The Seattle Seahawks reload heading into the 2016 NFL season with as good a chance as any team in the NFL to return to the Super Bowl. The Seahawks missed the Super Bowl for the first time in three seasons, falling short in the NFC Championship to the Carolina Panthers, after finishing the regular season in second place in the NFC West with a 10-6 record. Behind head coach Pete Carroll, quarterback Russell Wilson, and the most feared defense in the NFC, Seattle remains a major contender. Add that with the “12th Man,” one of the loudest and most passionate fan bases, and the Seahawks are a scary team. Russell Wilson continues to improve each season, and entering his fifth in the league, he has proven to be one of the top quarterbacks. Seattle will miss the presence of running back Marshawn Lynch, who surprised everyone with his abrupt retirement. Filling the void will be a combination of Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael, who have big shoes to fill. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin had a breakout season in 2015 and returns Wilson’s top target. Tight end Jimmy Graham returns healthy and ready for his breakout year in 2016. Receiver Jermaine Kearse and second-year receiver Tyler Lockett look for bigger roles in the offense. Seahawks fans should be excited about the 2016 rookie class, which includes projected starter guard Germain Ifedi from Texas A&M, Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed, Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett, and Arkansas running back Alex Collins. The Seahawks offense has never had to put up too many points with a defense that continuously ranks among the top in the league. The defense had five players selected to the Pro Bowl, including defensive end Michael Bennett, safety Kam Chancellor, cornerback Richard Sherman (also All Pro), safety Earl Thomas, and linebacker Bobby Wagner (also All Pro). The “Legion of Boom” returns just as dominant and will shut down opposing offenses. The Seahawks will compete with another Super Bowl contender within their own division, the Arizona Cardinals, but it would be shocking for Seattle to miss the playoffs and not make a run at another title in 2016.

With quarterback Drew Brees still playing at an elite level, the New Orleans Saints are always a threat in the NFC. After a 7-9 setback in 2015, the Saints are eager to return to the top of NFC South. The offense is never a problem in New Orleans, with Brees leading the way and running back Mark Ingram emerging as one of the more productive NFL backs. Top targets for Brees are wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who looks to continue to improve, and receiver Brandon Coleman and tight end Coby Fleener. The Saints are excited about their 2016 Draft class, which features two former Ohio State stars, wide receiver Michael Thomas and safety Vonn Bell. New Orleans is hoping for major input from Thomas, who could emerge as the number two target for Brees. Former Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, the teams’ first round pick, suffered a fractured fibula in preseason, but expects to return this season. Rankins was expected to be an impact player on the defensive line alongside tackle Nick Fairley and Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Jordan. The Saints will rely on former St. Louis Rams top pick linebacker James Laurinaitis to lead a mostly unproven group. The Saints do have one of the best safety tandems in the league in Kenny Vaccaro and Jairus Byrd, with the rookie Bell looking to make an impact as well. The Saints will improve from their 7-9 finish and look to return to the playoffs after missing out for two consecutive years. The Carolina Panthers are considered the favorites in the NFC South, but the division is wide open behind them. The Saints should find themselves battling the young Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons for ranks in the division and a wild card berth.

The Indianapolis Colts look to bounce back after an 8-8 finish to the 2015 NFL season. When you have a true franchise quarterback like Andrew Luck, every season is expected to be a playoff year, and this was the first time since 2011 that the Colts failed to reach the postseason. Luck missed most of the 2015 season after suffering a lacerated kidney and partially torn abdominal muscle, and entering his fifth NFL season, he looks to regain his dominance in 2016. The Colts will look for running back Frank Gore to carry the load much like he did for most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers for a balanced offensive attack. Look for rookie running back Josh Ferguson to lighten the load for Gore at times. Luck’s top targets are wide receivers T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief, and tight end Dwayne Allen. Luck’s autograph is a highly sought after collectible, typically on signed footballs, full size and mini helmets, and photos. In order to contend this season, the Colts will need to protect Luck better than previous seasons. Center Ryan Kelly is a consistent lineman, and Indianapolis hopes to get production out of the rest of the group. Defensive end Robert Mathis and cornerback Vontae Davis are the big names on a defense that looks to improve. In a wide open AFC South, the Colts should compete for the ranks atop the division. The Houston Texans are returning division champions, and the Jacksonville Jaguars look to be much improved, but the Colts will be right in the mix.

The Washington Redskins look to defend their NFC East title heading into the 2016 NFL season. Finishing at 9-7 in a transition from Robert Griffin III, now the Browns starting quarterback, to Kirk Cousins, the Redskins exceeded expectations in 2015 by reaching the postseason. Cousins proved himself worthy, having one of the best seasons in franchise history. He enters the season with some uncertainty at running back, with second-year back Matt Jones emerging as the starter after Alfred Morris signed with the rival Dallas Cowboys. Cousins will look to connect with veteran play-maker DeSean Jackson and speedy receiver Pierre Garcon. Former TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson was Washington’s first round draft pick and is considered a prized rookie target. Tight end Jordan Reed may be Cousins’ best, and most reliable target. A solid offensive line behind Pro Bowler Trent Williams will propel this offense and make them a real threat again in the AFC East. The big storyline this offseason, other than RGIII leaving the organization, was the signing of top cornerback Josh Norman, who the Carolina Panthers failed to reach a long-term deal with. Norman is regarded as one of the premier shut-down corners in the NFL, and he joins veteran DeAngelo Hall, who is moving from cornerback to free safety. Ryan Kerrigan heads a front seven that will need to find contribution from a group of untested players. If Washington’s defense is improved with the addition of Norman and the offense continues to improve, the Redskins will again be fighting for the division title with improved New York Giants and Cowboys teams looking to rebound from a rocky 2015.

Injuries ravaged the Baltimore Ravens in 2015, as 22 players ended the season on injured-reserve, and the Ravens finished 5-11, their first losing season in the John Harbaugh-Joe Flacco era. Despite an 11 loss season, the Ravens were in every game, with 14 of their games decided by 8 points or less. If quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Justin Forsett, defensive end Terrell Suggs, and wide receiver Steve Smith return to full strength, Baltimore should pick up where they left off, as perennial contenders in the physical AFC North. 2015 was supposed to be Smith’s retirement tour, but after a torn Achilles tendon ended his season the veteran wideout decided to come back in 2016. Smith joins second-year receiver Breshad Perriman, Mike Wallace, and Kamar Aiken to form a potentially dangerous group for Flacco. Baltimore drafted rookie offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley sixth overall from Notre Dame to propel an already strong offensive line, featuring Pro Bowl guard Marshall Yanda. What made the Ravens a threat year in and year out for the past decade has been their defense. Edge rusher Elvis Dumervil was their lone Pro Bowler from that unit in 2015. Baltimore needs more from third-year defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan, but the return of Suggs should help improve the front seven. C.J. Mosley is a rising star in the middle. The Ravens secondary hasn’t been the same since safety Ed Reed retired, but the free agent signing of Eric Weddle will help improve the defense greatly. Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith are two very talented defensive backs, and the Ravens will need them to be productive. The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers are projected as front-runners in the AFC North, but if the Ravens return to form they should find themselves right in the mix for the division.