The Post’s Mark Cannizzaro previews the NFC South for the 2026 season.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Coach: Todd Bowles
2025 record: 8-9 | 2026 O/U: 8.5
Key additions: LB Rueben Bain Jr., the team’s top draft pick, led college edge rushers with 83 pressures in 2025. Al-Quadin Muhammad is coming off his best NFL season with 53 total pressures, 21 of which resulted in sacks or quarterback hits.
Key departures: WR Mike Evans, LB Lavonte David, RB Rachaad White, T Charlie Heck, DL Logan Hall, G Mike Jordan, CB Jamel Dean.
First-and-goal: Baker Mayfield brings stability and leadership to offense at QB, which will be key without Evans. Defensively, the Bucs should have a big pass rush with depth at edge rusher — Bain, Muhammad and returning Yaya Diaby, who’s produced 132 QB pressures in the past two seasons.
Fourth-and-goal: Replacing Evans’ size, toughness and production will be a challenge. Other than DL Vita Vea, the interior defense may be suspect, especially without David, a longtime leader.
Prediction: 9-8. This remains the weakest division in the NFL. Tampa Bay is the best of the mediocre lot.
2. Carolina Panthers
Coach: Dave Canales
2025 record: 8-9 | 2026 O/U: 7.5
Key additions: Edge Jaelan Phillips generated 76 pressures last season (including playoffs) and earned an impressive 87.9 PFF grade. LB Devin Lloyd is excellent against the run and in pass coverage, as evidenced by his 5 INTs in 2025 for the Jags. LT Rasheed Walker comes over after four years with the Packers.
Key departures: RB Rico Dowdle, WR Hunter Renfrow, DT A’Shawn Robinson, LB Christian Rozeboom, S D’Anthony Bell.
First-and-goal: QB Bryce Young comes off his best season with 3,011 passing yards and 23 TDs. WR Tetairoa McMillan had a terrific rookie season in 2025, targeted by Young a team-high 126 times. The additions of Phillips and Lloyd can’t help but elevate the defense.
Fourth-and-goal: Both starting tackles are injured and figure to miss the early part of the season. LT Ikem Ekwonu is still recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon suffered in the playoffs and is on IR, meaning he’ll miss at least the first four games. RT Taylor Moton is also on IR after being diagnosed with a blood clot in June.
Prediction: 9-8. Coming off their first division title in a decade and first playoff appearance since 2018, the Panthers will not make it back in 2026. They’ll be edged out by the Bucs in a tiebreaker.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Head coach: Kevin Stefanski
2025 record: 8-9 | 2026 O/U: 7.5
Key additions: QB Tua Tagovailoa comes with plenty of starting experience in Miami and will start — at least in Week 1 — over Michael Penix Jr. Nick Folk is a force of nature at age 41, still one of the most dependable kickers in the league. WR Jahan Dotson should get his first shot to be a regular starter in his fifth season in the league.
Key departures: QB Kirk Cousins, WR Darnell Mooney, RB Tyler Allgeier, edge Leonard Floyd.
First-and-goal: RB Bijan Robinson is as good as there is in the league, having led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,298) in 2025 and earning first-team All-Pro honors. He’s complemented on offense by WR Drake London, who had 68 catches for 919 yards and seven TDs in only 12 games last season, and TE Kyle Pitts, who had 88 receptions and 928 yards in 2025. Under DC Jeff Ulbrich, the Falcons produced a franchise record 57 sacks in 2025, which ranked second in the NFL. The defense was 15th in total defense and 19th in scoring defense.
Fourth-and-goal: There is a lot of newness — at head coach and quarterback in particular. That sometimes comes with an adjustment period. A concern on offense may be the offensive line, where RT Kaleb McGary’s unexpected retirement forced the Falcons to sign Jawaan Taylor.
Prediction: 8-9. The NFL’s second-longest playoff drought continues.
4. New Orleans Saints
Head coach: Kellen Moore
2025 record: 6-11 | 2026 O/U: 7.5
Key additions: WR Jordyn Tyson, the Saints’ first-round pick, could be a force when he gets healthy. Guard David Edwards is an immediate starter, coming off a 2025 season when he allowed only 32 pressures on 679 pass blocking snaps.
Key departures: LB Demario Davis, TE Taysom Hill, TE Foster Moreau, C Luke Fortner, DL Jonah Williams, DL Jonathan Bullard, CB Alontae Taylor.
First-and-goal: QB Tyler Shough had a strong rookie year, leading all rookie QBs with a 73.1 PFF passing grade. Tyson, the first-round pick, could eventually make for an excellent one-two punch at WR alongside Chris Olave, who had 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and 9 TDs last season.
Fourth-and-goal: Tyson, who had 1,812 receiving yards and 18 TDs in his final two years of college, is expected to miss the first two months with a hamstring injury suffered in camp. Other than Chase Young on the edge, the Saints lack difference-makers on defense. Replacing Davis’ veteran leadership on defense will be an issue.
Prediction: 7-10. The Tyson injury hurts the offense, and the defense is not deep.
