After taking a look at the AFC, we head over to the NFC to evaluate each team as they prepare to officially begin training camps later this summer.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: Will the Cowboys sign their top three stars?
Despite being the most profitable franchise in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys are notoriously stingy when it comes to re-signing their own players. And this stance might cost them dearly this offseason.
Dak Prescott, with whom the Cowboys previously engaged in a standoff during contract negotiations, is once again entering the final year of his deal. But this time he holds all the power with a no-trade and no-franchise-tag clause in hand. Star receiver CeeDee Lamb is playing on his fifth-year club option and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next season. While superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons is eligible for an extension. Failure to come to terms on a new deal could see his fifth-year option for 2025 costing Dallas over $21 million in cap space.
These three players are cornerstone pieces of the organization. And with recent massive contracts given to Trevor Lawrence and Justin Jefferson, the market price to sign star players continues to rise.
New York Giants: What does Daniel Jones have left to offer?
The New York Giants awarded quarterback Daniel Jones a massive contract extension after a surprising playoff run in the 2022 season, only to see the entire offence falter in 2023.
Jones struggled early in the year before tearing his ACL in Week 9, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. While Jones has participated fully in OTA workouts, his true potential as a franchise quarterback remains uncertain. While he’s shown flashes, particularly when utilizing his athleticism, inconsistency and inaccuracy have plagued his career.
The Giants lost tight end Darren Waller to retirement and running back Saquon Barkley to free agency, leaving the offence lacking in talent. Despite drafting wide receiver Malik Nabers, there are concerns about the support Jones will receive as he tries to live up to his $47 million cap hit. Head coach Brian Daboll is entering this season on the hot seat, and I would be extremely concerned if my employment was in the hands of Daniel Jones.
Philadelphia Eagles: Can Jalen Hurts take another step and lead this offence?
The Philadelphia Eagles experienced a collapse in the 2023 season after starting off strong, going from Super Bowl favourites to bowing out of the playoffs in the wild card round. While they made significant improvements to the roster, particularly in the defensive backfield, the success of the team hinges on the development of Jalen Hurts.
Losing Jason Kelce at center is a blow, as his expertise in calling protections will be greatly missed. While Hurts doesn’t necessarily have to take on all of that pre-snap responsibility, he’ll have to focus on it more than he has in the past as Kelce’s replacement grows into his new role. Hurts also faces the challenge of adapting to his third offensive coordinator in as many seasons, with Kellen Moore taking over in 2024.
Hurts was excellent in his second season with Shane Steichen, but the offence was in disarray for a good portion of the year under Brian Johnson. If the Eagles’ offence is to regain momentum, Hurts needs to demonstrate growth and leadership at quarterback and become a true difference maker in more than the tush push.
Washington Commanders: Can Jaden Daniels’ game translate to the NFL longterm?
Jayden Daniels, fresh off of winning the Heisman trophy, will lead the Washington Commanders offence in 2024. Daniels is a dynamic runner, but his smaller frame comes with concerns. When faced with pressure, Daniels almost exclusively uses his athleticism to escape the pocket. But his aggressive running style causes him to take way more big hits than any head coach would like to see for their new franchise quarterback.
There’s an easy comparison to make for Daniels, as his profile aligns with what we projected from Robert Griffin III when he was drafted by Washington in 2012. RG3 won offensive rookie of the year that season, which is entirely within the realm of possibility for Daniels in 2024. However, Griffin’s career was cut short due to repeated injury. There’s no mistaking that Daniels has the talent to be a NFL starting quarterback; the questions arise when we begin to think about how long he can last playing the way that he does.
NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals: Can Kyler Murray become the guy?
The Arizona Cardinals chose not to draft a quarterback in 2023, banking on Kyler Murray’s health to elevate their offence. Selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall this year provides Murray with the best offensive weapon he’s had in years, and pairing him with tight end Trey McBride creates a formidable one-two punch.
Michael Wilson Jr. appears to be a solid WR2 (when healthy), and Greg Dortch has a knack for making big catches despite his small frame so they have a solid stable of pass catchers at Murray’s disposal. Add in the consistently productive James Conner and future starter Tre Benson at running back, and Murray is suddenly surrounded by numerous weapons to help him succeed.
For the team to make waves this season, Kyler has to stay healthy and return to the dynamic dual-threat quarterback who earned him the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. With substantial investments in the offence, Murray needs to demonstrate his ability to lead the franchise forward.
Los Angeles Rams: Can the Rams replace Aaron Donald by committee?
Aaron Donald is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players of all time, so his retirement leaves a significant void on defence that cannot be filled by any single player. Rams GM Les Snead chose a “replace by committee” approach, using the team’s first two draft picks on defensive linemen Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.
Verse and Fiske, former teammates at Florida State, possess complementary skill sets: Verse excels as an athletic pass rusher with remarkable speed and burst, while Fiske relies on his relentless work ethic and exceptional hand placement to win battles in the trenches. Adding these two high potential rookies to second-year players Kobie Turner (a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023) and Byron Young, the defensive line appears well-balanced and brimming with potential.
When combined with the seventeen sacks contributed by Turner and Young last season, there’s optimism that the Rams can overcome the loss of future first-ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald with a rotating cast of impact defensive players, something that the Rams defence needs to be successful in 2024.
San Francisco 49ers: What will the wide receiver room look like to start the season?
The San Francisco 49ers boast one of the deepest rosters in the league. Yet questions linger about their plan at wide receiver moving forward. Rumours began to surface immediately after the Kansas City Chiefs were crowned Super Bowl champions, suggesting that the 49ers might part ways with either Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk. For now, no trades or extensions have materialized for either of their star receivers.
Samuel, entering his age-28 season, is known for his ability to exploit zones but struggles to create separation against man coverage at an elite level. Conversely, Aiyuk performs well against zone defenses but truly shines in man-to-man situations, prompting speculation about the offensive direction preferred by head coach Kyle Shanahan.
In the draft, the 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall in the second round, a fantastic route runner with good hands who’s aggressive playstyle is mildly reminiscent of Samuel. Consequently, the focus shifted from a potential Aiyuk trade to the possibility of the team parting ways with Samuel. Despite contract extensions for running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Juwan Jennings, the team has yet to come to an agreement on an extension with Aiyuk, resulting in him skipping the 49ers OTA’s and mandatory minicamp.
The team also has to take in account that quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for an extension after this season. The deal that the Niners have gotten since naming Brock Purdy as a starter is absurd. He’ll have made a total of $3 million in his career after this season. It’s unlikely that he’ll be joining the team at next year’s training camp if there isn’t a significant increase to his $1.05 million deal that he’s currently on the books for. So the organization has to account for his pay raise while they continue to navigate the future of the wide receiver room.
Training camp trades for superstar receivers are rare, so it appears increasingly likely that San Francisco will enter the season with its current roster intact, aiming to address its receiver situation next offseason. Nonetheless, there remains considerable intrigue surrounding the team’s wide receiver room going forward.
Seattle Seahawks: How quickly can the defence learn Mike Macdonald’s system?
The Seattle Seahawks face numerous challenges following a disappointing 2023 season, which prompted the team to part ways with head coach Pete Carroll. While the offence, mainly quarterback Geno Smith and the offensive line, regressed significantly from the surprisingly explosive 2022 season, it was the defence that suffered the most in 2023.
In response, the Seahawks hired former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to lead the team in 2024. With a successful track record in Baltimore, there’s immense pressure for Macdonald’s players to adapt to his new system. While reports indicate that Macdonald is an adept communicator and excels at explaining his complex system, it presents challenges due to its intricacies on every down.
Seattle managed to bolster their defensive line with the addition of potential star Byron Murphy in the draft. Additionally, they also boast a formidable cornerback room with Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen and Michael Jackson leading the way last season. If Macdonald can help Woolen return to his 2022 form and find a suitable replacement on this roster for the Kyle Hamilton role of his scheme, this defence has the potential to be amongst the league’s best, provided everyone can synchronize by September.
NFC North:
Chicago Bears: Can the Bears be playoff contenders?
The Chicago Bears are positioned as early favourites to make significant strides in 2024 on both offence and defence. Offensively, they secured their new franchise quarterback, Caleb Williams, with the first overall pick in the draft. He enters the league surrounded with talented receivers in D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and rookie Rome Odunze.
Historically, the Bears have never had a 4,000-yard passer, but Williams possesses the potential and offensive pieces to achieve this milestone in his rookie season. Defensively, the Bears experienced notable improvement in the second half of the 2023 season, particularly after acquiring Montez Sweat at the trade deadline. There was plenty of scrutiny for the move, as it cost the Bears a second round pick before they locked him up for the next four seasons at a $25 million cap hit. Sweat fit in with the Bears defence better than anyone could have expected and was a key reason for their late season turnaround.
Head coach Matt Eberflus, known for his defensive prowess, faced significant criticism since assuming the position, but he demonstrated promising developments in the latter half of 2023. If Eberflus can continue to refine his approach and capitalize on the progress made since November, the Chicago Bears have all the components to make significant strides in 2024 and contend for a playoff spot in one of football’s most competitive divisions.
Detroit Lions: Can the defense step up and make the Lions a true Superbowl Contender?
The deliberate construction of the Lions’ roster has been captivating to watch since the appointments of GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. Rather than attempting to remedy the laundry list of roster issues at once, they’ve methodically acquired players who align with their system, gradually elevating the roster to compete amongst the league’s best.
Addressing their leaky defensive backfield emerged as one of their final major tasks that they attacked with vigor this offseason. Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn prioritized bolstering the defensive line to stop the run over the past few seasons, albeit at the expense of their pass defence. This offseason, the focus shifted towards shoring up this weakness.
They acquired Carlton Davis Jr. from the Buccaneers in exchange for a third-round pick and invested first and second-round selections in cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. Arnold, regarded as one of the top two corners in this year’s draft, and Rakestraw, poised to potentially start as a nickel cornerback from day one, highlight these acquisitions.
Additionally, fourth-round safety Sione Vaki holds promise as a potential contributor in his rookie season. If this revamped defensive backfield coalesces and develops chemistry in their inaugural year together, the Lions will emerge as an even more formidable force in 2024.
Green Bay Packers: Will this team have a “sophomore” slump?
I understand that many of the breakout players for the Packers in the 2023 season weren’t rookies, but it marked the beginning of the Jordan Love era so it had the feel of a rookie season for the organization.
As the NFL’s youngest team, they made significant strides last season, although they encountered some challenges along the way. Despite this, Green Bay quickly became a must-watch team in the latter half of the year, as they turned heads into the playoffs. Love’s performance notably improved midway through the year, with a completion percentage consistently at or above 70% with just two interceptions thrown over the final eight weeks.
As we enter the new season, it’s crucial to see if Love and the offence can maintain this level of success. Anointing Love as the next elite quarterback based on only half a season of success is premature; it’s a relatively small sample size to fully endorse. While Green Bay boasts an array of exciting offensive weapons and one of the deepest wide receiver groups in the league, alongside the leadership of a fantastic head coach in Matt LaFleur, they have to avoid the inconsistencies seen in certain weeks last season to ascend into elite territory.
Minnesota Vikings: Can J.J. McCarthy do enough to keep this team competitive?
J.J. McCarthy didn’t enter the draft as a top-tier quarterback prospect, but he finds himself in a situation remarkably well-suited for success in Minnesota. The Vikings boast an impressive offensive line anchored by Christian Darrishaw. They also secured veteran running back Aaron Jones from Green Bay to complement the explosive young Ty Chandler in the Vikings’ backfield. Both Jones and Chandler excel as pass catchers, providing McCarthy with reliable options when under pressure.
Additionally, Jordan Addison showed promise in his rookie season, and McCarthy has the luxury of targeting one of the league’s best receivers in Justin Jefferson. At some point this season he’ll also welcome back T.J. Hockenson, who was in the midst of reaching elite status amongst tight ends before suffering a season ending injury.
Despite early OTA discussions indicating veteran Sam Darnold is the presumed starter for training camp, I believe it won’t be long before McCarthy surpasses him. Head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive acumen and the opportunity to shape McCarthy’s development to his vision will likely prompt a swift transition away from Darnold. McCarthy won’t be asked to go out and win games on his own. If he can step in, make the throws he’s asked to make on time within the offensive structure, he can enter the playoffs in his rookie season.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: Can Kirk Cousins and the new coaching staff open up this offence?
In 2023, the Falcons ranked 26th in the league with an average of 18.9 points per game, despite possessing first-round talents at wide receiver (Drake London), running back (Bijan Robinson), and tight end (Kyle Pitts).
Much of this underperformance stemmed from subpar quarterback play by Desmond Ridder and Tyler Heinicke, coupled with slow-paced and uncreative play-calling from the previous coaching staff. The Falcons openly pursued Cousins in free agency, so much so that it drew sanctions from the NFL for tampering, and further solidified their quarterback position by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft.
If Cousins, who will turn 36 this season, can recover from his torn Achilles suffered in 2023, he possesses the ability to revitalize this offence. Under new head coach Raheem Morris, the defence should be able to maintain competitiveness. However, the team’s success this season hinges largely on Cousins’ ability to regain form and unleash the untapped potential of this roster.
Carolina Panthers: Is Bryce Young in the team’s long term plans?
This offseason the Carolina Panthers acknowledged that they failed to position their number one pick, Bryce Young, for success last year. Consequently, they dedicated the 2024 offseason to surrounding him with the necessary support for a more fruitful year ahead.
They made substantial investments in their offensive line, securing Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, thereby furnishing Young with two formidable interior linemen to maintain a clean pocket and enhance his visibility downfield. Additionally, the Panthers executed a trade to acquire Diontae Johnson from the Steelers. Young took 62 sacks over his 16 games in his rookie season, so Johnson’s ability to create separation early in his routes will help Young get the ball out of his hands quicker in 2024.
In the draft, they bolstered their offensive arsenal with promising young talent, including running back Jonathon Brooks, wide receiver Xavier Leggett, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. Dave Canales, known for revitalizing the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, was appointed as head coach, giving Young a solid coach who has shown the ability to get the best out of flawed quarterbacks.
While the pieces are gradually falling into place for Bryce Young and the Panthers’ offence, his failure to make significant developmental strides this season may prompt the organization to expedite their search for a true franchise quarterback sooner than they would have hoped.
New Orleans Saints: Who will want to watch the Saints this year?
The Saints epitomize mediocrity. Their roster, on paper, appears passable. However, their on-field performance is synonymous with dull football. Due to years of deferring their perennial cap issues with contract restructures, they’ve failed to be able to make significant team improvements over multiple free agency periods.
Quarterback Derek Carr has regressed into a checkdown machine, limiting the team’s offensive explosiveness. While Alvin Kamara benefits from Carr’s passes, he lacks the game-breaking ability that once defined his game. Chris Olave has yet to fulfill his potential, and the rest of the receiving corps sporadically contributes to games but can’t be called special by any means.
Head coach Dennis Allen, despite failing to inspire confidence in the team’s contendership, inexplicably retained his position for another season despite seemingly losing the locker room’s support. As the same crew returns for another season, excitement for Saints matchups is notably lacking.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Did Baker Mayfield turn the corner, or was he a result of Dave Canales?
Baker Mayfield concluded the 2023 season with career-highs in completion percentage (64.3%), passing yards (4044), and touchdowns (28), while demonstrating strong ball security by throwing only 10 interceptions.
His standout performance earned him a lucrative three-year, $100 million extension in Tampa Bay. With the departure of offensive coordinator Dave Canales, it remains to be seen if Mayfield has truly progressed in his career or if his success was merely a byproduct of elite playcalling. Canales notably guided Geno Smith to a breakout season in 2022; however, Smith experienced a significant regression without Canales last year, placing new offensive coordinator Liam Coen in a challenging position.
With minimal offensive turnover in the offseason, Mayfield will have the luxury of targeting his top two receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, along with Rachaad White, a skilled pass catcher in the backfield. Another season above .500 in the league’s weakest division should secure Tampa Bay a playoff berth. Thus, maintaining his current level of play would mark yet another successful season for Mayfield. However, it remains to be seen if the mercurial quarterback can finally find some consistency in his game over the long haul.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.