or new offensive coordinator Davis Webb will call plays in 2026. Payton hasn’t surrendered full-time playcalling duties as a coach, but it’s difficult to believe he’d keep Webb if some more responsibility didn’t come with it. Then add Nix’s recovery from a broken ankle into the mix. He expects to be ready by the start of the offseason program. But Nix has now had ankle surgeries in the past two years, as well as multiple fractured transverse process bones in his back in 2024. Should the Broncos keep him heavily involved in their run game in 2026? They had Nix throw the most pass attempts (612) in the NFL last season, but he lacked efficiency (minus-2.1% in completions over expectation, ranked 26th). — Jeff Legwold