Predicting NFL teams most likely to improve in 2026 season - ESPN

Even by NFL standards, 2025 was a topsy-turvy season. Seven teams saw their records improve or decline by at least six wins, the most in any campaign since 2008. And though that's a little more feasible in a 17-game season than it was in the 16-game era, the 10-game improvement by the Patriots, who improved from 4-13 to 14-3, was the largest by any team since 1999, when the Colts pulled that off in Peyton Manning's second season.

Teams hoping to emulate the Patriots might find a difficult path forward. The Pats made a major coaching upgrade by hiring Mike Vrabel, who had been one of the league's best coaches during his time with the Titans before losing a power struggle in Nashville. New England relied as heavily on free agency as any team in recent memory, with 13 of its 25 most-used players on offense and defense acquired as free agents over the previous two offseasons. And the Patriots notably had what was one of the easiest schedules in league history, facing just two teams that posted a winning record all season.

The Patriots' path toward the Super Bowl was off my radar, and they weren't included in my annual look at teams most likely to improve at this time last year. The other six teams to jump by at least six wins, though, are all featured in one of the two columns you'll see this week. Today, we start on the rosy side and focus on the teams that are most likely to improve in 2026. And on Tuesday, we'll talk about the ones that are most likely to decline.

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Last year's column featured the Raiders, who declined by a game, and the Giants, who improved by one win. The other three teams were much bigger successes. The Bears rode the Ben Johnson effect and a flood of takeaways on