These rankings are not a prediction of how teams will finish the 2024 season. Instead, the following list is a snapshot of where the NFL’s teams currently are. (Will that stop people from interpreting these ranking as a prediction of how teams will finish the 2024 season? Nope.)
1. Chiefs: The two-time champs will stay kings of the NFL mountain, until someone knocks them off.
2. 49ers: They keep knocking on the door. Can they finally kick it in this year?
3. Lions: The hard part is getting to a 17-point halftime lead in the NFC Championship. The easy part is holding it.
4. Ravens: The second year of the Todd Monken offense, combined with the arrival of Derrick Henry, could keep the Ravens in the thick of things.
5. Eagles: The changes to the coaching staff and the poaching of Saquon Barkley should help fix whatever went haywire late last season.
6. Packers: Can Jordan Love keep it going? If so, the Super Bowl isn’t out of the question.
7. Bills: Will a revamped receiving corps be ready to go?
8. Bengals: They’ll go as far as Joe Burrow’s health will let them.
9. Buccaneers: For some reason, they still aren’t being taken seriously. They should be.
10. Texans: How will they perform as a team that no one will take for granted?
11. Dolphins: Whether they can win in the postseason will depend on whether they can consistently win late in the regular season.
12. Browns: Just like last year, Deshaun Watson is the biggest wild card in the league.
13. Rams: They overachieved last year, and Aaron Donald is gone. This year could entail a step backward.
14. Steelers: They blew up the depth chart at the quarterback position, dumping 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett along the way. That alone will make them better in 2024.
15. Chargers: The Harbaugh factor made me want to put them higher. I have a feeling they’ll get there, quickly.
16. Cowboys: All-in, my ass. (The comma does some important work in that sentence.)
17. Bears: The defense is solid and the offense is greatly improved.
18. Colts: Can Anthony Richardson stay healthy without compromising his playing style?
19. Falcons: They’d be even higher if they’d used the eighth overall pick on a player other than Kirk Cousins’s replacement.
20. Jaguars: They fell apart down the stretch last year. They need to prove that it was a fluke.
21. Seahawks: Can Geno Smith hold off Sam Howell?
22. Broncos: If Bo Nix doesn’t win the Week 1 starting job, it could be another long year for the Broncos.
23. Vikings: Will they be better or worse without Kirk Cousins?
24. Saints: It feels like it’s up-or-out this year for both Derek Carr and Dennis Allen.
25. Jets: They’re counting on way too many injured veterans to stay healthy.
26. Raiders: If they can get solid quarterback play, they could climb the ladder.
27. Titans: It’s still weird that they fired Mike Vrabel.
28. Giants: What have they really done to improve?
29. Commanders: If Jayden Daniels ends up playing great right away, he’ll cover up a lot of flaws.
30. Cardinals: Let’s see what they can do with a healthy Kyler Murray.
31. Patriots: Can Jerod Mayo do anything with a roster that fell apart in recent years?
32. Panthers: Wear a raincoat if you plan to be sitting near the owner’s box this year.