With the conclusion of the National Football League (NFL) preseason, the 2024 regular season will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 5 with a rematch from last season’s AFC Championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Every team and fan base are looking forward to their clean slate in the upcoming season after making changes to their team through the draft and free agency.
In this article, all four of the NFC divisions in the NFL and the teams within them will be ranked based on their promise for the coming season from best to worst. Within these rankings will be an overview of each team and what can lead them to that spot.
NFC North
1.) Detroit Lions
Record Prediction: (11-6)
Offseason Additions: Detroit’s most notable pickup of the offseason came through the draft with their selection of the talented defensive back Terrion Arnold with the 24 overall pick. Arnold split his reps between the cornerback and safety positions in his last season at Alabama while racking up five interceptions on the star-studded defense. Arnold is yet another addition of promising youth to the Detroit defense that has continued to improve in the years since Dan Campbell took over as the head coach.
Returning Players: The Lions have a great offensive group returning this season after ending their latest campaign with the third most total yards of offense in the league. Jared Goff proved many doubters wrong in 2023 with the second most passing yards and fourth most passing touchdowns in the league. They also have a solid one-two punch in the backfield with the young standout Jahmyr Gibbs and the veteran David Montgomery at running back. Detroit also has one of the top receivers in the league with Amon-Ra St. Brown, the 24-year-old receiver who finished top five in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2023. They also have Sam LaPorta at tight end, who will look to build on his breakout rookie season in which he had the most receiving touchdowns at the tight end position. Detroit has plenty of young talent that has been their main focus in their drafts as of late. The most notable of that group is Aidan Hutchinson, the standout pass-rusher that was drafted with the second overall pick in the 2022 draft. Some other notable returning players will be Jack Campbell, Kerby Joseph, and Brian Branch.
Why they are ranked here: Coming off their steady rise over the last couple years since head coach Dan Campbell took over with their most recent season ending in their NFC Championship loss, the Lions can compete with many of the top teams in the league for years to come.
2.) Chicago Bears
Record Prediction: (9-8)
Offseason Additions: The Bears were very active in the offseason and made almost a complete revamp on the offense that shows plenty of promise for the upcoming season. The biggest change to their offense was at the quarterback position after they selected Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the draft. Many fans have major expectations for Williams to be their franchise quarterback for many years to come as he is one of the most hyped prospects in recent history. Chicago went all out in putting Williams in a great position to succeed as they signed the veteran star receiver Keenan Allen and drafted Rome Odunze, who led the NCAAF in receiving yards last season, with the ninth overall pick in the draft. They also filled a need in the backfield with the signing of D’Andre Swift, who was the lead back for the Eagles in 2023. The most notable pickup on the defensive side of the ball for the Bears was Kevin Byard, the veteran safety that had plenty of success with the Titans for many years.
Returning Players: The most notable offensive playmakers that are returning for Chicago in 2024 are D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet. Moore is one of the most elite receivers in the league and showed flashes of dominance in the 2023 campaign with record breaking performances. Kmet has shown himself to be a solid tight end in the league over the past few seasons but won’t be the main focus for defenses with their new wide receiver room. The most notable returning players on the defensive side of the ball for the Bears are Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds that have a great veteran presence and the promising young talent of Tyrique Stevenson and Jaquan Brisker in the skies.
Why they are ranked here: Chicago made one of the biggest overhauls in talent to their roster over the offseason in the league. They have gone all in to put a great team around their new rookie quarterback who many are hopeful will be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL soon. Based on the weapons all around their offense, the Bears could be pushing to make the playoffs this year.
3.) Green Bay Packers
Record Prediction: (9-8)
Offseason Additions: The biggest additions the Packers made over the offseason were the signing of superstar running back Josh Jacobs after losing Aaron Jones and bringing in the right guard Jordan Morgan to bolster the offensive line. Jacobs has rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his five seasons with the Raiders with his most impressive season in 2022 as he emerged as one of the best backs in the league. After losing David Bakhtiari to retirement, Green Bay selected Morgan to help support the offensive line protecting their new franchise quarterback Jordan Love.
Returning Players: The most notable player the Packers have on the offense is Jordan Love, who recently signed a four-year $220 million contract extension that makes him one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. Green Bay didn’t do anything to improve on their receiver room as they bring back the young trio of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed. This receiving room could be problematic for Green Bay as they don’t have a guy that stands out as a true wide receiver one. Green Bay has a solid group of veteran pass rushers returning with Preston Smith, Kenny Clark, and Rashan Gary. They will also have the promising Quay Walker leading the linebacker room with Jaire Alexander, one of the best cornerbacks in the league, as their most notable defensive back.
Why they are ranked here: Even though the Packers made the playoffs in 2023, they didn’t do much to improve on their team compared to last year while almost every other team in the race did make some big moves. They also need to add at least one more weapon in the receiving game for Jordan Love to work with that could make their offense stand out more than others. With how their offseason went, the Packers could likely be in the same position they were last year or even worse.
4.) Minnesota Vikings
Record Prediction: (6-11)
Offseason Additions: The biggest additions that the Vikings made to their team over the offseason were in the backfield with the signing of superstar running back Aaron Jones and their selection of quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round. Jones will be a key piece to this offense as he has shown out as a threat in both the rushing and receiving game in his career with the Packers. However, Minnesota will be without their newest hopes as their franchise quarterback in the 2024 season as McCarthy will be sidelined for the season with a torn meniscus. In wake of the recent injury, the Vikings have now turned to Sam Darnold to be the starting quarterback in the upcoming season.
Returning Players: The Vikings have a really good receiving group returning in 2024 with star receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison along with the star tight end T.J. Hockenson. Jefferson is returning with a new four-year $140 million contract extension even after missing quite some time in the 2023 season with a hamstring injury. Addison showed out last year in his rookie season as he went for almost 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Hockenson has been one of the top tight ends in the league for most of his career and will look to keep that going in 2024.
Why they are ranked here: In wake of J.J McCarthy’s season-ending injury, the Vikings will have a lot of uncertainty at the quarterback position. With that being said, there are plenty of weapons set up around the offense that can help Minnesota compete against plenty of teams out there. One other thing about this team that could use some improvement is the defense. There aren’t really any names on the Minnesota defense that stand out as a top player in the league. Overall, with the uncertainty of their quarterback play, it is hard to see the Vikings being a top team in the league this season.
NFC East
1.) Philadelphia Eagles
Record Prediction: (14-3)
Offseason Additions: Even after their recent success with a team that continues to improve ever since head coach Nick Sirianni took over, they have continued to make huge moves in the offseason that makes them stand out as one of the most feared teams in the league. The biggest pickup the Eagles made on offense was with the signing of superstar running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley has been one of the top running backs in the league since his rookie season in 2018 aside from his struggles with injuries that sidelined him for most of 2020 and 2021. The Eagles also made some great pickups on the defensive side of the ball that could propel them to one of the top defenses in the league. The first pickup they made was with the signing of Devin White, the veteran linebacker who had been one of the best players at his position in his career with the Buccaneers. They also took back star safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson along with their first-round selection of cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who will join a very talented cornerback room in Philadelphia.
Returning Players: The Eagles have a great group of players returning in the upcoming season that has the potential to be one of the top teams in the league for quite some time. They will have the young superstar Jalen Hurts under center who proves as a threat throwing the ball and is one of the top running quarterbacks in the league. Philadelphia also has one of the best receiving rooms in the league with the duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith highlighting the group. They also have a very solid veteran tight end with Dallas Goedert. On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles have some of the best players at their respective positions. The defensive line is highlighted by the dominating young standout Jalen Carter at defensive tackle and Josh Sweat as the main edge rusher. They also have one of the best cornerbacks in the league returning with the veteran corner Darius Slay Jr.
Why they are ranked here: Due to the number of big names and superstars all around the Philadelphia roster, it is hard to see them not being the leader of the NFC East and one of the top teams in the league. They have added to their very successful team as of late with some of the biggest offseason pickups out there. If there are no major injuries to some of the key players on this team, the Eagles should be one of the best teams out there in 2024.
2.) Dallas Cowboys
Record Prediction: (9-8)
Offseason Additions: There was a lot of uproar in the Dallas fanbase after the offseason went without any big pickups that would improve on the team from last year. The biggest pickup made over the offseason was with their first-round selection of Tyler Guyton, the left tackle out of Oklahoma that will bolster the Cowboys offensive line that struggled in 2023. They also brought in the veteran Eric Kendricks to lead the linebacker group.
Returning Players: The Cowboys have a solid group returning on the offensive side of the ball in 2024. The biggest question going into the season is whether or not they can get a deal done to keep CeeDee Lamb, the 25-year-old wide receiver that was arguably the best receiver in the league in 2023, long term. The leader of the offense will once again be the veteran quarterback Dak Prescott, who will look to take this team a step further on his contract season. They will also have Jake Ferguson, the young tight end who will look to build on his chemistry with Prescott in his second season, as another notable returning target. Dallas also has some great players returning on defense with the veteran DeMarcus Lawrence and one of the best pass rushers in the league with Micah Parsons highlighting the defensive line. They will also have DaRon Bland, who led the league in interceptions last year, and Trevon Diggs highlighting the cornerback room.
Why they are ranked here: While the Cowboys have consistently been one of the better teams in the regular season over the past years, they haven’t shown the ability to make a deep push in the playoffs. Along with that, Dallas didn’t do much at all in the offseason to improve on the roster while they watched Philadelphia make major upgrades.
3.) Washington Commanders
Record Prediction: (7-10)
Offseason Additions: The two most notable additions that the Commanders made to the offense were in the backfield with their first-round selection of quarterback Jayden Daniels and their free agent signing of Austin Ekeler. Washington will hand over control to Daniels and hope that he can take his recent success into the NFL after his latest season in which he took home the Heisman Trophy. Ekeler will be another great piece in the Washington offense as he showed off as a consistent touchdown threat in his time with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Returning Players: The most notable returning player on the offensive side of the ball is Terry McLaurin, who will likely be the number one target for Washington’s rookie quarterback. McLaurin will look to build a good connection with Daniels after having gone for over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his last four seasons even with the quarterback carousel throughout his young career. The biggest name returning to the Washington defense is Jonathan Allen, the elite defensive tackle that has been a dominant force since being drafted into the league in 2017.
Why they are ranked here: Even though they might not be one of the teams to bet on making the playoffs, Washington did make a couple solid pickups in the offseason that make the team look more promising than they were going into the 2023 season. The most important thing to watch for this year is how their rookie quarterback develops and if he can prove that he is the answer to Washington’s quarterback questions as of late.
4.) New York Giants
Record Prediction: (4-13)
Offseason Additions: Following their disappointing season, the Giants didn’t get a whole lot done to put them in a position to win many more games this year. The biggest move they made on the offense was with their first-round draft selection of Malik Nabers, the talented receiver out of LSU. Nabers will already likely be the lead target on this offense in his rookie season. Following the loss of Saquon Barkley, the Giants picked up the veteran running back Devin Singletary, who was good in his latest season with the Texans. The biggest change to the defense this offseason came from their trade for Brian Burns, the star edge rusher from the Panthers that will pair nicely with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence on the defensive line.
Returning Players: The most notable offensive player returning to the team the lackluster offense as of late will be Daniel Jones, the 27-year-old quarterback who is going into his second season of his contract extension worth $160 million. There has been plenty of controversy lately over whether Jones is truly New York’s franchise quarterback due to his lack of consistency to lead the team to many wins. Jones will look to bounce back in the upcoming season after only playing six games in 2023. The most notable player returning to the New York defense is Kayvon Thibodeaux, the young pass rusher that will look to continue his growth in his third year in the league. Thibodeaux took a major leap from his rookie season to his latest campaign by going from just four sacks to leading the team and racking up 11.5 sacks in 2023.
Why they are ranked here: Even though the Giants made a couple solid pickups over the offseason, it still seems like there are plenty of holes around their roster that could use some improvement. One other thing that sticks out about this team is their lack of weapons around the offense that can stand out against the better teams in the league.
NFC West
1.) San Francisco 49ers
Record Prediction: (13-4)
Offseason Additions: San Francisco didn’t really make any huge pickups in the offseason as they spent most of their time trying to maintain their star-studded roster. The biggest pickup the 49ers made on the offense was with their first-round selection of Ricky Pearsall, the wide receiver out of Florida that went for almost 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 and brought down some highlight-reel worthy plays along the way. San Francisco brought in yet another great defensive lineman through free agency as they picked up Leonard Floyd, the veteran edge rusher that racked up 10.5 sacks in his latest season with the Bills.
Returning Players: San Francisco has one of the best groups of returning players in the league with some of the biggest names out there. Brock Purdy will return for his second season as the starting quarterback and will try to lead the team deep into the playoffs yet again. Purdy showed out in his 2023 campaign while many continued to doubt him as he led the league in quarterback rating (QBR) and received his first Pro Bowl selection. The 49ers have yet another top player in their backfield with Christian McCaffrey, the versatile running back that was top five in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns in 2023. They also have plenty of weapons for Purdy to throw to with Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk highlighting the receiving room and George Kittle at tight end. San Francisco played it out until the very end in their contract conversations with Aiyuk until they were finally able to get a deal done worth $120 million over the next four years. Much like the offense, the 49er defense has plenty of star power to go around. Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave are the leaders of the defensive line that has consistently been one of the best in the league for the last few years now. Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw display a great duo at the linebacker position as they are a threat in stopping the pass and run. Finally, San Francisco looks forward to the return of Talanoa Hufanga, the promising young safety that missed the majority of the 2023 season with a torn ACL.
Why they are ranked here: The combination of their success over the last few seasons and their stacked roster, it is hard to see the 49ers taking a huge step back in the coming season. They were able to keep most of their team from last season and are an early favorite to make it back to the Super Bowl.
2.) Seattle Seahawks
Record Prediction: (10-7)
Offseason Additions: The biggest pickup that the Seahawks made over the offseason was through the draft with their first-round selection of Byron Murphy, the physical defensive tackle out of Texas. Murphy proved as a great threat in the pass and run game and is yet another talented young player that has been added to the Seattle defense through the draft as of late.
Returning Players: Seattle has some great players returning to the team in the upcoming season with plenty of solid weapons at the skill positions. Geno Smith will be leading the offense out for the third season and will look to build on his success this late in his career. Seattle has a great receiver room that is highlighted by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Metcalf has been one of the best receivers in the league since his rookie year in 2019 and will likely be the lead receiver in this offense yet again. Smith-Njigba will look to build on his rookie season in 2023 as he started to show the potential to be a great receiver in the Seattle offensive scheme late in the season. Kenneth Walker is yet another young player that can be a great threat in this offense at the running back position after he rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie year while falling just short of that in his 2023 campaign. On the defensive side of the ball, Seattle looks forward to seeing their young defensive backs continue to stand out with Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen at the cornerback position. Both Woolen and Witherspoon have shown out as some of the brightest young corners in the league after being drafted in back-to-back years in the first round by Seattle.
Why they are ranked here: The Seahawks have the talent around the board to be a very competitive team and make a push into the playoffs this season. If Geno Smith is able to stay as good as he has been with Seattle and if the young standouts can continue to improve, the Seahawks could be a team to watch out for late in the year.
3.) Los Angeles Rams
Record Prediction: (8-9)
Offseason Additions: The biggest addition the Rams made in the offseason was with their first round-round selection of Jared Verse, the standout pass rusher out of Florida State. Verse will join a defensive line in Los Angeles that will regress due to their recent loss of the dominant force of Aaron Donald to retirement.
Returning Players: Quarterback Mathew Stafford will return for yet another season in his outstanding career as he will lead the Rams out for the 2024 season. Stafford has consistently been one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the league throughout his career and will look to add even more accolades to his outstanding career. Stafford has some great weapons to throw to on this offense with the veteran Cooper Kupp and the young standout Puka Nacua at the wide receiver position. Kupp will be a main focus for defenses to watch out for if he can stay healthy as he has shown a great connection with Stafford over the last three seasons. After Kupp was hurt for most of the 2023 season, Nacua stepped up in a big way in his rookie year as he was one of the best receivers in the league and broke all kinds of rookie receiving records. Kyren Williams was yet another rookie standout in 2023 as he made a name for himself with an injury riddled running back room by finishing the year as the number three running back in terms of rushing yards.
Why they are ranked here: Following a very successful season when not many had thought they would even make it to the playoffs, the Rams should be an interesting team to watch. On paper, this team looks like it is bound to take a step down. However, with Stafford at quarterback and the weapons on this offense, it is possible that the Rams could get back to where they were last season.
4.) Arizona Cardinals
Record Prediction: (5-12)
Offseason Additions: The biggest addition the Cardinals made to their offense was through the draft as they selected Marvin Harrison Jr, the elite wide receiver out of Ohio State and son of Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison, with the fifth overall pick. Harrison is one of the best receiver prospects coming out of the draft in recent history and will likely be Arizona’s number one receiver from the jump. Arizona was also able to grab a pass rusher later on in the first round with their selection of Darius Robinson, the edge rusher out of Missouri. The Cardinals hope that Robinson can make a big impact early on with a defense that has struggled as of late.
Returning Players: Arizona will look forward to the return of their star quarterback Kyler Murray, who spent most of the 2023 season out with a knee injury. Murray is one of the quickest quarterbacks in the league and has led lackluster Arizona teams to good seasons since he was drafted in 2019. James Conner will also be returning to the offense after having one of the best seasons of his career in 2023 as he ended as the sixth best running back in terms of rushing yards and received plenty of carries due to the loss of Murray at quarterback. The most notable player returning to the Arizona defense is Budda Baker, the 28-year-old safety who has been one of the best at his position in his career with the Cardinals.
Why they are ranked here: Even though they will have their star quarterback returning for the season and had some great additions to the team in the offseason, there are plenty of holes around this roster that make it hard to see the Cardinals competing with some of the better teams out there. However, one thing to look for this season is how good the connection between Murray and Harrison can be as they can be a lethal quarterback-receiver duo for defenses for many years to come.
NFC South
1.) Atlanta Falcons
Record Prediction: (11-6)
Offseason Additions: Atlanta saw one of the biggest changes to their quarterback room over the offseason as they landed the veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency while not much later drafting the college standout Michael Penix Jr. in the first round. Cousins will look forward to leading this Atlanta team out in 2024 after ending his 2023 season early with a torn Achillies. Meanwhile Penix will sit behind the veteran quarterback and learn the system as Cousins still has four years left on his recent contract that is worth up to $180 million. The Falcons also added another weapon for Cousins to throw to with their free agent signing of Darnell Mooney, the talented young receiver that spent the last few seasons with Chicago. Even though Mooney most likely won’t be one of the top receivers in the league, he should be a solid piece to their offensive scheme. Atlanta also brought in two of the best veteran defensive players that were on the market this offseason with the star pass rusher Mathew Judon and Justin Simmons at safety.
Returning Players: Atlanta has some of the best young players at their skill positions returning to the team this season with Bijan Robinson at running back, Drake London at receiver, and Kyle Pitts at tight end. Even though he almost rushed for 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign, many thought that Robinson was being underutilized with just how much skill and athleticism he has to break off huge plays at a time. Much like Robinson, many have thought that London and Pitts have been underutilized ever since they have been in the league, and it looks like they are finally in the situation where this offensive group can take off to their full potential. On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons have two of the best defensive backs in the league returning with A.J. Terrell at corner and Jessie Bates at safety. Bates also ended up having an outstanding season in Atlanta last year as he was regarded as the best safety in the league.
Why they are ranked here: After the great pickups they made over the offseason and with some of the best young talent in the league, the Falcons look like they have all the tools needed to be a successful team this season. If they are able to turn things around in the offensive scheme and start to utilize their elite talent, it is hard not to see Atlanta taking control of a weak NFC South division.
2.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record Prediction: (8-9)
Offseason Additions: There wasn’t much excitement in Tampa Bay throughout the offseason as there weren’t any huge changes to the team that was bounced out early in the playoffs of their latest season. The most notable player they brought in ended up being Graham Barton, the talented center out of Duke, in the first round of the draft following the retirement of Ryan Jensen.
Returning Players: Baker Mayfield will be out to lead this Tampa Bay offense for the second time following his recent contract extension worth $100 million over the next three years. Mayfield will have the same receivers to throw to with the talented veteran duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Both Evans and Godwin went for over 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 while Evans also ended up leading the league with 13 receiving touchdowns.
Why they are ranked here: Following their success last season when almost everybody believed that they would be the worst team in the league, Tampa Bay could very well be in the same position they were last year. However, their lack of a huge pickup could make that path more difficult as they might have a tougher time winning the NFC South with better competition this year.
3.) New Orleans Saints
Record Prediction: (6-11)
Offseason Additions: Following their disappointing season in 2023, the Saints didn’t do much to improve upon their odds for the upcoming season. Their most notable addition came through the draft as they selected Taliese Fuaga, the left tackle out of Oregon State, with their first-round pick. New Orleans hopes that Fuaga can be an answer to their protection problems in 2023.
Returning Players: Derek Carr will be out to lead the New Orleans offense at quarterback for his second season and will hope to improve after their offensive struggles last season. The Saints will also have their star running back Alvin Kamara returning who is a threat in the run and pass game. Chris Olave will be the lead receiver in the New Orleans passing game as he will look to continue his success from his first two seasons in which he’s gone for over 1,000 yards in both campaigns. The New Orleans defense has a lot of veteran guys that have been good for many years now with Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, Demario Davis, and Tyrann Mathieu.
Why they are ranked here: After a very disappointing season in 2023, the Saints didn’t do much to improve their odds on going much farther this season with the lack of big moves in the offseason. In addition, most of their key players are getting to the point in their careers where they would likely just start to regress.
4.) Carolina Panthers
Record Prediction: (4-13)
Offseason Additions: After it was made very clear that the Panthers receiving room needed quite a bit of work, Carolina went and picked up Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette to help with Bryce Young’s growth. Johnson was great for a couple seasons in Pittsburgh before being stuck with an offensive scheme that didn’t grant him many targets in the past few seasons. Carolina selected Legette out of South Carolina with the last pick in the first-round after his breakout season. After trading away Brian Burns, the Panthers went out to get Jadeveon Clowney, the veteran pass rusher who spent his 2023 season in Baltimore while racking up nine and a half sacks.
Returning Players: The second-year quarterback Bryce Young will make his return to the Panther offense after a shaky rookie season. Young should look to improve this season as he has gotten some new receivers after having a very poor receiving group to work with in 2023. Adam Thielen, the veteran receiver going into year 10 of his career, will also be returning after going for over 1,000 receiving yards last year. The most notable player returning on the defensive side of the ball is Derrick Brown, the elite defensive tackle that has been a force on the Panther defensive line since he was drafted.
Why they are ranked here: Even after making some very solid pickups in the offseason, there is still plenty of work to be done around this roster before they can be considered a contender to lead this division. However, one thing to look for is if Bryce Young is able to show some flashes of being the answer as Carolina’s franchise quarterback in his second season.
