HTML tags included Congratulations, everyone. We made it seven whole months without any type of NFL football (unless you count the nonstop free agency and draft news cycle, which you should). This week, the 2024 preseason begins for almost every NFL team. In just about a month, the action will be for real and count in the standings. Seriously, where did the time go?
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With the 2024 NFL season finally on the horizon, let’s set the table for the next few weeks of exhibitions. The Kansas City Chiefs are the prohibitive favorite for another Super Bowl championship, but who can realistically challenge Patrick Mahomes and his friends? Are expectations for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears reasonable? How do we view the rivalry between Baltimore and Cincinnati?
The answers to these questions and more in For The Win’s preseason power rankings for the 2024 NFL season below.
- 32 Carolina Panthers
Post-draft rank: 32 The state of the Panthers right now is that people are still making Bryce Young height jokes. They would not be doing that if he had played well as a rookie. (Well, to a lesser extent, anyway.) Owner David Tepper is presiding over a dumpster fire rebuild he has probably earned.
- 31 Denver Broncos
Post-draft rank: 31 Even if Bo Nix surprises and shines right away as a rookie quarterback, it’s difficult to find much hope with this Broncos roster. Denver is rife with inexperience, and outside of select names like Patrick Surtain II, there aren’t many true field-tilters on the team. Godspeed, Sean Payton. You’re going to need all the help you can get.
- 30 Tennessee Titans
Post-draft rank: 26 In an alternate reality, I could envision the Titans being competitive in 2024. Tony Pollard, DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, and Tyler Boyd form a solid skill group on paper. And a front seven led by Jeffery Simmons could be emboldened by the addition of No. 1 corner L’Jarius Sneed on the back end. But a quarterback and offensive line either lift or sink all boats and Will Levis and the Tennessee OL are likely already taking on water.
- 29 Washington Commanders
Post-draft rank: 30 The Commanders’ big-ticket offseason acquisitions were Jayden Daniels, Austin Ekeler, and Bobby Wagner. Daniels is a former fifth-year starter who took until that fifth year to blossom. Ekeler is potentially an over-the-hill multipurpose running back. Wagner is likely an over-the-hill linebacker. I know a new quarterback inspires newfound hope in an NFL team, but I just don’t see the vision in our nation’s capital.
- 28 Minnesota Vikings
Post-draft rank: 28 J.J. McCarthy is the face of the Vikings’ retool (a.k.a., half a rebuild). But even he is set to take a likely step back to perennial journeyman Sam Darnold, who is blessed with riches in weapons like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Minnesota should be more competitive than most people think, but 2024 will ultimately resemble more of a gap year before McCarthy takes the full reins.
- 27 New England Patriots
Post-draft rank: 29 It’s so classi…
