Analysts Flag 5 Bold 2026 NFL Predictions as Jaguars, Giants Gain Steam

4 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · May 27

Five offseason predictions released during OTAs cast Jacksonville as a rising AFC power, New York as an NFC East threat and New England as a likely playoff miss after its 2025 Super Bowl run.
Jacksonville's case rests on a 9-1 finish after its bye, an AFC-best 32.8 points per game over a 10-game stretch and Trevor Lawrence's 15-to-1 TD-INT mark in his final six games.
Indianapolis drew the sharpest quarterback warning: Daniel Jones' 2-year, $88 million deal may not stop Anthony Richardson or Riley Leonard from getting starts after Jones posted an 84.2 rating before his Achilles tear.
Arizona was also tagged for a possible roster shake-up, with Jacoby Brissett's contract standoff seen as expendable because cutting him would save $5.9 million and open more snaps for rookie Carson Beck.
The predictions underscore how fluid the 2026 landscape looks in late May, with OTAs and upcoming minicamps still shaping expectations across divisions already viewed as vulnerable to turnover.

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