Harrison Smith, Aaron Donald and Late NFL Additions Who Could Influence Super Bowl Hopes in 2026

They say that good things come to those who wait. That's oftentimes true in the NFL, even though the bulk of offseason additions are made during early free agency and in the draft.

The reality is that, while the top veterans are usually off the board after the initial wave of free agency, many quality players will wait for the right opportunity to reveal itself just before or during training camp. Other meaningful late additions are often made as legitimate playoff contenders look to fill needs after fully evaluating their rosters.

These trends have continued in 2026, and several notable players joined teams during the late summer. Some of them could even help spark Super Bowl runs—or, at least, provide realistic hopes of playing for a championship.

Here, we'll examine the notable summer additions most likely to influence the Super Bowl picture based on factors like past performance, positional value, projected roles, and team construction.

The Houston Texans reached the divisional round of last year's playoffs thanks to a defense that ranked first overall and second in points allowed. If they can pair that level of defensive dominance with an improved offense, they could go a step or two further in the postseason.

A lot will hinge on the play of quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has regressed since being the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Having a better supporting cast around Stroud, however, will certainly help his cause.

The Texans added running back David Montgomery and revamped their offensive line yet again by adding the likes of Evan Brown, Wyatt Teller, and Keylan Rutledge . In August, they added wide receiver Kayshon Boutte in a trade with the New England Patriots.

Boutte is coming off a 556-yard, six-touchdown campaign with New England and could play a critical role in the Texans' offense this season. Houston lacked dependable targets behind Nico Collins in 2025, and it recently lost No. 2 receiver Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL.

Higgins caught 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns with Houston last season.

Should Boutte provide a reliable perimeter target opposite Collins and help Houston's offense approach top-10 status, the Texans should be one of the toughest outs in the AFC playoff field.

Boutte wasn't the only notable late addition that Houston made this offseason.

The Texans certainly weren't short on defensive playmakers entering August, but they added another one when they brought back former franchise standout Jadeveon Clowney.

The first overall pick in the 2014 draft, Clowney spent his first five seasons in Houston before being traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2019. After spending the past several seasons as a journeyman pass-rusher, he is back where it all began.

"I've grown up and learned the game a lot more since leaving," Clowney said, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle . "I feel like I can help the younger guys. I've learned how to lead and what it takes to get to a Super Bowl. I feel like I can help this team."

Clowney is a luxury addition for the Texans' defense, but he can legitimately influence the team's chances of reaching Super Bowl LXI. After joining the Dallas Cowboys as a late 2025 addition, he tallied 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 22 quarterback pressures.

As a third option behind Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., Clowney can help give the Texans the most relentless edge-rushing rotation in the league. That could be enough to carry Houston deep into the playoffs, even if its offense only shows minor improvements.

The Washington Commanders aren't widely viewed as Super Bowl contenders entering Week 1. The team battled injuries and an atrocious defense in 2025 while stumbling to a 5-12 record.

Of course, Washington wasn't viewed as a contender in 2024, either, but Daniels led the team to the NFC title game as a rookie.

Having Daniels healthy might not be enough to put Washington back in the playoff picture, but defensive additions like K'Lavon Chaisson, Rasul Douglas, Nick Cross, and Odafe Oweh should help. So will wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who was signed in August to complement No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin.

During Daniels' Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, tight end Zach Ertz was the only truly reliable target Washington had behind McLaurin.

Diggs is coming off a 1,000-yard season and a trip to the Super Bowl, and he's now another year removed from his 2024 ACL tear.

The 32-year-old believes Washington couldn't have landed a better second option.

"You can't name a No. 2 better than me," Diggs said on his YouTube channel (h/t ESPN ).

Daniels and the Commanders will have to recapture their 2024 magic to make any meaningful postseason run this season. If Diggs can help bolster the passing attack, though, Washington's Super Bowl hopes will also see a boost.

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As the defending Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks don't have many glaring roster needs. However, they do have some question marks in the secondary after losing Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant in free agency.

Seattle added cornerback Trevon Diggs in August. While he didn't make the 53-man roster, he was added to the practice squad with the expectation that he'll contribute in 2026.

"He's just getting ramped up as you saw the other night just getting his legs under him. But he's confident and we're excited to get him going and see how far he can take this thing," general manager John Schneider said, per Ari Horton of the team's official website.

Before suffering a torn ACL in 2023, Diggs was a Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowler and one of the biggest turnover threats in the league. He hasn't played particularly well since the injury, but he showed glimpses of his previous form by snagging an interception during Seattle's preseason.

The Seahawks' hopes of returning to the Super Bowl won't hinge on Diggs' contributions. However, Seattle has to feel confident about having a potential difference-maker waiting in the wings at one of the game's most important positions.

While the other players on this list joined new teams late in the summer, three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald returned from a two-year retirement to rejoin the only NFL franchise he has known, the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams were already widely considered the preseason Super Bowl favorites before Donald's comeback became official. L.A. reached last year's NFC title game, employs the reigning MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford, and added the reigning Defensive Player of the Year by trading for Myles Garrett.

Adding Donald to the mix could give Los Angeles one of the league's most formidable defensive fronts, though the Rams will likely manage his return cautiously.

"Looks like himself, but you know he's 35 years old; they want to make sure they ramp him up the right way," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek ).

The Rams should have had high Super Bowl hopes before adding Donald to the roster. After adding him, anything short of a Super Bowl berth will probably be viewed as a disappointment.

The Cowboys haven't reached the NFC title game since they won it all following the 1995 season. However, Dallas has real reasons to believe it can make a Super Bowl run in 2026.

A year ago, the Cowboys possessed one of the league's most explosive offenses, though it was wasted by a historically bad defense. However, the core of that offense remains intact, while Dallas has invested heavily in its defense.

Dating back to last year's trade deadline, the Cowboys have added the likes of Quinnen Williams, Jalen Thompson, Rashan Gary, Cobie Durant, Caleb Downs , and Malachi Lawrence . On August 16, they also added future Hall of Famer Von Miller.

As an eight-time Pro Bowler, two-time champion and one-time Super Bowl MVP, Miller brings a wealth of experience and leadership to Dallas' defense. He can also still play at a high level.

Last season with the Commanders, Miller recorded nine sacks, six tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback pressures. In Dallas, he might be the proverbial final piece of the defensive puzzle, which should at least allow the Cowboys to dream about a Super Bowl return.

If Dallas can pair the sort of offense it had last year with a defense that is even average, it can make some real noise in the postseason.

Harrison Smith is the most recent addition to this list, having re-signed with the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. After contemplating his future for virtually the entire offseason, the safety is back for a 15th NFL season.

Smith had previously been released with a post-June 1 designation, but both he and Minnesota were open to another run.

Like the Commanders, the Vikings are coming off a disappointing season and aren't widely viewed as legitimate contenders. However, it's important to remember Minnesota won nine games last year and 14 games in 2024. The difference in those two records largely came down to quarterback play.

With Sam Darnold providing a steady presence behind center two years ago, the Vikings had a shot at the NFC's No. 1 seed until the final week. With J.J. McCarthy and other signal-callers providing inconsistent QB play, the Vikings were a non-factor in the playoffs—but still good enough to yield a winning record.

With Kyler Murray set to pursue his redemption arc in Minnesota, the Vikings could be closer to what they were in 2024 than what we saw in 2025.

Bringing back Smith will do nothing to help the offense, but it will help ensure that Minnesota has a capable defense. The 37-year-old appeared in 15 games last season and tallied 54 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and a forced fumble.

In other words, the Vikings now have a more complete roster than they had just a few days ago.