The 2024 NFL season is lastly upon us. When the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs face off Thursday evening in a rematch of final season’s AFC Championship Sport, so begins an action-packed, extremely entertaining, high-stakes marathon like none different.
From well-established icons to outdated faces in new locations and fresh-faced franchise saviors, the league is stuffed with impactful figures whose performances will outline the season.
We’ve zeroed in on 24 of essentially the most intriguing gamers to observe throughout this 2024 NFL common season.
As soon as once more, the long run Corridor of Famer will attempt to rescue the Jets and remodel them into Tremendous Bowl contenders. Final yr’s quest amounted to only 4 snaps earlier than Rodgers’ left Achilles tendon ruptured. The Jets have since labored to fortify their offensive line in hopes of preserving their prized quarterback upright. Can he ship?
The NFL’s greatest participant enters the 2024 season on a historic mission. Mahomes, 28, already belongs to an elite fraternity of quarterbacks with a minimum of three Lombardi Trophies, becoming a member of Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman. Mahomes, Brady, Bradshaw, Aikman, Montana, John Elway, Bob Griese and Bart Starr are the one quarterbacks to win back-to-back Tremendous Bowls. However three straight? Nobody has pulled off that feat, however nothing feels inconceivable for Mahomes.
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Few quarterbacks have entered the NFL with the extent of hype that surrounds Williams. The previous USC star is considered as a generational expertise, NFL-ready from Day 1 for the Bears, who’ve gone 39 years since their final Tremendous Bowl victory. Nothing appears to faze Williams — not the highlight, not the cash, not the scrutiny. Is Williams certainly a considerably higher prospect than fellow rookie quarterbacks Jayden Daniels (Washington) and Drake Maye (New England), taken at Nos. 2 and three? And might he flip the Bears right into a playoff staff in Yr 1?
Jackson final season turned solely the eleventh participant in NFL historical past to win a number of MVP awards. He garnered the glory after carrying the Ravens to the perfect document within the AFC (13-4) and to the AFC Championship Sport, the place they misplaced 17-10 to Mahomes and the Chiefs. Private accolades are good, however Jackson is aware of his 2-4 playoff document (together with six interceptions and 6 landing passes in these video games) is the obvious blemish on his resume. A Tremendous Bowl ring would validate him as among the finest quarterbacks of his technology. May the offseason addition of perennial 1,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry give Jackson the help he wants to attain most effectiveness and success?
A torn Achilles tendon in Week 8 derailed Cousins and the Vikings’ 2023 playoff hopes, then he hit the free-agent market and earned $180 million over 4 seasons from the Falcons. Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot and new head coach Raheem Morris consider Cousins can elevate a younger, proficient roster to NFC South competition and the playoffs. But they nonetheless made the shock choice to draft Michael Penix Jr. eighth general. The plan is to redshirt Penix for just a few seasons, however the stress is already on for Cousins.
C.J. Stroud and the Texans open the season with excessive expectations after a 10-7 marketing campaign in 2023. (Troy Taormina / USA In the present day)
Stroud shocked the league as a rookie and delivered Houston a division title, serving to the Texans return to the playoffs for the primary time because the 2019 season. However with success comes expectations. The Texans went out and bought Stroud one other top-flight large receiver in Stefon Diggs and a dependable veteran working again in Joe Mixon. The staff and its followers now crave a deep playoff run. Can Stroud keep away from the sophomore hunch and propel his staff additional?
The 31-year-old Prescott is coming off the best statistical season of his profession and persistently ranks among the many only passers within the NFL. But staff proprietor Jerry Jones has but to reward him accordingly. For now, Prescott is ready to enter 2024 enjoying within the remaining yr of his contract. In Dallas, the expectations all the time heart on a Tremendous Bowl hunt, and till Prescott delivers, he’ll be considered as missing. Is that this the yr he lastly satisfies his proprietor and his critics, or is that this his Dallas farewell tour?
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He’s essentially the most dominant large receiver within the recreation and among the finest gamers at any place. However Jefferson has a tall activity this season. With Cousins now in Atlanta, Jefferson should make journeyman Sam Darnold seem like a reliable NFL quarterback and place the Vikings for achievement in an NFC North. That gained’t be straightforward in a division that features Detroit, which superior to final season’s NFC title recreation, and Tremendous Bowl dark-horse candidate Inexperienced Bay. Can Jefferson, who has delivered 4 straight 1,000-yard seasons, put up the identical numbers with Darnold (56 interceptions, 38 fumbles and a 78.3 passer score) throwing to him?
He was the $230-million man on a mission to revive his picture and concurrently remodel the Browns into Tremendous Bowl contenders. However right here we’re with Watson getting into Yr 3 in Cleveland and nonetheless seeking the magic that made him a star in Houston. Suspension restricted Watson to 6 rusty performances in 2022, then shoulder surgical procedure ended Watson’s 2023 season after six video games. The Browns have dealt with Watson with care this preseason, however he’s anticipated to play in Week 1. Watson should lastly put all of it collectively and validate the Browns’ choice to award him that record-setting, absolutely assured contract.
The Giants have one large query mark at quarterback, the place 2019 first-round choose Daniel Jones has but to ascertain himself as a bona fide NFL starter. They handed on the possibility to draft a quarterback this spring, and as an alternative used the sixth choose on LSU’s Nabers. The 6-foot, 200-pounder flashed within the preseason and appears able to fulfilling the Giants’ long-standing want for an elite playmaker. Two years in the past, the acquisition of Tyreek Hill helped Tua Tagovailoa settle in and start ascending as a passer. May Nabers’ presence have the same affect on Jones, who misplaced one safety blanket in Saquon Barkley and now enters a make-or-break season?
Dedicated to seeing 2019 No. 1 choose Kyler Murray dwell as much as his potential as some of the dynamic quarterbacks within the league, the Cardinals used their high choose on Harrison — some of the polished large receiver prospects to enter the NFL in a while. The son of Corridor of Famer and Indianapolis Colts nice Marvin Harrison shall be requested to revive explosiveness to a Cardinals staff that mustered solely 19.4 factors a recreation final season and has only one successful season within the final eight years.
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Everybody anticipated the Raiders to emerge from the 2024 draft with a franchise quarterback, even when that meant transferring as much as take one. As an alternative, they handed on the place solely. That set the stage for a battle between journeyman Gardner Minshew and second-year professional Aidan O’Connell, who went 5-5 as a starter final season. Minshew gained the job and can attempt to make the Raiders related within the AFC West after serving to the Colts vie for a playoff berth final season.
Minshew is a gunslinger, however in 5 NFL seasons he has by no means been a full-time starter. Final season was additionally the primary time he posted a successful document (7-6). Can Minshew assist the Raiders overtake the Broncos and Chargers and land that second division spot behind the Chiefs and a wild-card bid?
Expectations are excessive for the second-year professional, who has the entire bodily items essential to dominate within the NFL. However nobody is aware of precisely how good Richardson (the fourth choose in 2023) may be as a result of he performed in solely 4 video games earlier than struggling a shoulder harm that required surgical procedure. The Colts fell one win shy of constructing the playoffs even with out Richardson. They view their strong-armed, uber-athletic quarterback as a legit distinction maker.
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The Panthers final season picked Alabama’s Younger first general forward of Stroud. Younger didn’t come wherever near rivaling Stroud in affect on his franchise. Younger did, nonetheless, discover himself amid organizational turmoil — Frank Reich didn’t even final the complete season as head coach. So, Younger deserves a level of grace. Panthers proprietor David Tepper tabbed former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who helped Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield salvage their careers, as the top coach to show across the staff and develop Younger right into a franchise quarterback.
In 2022, Hurts was one of many NFL’s brightest breakout stars. He acquired MVP consideration and carried the Eagles to the Tremendous Bowl, solely to narrowly lose a shootout with Mahomes. Final season, after opening the season 10-1, the Eagles collapsed, dropping six of their remaining seven video games, together with the playoff opener at Tampa Bay. Critics puzzled if Hurts had regressed, however the issue possible had extra to do with coach Nick Sirianni’s failure to additional evolve the offense. This offseason, Sirianni employed Kellen Moore to take over the unit and maximize the abilities of Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and new piece Saquon Barkley. Hurts had an excellent coaching camp and seems primed for a rebound.
Saquon Barkley (left) will attempt to enhance the Eagles’ offense on the bottom. (Invoice Streicher / USA In the present day)
16. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
May Barkley be the perfect again within the league? We’re about to seek out out, as a result of after six attempting years with the Giants, he will get a contemporary begin with the Eagles. In Philadelphia, he’ll eventually have the chance to run behind a top quality offensive line and line up alongside a proficient quarterback in an offense that options dynamic move catchers. That can make it tougher for defenses to load up the field to cease him. Barkley, who signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract this offseason, simply could be the lacking piece for an Eagles offense that has loads of expertise however has lacked consistency and steadiness.
17. Jordan Love, QB, Inexperienced Bay Packers
He parlayed one season of beginning expertise right into a contract that made him the NFL’s highest-paid participant. Now Love should show final season’s success wasn’t a fluke and that the Packers weren’t silly to award him such a good-looking contract on such a restricted physique of labor. The Packers have a steadily ascending forged of promising wideouts, a proficient new working again in Josh Jacobs, a revamped protection and a official likelihood to actually make some noise within the NFC — if Love delivers.
Doubted for a lot of his first three seasons within the NFL, Tagovailoa led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards in 2023 whereas serving to the Dolphins win 11 video games and attain the postseason for a second straight yr. Miami rewarded him with a four-year, $212 million contract with $167 million assured. Tagovailoa, coach Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins do have extra inquiries to reply, nonetheless. They’ve struggled in opposition to the league’s high groups and did not advance previous the wild-card spherical in two playoff appearances. Tagovailoa now should show he can carry his staff in opposition to the perfect and in addition play properly within the postseason.
19. Chris Jones, DL, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
With Aaron Donald now retired, the title of most dominant defensive participant within the recreation is up for grabs. Jones has averaged 11 sacks per season since 2018 and is the tone-setter for a Chiefs protection that ranked second within the NFL in yards and factors final season. This offseason, the Chiefs made Jones the highest-paid defensive deal with within the league with a five-year, $158.75 million contract. Jones, an All-Professional the previous two seasons, badly desires to assist lead Kansas Metropolis to an unprecedented third-straight Tremendous Bowl title.
Parsons has dominated in his three NFL seasons, lining up everywhere in the Cowboys’ defensive entrance and averaging 13.5 sacks per yr. He’s within the dialogue as essentially the most dominant defensive participant within the league, but the three-time Professional Bowl linebacker stays seeking a long-term contract extension. It’s solely a matter of time earlier than Jerry Jones has to lastly open up the checkbook and make Parsons the highest-paid defensive participant within the league. In the meantime, Parsons will work to make sure the Cowboys don’t miss a beat with out former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn (now coach of the Commanders) and assist Dallas lastly recover from the postseason hump and to the Tremendous Bowl.
Josh Allen enters this season underneath a great deal of stress, and he and Payments coach Sean McDermott must get issues again on monitor after a disappointing 2023. Can Coleman fill the sneakers left by Diggs, who in 4 Professional Bowl seasons with the Payments averaged 1,343 yards and 9 touchdowns per yr? Buffalo has a set of unremarkable receivers past Coleman, so Allen wants huge performs from the rookie within the worst method.
Solid off by Sean Payton and the Broncos after two dismal seasons, the previous Tremendous Bowl champion begins anew with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. Wilson is out to show that, though 35, he has a lot left within the tank and that his struggles in Denver had extra to do with poor match than his expertise. If he can flip again the clock, Wilson may assist the Steelers contend within the AFC North and probably return to the postseason. However it’ll be attention-grabbing to see what sort of leash Wilson receives from his coaches. Ready within the wings is Justin Fields, who craves vindication after the Bears gave up on him.
It’s uncommon for a staff to half methods with a top-flight cornerback on this pass-happy league, however the Chiefs determined they lacked the cap house to retain Sneed, who went from a fourth-round choose to excellent cowl man and two-time Tremendous Bowl champion. The Titans did have the cap house and awarded Sneed a four-year, $76.4 million deal together with $51.5 million assured. Sneed has admitted he was bitter concerning the Chiefs’ choice to commerce him, and he enters this season with a great deal of motivation to show they bought it incorrect.
24. T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
J.J. Watt’s little brother has grow to be the gold normal of move rushers, main the NFL in sacks three of the previous 4 seasons (15 in 2020, 22.5 in 2021 and 19 in 2023). The one exception was 2022, when accidents restricted him to 10 video games. Watt additionally has garnered first-team All-Professional honors in three of the final 4 seasons. He sat out final season’s playoff recreation with a knee harm, and the Steelers missed him within the worst method as Josh Allen carved them up in a 31-17 Payments victory. Can Watt keep wholesome for a full season and supply the difference-making affect Pittsburgh must lastly recover from the hump?
(Prime illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; photographs of Marvin Harrison Jr., Lamar Jackson and Micah Parsons: Patrick Smith and Norm Corridor / Getty Photos and Matthew Pearce / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
