The NFL’s most underrated offseason storylines, including running backs getting paid

As Rose Bukater so eloquently put it at the start of the 1997 blockbuster “Titanic”: “It’s been 84 years!”

It hasn’t been exactly 84 years since the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, but the interminable wait for the next meaningful NFL game has been agonizing. Granted, not as agonizing as a Cleveland Browns fan watching the team’s quarterback competition play out in training camp, but agonizing nonetheless.

The 2026 regular season is finally upon us, kicking off Wednesday with a Super Bowl rematch. Alongside the NFL’s return, our weekly trending column is also back for a second season. For returning readers, I appreciate you following along.

For newcomers, here’s what to expect. Each week, we examine a trend across the NFL. Then, we outline the five teams that we forecast as having the best chance to win the Super Bowl. This is different from power rankings, in that we prioritize the bigger picture. That typically means fewer drastic swings. For example, if Josh Allen misses a couple of games and the Buffalo Bills lose both contests, the Bills may still be on the list. But if Allen is ruled out for the season, the Bills likely tumble out of the top five.

The same approach holds for our Bottom Five, which isn’t just examining the worst teams but which team has the best chance to land the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Things like remaining schedule and other factors are considered, along with the team itself. Buckle up, Miami Dolphins fans.

Each section has a top five, in descending order, followed by a “Not Ranked” slot. The Not Ranked selection is not the sixth-ranked option in that category; it’s a space to discuss anything that falls under the section but didn’t make it in the top five.

The goal here is to provide a one-stop synopsis of everything you need to know about what’s going on in the NFL. The tone is intended to be more lighthearted than most of the things you read from our wonderful staff of writers. For those who are fans of The Athletic’s hockey coverage, this is a concept we have borrowed from Down Goes Brown, with Sean McIndoe’s blessing. Feedback and interaction in the comments will always be welcomed.

Without further ado, let’s get to it!

Bonus Five: Underrated offseason storylines

5. Playing surface controversy: Players have voiced their concern about playing on artificial turf for years, but the protests got louder this offseason with the World Cup in town. There was a league-wide social media campaign in mid-July, and, according to a league source who was granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, there could be efforts the players could make this season to have their voices heard. The league may eventually cave, but it could be prolonged and used as a bargaining chip for something bigger down the road, such as an 18th regular season game.

4. Betting scandals: The NFL issued a handful of suspensions related to gambling in 2023, and suspended wide receiver Calvin Ridley for an entire season the year prior. However, the league indefinitely suspending a high-ranking front office executive for an NFL team, as it did this offseason to Arizona Cardinals director of college scouting Ryan Gold, is a reminder of a new reality that is growing in sports in 2026. The league also took a hard, public stance in the Brendan Sorsby situation by denying the former Texas Tech quarterback entry to the supplemental draft.

3. Kickers on the money: The evolution of kickers has been brewing for a couple of years now, with stars like Harrison Butker in Kansas City and Brandon Aubrey in Dallas turning heads from long distance. Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little became the face of the trend last year, making a 70-yarder in preseason and then a regular-season record 68-yarder.

This offseason, the Houston Texans’ Ka’imi Fairbairn, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Chris Boswell and Aubrey all surpassed Butker as the league’s highest paid kickers. As the investment in talented kickers continues to rise, it’ll be worth monitoring how it affects games on a weekly basis, particularly in end-of-half situations.

2. Running backs are (sort of) back: After Ezekiel Elliott’s monster contract extension in 2019, the league largely backed down from paying running backs top dollar. The buildup has been gradual but Christian McCaffrey staying healthy, Saquon Barkley’s phenomenal 2024 season and Kenneth Walker winning Super Bowl MVP in 2026 are some of the recent data points that have helped rebuild the market. Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor were beneficiaries of that this season.

The position is still a far cry from the old days. Gibbs leads all backs with a $22.5 million AAV, just behind wide receivers Christian Watson, Courtland Sutton and Ridley and on par with quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Malik Willis. Gibbs’ AAV ties him for 102nd this year among all NFL players, according to Spotrac. There are 85 non-quarterbacks ahead of the highest-paid running back.

1. Maxx Crosby is still a Las Vegas Raider … for now: The one week of the Maxx Crosby trade saga was a wild one, from the trade being agreed to, Crosby putting out a 13-minute farewell video to the Raiders and then the trade being nixed on the night before free agency kicked off. Crosby and the Raiders are handling the fallout professionally. Still, it’s no secret that he’s available, for a price.

If Crosby has a strong start to the season and squashes any concerns about his knee, he could not only be the prize of the 2026 NFL trade deadline (Nov. 10) but he, with his price, could largely dictate the way the entire trade market flows.

Not Ranked — Perfect storm brewing in Hollywood: Remember when it was such a big deal that the Los Angeles Rams managed to land Trent McDuffie, a first-team All-Pro cornerback in his prime, in a trade? What would stand as a grand prize in most offseasons for many teams may be the third or fourth most notable move for the Rams this offseason. They sent shockwaves by trading for Myles Garrett, which led to Aaron Donald unretiring. Perhaps most importantly, they’re getting another year out of Matthew Stafford, the reigning league MVP who is still operating at an elite level.

Injuries and Puka Nacua’s shenanigans remain on the table as a potential spoiler to a fairy tale, but it’s hard not to respect the Rams’ approach to go all-in for a Super Bowl this season, which would be in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium on Valentine’s Day.

He won’t play in Week 1, but Aaron Donald is ramping up for his Rams return. (Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)

Road to Hollywood

The five teams with the best chance at winning the Super Bowl

5. Detroit Lions: Most of the main players who had the Lions winning a tough NFC North in 2023 and 2024 with 12-5 and 15-2 records, respectively, are still in place. The fact that they went 9-8 last season despite being decimated by injuries and breaking in two new coordinators is a testament to their potential. The NFC North is arguably the best division in the NFL, but if the Lions can get the favor of good health, there aren’t many better rosters in the league.

4. Denver Broncos: The defense remains elite, Bo Nix’s health is on a positive trajectory and Jaylen Waddle should be a great fit in Sean Payton’s offense. The floor is relatively high for the Broncos but the ceiling is among the best in the league, depending on how Nix advances in his development.

3. Seattle Seahawks: It’s commonplace for Super Bowl champions to lose key players to the rest of the league, but the Seahawks are still relatively intact in most of the important spots. It’ll be interesting to see how Brian Fleury replaces Klint Kubiak in directing the offense and how the run game fares in the absence of Walker and (temporarily) Zach Charbonnet, but defense is the identity of this team and that unit is ready to lead the way again.

2. Buffalo Bills: The Bills may be the team under the most pressure coming into this season. They couldn’t break through an AFC bracket that didn’t feature Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson. They fired a head coach who had been one of the most successful coaches in the last half-decade. Adding DJ Moore doesn’t exactly silence the noise that lingered all last season about the wide receiver position, but it is an upgrade. The spotlight shines bright on Josh Allen and especially Joe Brady.

1. Los Angeles Rams: They play in arguably the toughest division in football, where they have to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks twice and the perennial contender San Francisco 49ers. (Pause one moment to acknowledge the Cardinals’ existence.) However, as outlined above, barring the injury bug feasting on the roster, it’s hard to spot a single weakness on this team.

Not Ranked — New England Patriots: The defending AFC champs should be one of the top teams again this year. After cruising through a soft slate in 2025, the Patriots have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. It’ll be interesting to see how this team fares against elevated competition and in a year that it won’t be sneaking up on anyone.

Bottom Five

The five teams with the best chance to land the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

5. Tennessee Titans: An overhauled coaching staff, along with additions like Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, should help Cam Ward in a manageable division, but this season feels more like a stepping stone year than one in which the Titans truly compete for a playoff spot.

4. New York Jets: Geno Smith gives the Jets a quarterback who is at least competent, which is an upgrade from last season. The Jets are clearly playing for beyond 2026, but if they continue to play at laughingstock levels like they did in 2025, Aaron Glenn’s seat could heat up quickly.

3. Arizona Cardinals: The NFL’s scheduling method is designed for teams that struggle one year to be set up for a rebound the next. The Cardinals finished tied for the worst record in 2025 yet have one of the toughest schedules in the league this year. Such is life in the NFC West.

2. Miami Dolphins: The Tua Tagovailoa contract was bad, and it will continue to be an anchor on the franchise, but that was the doing of the previous administration. The new regime deserves credit for having awareness, making the tough financial decision to part ways with Tagovailoa and committing to the rebuild, even if it meant trading a talent like Waddle.

1. Cleveland Browns: The offense has been bad for decades, and there’s no reason to believe this year will be any different. The difference is that this year’s team is without Garrett and ushering in a new defensive coordinator. There are a handful of bad teams in the NFL, but no team has the combination of ineptitude and lack of direction like the Browns.

Not Ranked — Las Vegas Raiders: Last year’s winner of the race to the top of the draft should be in better shape just by virtue of not being stuck in delusion. Last year, Las Vegas brought in a win-now head coach and a mid-tier veteran quarterback to a roster that was nowhere near ready to compete. This offseason, the Raiders invested in the offensive line and are playing it slow with Fernando Mendoza.