What happened: ESPN rolled out 10 early predictions for the 2026 NFL season, covering division winners and potential trades before a single snap of the upcoming year has been played. It is the annual ritual of turning an open offseason into confident forecasts. The problem is that the 2026 season has not started, so every call rests on projection rather than results.

Why it matters: Injuries, scheme changes, and a rookie class nobody has seen in real games routinely blow up the tidiest offseason narratives. The teams anointed in July are frequently not the ones standing in January, which is exactly why these lists are fun to argue with rather than bank on. Enjoy the debate, but hold the certainty until the games are actually played.