Similar to the 2025 Patriots, which teams could come out of nowhere to contend this NFL season?

The NFL always has new playoff teams, with a streak of 36 consecutive seasons with at least four new teams reaching the postseason. But an even more pronounced trend has emerged in recent years ― the team that comes from nowhere with a young quarterback.

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The 2025 Patriots improved from 4-13 to 14-3 and went all the way to the Super Bowl with second-year man Drake Maye. The 2024 Commanders went from 4-13 to 12-5 and the NFC Championship game with rookie Jayden Daniels. The 2023 Texans improved by seven wins with rookie C.J. Stroud. And the 2021 Bengals improved by 5.5 wins and reached the Super Bowl with second-year star Joe Burrow.

As NFL training camps kick off this weekend, these are the teams that have the best chance to come from nowhere and make a significant jump in 2026. Note: I don’t include teams with established QBs, like the Chiefs, Ravens, Bengals, and Commanders:

1. Saints (6-11 last year): They finished the season on a 4-1 streak and look ready to take a jump in 2026. They have a terrific coach in Kellen Moore, who helped Jalen Hurts win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia (as offensive coordinator) and have a career year. The Saints have an intriguing second-year quarterback in Tyler Shough, last year’s runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and solid weapons in wide receiver Chris Olave, tight end Juwan Johnson,and first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson.

The Saints also have an easy travel schedule, with no games west of the Mississippi and only one long road trip (to Paris to play the Steelers in Week 7). They also have 13 games that are currently set to kickoff at 1 p.m., only two potential cold-weather games (Chicago and Cincinnati in November), and play in an easy NFC South.

2. Titans (3-14):They have a talented quarterback in Cam Ward, last year’s No. 1 pick. And they surrounded him with a far more experienced coaching staff, led by coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who played a big role in Josh Allen’s development in Buffalo.

The Titans got Ward two new starters on the offensive line, new receivers Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, and completely remade the defense. They also have a great schedule for flying under the radar and staying in a weekly rhythm — just one long trip (to Las Vegas in December), and no primetime games, with 14 kickoffs set for 1 p.m. Eastern and two at 4:05 p.m.

3. Browns (5-12):The Browns have the fourth-worst preseason Super Bowl odds, as the betting public apparently doesn’t expect too much out first-year coach Todd Monken and whomever wins the starting QB job, which I expect to be Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders. But the Browns could be sneaky tough in 2026.

Monken is an intriguing offensive playcaller, with success in both the NFL and college. The Browns remade their offensive line with four new starters, drafted two highly-touted receivers, and though they traded Myles Garrett, found a great replacement in Jared Verse. Cleveland also has the NFL’s easiest strength of schedule and the second-fewest travel miles — the same formula that the Patriots rode last year to their 10-win improvement.

4. Falcons (8-9):They don’t quite fit the profile of the other recent come-from-nowhere teams, since I’m expecting seventh-year veteran Tua Tagovailoa to win the Week 1 QB starting job over Michael Penix, who is recovering from a torn ACL. But I think Tagovailoa will play well in Atlanta: He’s got an indoor stadium, warm-weather rivals in the NFC South, a solid playcaller in two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, and some of the best weapons in the NFL in Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts.

The Falcons also have talented young defenders (Jalon Walker, James Pearce) and an accommodating schedule, with no national primetime games after Week 5, plus 14 games in the Eastern time zone and three in the Central.

5. Giants (4-13):They have gotten a lot of hype since hiring John Harbaugh in January, and are probably expected to be ranked first in an exercise like this. I do like the Giants to improve in 2026 and compete for a playoff spot, and they have a potentially dominant defense headlined by Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Arvell Reese … but I don’t think their ceiling is too high.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart plays with a lot of swagger, but is too reckless with his body and needs to improve as a pocket passer. The Giants also won’t have Malik Nabers back to 100 percent for a while as he receivers from a multi-ligament knee injury. And while Harbaugh had a great run in Baltimore, he got fired after underachieving over the last several years.

6. Raiders (3-14):After going just 7-27 and firing two head coaches in the last two seasons, the Raiders are probably headed in the right direction in drafting QB Fernando Mendoza, hiring coach Klint Kubiak from the Seahawks, and spending big on the offensive line. But the Raiders have to take two separate trips to the east coast (one of those, at the Patriots in Week 5) and play in a brutal AFC West, so they are probably a year away from being a contender.

The start of training camp brings a bevy of roster moves, as teams are required to place injured players on various lists.

Here are some terms you need to know:

▪ Injured reserve: If a player goes on it during training camp, it usually means his season is over. Players cannot be designated to return from IR until after the calendar flips from preseason to regular season in early September. But a player on IR still receives his full base salary for the season (or a “split” salary, which many younger players have in their contract).

▪ Waived/injured:A player can be released with an “injured” designation, and if he clears waivers 24 hours later, he reverts to the team’s IR, with five days to negotiate a settlement.

▪ Injury settlement: When a player is placed on IR during training camp, the only way he can return to play this season is if he is released with an injury settlement. The team pays the player for however many weeks the injury is expected to keep him out, and the player becomes a free agent, though he can’t sign with his releasing team for the injury duration plus six weeks.

▪ Physically unable to perform list:For players who start training camp with injuries that happened during NFL activities — those rehabbing a torn ACL from last season, nursing an ankle injury suffered in team workouts, etc. A player can only go on PUP on Day 1 of camp; if he appears in any practices, he is no longer eligible. The player can come off PUP at any point during training camp, but if he remains on the list at the start of the regular season, he is required to miss the first four games.

▪ Non-football injury list:For players who start the season with injuries that occurred away from NFL facilities — those who got hurt while working out on their own, or while on vacation, or while playing college football, etc. It’s similar to PUP in that players can only go on NFI on the first day of camp, and can come off it at any time, but must miss four games if they remain on the list at the start of the regular season. NFI differs though in that teams have the latitude to withhold some or all of a player’s pay, though this only happens if the team is truly upset at the nature of the player’s injury.

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The lasting impressions of each of the four players featured in this summer’s Netflix series “Quarterback”:

▪ Daniels: Saw the least of him throughout the show, likely because he was limited to seven games due to several injuries, and the Commanders season was a 5-12 disaster. Daniels displayed admirable toughness and desire to play, particularly in wanting to return from his elbow injury despite his team’s poor record. The biggest revelation was how close Daniels is to his mother, Regina Jackson, who is his agent and business manager, and was in the show as much as he was.

▪ Ward:His raw talent and arm strength was evident, as was his mind-set to be great. But the 24-year-old seemed to be feeling his way out as a leader as a rookie. He needs to work on his anger management after smashing seven or eight tablets in just the first half of the season. And when the Titans defeated the Browns in December, just their second win all season, he scolded his teammates in the postgame speech for a sloppy fourth quarter and demanded they watch film and get better.

It’s absolutely the right mind-set, but he should have saved the speech for Monday. He needs to allow his teammates to celebrate a rare win given all the hard work they put in all season.

▪ Baker Mayfield: Comes across as eminently likeable, like a neighborhood dad who happens to play quarterback. Mayfield is one of the guys, has a great self-deprecating humor, quotes Seinfeld, clearly has been humbled by his journey, shows great toughness on the field, and is easy to rally behind.

But I also understand why the Buccaneers have been driving a hard bargain in contract negotiations this summer. Mayfield’s style of play led to several injuries last year — a sprained knee, bruised biceps, left AC joint sprain, and others. And he spent his bye weekend drinking beers and riding the subway in New York City during the New York Marathon, not resting and treating his body right. When you’re a franchise quarterback, the little things matter.

▪ Joe Flacco: The star of the series who more than anyone brought the viewer inside the world of a quarterback. Flacco got the most camera time because his story was the most compelling, and he must have allowed more access than others.

His love of the sport and desire to play is admirable given what he sacrifices — living away from his wife and five kids, eating dinners by himself, going team to team, and not knowing how much he will play. This for a player who has made over $100 million in his career and won a Super Bowl.

Flacco’s midseason transition from the Browns to the Bengals and crash course in his new playbook was the most compelling content of the series, and his experience in Cincinnati was so positive they immediately signed him for 2026 as Joe Burrow’s backup.

The Patriots have a plausible reason for not honoring Adam Vinatieri this year — the fans didn’t vote for him.

While Vinatieri will be just the third kicker inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month, largely for helping the Patriots win three Super Bowls by making several of the greatest clutch kicks in NFL history, the fans voted for Rob Gronkowski as this year’s honoree for the Patriots Hall of Fame. It has always been done by fan voting, and those are the rules.

But something sure seems off between Vinatieri and the Patriots. The Colts will be honoring him in their Ring of Honor this year, and last week Vinatieri asked Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon to be his presenter at his Hall of Fame speech.

“Thank you so much for everything that you and your family have done for me,” Vinatieri told Irsay-Gordon in a video posted by the Colts. “It’s been such a wonderful ride. I can’t even express how much you guys have all meant to me. I would be super, super honored if you would present me.”

Vinatieri did kick for more seasons in Indianapolis (14 to 10) and did win a Super Bowl, and his New England tenure ended with a contract dispute. But given how much he meant to the Patriots’ dynasty, shouldn’t it be them honoring Vinatieri this year, and the Krafts presenting him in Canton?

Instead, it’s unambiguous that Vinatieri seems more at home with the Colts.

The Chiefs revealed the first renderings of the new stadium they are building in Kansas for 2031, and it looks a lot like … Arrowhead Stadium. Which is the point — the Chiefs want to keep the same look and feel of their home since 1972, yet updated with all of the amenities and luxury suites and a translucent roof.

“It honors the rich legacy of this franchise while setting a bold course for the future of Chiefs Kingdom,” owner Clark Hunt said. “While we’re still finalizing many of the details, there are a few things we know for sure: It will hold 70,000 fans; it will still be the best place in the world to tailgate; and the whole building will be built for noise.”

Of course, a roof that blocks out snow and inclement weather isn’t in line with Arrowhead traditions. But it would put Kansas City in line for events like the Final Four and maybe even a Super Bowl.

Only five teams are going away to training camp this summer, and the Giants are only at The Greenbrier in West Virginia because FIFA operations forced them out of their facility. The Bills, Chiefs, and Giants still go away to colleges, and the Cowboys live in a Marriott in Oxnard, Calif. … Interesting to see a ESPN/NFL Network report that Jimmy Garoppolo still wants to play, because the Cardinals wanted him as their starter, and he said no because the money wasn’t good enough to take a beating. Sean McVay wanted him back in Los Angeles, but the Rams drafted Ty Simpson, so now Garoppolo doesn’t have an obvious landing spot … The Panthers sure are banged up to start the season. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu will miss some regular season time as he recovers from a torn patellar tendon suffered in the playoffs. Right tackle Taylor Moton will also be out for several months due to recently discovered blood clots in his lung. Cornerback Jaycee Horn (foot) starts the season on the non-football injury list, and linebacker Nic Scourton tore his ACL on the first day of practice … The NFL’s gross national revenue in 2025 — TV money, league sponsorships, revenue from royalties, and so on — amounted to $450 million per team, per Sportico. The average team spending on the roster was $301 million … FIFA’s ludicrous third-place match in the World Cup brought to light that Don Shula should probably have 349 all-time wins, not 347. Per longtime South Florida columnist Dave Hyde, Shula and the Baltimore Colts won the “Playoff Bowl” for third-place teams in 1965 and ’66, yet he is not credited with the wins. That would put Bill Belichick 16 behind Shula for the record, not 14 … Whoever is advising Tom Brady should tell him that between his Netflix roast and this foray into WWE smack talk with Logan Paul, Brady is projecting too much negative energy. It’s not becoming of a man who was so beloved by millions.

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