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Change is everywhere in the NFL entering 2026. Twenty-one of the league’s 32 teams have new offensive coordinators, creating an unusually large collection of fresh systems, ideas and responsibilities. Many established players will therefore be adapting to new schemes.
Some changes amount to fine-tuning. Others could transform how an offense looks on Sundays. Baltimore, Los Angeles, Kansas City and New Orleans provide four particularly intriguing examples, each taking a different route toward becoming more difficult to defend.
A New Ravens Offense Takes Shape Around Lamar Jackson
Baltimore doesn’t need to reinvent Lamar Jackson. The challenge for new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is finding additional ways to maximize his dual-threat quarterback strengths while preserving the physical identity built around Jackson and Derrick Henry.
Doyle has described physicality, detail and explosiveness as the three pillars of his offense. That philosophy should allow Baltimore to maintain its formidable ground game while introducing greater schematic variety across different formations to create opportunities elsewhere.
One adjustment is already visible. More than 80% of Jackson’s dropbacks last season came from shotgun or pistol, but Baltimore has worked on getting him comfortable under center. With Henry behind him, that could create more convincing play-action opportunities.
Different formations should also make Baltimore harder to diagnose before the snap. Jackson has praised Doyle’s creativity and attention to detail, and giving defenses more possibilities to process could make an already distinctive Ravens offense even more difficult to contain.
Mike McDaniel Brings a New Dimension to the Chargers
Mike McDaniel and Jim Harbaugh make for an intriguing partnership. Harbaugh favors physical football, while McDaniel has built his reputation around movement, timing and creating space through varied formations. Justin Herbert sits at the intersection of those ideas.
McDaniel has already adjusted Herbert’s shotgun footwork, asking the right-handed quarterback to line up with his left foot forward. The goal is a quicker release that gets the ball to playmakers earlier within McDaniel’s passing game and creates more opportunities after the catch.
Small changes can have noticeable effects. A five-yard completion can become eight if Ladd McConkey receives the ball a fraction earlier, turning difficult second downs into manageable situations for Herbert and the offense overall and helping the Chargers sustain drives.
Los Angeles is changing up front, too, with McDaniel’s wide-zone scheme emphasizing offensive-line movement while Herbert works on anticipation. McConkey and Omarion Hampton could benefit from the extra space, with September providing the first real test.
A More Balanced Chiefs Offense Takes Shape in 2026
Eric Bieniemy’s return to Kansas City brings familiarity, but expecting an exact recreation of his first spell would miss the point. From 2018 through 2022, the Chiefs led the NFL in points per game, total touchdowns, third-down percentage and yards per game.
Patrick Mahomes remains the centerpiece, but the supporting structure now offers different possibilities. Kenneth Walker III is the most notable addition after rushing for 1,027 yards at 4.6 yards per carry in 2025, giving Kansas City another established backfield threat.
A productive running game can strengthen play-action, create favorable situations on later downs and prevent defenses from focusing too heavily on Mahomes. Those changes also add another layer to expectations surrounding Kansas City’s early matchups.
NFL betting lines provide additional context on upcoming games through moneylines, spreads and totals. Greater balance doesn’t mean taking the ball away from Mahomes, but giving defenses another problem to solve before he attacks the weaknesses that remain.
The Saints Are Taking a Different Route on Offense
New Orleans enters this conversation from a different starting point. Rather than redesigning an established contender, Kellen Moore and his staff are building on the encouraging foundation Tyler Shough established during his promising first NFL season.
Shough went 5-4 across nine starts, completing 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns during an encouraging rookie campaign. Those numbers give the Saints something tangible to develop rather than another quarterback question to answer.
The supporting cast has changed, too. Travis Etienne Jr. joins Alvin Kamara in a flexible backfield after recording three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, while New Orleans also added much-needed additional speed and depth at receiver through the draft.
Multiple capable backs should allow the Saints to vary formations and responsibilities without major substitutions across different offensive personnel packages. Shough remains the key, with his development determining whether those additions can create a more versatile offense.
What These Offenses Could Reveal About the NFL in 2026
The common thread is not one particular scheme. Instead, these four teams demonstrate how differently NFL offenses can pursue the same objective of becoming more difficult for opposing defenses to contain through greater versatility and unpredictability.
Baltimore is creating more variety around Jackson, while Los Angeles wants Herbert operating faster within its new system. Kansas City is adding another dimension around Mahomes, and New Orleans is giving a developing quarterback more ways to distribute the football.
Adaptability could therefore become one of 2026’s defining offensive themes across the league. Following the latest NFL news and trends provides additional context around injuries, changing player roles, matchups and other developments affecting these offenses.
Ultimately, real games will reveal much more than offseason diagrams. How quickly each offense adapts to opposing defensive adjustments should provide the clearest indication of whether these changes can deliver meaningful improvements in 2026.
The First Few Weeks Will Reveal What Really Changed
Week 1 will provide evidence rather than definitive answers. New systems need time, while defenses will adjust once fresh concepts appear on film. Formation choices, pre-snap movement and quarterback comfort should reveal more than any single scoreline.
By the end of September, backfield workloads, play-action and offensive execution should provide a clearer picture. For Baltimore, Los Angeles, Kansas City and New Orleans, the real intrigue is discovering which changes genuinely make their offenses better.
*Content reflects information available as of 31/08/2026; subject to change
