10 predictions for 2026 NFL season: Division winners, trades - ESPN

I like predicting the NFL season. I don't think I've ever gotten it right, but it's still a good time. So, I came up with 10 early predictions.

Before you dive into these 2026 predictions, remember how absurd an accurate preseason 2025 prediction would have looked. The Seahawks and Patriots were both outside the top 16 for preseason Super Bowl odds. We didn't even know if Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be a WR1 yet, let alone the WR1. The NFL is far harder to figure out a couple of weeks out, let alone a few months, than we want it to be.

As such, I tried to balance feasibility and outlandishness with these 10 bold preseason predictions. I refuse to be held accountable for any of them when the Saints inevitably go 3-14 or Myles Garrett has six sacks in his first season with the Rams. Let's start with some statistical picks. Screenshotting has been disabled on this webpage.

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Awards | Division, conf. winners
Playoff snubs | Stats | Trades

Since sacks officially became a stat in 1982, only one player has tallied multiple 20-plus-sack seasons: J.J. Watt in 2012 and 2014. If we include Pro Football Reference's retroactive sack charting, we get Mark Gastineau (1981 and 1984) and Deacon Jones (1964, 1967 and 1968). Jones would then be the only player to produce 20-plus sacks in consecutive years.

So, it is ridiculous to project a player to sack the opposing quarterback 20 times, as it has happened only 23 times in NFL history. But I can't think of a reason to project Garrett for any fewer.

Let's start with availability. Garrett has missed one game in the past five seasons. He's turning 31, of course, but it's fair to say he is in his prime after just posting a 23-sack season. And his situation has dramatically improved. It's