By Ross Jackson
The dream of any team finishing at the bottom of their division one year is to flip the script and top the group the next. The New Orleans Saints are among the most likely to do exactly that in 2026. Of the eight last-place finishing teams, the Saints deserve to be considered among the best-positioned.
New Orleans appears to have a favorable schedule going into the season, the team competes in a division that was won with a losing record last year and are on the right track at head coach, quarterback and defense.
When compared to the other last-place teams, the Saints are one that displays the most promise as the offseason begins.
Last Place Teams
- NFC North: Detroit Lions
- NFC South: New Orleans Saints
- NFC East: New York Giants
- NFC West: Arizona Cardinals
- AFC North: Cleveland Browns
- AFC South: Tennessee Titans
- AFC East: New York Jets
- AFC West: Las Vegas Raiders
The Lions, Saints, Giants and Titans are all in the best position to leap, but the Saints and Titans are in the most winnable conferences of the group.
New Orleans has a lot of momentum behind them with a successful first year by head coach Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. The team also got stellar play out of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough over his nine starts, finishing as the runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Adding more weapons to the offense and shoring JJ the offensive line will help the Saints get the most out of their young talent quickly. Improving in multiple areas of the special teams side of things would go a long way as well.
Another team, the Raiders, are also in the running here, with the first overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and an explosive new playcaller at head coach. However, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos in the same division, the Raiders’ chances are slim for a one-year flip.
The Chicago Bears and New England Patriots were two teams that made the steep improvement climb from the 2024 season’s division basement to champions of their group. In 2026, the Saints will look to follow suit.
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