While performance on the field will really determine which teams make the best moves in the 2026 NFL Draft, it’s always worth checking out how much some rosters improved over this past weekend. This practice favors teams with premium draft capital, but it also highlights how different some of these clubs could look this fall.
Let’s take a look at the list of NFL teams that we believe have improved the most through the draft.
New York Jets
The New York Jets looked to be one of the worst teams seen in the last decade during the second half of the 2025 NFL season. Not surprisingly, when you eliminate most of your roster, there’s a lot of room for improvement. We think New York did a great job in the NFL Draft.
In the first two rounds, there’s a great case that New York came away with four starters. David Bailey could be an exciting No. 2 edge rusher for Aaron Glenn in 2026, D’Angelo Ponds found the right team to use, and the Jets strengthened their passing game with the selection of playmakers Kenyon Saadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. There will also be more depth on the defensive interior with Darrell Jackson Jr., and we’re eager to see how Glenn utilizes his size (6-foot-3) and speed (4.4). 40-yard dash) in a rotational role for safety VJ Payne.
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dallas cowboys
It is a popular opinion to say that the Dallas Cowboys came out of the 2026 NFL Draft with one of the best performances. Our assessment is that this rookie class, especially the top three picks, will prove vital in a remarkable one-year turnaround for this Cowboys defense. That step forward could also be the difference in potentially winning the NFC East.
Although we don’t expect Caleb Downs to perform like an All-Pro as a rookie, a Pro Bowl selection is on the table because of Christian Parker’s system. This is great, as it took Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean until their second season under Parker in Philadelphia to do this, but a significant improvement defensively for Dallas makes it possible.
We also like what the Cowboys did at edge rusher by taking Malachi Lawrence (23rd overall pick), Jayshawn Barham (92nd overall pick) and LT Overton (137th overall pick). Suddenly, pass-rushing depth is no longer an issue for this team, and they have already upgraded the backbone of their defense. We’ll also mention the fact that Dallas acquired linebacker Dee Winters, who, if healthy, will be an upgrade from Kenneth Murray Jr. Jerry Jones and company made improving the defense their top priority, and we believe they succeeded.
tampa bay buccaneers
Sometimes it’s good to have luck on your side in the 2026 NFL Draft. For whatever reason, frontrunner Ruben Benn Jr. dropped to 15th overall. We feel pretty confident in saying that if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had picked this high, they would have been taken in the top eight. He’s an immediate starter, solidifying a position that has plagued this Buccaneers defense for years. What makes the selection even better is that Ben will be in a good position to produce quickly as he is joining a defensive line that includes Vita Vea and Caliza Cansi. Tampa Bay’s defensive line may eventually become a problem for other teams again rather than the team’s problem.
Fittingly, in a draft where the Buccaneers had addressed a position of weakness for several years, linebacker Josiah Trotter was the 46th pick overall. He was built for Tampa Bay’s defense, due to his excellent ability to attack everything in front of him. Dropping back into coverage is certainly an issue, but it’s clearly something the Buccaneers’ coaching staff is accustomed to dealing with at linebacker. Elsewhere on defense, Keyontae Scott (116th pick overall) could be a good nickel corner for the Buccaneers this season, and DeMonte Capehart provides some depth if Kansas goes down again.
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kansas city chiefs
Not only were the Kansas City Chiefs coming off their worst season since 2012, but they also moved on from corners Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason. Moving on from the All-Pro cornerback isn’t always an easy call, but this could lead to an improvement on the Kansas City defense we saw last year.
As good as McDuffie was, he had his limitations, and Mansur Delaney plans to be a better boundary corner who matches up well against bigger wide receivers. The Chiefs finally found their future at defensive tackle and landed Peter Woods with the 29th pick overall. We know Woods was extremely talented at Clemson, but he will get far better coaching in the NFL than he did at Clemson. Although his maximum range may not be reached for a few years, he could make a real positive impact on the interior in 2026.
Additionally, Kansas City added some pass-rushing depth on the edge with R Mason Thomas (40th pick overall). The history of the Chiefs coaching staff gives us all the confidence in the world that Jadon Canady (109th overall pick) can develop into a quality rotational cornerback. Credit Kansas City for improving defensively; It was needed.
cleveland browns
As much criticism as the Cleveland Browns organization receives from the public, general manager Andrew Berry knows how to identify talent. In our view, Cleveland was the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and we look forward to seeing both sides of the ball next season.
The focus, naturally, is on an offense that features a new left tackle (Spencer Fano) along with two wide receivers (Casey Concepcion and Denzel Boston) whose skills complement each other perfectly. While there is no true ‘alpha’ receiver on this Browns offense right now, it doesn’t seem to be as necessary at the moment as there is now a good group of playmakers to pair with tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
Cleveland got a deal to land safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, the 58th overall pick, who will make a name for himself as a rookie. Berry also learned what can happen when you don’t have depth on the offensive line, adding swing tackle Austin Barber and center Parker Brailsford. While we can’t be confident that Shedure Sanders is the long-term answer in Cleveland, the right infrastructure is in place to evaluate him now.
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