Five Major NFL Storylines For The 2025-2026 Season

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 26: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs scrambles out of the pocket during the first half of the AFC Championship football game against the Buffalo Bills, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

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The NFL season is officially here and with it comes a variety of storylines centered around league players and teams for the 20255-2026 season.

For some teams, its super bowl or bust as they embark on making their first appearance of the 2020’a. Then there are the franchises just desiring a chance to play postseason football again after a few seasons of being outside the playoff picture.

Player wise, there’s talented incoming rookies looking to make a name for themselves on offense, defense or both sides of the ball. Other entrenched talents will try to go aim for individual hardware for the first, second or third time in the last six seasons.

Below are five key NFL storylines ahead of the upcoming season.

1. How Committed Will the Jacksonville Jaguars Be to Playing WR/CB Travis Hunter Both Ways?

It’s been an ongoing offseason discussion about the allocation of snaps for reigning Heisman Trophy Winner Travis Hunter during his first NFL season. Jaguars head coach Liam Cohen has voiced that he’s still trying to figure out the exact usage for his young star ahead of their Week 1 matchup versus the Carolina Panthers.

For now, Hunter is listed as the team’s starting wide receiver where he’ll be playing opposite 2024 first-round phenom Brian Thomas Jr. Due to Thomas’ production a season ago, Hunter could expect to draw favorable coverage from opposing defenses early in his NFL career.

Hunter is also listed on the team’s depth chart as Jacksonville’s backup cornerback, and there’s a good chance he gets legit run in the secondary this season. Last year, a cornerback rotation of Tyson Campbell, Ronald Darby, Jamon Jones and Montaric Brown each played at least 410 coverage snaps. None registered a higher PFF coverage grade of 63.8 with Darby and Jones surrendering a combined nine passing touchdowns.

Considering in college that Hunter led the Colorado Buffaloes in catches (92), receiving yards (1,1152), pass breakups (7) and interceptions (4), he’s shown an ability to impact his team on both sides of the ball. A gradual roll-out of two-way play will commence but expect Hunter to be a mainstay on both sides of the ball sooner than later.

2. Can The Cincinnati Bengals Return To The Postseason With A High-Powered Offense And A Below-Average Defense?

The Bengals return the nucleus of its offense that ranked sixth in total yardage and tops in total passing yards and passing touchdowns. The head of the snake is quarterback Joe Burrow who returned from an injury-riddled 2023 season with elite level play through the air.

Unfortunately for the Bengals, the team’s defense projects to be just as bad if not worse than a season ago. In 2024, Cincinnati ranked 25th in yards allowed, surrendered the fourth-most touchdown passes in the league while allowing the third-most first downs as well.

Part of the team’s issue was its pass rush outside of Trey Hendrickson. The long-time Bengal nearly collected more sacks (17.5) than the rest of his teammates (18.5) in 2024 and will be depending on rookie Shemar Stewart to add assistance rushing the quarterback on the opposite side.

The best way for the Bengals to win games this year may largely depend on the efficiency of its ground game. Chase Brown was a revelation a season ago after finishing just 10 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season on only 220 carries.

However, as a team rushing attack, the Bengals ranked just 30th in rush attempts and 30th in rushing yards. Both numbers will need to likely become league average in order for the team to secure a postseason bid.

3. How Will The Dallas Cowboys Bounce Back From Last Season’s Sub.-500 Campaign?

Due to a season-ending injury from Dak Prescott and regression from the team defense, the Dallas Cowboys registered its first losing season since 2020 last year at 7-10. Gone are head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive anchor Micah Parsons which now brings questions on how Dallas will emerge back to postseason contention.

The answer may just be with the arm of Dak Prescott who will be returning to a substantial wide receiver two upgrade in former Pittsburgh Steelers’ weapon George Pickens. The two have developed a solid connection through camp and seem primed to deliver alongside All-Pro wideout Cedee Lamb.

While the Cowboys will be returning a front seven that’s without Parsons (recently traded to Green Bay) and Demarcus Lawrence (left in free agency), the expectation is that the team’s secondary can hopefully return back to what it once was. Former All-Pro players Daron Bland and Trevon Diggs will open week one on the field together which wasn’t the case a season ago.

Inevitably, an explosive aerial offense and an opportunistic turnover-happy defense are the most ideal ways Dallas can return to the playoffs after a year-long layoff. Much of this will be dependent on how head coach Brian Schottenheimer shapes the offense and former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus carves out the team’s defensive identity.

4. Can the 49ers Take Advantage Of A Soft Regular Season Schedule

Last year was a forgettable nightmare for the San Francisco 49ers defined by the Achilles arthritis injury that held Christian McCaffery out for 13 games. Most of the running back room suffered injuries alongside McCaffery throughout the season, and the wide receiving room was equally hampered thanks to the loss of Brandon Aiyuk to an ACL tear at the midway point of 2024.

For this upcoming season, the team will have a healthy McCaffery, projected reinforcements in Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall at receiver and a newly signed Brock Purdy who could potentially add to his career-year individual campaign from a season ago.

On its actual schedule, San Francisco will play eleven non-playoff teams from a year ago with arguably the hardest matchups coming within its division the NFC West. Anything less than a 12-win season would arguably be a disappointment especially with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh back with the team as defensive coordinator.

5. Who Will Represent The AFC and NFC in the Super Bowl?

For the last three seasons, no teams other than the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers have partaken in the super bowl. The Chiefs are aiming to be the first team since the 90’s Buffalo Bills to make it back to the big game four times while other AFC opponents such as the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills just want an opportunity to compete in it for the first time this decade.

The perceived favorite of the AFC is the Baltimore Ravens who boast betting odds of around +35o. The team returns arguably the best rushing tandem in football with quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry as well as a young defense that features All-Pros at every level.

Buffalo has the second-best AFC odds, but its success will heavily hinge on Josh Allen building off of his MVP season. The defense enters the regular season with injuries to its secondary and optimistic reclamation projects on the defensive front.

In the NFC, Philadelphia is deemed the heavy favorite followed by the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers. The Lions and Niners have balanced offenses but feature defenses that heavily lean on their pass-rush to be successful.

Conversations about who wins each conference likely won’t be answered until the playoffs, but for now it’s everyone’s guess considering last year’s super bowl participants have their own flaws entering the new year.