The NFL recently announced its full 272-game schedule for the 2024 season, starting the countdown for another race to the Lombardi Trophy. All 32 teams still have spring practice, training camp and preseason games to sort through position battles, but for the most part, we have a good sense of how clubs have changed -- for better or worse -- since the end of last season. Some appear poised for contention. Others, not so much.
Here's one thing we learned about every team this offseason:
Arizona Cardinals
They're putting a lot on the shoulders of the Kyler Murray-Marvin Harrison Jr. tandem. Certainly the new wideout should help Murray, who should also enjoy a fuller season, further removed from knee rehab. But this lineup remains a work in progress, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Atlanta Falcons
They're willing to risk internal division to get results under center. After settling for post-Matt Ryan options under Arthur Smith, the Falcons went all in on an upgrade, paying good money to Kirk Cousins before using a top-10 draft pick on Michael Penix Jr. If just one pans out, a playoff race is probable.
Baltimore Ravens
They're doubling down on the ground game. Rather than go above and beyond to bolster the receiving corps alongside Zay Flowers, the Ravens prioritized the bruising Derrick Henry for their remade backfield. Lamar Jackson won MVP in large part due to more efficient passing in 2023, but his legs will be key again.
Buffalo Bills
They're following the Chiefs model of roster construction. In other words, spread out the money from a pricy No. 1 wideout -- in this case, Stefon Diggs -- and let your MVP-level quarterback elevate the moving parts around him. If Josh Allen is healthy, they'll remain contenders in the AFC.
Carolina Panthers
They're committed to making Bryce Young work. Which isn't crazy, considering we're just a year removed from them drafting him No. 1 overall. But new coach Dave Canales, a noted quarterback mentor, has been upfront about rightly wanting to better establish the run behind a beefed-up interior.
Chicago Bears
They're expecting instant impact from Caleb Williams. Duh, you say! They drafted him No. 1! But their preceding actions speak even louder. Unlike for Justin Fields, the Bears have actually built a competent supporting cast for the rookie gunslinger, complete with savvy targets like Keenan Allen.
Cincinnati Bengals
They're rightly prioritizing the trenches. Joe Burrow is a championship-caliber pocket passer ... if he's upright, which has been an issue. So Cincinnati properly double-dipped at tackle, adding both Trent Brown and rookie Amarius Mims, while also reinforcing the other side with a pair of interior defenders.
Cleveland Browns
They're still fully dependent on a Deshaun Watson emergence. Yes, they shuffled the deck behind him, adding two new veteran backups. But by retaining Nick Chubb, paying decent money to Jerry Jeudy, etc., Cleveland remains indebted to its expensive (and so far mostly dysfunctional) QB1 bet.
Dallas Cowboys
They're putting actual pressure on Dak Prescott. Everyone knows coach Mike McCarthy is under constant scrutiny from owner Jerry Jones. But now Prescott, despite nearly a decade of steady production at quarterback, is on track to play out his contract, still searching for a defining postseason run.
Denver Broncos
They're fully in Sean Payton's hands, for better or worse. A year after making do (barely) with Russell Wilson under center, Denver washed its hands of the former champion and now has a top-15 pick in Bo Nix set to take his place. Can the rookie give Payton the no-nonsense, ball-control captain he covets?
Detroit Lions
They're buying their own stock as title contenders. As they should, by the way. One win away from reaching the Super Bowl in 2023, Detroit handsomely rewarded its core leaders, including Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown, with new deals. They still register as one of the NFL's boldest and most balanced.
Green Bay Packers
They're believers in Jordan Love and his young receiving group. Extending the signal-caller after his flashy finish to 2023 would really confirm this, but spending big on a new ball-carrier in Josh Jacobs, plus a top-of-the-market safety in Xavier McKinney, suggests Green Bay is comfortable with its passing arsenal.
Houston Texans
They're eyeing an instant vault to Super Bowl contention. Not even C.J. Stroud's biggest fans expected such a rousing debut for the quarterback in 2023. Now, with Stefon Diggs plugged in as a new No. 1 target and big names like Danielle Hunter adding physicality on "D," the expectations are sky high.
Indianapolis Colts
They're all in on an Anthony Richardson rebound. From injury, that is. Dynamic out of the gate in 2023, the supersized dual threat made it just four games before bowing out due to multiple dings. Rather than re-sign his gutsy replacement, Gardner Minshew, they went for the aging Joe Flacco as the insurance plan.
Jacksonville Jaguars
They're set to lean more on Doug Pederson's offense. Paying edge rusher Josh Allen, and pairing him with Arik Armstead, isn't nothing. But they did even more shuffling around Trevor Lawrence, who's looking to steady himself under center, with new pieces up front and two-thirds of the receiving corps replaced.
Kansas City Chiefs
They're prepping to rotate all kinds of receivers once again. It's ultimately worked just fine for Patrick Mahomes and Co. the last two seasons, but with 2023 standout Rashee Rice in legal trouble, their two new speedsters -- veteran Marquise Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy -- could share valuable reps.
Las Vegas Raiders
They're in a holding pattern at quarterback. Which, frankly, is nothing new. Gardner Minshew is aboard to compete with Aidan O'Connell, but the new regime's failure to draft another signal-caller still stands out. It's a weird spot for win-now pieces like Davante Adams, even under the fiery leadership of Antonio Pierce.
Los Angeles Chargers
They're going back to old-school football. New coach Jim Harbaugh, whose peak San Francisco 49ers days were driven by a strong ground game and stingy defense, has all but admitted as much while stripping Justin Herbert's receiving corps down, investing in the trenches and overhauling the backfield.
Los Angeles Rams
They're back to win-now mode. Remember their post-Super Bowl collapse, which finally convinced the front office to sell off aging stars? After 2023's resurgence, they're quietly reversing course, installing Jimmy Garoppolo as Matthew Stafford's backup and adding to the trenches on a balanced young offense.
Miami Dolphins
They're essentially running it back. Christian Wilkins was a big free-agent loss, but this team was always going to boom or bust depending on Mike McDaniel's offense. Tua Tagovailoa has an even deeper receiving corps with Odell Beckham Jr. as WR3, but his O-line and off-script resume are still iffy.
Minnesota Vikings
They're trying to embrace both the present and future. On one hand, their lineup is littered with Pro Bowl-level skill talent, from Justin Jefferson to new ball-carrier Aaron Jones, making them a safe bet to remain in the playoff mix. On the other, their move from Kirk Cousins to first-rounder J.J. McCarthy means they're trading proven, if unspectacular, quarterbacking for a potentially higher ceiling.
New England Patriots
They might finally be forgoing patience for proactive rebuilding. How else do we interpret new coach Jerod Mayo's decision to dump Mac Jones and quickly use the No. 3 overall pick on another, splashier quarterback of the future in Drake Maye? The question is, does Maye have an adequate supporting cast?
New Orleans Saints
They're playing out the string. In the wide-open NFC South, maybe that's OK. But returning the Derek Carr-Dennis Allen setup, with largely the same aging core on an admittedly tough defense, speaks to a team that so often prioritizes wild-card contention over any kind of longer-term restoration project.
New York Giants
They're banking on a Brian Daboll redemption story. Hailed for maximizing talent in 2022, the head man couldn't stop the Giants' bleeding in 2023, and now, divorced from big-name defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, it's all on him to rejuvenate Daniel Jones (again) in a work-in-progress lineup.
New York Jets
They're doubling down on the Aaron Rodgers investment. And how could they not? Lost for basically all of his anticipated Jets debut due to injury, the star quarterback is returning to an even more formidable lineup, now featuring Mike Williams and Haason Reddick. But what's his true ceiling at age 40?
Philadelphia Eagles
They're operating with Super Bowl-or-bust intentions. Surrounding embattled coach Nick Sirianni with veteran coordinators in Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio, the Eagles then added juicy names like Saquon Barkley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to an all-star lineup that fizzled late in 2023. They need to win again.
Pittsburgh Steelers
They're not wasting anymore time on offense. Hiring Arthur Smith as the new coordinator suggests the old-school, run-first approach will remain. But their abrupt split from Kenny Pickett, and the dual acquisition of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, means Mike Tomlin finally has options under center.
San Francisco 49ers
They're perfectly primed for another run at the Super Bowl. Easier said than done, sure, but they've retained Brock Purdy's top weapons while adding low-risk, high-reward vets to the defense in Leonard Floyd and Maliek Collins. It's still hard to find a steadier setup than that of Kyle Shanahan in the Bay Area.
Seattle Seahawks
They're committed to restoring the defense. Start with the hiring of ex-Ravens coordinator Mike Macdonald, who replaces Pete Carroll up top. Then look at their splashy commitments to guys like Leonard Williams. While the offense still has firepower, the whole operation should be more evened out.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
They're hoping for a carryover from 2023's feisty finish. There's no other way to put general manager Jason Licht's overt commitment to last year's heroes, from the rejuvenated Baker Mayfield to the ageless Mike Evans. Will it be enough in the NFC South? Perhaps. They're at least a scrappy bunch.
Tennessee Titans
They're invested in Will Levis' development. Or at least giving the bruising young quarterback a legit audition for the long-term job. GM Ran Carthon spent big for veteran weapons like Tony Pollard, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, while also fortifying the trenches. They could be a surprise contender.
Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn wants to win sooner rather than later. Yes, they have a rookie at quarterback in No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels, but they were incredibly busy in free agency, pouring all kinds of resources into aging play-makers like Austin Ekeler, Zach Ertz and Bobby Wagner.
