A handful of NFL offenses are heading into the 2026-2027 season looking a lot different than they did when last year wrapped. Not all of them are going to rank among the league’s elite by the end of it, but five units have clearly upgraded their talent and their structure in a big way.
New England might have made the loudest leap. Drake Maye finally has a true No. 1 receiver after the Patriots traded for A.J.
Brown, and they didn’t stop there. The team also moved to shore up the line by signing Alijah Vera-Tucker and using a first-round pick on tackle Caleb Lomu.
For an MVP-caliber young quarterback, adding Brown and better protection is about as strong a support system as you can build.
Denver had a clear problem, and it went straight to the heart of the passing game: Courtland Sutton needed help. The Broncos answered by trading for Jaylen Waddle, who posted 2.34 yards per route run last season, good for 11th in the NFL. His speed and ability to win on crossing routes look like a clean fit with Bo Nix.
Las Vegas has also changed the picture around its offense in a major way. Kirk Cousins gives Klint Kubiak a veteran bridge while No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza develops, and the Raiders added three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum to help anchor things up front for Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. Compared with what Jeanty had to work with as a rookie, the infrastructure is dramatically better.
The Giants have reshaped their offense around Jaxson Dart with a more physical approach and a new set of voices in John Harbaugh and Matt Nagy. Isaiah Likely brings another movable target, first-round tackle Francis Mauigoa and fullback Patrick Ricard give the run game more muscle, and Malik Nabers is still working toward his return.
New Orleans rounds out the group, and there’s plenty to like there too. Tyler Shough completed 67.6 percent of his passes after taking over last season, and the Saints have surrounded him with more help by adding first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson, veteran tight end Noah Fant and rookie Oscar Delp around Chris Olave.
They also brought in Travis Etienne, giving them a veteran running back coming off a strong season. Tyson’s injury is a backbreaker for the Saints, still, when he returns, he will make a big difference.
Arrow wayyyyyy up.
In Other News...
Patriots Trade Buzz Around Kayshon Boutte Just Got More Interesting
The Patriots position on Kayshon Boutte has been hard to read, which is why the trade chatter around the young receiver has not gone away. New England has been sending mixed signals about his future, leaving enough uncertainty for rival teams to keep watching and for the rumor mill to keep moving even without anything official on the table.
New Orleans has emerged as a team to watch in that mix, especially after its receiving depth took a hit with rookie Jordyn Tyson sidelined by a hamstring injury. Whether the Saints actually push for Boutte is still unclear, but the connection makes sense on paper and adds another layer to a situation that remains very much in the speculative stage. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Finally Get To Celebrate A Franchise Icon Again
Rob Gronkowski is headed back to Foxborough for a moment Patriots fans have been waiting for, as the former tight end will be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in a public ceremony on Nov. 7 at Patriot Place Plaza. Selected as the 38th inductee, Gronkowski will receive the red jacket in his first year of eligibility after winning the fan vote, a fitting next step for one of the most recognizable players of the franchises modern era.
Over nine seasons in New England, Gronkowski built a rsum that put him among the teams defining stars, piling up 521 catches, 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns while helping the Patriots win three Super Bowls. The Hall call adds another layer to a legacy already tied to some of the teams biggest moments, and for a fan base that watched him dominate for nearly a decade, the ceremony offers a chance to celebrate it all again in person. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Real Center Battle To Watch
Ben Browns injury in the first quarter of the Patriots preseason opener turned a routine August snap count into a much more interesting look at the center depth chart. With Brown out, undrafted rookie Jacob Rizy was forced into his NFL debut and wound up playing 55 straight snaps, a heavy load for a player who entered camp buried on the depth chart but suddenly found himself right in the middle of the action.
Head coach Mike Vrabel came away impressed with how Rizy handled the moment, which gives the Patriots something worth monitoring as the preseason rolls on. Browns absence opens the door for more work in the coming games, and with the center spot now looking far less settled than it did a week ago, Rizy has a real chance to keep turning an emergency appearance into a legitimate audition. [Read more 🡒]