After breaking down the other three NFC divisions, including the East, West, and North, it’s time to head south.
The NFC South has been labeled the weakest division in the conference, and based on recent results, that reputation is understandable. Still, several teams made smart, well-timed moves this offseason, with three of the four clubs looking noticeably deeper and more competitive on paper.
This division is always a bit of a crapshoot, but let’s take a look at each NFC South team, who helped themselves, and who may have fallen behind.
Carolina Panthers
Key Additions:
EDGE: Jaelen Phillips (Free Agency)
LB: Devin Lloyd (Free Agency)
OT: Rasheed Walker (Free Agency)
OT: Stone Forsythe (Free Agency)
OT: Monroe Freeling (Round 1)
NT: Lee Hunter (Round 2)
WR: Chris Brazzell II (Round 3)
Key Departures:
RB: Rico Dowdle (Steelers)
C: Cade Mays (Lions)
DT: A’Shawn Robinson (Buccaneers)
LB: Christian Rozeboom (Buccaneers)
QB: Andy Dalton (Trade)
C: Austin Corbett (Bills)
The Panthers are coming off a 2025 campaign that felt like a success, even if the record does not fully reflect it. Fighting back in the second half to overtake the Buccaneers for the division title marked a major step forward for a roster led by an emerging head coach and franchise quarterback.
Entering the offseason, the priority was obvious: find a pass rusher capable of generating consistent pressure. Carolina addressed that by signing Jaelen Phillips. The contract is expensive, paying him $120 million over four years with roughly two-thirds guaranteed, but Phillips is in his prime and should help replace some of the production lost after the Brian Burns trade a few years ago.
Having addressed their biggest weakness, the Panthers now turn their attention to left tackle. Ikem Ekwonu has been consistently plagued with injuries, and his latest setback could keep him sidelined for some significant time.
Carolina responded with something of a spray-and-pray approach, signing both Rasheed Walker and Stone Forsythe to one-year deals while drafting Monroe Freeling in the middle of the first round. Freeling may have been a slight reach, but once Kadyn Proctor came off the board and the tackle run began, the Panthers could not risk trading back or waiting until Day 2.
Second- and third-round picks Hunter and Brazzell both have a realistic path to early snaps as rookies, giving Carolina a pair of developmental pieces who could contribute immediately.
Trading away Andy Dalton is a little risky, though, because there are still questions surrounding Bryce Young from both a health and performance perspective. Carolina will rely on some combination of Kenny Pickett and Will Grier behind him, which is not exactly reassuring depth.
Center also looks like a clear concern after both Cade Mays and Austin Corbett departed in free agency. That competition will likely remain unresolved until training camp.
Grade: B+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Additions:
LB: Alex Anzalone (Free Agency)
RB: Kenneth Gainwell (Free Agency)
DT: A’Shawn Robinson (Free Agency)
LB: Christian Rozeboom (Free Agency)
EDGE: Rueben Bain Jr. (Round 1)
LB: Josiah Trotter (Round 2)
WR: Ted Hurst (Round 3)
Key Departures:
WR: Mike Evans (49ers)
CB: Jamel Dean (Steelers)
DL: Logan Hall (Texans)
RB: Rachaad White (Commanders)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not getting enough attention for what they accomplished this spring and look like one of the most improved teams on paper entering 2026.
It’s easy to look at Mike Evans’ departure and assume Tampa Bay will regress, but it is nowhere near that simple. Evans has started showing signs of wear, and while his presence on the boundary will absolutely be missed, the Buccaneers have some promising talent ready to step into larger roles.
Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin form a nice receiving tandem, but the decision to draft Ted Hurst in the third round could end up having a dramatic impact on this offense. Hurst is a classic vertical threat coming out of a small program and likely would have been selected much earlier had he played at a bigger school. His arrival allows Tampa Bay to continue leaning into three-receiver sets confidently, spreading the field and letting Baker Mayfield operate aggressively.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers spent much of their offseason capital rebuilding the defense, and several of the moves fit a team trying to compete now. Alex Anzalone and A’Shawn Robinson are plug-and-play veterans who instantly improve the front seven, helping against the run while adding reliable tackling and coverage ability underneath.
Then there is the Bain selection.
Bain slipped further than almost anyone expected after being projected as a top-five pick throughout much of the draft process. Some pointed to his arm length, while others referenced late concerns surrounding a car accident from his college days. Whatever the reason, Tampa Bay landed a blue-chip pass rusher in the middle of the first round and should expect him to contribute from Day 1.
The Buccaneers still need meaningful defensive improvement to become a serious contender, and there are lingering questions about whether Todd Bowles can get that unit there. That said, the front office did just about everything possible to upgrade the roster and position this team for another playoff run in 2026.
Grade: A
Atlanta Falcons
Key Additions:
K: Nick Folk (Free Agency)
P: Jake Bailey (Free Agency)
OT: Jawaan Taylor (Free Agency)
WR: Jahan Dotson (Free Agency)
CB: Aveion Terrell (Round 2)
WR: Zachariah Branch (Round 3)
Key Departures:
LB: Kaden Elliss (Saints)
QB: Kirk Cousins (Raiders)
RB: Tyler Allgeier (Cardinals)
CB: Dee Alford (Bills)
G: Elijah Wilkinson (Cardinals)
The Falcons came away with a respectable draft considering the limited resources they had available. Pairing rookie corner Aveion Terrell with his brother, star defensive back AJ Terrell, feels like a storybook move that also conveniently fills a major need. Aveion will battle Mike Hughes for the starting spot opposite AJ, and he has a very real opportunity to win that job quickly.
The same goes for Zachariah Branch, who could push past free-agent addition Olamide Zaccheaus for snaps in the slot. The Georgia product landed in Atlanta during the third round and, much like Terrell, probably carried a higher ceiling than where he was ultimately selected.
Beyond the draft, however, the offseason becomes far less encouraging.
Kaden Elliss was arguably Atlanta’s third-most important player in 2025 behind Bijan Robinson and Drake London. Losing him to a division rival leaves a sizeable hole, and there is no obvious in-house option ready to replace that level of production.
Outside of the revamped special teams pairing of Nick Folk and Jake Bailey, Atlanta’s most notable veteran additions were Jahan Dotson and Jawaan Taylor, neither of whom dramatically changes the outlook of the roster. Combined with the absence of a first-round pick after last year’s trade, the Falcons simply do not offer a great deal of upside entering 2026.
If James Pearce Jr. gets his off-field concerns behind him, that equation could shift somewhat. Betting on that outcome, though, is never especially comfortable.
Grade: C-
New Orleans Saints
Key Additions:
RB: Travis Etienne (Free Agency)
WR: Jordyn Tyson (Round 1)
G: David Andrews (Free Agency)
LB: Kaden Elliss (Free Agency)
TE: Noah Fant (Free Agency)
DT: Christen Miller (Round 2)
P: Ryan Wright (Free Agency)
Key Departures:
CB: Alontae Taylor (Titans)
LB: Demario Davis (Jets)
TE: Foster Moreau (Texans)
C: Luke Fortner (Panthers)
TE: Taysom Hill (Current Free Agent)
DL: Cameron Jordan (Current Free Agent *contract offer pending*)
After years of watching the New Orleans Saints endlessly push salary cap problems into the future, it’s honestly been surprising to see them this active in free agency.
The Saints took several aggressive swings, signing former Jaguar Travis Etienne and former Falcon Kaden Elliss to sizeable multi-year contracts. Etienne should help lighten Alvin Kamara’s workload and could breathe new life into the offense by giving New Orleans a far more balanced backfield. Elliss will slide into the linebacker spot previously occupied by Demario Davis and brings much-needed range and athleticism to the middle of the defense.
David Andrews may end up being one of their more underrated additions. His stability at center should help create cleaner rushing lanes for Kamara and Etienne while also giving Tyler Shough better protection up front. Add rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson into the mix, and there is legitimate potential for Kellen Moore to build a dangerous offense quickly.
The biggest storylines still surrounding the Saints, however, involve longtime fan favorites Cameron Jordan and Taysom Hill.
Reports indicate New Orleans recently presented Jordan with an offer to return, leaving the decision largely in the veteran pass rusher’s hands. Hill’s future appears much murkier. At the moment, there does not seem to be an active contract offer on the table, and the additions of Noah Fant and Oscar Delp only add more fuel to the idea that his time in New Orleans could be nearing an end.
If that proves true, the former college quarterback turned Swiss Army knife offensive weapon will certainly be missed across the Bayou.
Grade: B+
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