NFC South training camp 2026 preview: Top storylines for Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

With 2026 training camps just around the corner, it's time to get up to speed on all 32 NFL teams. Nick Shook has the lowdown on the key position battles and top storylines to monitor for the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Catch up on each NFC South team's offseason developments and 2026 outlook below:

• Atlanta Falcons
• Carolina Panthers
• New Orleans Saints
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Three key storylines

1) Stefanski era begins

Despite a strong finish to the 2025 season, the Falcons dismissed Raheem Morris in January and replaced him with another recently fired head man in Kevin Stefanski, shifting the organizational focus from a defensive-minded coach to one with extensive experience on the other side of the ball. Amid the coaching change, Stefanski wisely chose to retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, attempting to maintain a sense of continuity for a unit that was the team's strength last year. Now, the responsibility of pushing the Falcons out of the .500 range falls on the shoulders of Stefanski, a coach with a point to prove after being unceremoniously dumped by the Browns. He's had success -- two playoff appearances, a postseason win and two Coach of the Year awards -- but nothing would be sweeter to Stefanski than immediately leading Atlanta to the playoffs in his first season at the helm. He'll need to produce results fairly quickly, too, given the Falcons' expectation of competing after consecutive 8-9 finishes.

2) All eyes on the quarterbacks

Much of Stefanski's first-year success will depend on the quarterback situation. Tua Tagovailoa hopped on board after he was cut by the Dolphins, bringing experience to a room that could use it while also providing the Falcons with a second left-handed quarterback. Tagovailoa might need to handle the starting duties early in the season, too, depending on how quickly Michael Penix Jr. can return from the season-ending knee injury suffered in 2025. That dynamic could create its own intrigue -- or perhaps controversy -- if Tagovailoa excels. The fit makes sense, too: Stefanski's wide-zone rushing attack has traditionally paired with a timing-based passing game, the scheme that best matches Tagovailoa's strengths. With two options under center, an optimist will say the Falcons are in an advantageous position. Others will note two options usually means no answer at quarterback -- that is, unless Penix returns and gets back on track. Atlanta's former top-10 pick still needs to prove he's worth that draft status, and Year 3 is typically the pivotal season. His progress (or lack thereof) will heavily influence the trajectory of this team in 2026.

3) Ulbrich's new-look defense

Atlanta's defense has its work cut out. The 2025 Falcons improved to 15th in yards allowed per game and 19th in scoring D while finishing second in sacks, numbers that suggest there's reason to feel encouraged entering 2026. Plenty of departures have followed, though: leading tackler Kaden Elliss left for New Orleans, veteran Arnold Ebiketie departed for Philadelphia, David Onyemata signed with the Jets and Dee Alford joined the Bills. Leading sack artist and 2025 first-round pick James Pearce Jr. returns, but his status remains uncertain after he was arrested and subsequently entered a pretrial intervention program to resolve three felony charges during the offseason. The NFL has yet to determine Pearce's fate in 2026, but if he misses significant time, the combined absences could be enough to sink the unit. Atlanta responded by adding linebacker Christian Harris and defensive tackle Maason Smith as projected starters and also signed Da'Shawn Hand and Samson Ebukam as key rotational players, preventing Ulbrich from returning to an empty cupboard. Still, the challenge exists. Fortunately, Atlanta's very strong in the secondary, with the safety duo of Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts flanked by stout cover man A.J. Terrell. And in April, the franchise spent a second-round pick on A.J.'s brother, Avieon Terrell, giving the defensive backfield another versatile piece. If nickelback Billy Bowman Jr. can bounce back from an Achilles tear that abruptly ended his promising rookie campaign last November, the Falcons are quite well-equipped to handle opposing aerial attacks. Still, following an offseason with notable roster churn, the defense will need to jell quickly in order for Atlanta to start off on the right foot.

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Three key storylines

1) Crunch time for Young

Three seasons into his NFL career, Bryce Young hasn't quite produced enough hard evidence to prove he's a franchise quarterback. Carolina's leadership will suggest otherwise publicly; in late April, general manager Dan Morgan said, “We really feel like the arrow is up with Bryce.” But that sentiment will change quickly if Young regresses in Year 4. In 2025, he showed signs of blossoming but wasn't consistent. In 2026, he needs to become more reliable on a weekly basis, an outcome that should be more likely after another offseason spent under coach Dave Canales. If this is Young's breakout season, the Panthers will happily start discussing a long-term extension with the former No. 1 overall pick. But even if they don't say it publicly, they still need to be convinced Young is headed in such a direction. Otherwise, the fifth year of his deal could spell the beginning of a transition.

2) Upgrades in key defensive spots

The Panthers' defense received some much-needed offseason love. It's only right that a former linebacker, Morgan, spent much of his team's resources upgrading that side of the ball. After fielding a middling unit in 2025, Carolina should be better in the front seven, thanks to the additions of edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (signed for a four-year, $120 million deal), linebacker Devin Lloyd (three years, $45 million) and defensive tackle Lee Hunter, a second-round pick who has the potential to become an ideal run-stuffing complement to Derrick Brown. It's not a full-scale overhaul because Carolina didn't need one. Rather, it was a measured reinforcement of a unit that will aim to improve, especially in the pass-rushing department. If Young can take a step or two forward and the Panthers can evolve into a stronger, more balanced team, they'll be well-positioned to defend their NFC South crown.

3) Backfield depth

Backfield questions linger in Charlotte, where the Panthers benefited from a one-year deal with Rico Dowdle in 2025, then watched him walk to Pittsburgh in free agency. Their current running back situation is once again headlined by Chuba Hubbard, who has eclipsed 1,000 yards once in five NFL seasons while averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Much of this position group depends on whether 2024 second-rounder Jonathon Brooks, who has played three games in his first two seasons due to two ACL tears, can prove he's healthy enough to contribute. Carolina attempted to build in some insurance by signing veteran AJ Dillon, but his own injury history and minimal usage in Philadelphia in 2025 make for an uncertain outlook. Trevor Etienne also returns for his second season after spending most of his rookie snaps on special teams. In total, the picture appears unsure, if not incomplete. That can change if Brooks contributes, but that's a big question mark for a team expecting to contend for a division title.

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Three key storylines

1) Can Shough build on promising finish?

Tyler Shough's late-season rise inspired an offseason of optimism in the Big Easy, where the Saints' larger vision became at least partially visible by the end of the 2025 campaign. As New Orleans closed the year with four wins in its final five games, Shough emerged as a promising quarterback with the potential to become a franchise signal-caller under coach Kellen Moore, perhaps quicker than most anyone expected. Now, with a full offseason as QB1 under his belt, Shough enters Year 2 with heightened expectations. At 26, he's already older than the average sophomore starter and is paired with a former quarterback in Moore who has demonstrated his ability to guide offenses toward fruitful futures both in Dallas and Philadelphia. Now, Moore is equipped with a quarterback he can mold, a passer who appears wiser and more capable than the average second-year starter thanks in part to his extensive collegiate experience. There's legitimate reason to think the Saints have already answered the most challenging question that comes with a rebuild. Now, it's about proving those optimists right by continuing to build on the progress Shough made as a rookie.

2) New offensive weapons

Moore has some new toys in his offense. Upon the start of free agency, New Orleans quickly scooped up running back Travis Etienne, giving the Saints a much-needed successor to Alvin Kamara with a similar three-down skill set. Kamara is still on the roster, too, providing New Orleans with some depth in a room that also includes Kendre Miller and Devin Neal. The receiver position welcomed a prestigious addition, too, when the Saints followed their hearts and selected Arizona State star Jordyn Tyson at No. 8 overall, adding to an intriguing receiver room that includes Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele. As has long been the case in New Orleans, health will be paramount for this club. Tyson and Olave have a history of missing time due to injury, and Kamara played in a career-low 11 games last season. Beyond Olave, Tyson and Vele, the Saints lack reliable depth at WR. Two more rookies, Bryce Lance and Barion Brown, are slated to compete for spots among a group that also includes Trey Palmer, Kevin Austin Jr. and Ja'Lynn Polk. If they can keep their best healthy, the Saints could surprise some folks. But as we've learned in recent years, that's far from guaranteed.

3) Jordan's last dance

Cam Jordan is back for one final season. After an offseason mostly spent unsigned, the Saints legend ultimately re-upped on a one-year deal in June, signing up for one last run with the team he's helped define since entering the league as a first-round pick back in 2011. With that comes a message to the rest of this ascending squad: There's no time to waste. Jordan and Chase Young comprised a potent edge-rushing duo in 2025, with each hitting double-digit sacks. With playmakers at all three levels, the Saints' defense is ready to match its ninth-place finish from 2025. It'll have a little extra to play for in 2026, too.

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Three key storylines

1) Mayfield entering pivotal season

Baker Mayfield has enjoyed a career renaissance in Florida over the last three seasons, earning a three-year, $100 million deal with the team after a strong 2023 campaign and largely living up to the standards that come with such a contract. When viewed from a league-wide perspective, Baker deserves his spot and shouldn't worry about his future in Tampa. But those who have followed this team closely also understand that Mayfield is a streaky player. He's electrifying when at his best and can propel the Buccaneers toward great success, but he also struggles to get out of his own way at times. In 2025, Mayfield started white hot, leading Tampa Bay to a 6-2 start and pushing the team into the national conversation as a possible Super Bowl contender. Then injuries struck, sending Mayfield into a stretch of struggles that coincided with roster losses elsewhere and resulted in a pile of defeats and a postseason spent at home. For the first time since 2022, he finished with fewer than 4,000 passing yards. Instead of watching his offensive coordinator land a head-coaching job elsewhere thanks in part to his successes -- as Dave Canales and Liam Coen had done before -- his play-caller was fired. Now, Mayfield enters a contract year with a hard negotiating deadline (the start of training camp), without his favorite target (Mike Evans, who left for San Francisco) and with fresh questions to answer. Should things go well, Mayfield will remain the Bucs' franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future. But if he encounters more struggles, it could cost him millions and inspire changes beyond his control that drastically change the landscape in Tampa.

2) Bowles' seat is warm

Near the end of a frustrating, somewhat-inexplicable collapse in 2025, plenty of folks expected the Buccaneers to move on from Todd Bowles and start fresh with a new coach. That didn't happen, of course, and Bowles is back to justify the organization's support in 2026. If the Bucs struggle like they did last season -- with Bowles' defense finishing 20th in points allowed -- he'll likely be out of a job and Tampa Bay will be facing a potentially significant shift in identity for the first time since Tom Brady arrived in 2020. Some thought it's precisely what the Buccaneers needed after 2025 and pointed toward Evans' departure as proof that things weren't right at One Buc Place. The team will have to embark on the new campaign without two franchise legends in Evans and linebacker Lavonte David, who retired after 14 seasons, another concerning sign about Tampa's trajectory. It will be up to Bowles to prove the concerns are overblown.

3) Does Tampa have enough on defense to win?

Despite being led by a defensive-minded head coach, Bowles' Buccaneers became an offense-first team over the last few seasons. As Mayfield powered an explosive attack, Bowles' units proved average -- at best -- finishing 23rd, 18th and 19th in total yards allowed over the last three seasons. The Bucs haven't landed inside the top 10 since 2022, Bowles' first season as head coach. Entering 2026, the Bucs seem to have an assortment of pieces that could form an improved defense. The team wisely spent its first-round pick on Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., supplying Bowles with a legitimate threat at the edge position opposite YaYa Diaby for the first time since the final few years of Shaq Barrett's career (which ended with a one-game campaign in 2024). Tampa Bay's secondary should benefit from another year of development for Benjamin Morrison, Jacob Parrish and Tykee Smith, but as of now, it remains a unit carried by Antoine Winfield Jr. Linebacker includes some questions, too, after David's retirement. Free-agent addition Alex Anzalone arrives to great expectations, and veteran Christian Rozeboom also entered the fray. Furthermore, Tampa spent its second-round pick on LB Josiah Trotter. With Bowles in charge, this defense could very well exceed expectations. It could also determine the team's fate -- and the security of its coach's employment.

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