Five NFL teams named as Super Bowl LXI contenders for 2026 season

8 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Apr 28

The analyst highlights the Bengals, Cowboys, Vikings, Commanders, and Giants as sleeper teams after missing the 2025 playoffs and making major offseason acquisitions, including Kyler Murray to Minnesota and Caleb Downs to Dallas.
These teams addressed key weaknesses through free agency and the NFL Draft, notably overhauling defenses and adding young talent, positioning themselves for a potential playoff resurgence and Super Bowl run.
The report draws parallels to the Patriots' 2025 turnaround, suggesting these franchises could follow a similar path and disrupt the established NFL hierarchy in the 2026 season.

Can the Giants' new leadership under John Harbaugh and a youthful core truly spark a Patriots-like turnaround in 2026?

Are these 'sleeper' teams truly closing the gap with top contenders, or are their moves just high-risk gambles with little payoff?

Which of these teams' offseason strategies will prove most effective in overcoming last year's failures and making a deep playoff run?

Will the Bengals' expensive defensive overhaul finally fix their long-standing issues, or will their linebacker gamble backfire again?

After the Vikings' bold move for Kyler Murray, can he stay healthy enough to lead Minnesota back to the playoffs?

With Jayden Daniels returning from multiple injuries, is Washington's bet on his health enough to overcome their defensive woes?