Top of the first check-in of the offseason is the Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions. The 49ers aren’t exactly behind them, though.
The Super Bowl is concluded. We allowed one week for us to gather our ideas. We are now prepared to resume the holy task of rating power as we stand on the threshold of the NFL combine. We used our rating method to take you on a journey through the highs and lows of an NFL season for more than 17 weeks in a row in 2023 and early 2024.
We may now resume examining the NFL from a 30,000-foot perspective. Now let’s get started.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
My story about the Chiefs blurring the boundary between a traditional NFL dynasty and the Patriot Space was tucked inside the front cover of the Sports Illustrated Super Bowl commemorative issue. The drawbacks of this, I contend, are the near universal animosity of the opposing team and the profound emptiness of a season that is not concluded with a Super Bowl victory. The advantage? being ranked #1 in the power rankings at all times. In addition, Kansas City’s roster is the second youngest in the NFL. Thus, they will return.
2. Detroit Lions
For two reasons, the Lions easily move up to No. 2 in our power rankings:
One: Their roster is mostly intact, and they won’t make any significant financial changes this summer.
Two: Their losses have come from an NFC title game defeat, which is less emotionally devastating than a Super Bowl loss, which is cripplingly terrible. The psychologically advantageous path lies ahead for the Lions.
3. San Francisco 49ers
Concerns over the 49ers are legitimate. The 49ers could draft Brandon Aiyuk’s replacement with the money they would receive from a trade, but there is always a chance San Francisco would pass on him. Shanahan is particular about what he looks for in a 1-A receiver, which requires the ability to run a complete route tree or wear an opponent down with a combination of speed and physicality. Aiyuk played a crucial albeit mainly silent role in executing the plan flawlessly this year.
Being among the oldest teams in the NFL, the 49ers depend on experienced players like Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Jusczcyk, and George Kittle to stay healthy and continue to be versatile enough to draw the attention of opposing defenses.
4. Baltimore Ravens
Despite the fact that Mike Macdonald, the defensive coordinator for the Ravens, left for Seattle this summer, Zach Orr—who is unrelated to me—has garnered a lot of attention. Although the defensive coaching staff in Baltimore isn’t exactly a factory, Orr may use the ingrained culture as a guide. Their summer will be devoted to dealing with some potentially disastrous personnel departures and restocking a team that, with a little assistance, can still be the greatest in football the following season.
5. Buffalo Bills
It has been worrying that Buffalo hasn’t been able to genuinely rotate and restructure its squad. As we approach 2024, one of the league’s more established clubs hopes to triumph via muscle memory. The division may not be as strong as it once was, and both New England and Miami may end up being doormats, but in the quickly approaching Super Bowl window, we’ll either witness the actual brilliance of Sean McDermott or the entire amount of Buffalo’s arrogance.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Dan Pitcher, my pick for the 2024 Super Bowl champion, might be the next great NFL offensive coordinator if the team gets its quarterback back. With Jake Browning and a very injured Burrow, the Bengals performed admirably, going 9–8 in the NFL’s top division. The AFC North facade is starting to reveal cracks, and the Bengals will now attempt to exact revenge for their Super Bowl LVI defeat.
7. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys will attempt to regroup and recreate the Micah Parsons experience without Dan Quinn. Mike McCarthy could learn just how much harder it is without a pick-first, ball-hawking secondary that returned five interceptions for touchdowns in the previous season and embarrassed some of the team’s weaker opponents. We haven’t spoken about this aspect of bringing back Mike McCarthy the most. It’s the most important as well. Can he effectively rehire after a third time?
8. Philadelphia Eagles
For some coaches, the terrified staff re-organization scenario has worked, but it has backfired on others. Vic Fangio and Kellen Moore, two outstanding coaches, were chosen by Nick Sirianni to succeed the coordinators who had a difficult season. He will now need to reassess his identity and his capacity to save the squad from catastrophic collapse. He could have to accomplish it without the assistance of some of the team’s most powerful locker room voices.
9. Green Bay Packers
This offseason, pray for the Packers, who will now have to absorb all of your observations and wide-eyed hope. The biggest test of Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst’s employment was passed with flying colors: they were confident enough to bench Aaron Rodgers in favor of Jordan Love and give LaFleur control of the locker room. Now that the 49ers were almost tripped up in the NFC divisional round, the belief is genuine—and maybe even out of control—going into 2024.
10. Cleveland Browns
Apparently, the nightmarish situation I imagined for the Browns in late 2022 is starting to come true. It’s Brian Callahan’s loss. Their offense’s core is progressively aging. Furthermore, even though Deshaun Watson had some encouraging moments last season, he has consistently failed to match the contemporary NFL defense. It remains to be seen if Watson is much of an upgrade and how long the Browns can sustain him with their roster, even though the club was undoubtedly talented enough to go on a run with the inconsistent Joe Flacco behind center.
11. Los Angeles Rams
If Aaron Donald returns and the Rams are able to use free agency to modify his deal and offer them more flexibility, I’m really optimistic about the club in 2024. We have a squad that can go very far in the open NFC if we combine Les Snead’s signature aggressiveness with an offense that is unmatched in the NFL.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars were unsatisfactory in every way in 2023, and they will probably need to play well into 2024 in order to avoid making some significant adjustments. This summer, we’ve already had some insightful discussions regarding what to do with Travon Walker. However, none of that matters unless we confront the obvious: Trevor Lawrence was less effective on a down-by-down basis, threw fewer touchdowns, and more interceptions than the previous year. That probably won’t stay the same, which is why I give the Jaguars a somewhat high ranking when all things are taken into account.
13. Indianapolis Colts
If Anthony Richardson had been able to play a complete 17-game season with the Colts, I would have liked to see the final rookie of the year vote results. If he stays healthy, he is my clear choice for comeback player of the year. In 2023, Shane Steichen demonstrated to us his capacity to turn a ball of random items from his pocket into simple gourmet cuisine. This past season, the Colts were a complete pain in everyone’s side, thanks in large part to Gardner Minshew. 2024 might see the production of a division winner if injuries are avoided.
14. Houston Texans
Let’s put an end to Houston’s amazing 2023 run and call it what it was. C.J. Both Stroud and Bobby Slowik, Houston’s offensive coordinator, are talented. DeMeco Ryans performed admirably on defense, as promised. However, there aren’t many weak opponents in 2024, and in the past, when the fan favorite of one season had to step it up significantly for the season with really high expectations, the outcomes were not always predictable.
15. Los Angeles Chargers
Right now, I don’t know what to make of the Chargers or where to put them. However, in my memory, Jim Harbaugh and Joe Horitz’s combination is the clearest improvement in head coaching and general management. The Baltimore lifers were hard to rip from that front office, but it was a significant triumph to land someone who is entrenched in the organization’s combination of cutting-edge analytics and football sense, in addition to being familiar with the Harbaugh family. It is going to get a severe shake from Harbaugh, who will seize control of that locker room.
16. New Orleans Saints
The offseason in New Orleans was excellent. As previously said, it was my belief that Derek Carr was looking for a new offensive coordinator that was comfortable with his style of play. Although Klint Kubiak and the Pro Bowler never clicked, he did get off Kyle Shanahan’s bad book. As a member of the elite offensive staff, Kubiak was expected to have all the answers to satisfy the league’s most exacting head coach. Go here to learn more about it.
17. New York Jets
Theoretically, Aaron Rodgers is back. We have to presume that the Jets are exactly what we thought they would be a year ago. They include two of the league’s top defensive and two of its top offensive players. That’s not insignificant, however building a solid foundation to secure and safeguard these elite players will be a struggle this summer. The Jets have a history of experiencing roster collapses in the latter stages of the season. Joe Douglas is in dire need of another rough draft.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers
It is troubling that the Steelers are strangely reluctant to sign a player who might effectively challenge Mason Rudolph or Kenny Pickett. Although that might be all they have to say at this stage of the season, it is reasonable to predict Pittsburgh will not be able to comfortably retreat into 2024 with a fully subdued offense. Although Arthur Smith is an improvement over the current offensive coordinator, he won’t be able to completely transform Pittsburgh into a club whose offense can keep up with a fierce, aggressive defense.
19. Miami Dolphins
The roster planning scenario for the Dolphins appears to be dire in the long run. Tua Tagovailoa upgrades are scarce, and Miami is set to make some less-than-ideal, need-based financial decisions, much like the Buccaneers. They also have a lot riding on the soon-to-be 30-year-old Tyreek Hill, whose excessive use raises concerns about his efficacy and availability in the late season every year (despite the fact that Tyreek is still better than 99% of the NFL even with a damaged ankle). On defense, the Dolphins also lost Vic Fangio. Not much has changed in terms of progress.
20. Denver Broncos
Sean Payton will almost certainly improve at quarterback this offseason. For the length of his deal, he won’t let himself go without a player along the lines of Drew Brees. Who is the question? As we noted while making our audacious projection for every club, Payton seldom ever drafts quarterbacks. He’s not particularly good at it when he does. Denver will undoubtedly be pushing elbows into the paint to gain some experience. A crucial query is: after dealing for a head coach and another quarterback, could the Broncos tolerate the prospect of a trade?
21. Seattle Seahawks
In Seattle, the team of Mike Macdonald is gelling. The addition of Jake Peetz, a key factor in Los Angeles’ offensive success the previous season, and Puka Nacua completes Ryan Grubb’s offensive coaching staff. The set of assistants from Seattle should be strong right away and have extensive understanding of the defenses in the division.
22. Atlanta Falcons
It’s very NFL, even though I believe signing Kirk Cousins would be an odd way to cap off a story in which the Falcons disregarded the position internally, hired a defensive head coach only to give him a quarterback, and then blamed the team’s lack of offensive success on the head coach’s lack of a quarterback. Atlanta would lead the division with a Cousins.
23. Minnesota Vikings
Although they are here, the Vikings may wind up anywhere. What is the structure of the Justin Jefferson deal? Should they sign Kirk Cousins again? Do they need to invest money in order to advance for a quarterback? All of these significant choices will help us determine whether Minnesota will undergo the full reconstruction that we all believed was necessary in 2024 or if this holding-on-for-horrible-life approach will continue.
24. Chicago Bears
Though it’s obvious how I feel about the Justin Fields question—keep both!—one of the more remarkable slam dunk selections in recent NFL history is going to be made by the Bears. Chicago will get its first franchise quarterback in decades, barring a late assault from the Commanders that includes a really historic haul of selections, or Williams’ outright refusal to play for the Bears. This is a playoff contender, similar to the 2023 Texans, if they can use their second first-round selection to acquire another offensive piece.
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have no competition this offseason. after three years, a third offensive coordinator. Needing to pay Baker Mayfield with actual money. navigating the costs involved in getting Mike Evans back. Their post-Tom Brady advantage stemmed in large part from a type of adventurous, carefree mentality. Great if Mayfield hit. He would introduce them to their quarterback of the future if he didn’t. They find themselves firmly wedged between the teams they must be—younger and more financially nimble—and the teams they will eventually have to be—older and less financially nimble.
26. Tennessee Titans
In Tennessee, Brian Callahan assembled a formidable staff that would be crucial during the Titans’ formative season. The team’s identity has drastically changed as a result of Mike Vrabel’s finest rosters aging out. We now have to wait and see what Callahan has planned. Growing pains are to be expected, but we’ve been taken aback before.
27. Las Vegas Raiders
Even though I believe Kliff Kingsbury will help the Commanders, I won’t place a lot of emphasis on the Raiders losing out on him as offensive coordinator. Luke Getsy can play to a quarterback’s strengths and was a skilled play caller in Chicago. The Raiders’ current roster has simply too many deficiencies on the offensive line to make them a postseason contender. Antonio Pierce will also need to demonstrate his ability to coach better than the typical lag that follows interim head coaches promoted to full-time positions.
28. New York Giants
It looks like the Giants are headed for a historic offseason. For a long time, this crew needed to lose weight in order to properly recalibrate. Could they handle a rebuild and a teardown in the same off-season? I don’t like to put too much pressure on Brian Daboll because he has a track record of winning games with less resources. However, the more patient members of the Giants fan group may have passed their honeymoon phase.
29. Arizona Cardinals
I can’t stop staring at the draft board, wondering if Arizona will select Marvin Harrison Jr. How delightful that would be. Last season, this offensive was quite effective, and if Kyler Murray is back to full health, Arizona may start to contend for a postseason spot.
30. Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn’s appointment will swiftly elevate the Commanders to the fore. In Washington, they’ll probably have a rookie quarterback, which implies a low ceiling but might also mark the start of something more consistently effective. The fact that Kliff Kingsbury is there for a longer period of time than other coordinators would receive indicates that they are prepared to grow things gradually.
31. New England Patriots
The tagline, if it were an advertising, would probably read something like this: “still the worst football roster, but with less Bill Belichick!” I don’t see how anyone believes the team’s prospects can instantly improve by firing one of the best coaches in NFL history. When it comes to correcting the QB position, our goal is, at most, for them to land the plane safely.
32. Carolina Panthers
The addition of Dave Canales, particularly for Bryce Young, pleased us. Although it’s hard to predict what the Panthers will accomplish this season, the fact that they managed to hang onto Ejiro Evero indicates that things are trending marginally in the right direction. In order to help Young run a more effective system with automatic completions, Carolina must commit significant money to the offensive line this summer.
