As the 2026 NFL season approaches, let’s take a closer look at some of the notable star names that find themselves on different teams this season and what might be expected from them in their new threads.
Myles Garret (DE) and Trent McDuffie (CB), Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are the betting favourites (+500 on FanDuel) to win Super Bowl LXI thanks to a pair of massive defensive additions this off-season.
After dropping a heartbreaking NFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, the Rams wasted no time in getting better, trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie of the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for four draft picks in early March.
The 25-year-old won two Lombardi Trophies during his time with the Chiefs and is considered one of the best corners in the game.
But Rams general manager Les Snead wasn’t done.
Star edge rusher Myles Garrett was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for defensive end Jared Verse and multiple draft picks on June 1 in one of the biggest trades in NFL history.
The 30-year-old Garrett is a top talent in football as the seven-time Pro Bowler won his second career NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2025, setting a new single-season record for sacks with 23.
Following the trade, the Rams and Garrett reached a new five-year, $208.2 million contract that should keep the 2017 first-overall pick in Los Angeles through the end of this decade.
Already a solid defensive team in 2025, the additions of Garrett and McDuffie – as well as free-agent cornerback Jaylen Watson - could make the Rams a real powerhouse in the NFC West.
Garrett’s health was a slight concern as the star missed numerous practices during training camp with swelling in his knee.
Time will tell if Garrett is able to suit up for Week 1 against the divisional rival San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia on Sept. 10.
Elsewhere, if 38-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford stays healthy and Puka Nacua remains an elite wide receiver, a third Super Bowl championship could be in the Rams’ future.
DJ Moore (WR), Buffalo Bills
One of the biggest shortcomings of the 2025 Buffalo Bills was the lack of wide receiver options for Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen.
Khalil Shakir led the team with 719 receiving yards and four touchdowns, followed by tight ends Dalton Kincaid (571 yards, five touchdowns) and Dawson Knox (417 yards, four touchdowns). Sophomore Keon Coleman struggled with just 404 yards receiving while off-season pickup Joshua Palmer dealt with injuries and had only 303 yards receiving.
During Buffalo’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the divisional round, Allen was forced to use the likes of veteran Brandin Cooks as a high-leverage option.
Long story short, the Bills did not have a true No. 1 receiver, and it probably played a significant role in losing another opportunity to win their first Super Bowl title.
Enter DJ Moore.
General manager Brandon Beane acquired Moore from the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick in March.
The 29-year-old Maryland product is coming off the worst season of his eight-year NFL career, recording just 682 yards on 50 receptions alongside six touchdowns over 17 games.
Moore has failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark in back-to-back seasons after doing so in four of the previous five years.
With a new stadium, a new head coach in Joe Brady and the age-30 season for Allen, the 2026 campaign is a big one for the Bills.
Buffalo is hopeful a change of scenery will rejuvenate Moore’s career as they’ll need him to make a run for the Super Bowl.
A.J. Brown (WR), New England Patriots
The upstart New England Patriots have a new weapon for third-year quarterback Drake Maye as they look to make a return to the Super Bowl.
The Patriots acquired the disgruntled Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick in early June.
Despite reaching 1,000 yards receiving in his four years in Philadelphia and winning a Super Bowl in 2024, Brown’s relationship with the franchise was on its last legs in 2025.
A change of scenery and a reunion with Mike Vrabel, Brown’s coach when he played for the Tennessee Titans, could prove to be very beneficial for the three-time Pro Bowler.
After finishing first in the AFC East with a 14-3 record last season, the 2025 AFC champions won’t catch anyone by surprise this season.
Brown and Maye finding chemistry will be important if the Pats are going to continue moving in the right direction.
Jaylen Waddle (WR), Denver Broncos
After spending the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has a new home after being acquired via trade by the Denver Broncos in March.
The 27-year-old Alabama product led the Dolphis with 64 receptions for 910 yards and six touchdowns over 16 games in 2025, averaging 14.2 yards per catch.
Waddle tallied 1,000 or more yards in each of his first three seasons, producing a career-high 1,356 in 2022, before failing to reach that mark the past two years.
Waddle’s addition gives third-year pivot Bo Nix another strong option in addition to Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin.
After winning the AFC West with a 14-3 record and making the AFC Championship Game last year, the Broncos will have big expectations in 2026.
Mike Evans (WR), San Francisco 49ers
It’s going to take time getting familiar with veteran receiver Mike Evans wearing a jersey that is not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Following a highly successful 12-year run with the Bucs, the 33-year-old Evans signed a three-year, $42.4 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers this winter.
Evans dealt with injuries in 2025, recording just 368 yards over eight games, marking the first time he failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark in his career with Tampa.
Evans, a six-time Pro Bowler and 2021 Super Bowl champion, is the all-time leader for receiving yards (13,052) and touchdowns (108) in Buccaneers’ franchise history.
Injuries could be a concern for the aging star as Evans missed a significant portion of training camp and has not played any snaps in the pre-season.
Evans’ status for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 remains up in the air.
Time will tell if Evans’ presence in Kyle Shanahan’s offence will pan out as the 49ers look to become Super Bowl contenders once again.
San Francisco finished with a 12-5 record last year before they were blown out by the eventual league champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional round.
Dexter Lawrence II (DT), Cincinnati Bengals
In early April, the Bengals acquired defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II from the New York Giants in exchange for the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cincinnati had the worst rushing defence in the NFL last season, allowing 147.1 yards per game, a contributing factor to their 6-11 record and the third consecutive campaign without playoff football.
The 28-year-old Clemson product only recorded 31 tackles and 0.5 sacks over 17 games last year, his lowest numbers since entering the NFL in 2019. The Giants had the second-worst rushing defence, allowing just two yards fewer than the Bengals per game.
In addition to Lawrence, the Bengals also signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and defensive end Boye Mafe.
The Bengals, who lost star outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens, are hoping the new-look defensive line will make a difference in 2026.
Trey Hendrickson (OLB), Baltimore Ravens
At one point this off-season, the Baltimore Ravens were in line to acquire five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders.
That was until a failed physical forced the Ravens to pivot to Hendrickson, signing the former Bengals edge rusher to a four-year, $112 million contract.
The 31-year-old played only seven games in 2025 due to injuries but led the league with 17.5 sacks in 2024.
New head coach Jesse Minter will count on Hendrickson returning to form as the Ravens look to be contenders once again in the AFC after a down season.
Kenneth Walker III (RB), Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs added last year’s Super Bowl MVP to their roster this off-season.
Running back Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries during the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots last February, inked a three-year, $45 million deal with the Chiefs in March.
Kansas City, who missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade last year, needed a stronger attack on the ground after ranking 25th in the NFL in 2025 with 1,812 total rushing yards.
The 25-year-old Walker III had a heavy workload last year, recording 1,027 yards and five touchdowns on 221 total carries.
He can catch the ball too, producing a total 1,005 yards over his first four seasons in the NFL, giving another weapon for Patrick Mahomes to use in the Chiefs’ offence.
Kyler Murray (QB), Minnesota Vikings
If all goes well, Kyler Murray could be in the running for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2026.
The 29-year-old quarterback signed a one-year “prove it” deal with the Minnesota Vikings this off-season after appearing in just five games with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025, the second time in three seasons Murray missed significant time due to an injury.
Selected by the Cards first overall in 2019, the Oklahoma Heisman Trophy-winner seemed primed to be an elite quarterback for years to come after three strong seasons to begin his NFL career, including Pro Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2021.
Murray hasn’t been the same player over the past four seasons, forcing the Cardinals to go in another direction with his release this winter.
All signs point towards Murray being the starter for Minnesota’s Week 1 clash against the rival Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13 with 23-year-old J.J. McCarthy and veteran Carson Wentz ready to take over if called upon.
If Murray can stay healthy and return to being a rushing threat after last year’s foot injury, 2026 could be a turnaround season for the eighth-year pivot.
Tua Tagovailoa (QB), Atlanta Falcons
Another quarterback looking to turn his career around with a new organization is Tua Tagovailoa.
Following his release by the Miami Dolphins, the 28-year-old signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons and will battle for the starter’s job with Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Tagovailoa, who has suffered multiple concussions during his football career, struggled last season in Miami, recording 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns and a career-high 15 interceptions alongside a passer rating of 88.5 over 14 games.
With Penix Jr. not yet cleared for game action as he continues to recover from ACL surgery, Tagovailoa could be in line to start Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13.
How long he keeps the starter’s role will be determined by how he performs on the field. Kevin Stefanski is the new head coach in Atlanta and won’t waste any time making a change with the Falcons having no playoff appearances since 2017.
