NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand After the 2024 NFL Draft? (2024)

The Chicago Bears kicked off the 2024 NFL draft by taking USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, while the New York Jets took Alabama safety Jaylen Key with the No. 257 and final pick. Hundreds of rookies now know where their NFL careers will begin.

There will still be some roster changes, including free-agent signings well into the summer. But for the most part, we know what the NFL's 32 teams will look like in 2024.

Now, winning an offseason is a guarantee of absolutely nothing—just ask the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles. Conversely, just because a team has a quiet offseason or what appears a shaky draft doesn't doom a team to a three-win year.

But it can't be argued that after free agency and the draft, some teams look better. Others? Not so much.

The draft is of the benchmarks of every offseason, and it's as good a time as any to gauge how the NFL's teams stack up against one another. So as they have so many times in the past, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have gathered to rank the squads, from No. 32 to No. 1.

This time, they brought the inestimable Kristopher Knox along for the ride.

The New England Patriots entered the 2024 draft with a fairly simple edict—improve an offense that was 30th in the league last year. Step 1 in doing so was finding a new franchise quarterback after they traded Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars in March.

The Patriots hope to have done that with the selection of UNC's Drake Maye with the third overall pick. But while Sobleski believes that New England got better during the draft, he also cautioned that this team still has a way to go.

"The Patriots organization understood the assignment," he said. "They didn't field an NFL-caliber offense last season. So, the team spent seven of its eight draft picks on offensive prospects, including a new franchise quarterback in Maye.

"New England will be extremely young on that side of the ball, though. Growing pains are forthcoming. The rebuilding of the foundation has started but it's going to take time before this team is fully back on track and competitive in the AFC East."

It's generally believed that journeyman backup Jacoby Brissett will open the season as New England's starting quarterback. But if the losses pile up as expected, pressure will quickly mount on first-year head coach Jerod Mayo to get Maye on the field whether he's ready or not.

The Carolina Panthers were the NFL's worst team last year. But thanks to their trade up for quarterback Bryce Young last offseason they sent the first pick in the 2024 draft to the Chicago Bears.

The Panthers traded back into Round 1 this year to give Young another passing-game weapon in South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette. While speaking to reporters, general manager Dan Morgan said that the 6'1", 221-pounder possesses many qualities that the team covets.

"He definitely has that [dog mentality] about him," Morgan said. "He's a great young man, but you can tell he has that look in his eye. I think he's not only a special player but a special person. ... He's big, he's strong, fast and physical. He has a lot of qualities we just loved."

Combined with veteran Diontae Johnson, Carolina's wide receiver corps is significantly better than it was in 2023. The Panthers also added running back Jonathon Brooks in Round 2 and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders in Round 4. Carolina also invested heavily on the interior of the offensive line in free agency by signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.

The table is set for Young to take a major step forward in his second season. But there is also going to be immense pressure on the young signal-caller to do just that.

Entering the 2024 NFL draft, there was speculation that the New York Giants could turn the page on Daniel Jones at quarterback and draft a signal-caller sixth overall. Instead, the Giants drafted a new No. 1 wide receiver for Jones in LSU's Malik Nabers.

After the pick, general manager Joe Schoen told reporters that there was no hesitation at all to take Nabers over Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

"I'm comfortable where we are," Schoen said. "I'm ecstatic about [drafting] Malik. ... Malik was our guy. He's a guy we targeted. Again, we took him. You know the players that were on the board when we took him. It was Malik Nabers."

More than a few draftniks had Nabers ranked as the No. 1 wideout prospect in his class. But as Davenport wrote, he hardly solves all Big Blue's problems.

"It's well past time that the Giants gave their starting quarterback a legitimate go-to target, and picking Nabers made more sense than resetting under center with a prospect who might not be much better than Danny Dimes," he wrote. "But New York needs the improvements made over the offseason to take root quickly—allowing a league-high 85 sacks again in 2024 is not a recipe to return to respectability."

It's a new age in Tennessee. Long-time quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back Derrick Henry and head coach Mike Vrabel are all gone.

The Titans have taken numerous steps to try to put young quarterback Will Levis in position to succeed in his second NFL season. They signed running back Tony Pollard to replace Henry in the backfield and added Calvin Ridley to a pass-catching corps headlined by DeAndre Hopkins. Tennessee then used the No. 7 overall pick on what it hopes is a top-shelf left tackle in Alabama's JC Latham.

At this year's combine, Titans general manager Ron Carthon told reporters that the focus of the offseason was building a foundation around Levis that was sorely lacking in 2023—and on developing the young signal-caller from Kentucky.

"For Will (Levis), it's about creating that consistency," Carthon said. "When he was at Kentucky, he had multiple offensive coordinators. I think he may have had the same offense maybe twice in his career. We want to be able to create that consistency for him, get him used to making calls and get him to where he's making all the calls and checks up front."

The Titans are unquestionably better on paper than they were last year. But they also project to be the worst team in the AFC South.

After making the playoffs in 2022, the Arizona Cardinals have posted back-to-back four-win seasons. Quarterback Kyler Murray's ACL tear played a big part in those struggles.

However, Murray told reporters on Day 1 of the draft that he's ready to turn the page.

"I don't know if there's another quarterback in the league more locked in than me," Murray said.

The Cardinals' decision to select Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick undoubtedly put a smile on Murray's face. But Knox has his doubts about how competitive the Redbirds will be in 2024.

"I love the addition of Harrison, but I don't love a whole lot else about what Arizona has done over the past few months," Knox said. The backfield should be better with the addition of Trey Benson, but I think the offensive line is still a major liability. Expecting Jonah Williams to lock down the left side was a gamble at best."

"It's probably going to take another offseason or two for head coach Jonathan Gannon to have the sort of defense he wants, and while Harrison is my pick for OROY, I'm not sure how Murray combats defenses that double-team Harrison and Trey McBride," he continued. "While Murray will be fun to watch with his new playmaker, I have to consider him a second-tier quarterback until he wins anything of note."

Given all that transpired in the offseason, there was just about zero doubt that the Washington Commanders were going to select a quarterback with the second overall pick.

That quarterback wound up being 2023 Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU. Commanders general manager Adam Peters told reporters that it was an easy call for the organization to make.

"We did a lot of work on Jayden," he said. "In terms of every single person we spoke to, it was just exemplary as a person, personal character, football character, his work ethic, his football intelligence, how much he cared, his leadership, how he is as a teammate. They were all exemplary. Every single person you would talk to, it was the same answer. So, we felt so good about how awesome of a person that he was on top of watching all that tape."

Daniels' arrival doesn't instantly fix Washington's other issues, though. The pass rush needs work, and after the first round of the draft, Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network ranked the Commanders' offensive line as the NFC's worst.

But no orchestra can make music without a conductor, and it's awfully difficult for NFL teams to have success without a solid quarterback. Now it's a matter of patience while Washington shores up the weaknesses around Daniels.

It has been quite the offseason in the Mile High City.

The Broncos released quarterback Russell Wilson and ate an NFL-record $85 million dead cap hit. They wasted no time in finding his replacement, taking Oregon's Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick. They even added Nix's top target from last year in wide receiver Troy Franklin, whom they took at No. 102.

Nix told reporters that he believes he'll be an excellent fit in head coach Sean Payton's offense.

"I think when you look at their offense, when you look at the scheme, [there are] a lot of really fun concepts that I've run in the past, a lot of fun things that I've been able to do and have success in," Nix said. "We were able to just talk over those and communicate those. I believe just talking football is one of the best things you can do in the process, and that's what we did a lot of."

However, at least one of our analysts has his doubts.

"It's simple, really. If Nix becomes even a capable NFL starter, then no one is going to think twice about the fact Denver reached for him at No. 12 overall," Davenport said. "But more than a few draft analysts believe that the Nix pick was just that—a reach.

"There's going to be pressure on Nix not only to succeed but to do so in short order. If he struggles, an already rocky start to the Payton era in Denver will get that much bumpier."

There's a strange sensation making its way through the Windy City right now—an emotion foreign to fans of the Chicago Bears for some time.

Hope.

In No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, the Bears hope to have finally found the franchise quarterback that has eluded them for so very long. And as Sobleski wrote, the Bears spent much of the offseason preparing an offense around Williams that will allow him to succeed.

"The Bears finally feel like they're on track," Sobleski said. "After years of failing and flailing with Justin Fields at quarterback, the Bears seemingly hit a home run by drafting Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze with their pair of top-10 picks. Those two will join running back D'Andre Swift and wide receiver Keenan Allen, whom the organization acquired earlier this offseason.

"After the Bears made Tory Taylor this year's highest-drafted punter, Williams texted him and said, 'Hey, you're not going to punt much here.' That may sound brash coming from a rookie quarterback, but it's the attitude the Bears need to finally build toward something, even if it takes some time."

There aren't many teams that improved more offensively on paper this offseason than the Bears. But expectations need to be kept realistic for a team that hasn't had a winning season since posting a 12-4 mark and winning the NFC North in 2018.

Get ready for Minshew Mania in Sin City. Well, maybe.

When the top six quarterbacks in the 2024 draft all came off the board within the top 12 picks, the Raiders were left holding the proverbial bag at No. 13. But Moton believes the Raiders did a good job of playing the hand they were dealt.

"The Raiders finished the 2023 season on a bit of a positive note," he said. "After a 3-5 start under former head coach Josh McDaniels, they finished 8-9 with a winning record under Antonio Pierce, who's the new full-time lead skipper. The Raiders didn't have a shot at drafting a top-tier quarterback prospect, which dampened their rookie haul, but they put together a solid class that fits their team mentality."

"Last year, Pierce helped the club establish a confident, disciplined, smashmouth identity, Moton continued. "This offseason, Las Vegas signed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The club drafted tight end Brock Bowers, the No. 2 overall prospect on B/R's final big board, two offensive linemen, and a thumping linebacker in Tommy Eichenberg.

"Aside from Bowers, the Raiders' top picks may not excite you. But they have a clear direction, which is key to building a strong roster. That being said, the winner of the quarterback battle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell will determine whether the Raiders get stuck in mediocrity for another year or push for a playoff spot."

The Minnesota Vikings got their man.

After they acquired a second first-round pick in the weeks leading up to the draft, speculation ran wild that the Vikings would make a trade up to select their quarterback of the future. They did just that, but they moved up only one spot for Michigan's J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall.

Per Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports, former Michigan and current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said Minnesota was exactly where McCarthy wanted to go.

"Having a conversation with J.J., that's where he wanted to go," Harbaugh said. "That's where he had his heart set on. I'm just so happy for him. I love him like a son, and I was praying and pulling for it to work out the way he wanted it to work out. And the stars aligned, and congratulations to Minnesota. They got themselves a great player."

The Vikings have already said that they won't rush McCarthy out there. But given that the only thing standing between McCarthy and starting is Sam Darnold, it likely won't be long before the rookie starts a game.

Between the growing pains that will come with that and the uncertainty throughout a defense that ranked 24th in the league against the pass in 2023, the Vikings are more likely headed for an also-ran season than a surprise playoff berth.

After the Atlanta Falcons handed quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract in free agency, no one expected them to use the eighth overall pick on a quarterback. Their decision to select Washington's Michael Penix Jr. was thus the single most surprising pick of this year's draft.

Despite that baffling move, Moton thinks the Falcons can still be a factor in the NFC South if the defense can hold up.

"Despite the Falcons' clunky quarterback plan, they're built to make a move up the standings," he said. "Cousins will throw to a talented pass-catching group that includes Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Rondale Moore, and Kyle Pitts. With Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier in the backfield to balance the offense, Atlanta has the playmakers to field a top-10 scoring attack."

"However, the Falcons may need to score 28-plus points to win games," he went on. "Defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake will handle play-calling for Atlanta, but he hasn't called plays in the NFL. He must figure out how to generate pocket pressure, which has been an issue for this team over the past decade.

If rookies Ruke Orhorhoro and Bralen Trice aren't difference-makers in the pass rush, the Falcons defense could cost them games in 2024."

If there was any question how new head coach Jim Harbaugh planned to craft the Los Angeles Chargers, it was answered with the fifth pick in the 2024 draft. Beginning with Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt, Harbaugh drafted both help in the trenches and two players from the University of Michigan.

You go with what you know.

However, while the Chargers addressed needs on the offensive line and at wide receiver in the draft. Knox cautioned that folks need to be realistic regarding how fast Harbaugh can turn this flawed roster around.

"I'm sure many fans expect Harbaugh to step in and make Los Angeles an instant contender," he said. "It could happen, but I think there's still too much rebuilding to be done. Additions like Joe Alt and Junior Colson will help Harbaugh to start implementing his culture. I don't think they'll be enough to lift L.A. past the Chiefs, or even the Raiders, in the AFC West.

"The line should be a strength, and I think Justin Herbert will mesh well with new pass-catchers like Ladd McConkey and Hayden Hurst. I'm less certain that L.A can field a dominant rushing attack or spark a major defensive turnaround this season."

There's no doubt that the Kansas City Chiefs are the class of the AFC West. But how the three teams behind them stack up against one another may not be answered until well into the fall.

After an 8-3 start last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars won only one of their final six games and missed the postseason. While addressing the media in mid-April, quarterback Trevor Lawrence said that an even bigger priority for him than landing a new contract is making sure that 2023 never happens again.

"You just have to use it, so that's what I plan to do from last season," said Lawrence. "I think our approach as a team, too, it's a waste if you don't use it. You went through that experience and then you don't use it, it's double bad because it sucked going through it and you didn't get better from it. I think that's our mindset, that's my mindset moving forward and so many things to learn from."

Nagging injuries played a part in Lawrence's play late last season, but there's at least some reason to think the Jaguars could rebound this year. The departure of wide receiver Calvin Ridley was offset by the signing of Gabe Davis and the selection of LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. The Jags' defense may not be great, but it's good enough to keep them in games.

Jacksonville won the AFC South and stunned the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs two years ago. It can't be counted out.

It's been something of a typical offseason in New Orleans. They entered it in terrible salary-cap shape, cleared some room and made a signing or two. But it was the draft where the Saints really looked to improve.

"I think I just fell in love with the personality," Allen said. "I didn't feel like this player was sitting in front of me trying to sell me something that he wasn't. I felt a genuine person. And I just felt like he was a man's man, guy's guy, dude's dude, however you want to call it. And I like that. And then when I take that, and put on the tape and I watch him play in the way that he plays, the physicality with which he plays, I thought it was a pretty good fit."

Fuaga and McKinstry are talented players. But it's hard to see this year's Saints team as measurably better than last year's squad that went 9-8 for the second time in three years.

Of course, the NFC South isn't exactly a gauntlet of a division. The three teams that could realistically vie for the division title all have flaws.

The Saints aren't the best of the three teams on paper. But they are close enough to be in the mix.

Two years ago, the Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs and quarterback Geno Smith won Comeback Player of the Year. However, Smith regressed last year, and while the Seahawks remained in the playoffs chase for most of the season, they came up just short.

Now, there's a new head coach in town in Mike Macdonald. There's also new competition under center for Smith in Sam Howell, whom the Seahawks acquired in a trade with the Washington Commanders in March.

While talking to reporters in mid-April, Smith acknowledged that the 2024 season is pivotal for him.

"New coaching staff, old coaching staff, I got everything to prove," Smith said. "That's every day, that's the way I wake up every day. I'm competing with Sam [Howell]. I know he's competing with me. I'm going to compete my butt off; I'm competing with everybody in this building to be the best that I can be. I really don't approach it any other way."

"The Seahawks aren't an easy team to get a bead on," Davenport said. "On one hand, Seattle has substantial talent on both sides of the ball, including one of the league's best trios of wideouts in Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. On the other hand, the Seahawks aren't elite in any category, and there are deficiencies in the trenches.

"This is a team that could win 10-11 games and make the playoffs if things break the right way. But it's equally likely they will lose 10 games and come nowhere near the postseason."

Once again, expectations are high for the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets in 2024. They added passing-game weapons for Rodgers and help at the offensive tackle positions in both free agency and the draft. The Jets have centered just about every offseason decision around their four-time MVP.

Last season was the first year of the Rodgers experiment for the Jets, but it didn't last long. He tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into the season opener.

But Moton believes a healthy Rodgers should be able to get the Jets into the playoffs this season for the first time since 2010.

"Assuming Rodgers returns to action in Week 1, the Jets should be a playoff contender with an offense that's bustling with potential and one of the league's stingiest defenses," he said.

"With the addition of tackles Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses and first-round rookie Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Rodgers has layers of pass protection," he continued. "He has Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Tyler Conklin and rookie third-rounder Malachi Corley in the passing game with a bevy of running backs to balance the offense.

"If Rodgers stays healthy, the Jets have no valid excuses to miss the playoffs in 2024."

The Indianapolis Colts narrowly missed the postseason last year despite not having starting quarterback Anthony Richardson for much of the season.

Richardson's rehab is reportedly progressing well, and Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard told reporters he has massive expectations for Richardson in his second NFL season.

"I'm going to tell you one of the things that really surprised me with Anthony because I was concerned about it: This guy is a passer," Ballard said. "Here's this big, talented athlete. I mean, this guy is a legitimate passer, and I believe that. I think he's going to continue to get better and improve the more he plays. But Anthony can play from the pocket and throw the ball accurately."

Sobleski has big-time expectations for the Colts as well after what he saw as a highly successful draft.

"The Colts were patient during the draft and simply had to wait to select the class' top defensive prospect," he said. "Edge-rusher Laiatu Latu adds the best pure pass-rusher from the incoming crop to a defense that set a franchise record in sacks last season.

On the other side of the ball, general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen clearly wanted to get faster and more dynamic to take full advantage of Anthony Richardson's skill set. As such they drafted speedy wide receivers Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould. Now, Richardson just needs to stay healthy."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South last year and appeared content to run things back essentially as is. Most of the Buccaneers' free-agent activity involved retaining their own players, whether it was quarterback Baker Mayfield or wide receiver Mike Evans.

The draft brought help along the offensive front and on the edge in Duke center Graham Barton and Alabama edge-rusher Chris Braswell. But Tampa's success (or lack thereof) in 2024 will largely depend on whether Mayfield can repeat last year's career-best campaign.

Mayfield told reporters that he's confident he can given the supporting cast around him—so much so that he was OK leaving money on the table so the Bucs could use it to sign other players.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about. There's nothing to say, 'Oh, well he got more.' It's not that mentality," Mayfield said. "Knowing that we have a chance to bring back some key pieces and make a further run in the playoffs, that's important to me. I'm a winner at heart, I hate losing, so knowing that we get a lot of guys back and we can continue to build this for years to come is a special thing."

Like every team in the NFC South, the Buccaneers are not without flaws. They have questions along the offensive line and on the edge. But all told, the Buccaneers likely have the most complete roster of the four teams in the division.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been one of the NFL's most stable franchises. But there are some big changes coming to the Steel City in 2024, most notably at quarterback.

After two less-than-impressive seasons, the Steelers traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles for a pair of pick swaps. Pittsburgh then doubled down at the position, first signing Russell Wilson and then trading for Justin Fields.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that Wilson will enter OTAs as the starter, but that Fields will be afforded a chance to win the job.

"Russell is in pole position," Tomlin said. "His collective body of work merits that. But we're really excited to have Justin as well. During the course of team development, training camp and preseason he'll be given the opportunity to compete."

"Pittsburgh hasn't had a losing season in forever, but the Steelers also haven't won a postseason game since 2016," Davenport said. "An upgrade under center to Wilson or Fields could change that.

"This was already a stout team in most areas. The Steelers focused on the offensive line with their first two picks this year and then added two more potential starters in wide receiver Roman Wilson and linebacker Payton Wilson.

"If Pittsburgh gets even average quarterback play, this is a playoff team. High-end quarterback play? The Steelers could win the AFC North and be a legitimate Super Bowl contender."

The Cleveland Browns had one of the quieter offseasons in the league out of necessity. Thanks to quarterback Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed contract, cap space was scarce. The trade that brought Watson to Cleveland left the team without a first-round pick for the third straight year.

Outside the trade that brought wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to town, the Browns are largely the same team as they were last season. But as Watson told reporters, he should be fully healthy for Week 1 and ready to lead a squad that won the most games (11) the franchise has logged in a season since re-joining the NFL in 1999.

"Everything is full motion," Watson said. "Everything is fluid and motion is really good. ... The velocity and the strength is really good. It can be sooner than later, it can be later than sooner. This is an injury that, for spring, you want to be a little bit more conservative. This summer you get ready for training camp. That's going to be a time where we can pick that up."

"To be clear, the Browns have the roster of a Super Bowl contender," Davenport said. "Cleveland fielded the NFL's No. 1 defense and won 11 games a year ago with Joe Flacco under center and no Nick Chubb. There aren't many holes on the roster.

"If the Browns get anywhere close to the level of play from Watson that they expected, this team could make it all the way to the Super Bowl. But if they get from Watson what they have over the past two seasons, that trade and contract will officially be the worst transaction in NFL history."

The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2024 season having won 12 games each of the past three seasons, with two NFC East titles over that span. However, the team has won only one playoff game over that span, and after a whisper-quiet offseason, Moton sees a team whose fortunes won't be much different this year.

"The Cowboys strengthened their offensive and defensive lines with their first few picks, but they don't have a running back who can embody their physical identity like they have in past years," he said. "The Cowboys let running back Tony Pollard walk in free agency and brought Ezekiel Elliott back on Monday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.

"Elliott's return to Dallas may be nothing more than a feel-good story for fans who didn't want to see him leave last offseason. Since 2021, Elliott's average yards per carry has declined, and he's entering his age-29 season with 2,065 carries on his resume. As head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Dak Prescott head into a contract year, the Cowboys seem like a team in a holding pattern, stuck in neutral."

Knox is inclined to agree.

"I know that Dallas will probably be good for another 11-13 wins this season, but I have a hard time viewing the Cowboys as a legitimate contender," Knox wrote. "The picks of Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe were solid, but I don't think they had a home run draft. With virtually no action in free agency, the Cowboys feel like a worse team than they were a year ago—and Dallas was a pretender then."

"Dallas hasn't done enough to address its run defense, needs more receiver depth and seemingly lacks a coherent plan at running back," he went on. "A deep playoff run is possible, but the Cowboys will need every single thing to break their way for it to happen."

For a good chunk of the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Eagles looked like the best team in the NFC. But a late-season collapse culminated in Philly squandering the NFC East and getting blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round.

However, after an aggressive free-agent period that included bringing in running back Saquon Barkley and extensions for wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Moton thinks the Eagles have maneuvered themselves right back into position as one of the NFC's better teams.

"At first glance, the Eagles had one of the best draft classes from top to bottom," he said. "The Eagles addressed arguably their biggest weakness at cornerback by taking Quinyon Mitchell with the 22nd pick and then trading up in the second round for Cooper DeJean. Bleacher Report's scouting department ranked Mitchell and DeJean as the first and fourth-best cornerbacks in the class, respectively."

"Philadelphia added versatile running back Will Shipley in the fourth round. As usual, Philadelphia also added depth to its offensive and defensive lines. And the Eagles selected Jeremiah Trotter Jr., whose dad played for the team (four Pro Bowl or All-Pro years in eight seasons).

"If head coach Nick Sirianni made better decisions in hiring coordinators (Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio), the Eagles should bounce back from an abysmal finish to the 2023 season."

The Los Angeles Rams were one of the best surprises of the 2023 NFL season. Thanks to big contributions from unsung heroes like rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, second-year running back Kyren Williams and defensive tackle Kobie Turner, the Rams came out of nowhere to make the postseason.

Sobleski believes there's a good chance last year's success was not a fluke, largely because the Rams attacked the trenches in the offseason.

"Aaron Donald's retirement probably dented expectations that many held for the Rams earlier this year," he said. "Surely, the greatest defensive player of his generation will be missed. At the same time, the Rams front office has quietly done an excellent job rebuilding a roster that needed significant retooling after the franchise's Super Bowl victory three years ago."

"It's no coincidence that general manager Les Snead concentrated on bolstering the defensive front during the draft," Sobleski continued. "The organization's first two picks were collegiate teammates Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. Later additions of Brennan Jackson and Tyler Davis can help as well."

The Rams already have a loaded offense led by a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and a decent offensive line. If the defensive adjustments stick in 2024, the Rams easily could be the biggest challengers to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.

The Green Bay Packers were one of last year's more surprising teams. After an up-and-down start to the season, Green Bay got hot late, made the playoffs and won a postseason game.

For quarterback Jordan Love, last year's success was just the beginning. This year's goal is a trip to the Big Easy and a berth in Super Bowl LIX.

"We're all very hungry for this upcoming year," Love said on a recent episode of The Pivot Podcast. "The confidence from top to bottom is there. The organization believes that it's the perfect time to have a chance to win a Super Bowl this year. Those conversations we had after the 49ers game were, 'Man, work harder. Try and find ways to get better because next year we're gonna do it.'"

The talent appears to be there. Green Bay's young wide receivers seemingly came into their own as the 2023 season wore on. Green Bay swapped out Aaron Jones at running back for Josh Jacobs. This year's draft class brought help on the offensive line in Arizona's Jordan Morgan, a potential starter at linebacker in Texas A&M's Edgerrin Cooper and improvement in the secondary in Georgia's Javon Bullard.

The Packers don't quite possess the loaded roster of their division rivals in Detroit, but they aren't far off. And as one of the league's youngest teams, there's room for improvement as the players mature in Titletown.

The Cincinnati Bengals have followed a simple formula over the past several years. If quarterback Joe Burrow gets through the season healthy, the Bengals make a deep playoff run. If he doesn't, Cincy watches the postseason from home.

Last year, Burrow played in only 10 games before a wrist injury ended his season. He told reporters that his rehab and offseason conditioning have proceeded well.

"Trying to get a little bigger and stronger. That's kind of been a focus this offseason," said Burrow. "We'll see where it goes. That will kind of be determined as we get closer to training camp. See how I feel.

"... I'm doing the rehab every day. That's always a part of it. As far as my offseason training, it hasn't really affected it too much. I've been able to pretty much do everything I normally do from a lifting and conditioning standpoint. I'm in a great spot body-wise."

The roster around Burrow will be different in 2024, as wide receiver Tyler Boyd, running back Joe Mixon and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan are all gone. The Bengals brought in reinforcements (running back Zack Moss in free agency and wide receiver Jermaine Burton in Round 3 of the draft), and the team continues to try to bolster its offensive line.

But at least one of our analysts has his doubts about Cincinnati's viability in the NFL's toughest division.

"It'll all come down to Burrow's health and his performance sans Callahan," Knox wrote. "Burrow has covered up a lot of warts in Cincinnati since entering the league, as evidenced by the fact that the Bengals have been a last-place team in two seasons with him on injured reserve.

"While I think the Bengals had a good draft, I don't think their rookie class will have a significant impact on the coming season. In fact, I don't think the Bengals improved in any one area this offseason at all."

There were times last year when the Miami Dolphins looked like one of the most dangerous teams in the AFC. After all, they dropped 70 points on the Denver Broncos early in the season.

But as the year wore on, defenses adjusted and slowed Miami's high-octane offense somewhat. Injuries blasted the team's defense, especially on the edge. And while the Dolphins made the playoffs, they were one-and-done.

This is a pivotal year for both the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He's heading into the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, although he told KHON Radio that he's confident a deal will get done.

"I'm focused on my family, I'm focused on continuing to better myself, better my craft and we'll talk more about that when that time comes," he said. "For now, exciting times ahead, that's for sure."

Tagovailoa and the offense aren't the issue. The Dolphins will score points in 2024. And the team attempted to address its questions on the edge by drafting Penn State's Chop Robinson in the first round.

Miami's defense will determine whether it can push past the Buffalo Bills and on a deep playoff run. If the Dolphins field even a top-15 defense in 2024, they could be a force to be reckoned with.

The Buffalo Bills made one of the more eyebrow-raising moves of the offseason when they traded veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. Combined with the loss of Gabriel Davis in free agency, a potential Super Bowl contender was left with a gaping void at receiver.

Buffalo traded out of Round 1 of the 2024 draft, but it did take Florida State's Keon Coleman at the start of Round 2.

"The Bills' top pick joins a depth chart in desperate need of someone with his talent level, one that Josh Allen told general manager Brandon Beane he was a fan of ahead of the draft," he said. "The receiver has an exuberant personality to go along with it.

"Coleman spent the first minute with reporters talking about jacket-buying strategies and when to get the best deal for each season. On top of it all, Coleman went with No. 0 as his jersey number with the Bills, which is a power move for a rookie. He will be the first player in franchise history to sport that number in an actual game."

Asking a rookie to step in as the No. 1 receiver for a team with Super Bowl aspirations is a tall ask, even for a player as talented as Coleman. But if Buffalo is going to get past the top AFC teams in the playoffs this season, that's exactly what Coleman will have to be.

The Baltimore Ravens came within a game of the Super Bowl last year, but they once again came up short of the ultimate goal. That fed more into the narrative that quarterback Lamar Jackson can't win the big one.

However, Ravens president Sashi Brown credited the reigning MVP for shaking off another setback and showing up ready to get back to work in 2024.

"[Jackson has] been great in terms of coming back and really buying in," Brown told reporters. "I thought Eric [DeCosta, Ravens GM] and John and Oz [Newsome] and Steve [Bisciotti, Ravens owner] did a great job just sticking through it last year and really putting some pieces around him so that he could feel successful and see the commitment to him as well."

There has been quite a bit of roster turnover in Baltimore this year, whether it was the addition of Derrick Henry at running back or losses along the offensive line and at linebacker.

Baltimore bolstered its offensive line on Day 2 of the draft, and first-round pick Nate Wiggins could be a starter for the Ravens in the secondary right away. Zay Flowers could also have a new running mate at wide receiver in Devontez Walker, and the return of veteran tight end Mark Andrews will help.

The Ravens remain one of the better and more balanced teams in the AFC—and arguably the biggest threat to the Chiefs in the conference.

The Houston Texans leave this year's draft as the NFL's hype darlings after last season's surprise run to an AFC South title and postseason win—including among our analysts.

In the red corner, we have Sobleski.

"Last season, the Texans were a great story," he said. "This year, they should be treated like a true contender. DeMeco Ryans is legit as a head coach. More importantly, C.J. Stroud looks every bit like a premier quarterback, and he's only going to get better. The organization spent this offseason building up the rest of the roster after hitting a grand slam during last year's draft."

"Along with signing veteran pass-rushers Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry to beef up the defensive front, as well as trading for standout wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the Texans bolstered their secondary with the Day 2 draft selections of Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter and USC safety Calen Bullock. Houston will field a complete team this fall. Look out."

In the blue corner, we have Knox.

"I'm probably higher on Houston than most, and it's not just a product of the 2023 hype," he said. "Stroud should grow in Year 2, the roster should be healthier, and the Texans did a solid job of addressing their secondary through free agency and the draft. Big-name additions like Danielle Hunter and Stefon Diggs were luxury adds for a team already poised to challenge the AFC's best."

Well, Kris...maybe you aren't.

The Texans may be this year's hype darlings, but with the draft in Detroit this year and the Lions fresh off a surprise run to the NFC Championship Game, there is no fanbase in America more jacked up than the long-suffering fans in the Motor City.

The Lions have quietly assembled one of the NFL's best rosters. The offense is explosive. The offensive line is among the league's best. People are realizing that Jared Goff is an above-average quarterback. And the defense took massive strides last year.

The Lions tried to keep that momentum going in their hometown draft. Cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. should both have a chance to start early in their careers.

If Detroit can beef up its secondary, it will be a hard team to beat.

"It's not easy for an old man like me to wrap his head around the Lions as a legitimate Super Bowl contender—it's been three decades and change since that could be said with anything resembling a straight face," Davenport said. "This is a team with few obvious weaknesses, especially after the draft-day upgrades in the secondary. Add in a roster of players who have completely bought into head coach Dan Campbell's hard-nosed mentality, and you have a legit top-five NFL team."

Twice in the past five years, the San Francisco 49ers have won the NFC. Twice in the past five years, the Niners have also lost close Super Bowls to the Kansas City Chiefs.

This is a pivotal year for San Francisco. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk heading into the last year of his contract, and this time next year, quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for a massive extension.

The team may have addressed the former with its first draft pick in 2024. The team selected Florida's Ricky Pearsall, who models his NFL game after Aiyuk.

"Somebody I watched a lot was Brandon Aiyuk," Pearsall told reporters. "He was my teammate. I got to watch him [during my] freshman year, and it just felt like every time he touched the ball, or it was thrown his way, he was taking it to the house. Watching a dude like that really helped me, seeing what it takes to get to that next level."

San Francisco faces some tough decisions over the next year to keep its Super Bowl window as open as it is currently. But for now, the 49ers have to be considered the favorites in the NFC again.

The offense has as much skill-position talent as any team in the league. Purdy has shown that he can operate Kyle Shanahan's offense at a high level. The 49ers defense is as stout as any in the league.

This is a balanced, well-coached, battle-tested team.

In three of the past five seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. By just about any objective measure, the Patrick Mahomes/Andy Reid Chiefs are a dynasty.

That the Chiefs were able to win a second straight championship last year is all the more impressive given that Kansas City's vertical passing game was all but nonexistent. The Chiefs averaged 6.9 yards per attempt last year, which was tied for 19th in the league.

Naturally, the wide receiver who just ran the fastest 40-yard dash in combine history fell into Kansas City's lap in Round 1 of the 2024 draft.

After the Chiefs added Marquise Brown in free agency, their trade up for Texas' Xavier Worthy makes their wideout room appear all the more explosive. Head coach Andy Reid told reporters that the team won't force Worthy into a big-time role until he's ready.

"I think he is a heck of a football player," Reid said. "Number one, he does a few different things. He's a good wide receiver and also a good special teams returner. He'll end up doing both to start things off with.

"We'll just work him into that rotation when we get him (into) the wide receiver rotation, and with Hollywood (Marquise Brown) and Rashee (Rice) and (Travis) Kelce, you know, the other folks, so it should give Pat (Patrick Mahomes) another weapon to use."

Even if Worthy is a slow learner who takes time to acclimate to the NFL, the Chiefs are still the favorites to win Super Bowl LIX. But if Worthy takes off and makes a big first-year dent? The Chiefs offense will be all but unstoppable.