- The Chiefs‘ secondary has lots to replace: With no more Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook, Andy Reid will need players like Mansoor Delane to step up.
- Can the Bears‘ offensive line play similarly?: Chicago lost center Drew Dalman to retirement and got a clean bill of health on four of five starters in 2025.
With the NFL preseason entering its second week, the regular season is fast approaching. A fresh start is naturally accompanied by enormous positivity; after all, almost anything can happen when the pads come on for real in September.
However, some of that optimism has already been dashed by a wave of injuries, a number of which look very difficult to overcome. On top of that, certain coaching staffs are presumably finding out in real time that their individual position groups may not be up to par relative to where they thought.
Every season, certain units fall as others rise — whether due to absences, a new coaching staff or simply worse play from returning participants. These five contingents are ones to circle for some possible regression in 2026.
Miami Dolphins receiving corps
First-time head coach Jeff Hafley joins a Miami team staring down a rather bleak outlook for the 2026 campaign after gutting its roster. Arguably the biggest impact of that will be felt in the pass-catching room.
Last year, the Dolphins placed 10th in team PFF receiving grade. The star of the show was Jaylen Waddle, whose 85.2 receiving mark ranked eighth among receivers with at least 90 targets. Yet others also produced next to Waddle, with Darren Waller, Tyreek Hill and Greg Dulcich all reaching at least an 80.0 such grade.
New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan completed an overhaul this offseason by trading Waddle to the Broncos, cutting Hill and letting Waller walk. Now, Miami enters the 2026 season with one of the worst receiving corps on paper, starting players such as Malik Washington, Tutu Atwell and third-round rookie Caleb Douglas. It’s safe to say that Dolphins pass-catchers likely won’t get anywhere close to matching their efficacy from last year.
Carolina Panthers offensive line
Carolina has quietly built an above-average offensive line in recent seasons, but injuries and exits have already taken a toll — and are casting real doubt about how strong the unit will be in 2026.
In 2025, the Panthers’ starting five placed eighth in overall PFF grade, finishing at least that high for the second straight year. The team received no worse than a 70.9 overall PFF grade across at least 950 blocking snaps from each of Taylor Moton, Ikem Ekwonu and Damien Lewis. Likewise, role players Austin Corbett (66.0) and Brady Christensen (72.5) were very capable fill-ins.
However, Ekwonu is expected to miss the majority of the season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in the playoffs, while Moton will be sidelined into the starting slate due to blood clots in his lung. Also, former starting center Cade Mays headed to Detroit, while Corbett is now in Buffalo.
The Panthers did locate replacements in the form of first-round pick Monroe Freeling, former Packer Rasheed Walker, ex-Saint Luke Fortner and fifth-round selection Sam Hecht. However, the team is likely to usher in three new starters — and it’s especially unknown how each rookie would fare off the bat if they both win first-team roles.
Kansas City Chiefs secondary
After a highly unusual season, the Chiefs have regrouped for a pivotal 2026 campaign. Part of what Andy Reid will have to sort out is how to replace tremendous production in his defensive backfield.
While Kansas City was maligned at numerous spots last season, secondary wasn’t one of them. Indeed, the Chiefs registered the fifth-best overall PFF grade by team for cornerbacks and safeties — including sitting in the top eight for both coverage and run defense. Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson each ranked in the top 11 for overall PFF grade by cornerbacks, while Bryan Cook’s 83.3 mark was the fourth-highest for qualifiers at safety.
The dilemma is that all three are now gone. General manager Brett Veach was able to find new options like sixth overall pick Mansoor Delane and free-agent safety Alohi Gilman, but that’s a ton of well-rounded talent to lose in one fell swoop.
Delane and second-year cornerback Nohl Williams (75.6 PFF coverage grade) boast tremendous potential, and the Chiefs can also call upon players like Chamarri Conner, Jaden Hicks and Jadon Canady. Nonetheless, a drop-off should inevitably be expected for this group this season, even if Steve Spagnuolo can work some magic.
MinnesotaVikings defensive line
The Vikings’ defense has been a hallmark under Brian Flores, earning two straight top-seven finishes in EPA per play. Doubting the defensive mastermind Flores carries risk, but his defensive line is also reshuffled entering this season.
Although the Vikings’ big-ticket free-agent signings didn’t pan out, the team’s defensive line still ranked 10th in overall PFF grade. That included sitting 13th in PFF pass-rush grade and 11th in PFF run-defense mark. Six separate Minnesota defensive linemen generated at least 25 pressures, and five of those secured no worse than a 65.5 overall PFF grade.
The biggest loss confronting this unit is edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, whose 131 pressures since 2024 are the 13th-most at the position. The Vikings do bring back Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel, but they’ll have their work cut out for them to individually step up — and there’s minimal depth behind them. The interior of Minnesota’s defensive line is even greener, with rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange poised for significant roles next to Jalen Redmond.
A coach like Flores has the acumen to mask a weaker defensive line, especially given his blitz-heavy scheme. But how well the Vikings’ front four can rush the passer and stop the run looms as a defining element of their season.
Chicago Bears offensive line
Like Flores, Ben Johnson has established himself as one of the foremost minds in football — reflected, in part, by his offensive turnaround with Chicago in only Year 1. However, the guru will have to confront multiple new pieces along his starting offensive line.
The Bears’ offensive line was one of the anchors of the team’s success, securing the sixth-best team overall PFF grade at the position. Much of that was rooted in continuity, as four of five starters played at least 1,227 snaps. Newcomers Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson combined to produce the fourth-best interior grade, while All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright sat above a 74.6 in both pass- and run-blocking.
Dalman’s sudden retirement this offseason left the Bears to trade for former Patriots starter Garrett Bradbury, who has finished below a 63.0 grade in six of his seven career seasons. On top of that, uncertainty mounts at left tackle in the wake of Ozzy Trapilo’s ruptured patella tendon, although he was recently cleared. Further, Jackson has failed to reach 900 snaps in three of the past four seasons, prompting some concern about his availability despite the fact he remained healthy in 2025.
Chicago retains two certified cornerstones in Wright and Thuney, with Jackson also impressive if he can stay on the field. Yet the performance of Bradbury (or rookie Logan Jones) on the inside, coupled with what happens at left tackle, pose questions about whether or not this offensive line will turn in an encore.