The Carolina Panthers enter a new era under head coach Dave Canales with much to still prove.

While there is a lot of love for Jacoby Brissett among Browns fans, the New England Patriots have too many holes at key positions.

They had a putrid quarterback battle, their leading rusher left in free agency, and Davante Adams doesn’t want to be there. The Las Vegas Raiders have a long season ahead of them.

The New York Giants are still starting Daniel Jones.

Consider me skeptical of Bo Nix. Consider me even more skeptical of the talent around him.

The Washington Commanders enter a brand new era. New quarterback, new head coach, new general manager, and new ownership. These things do not tend to flip overnight. Especially looking at how much of the roster they turned over.

The Tennessee Titans have put a ton of effort into rebuilding their offensive line. However, right now, they are a team of young and unproven talent or aging veterans past their prime. They have the makings of a six-to-eight-win team.

Offensively, there are questions as to whether Sam Darnold can keep them afloat. Defensively, they should once again be a strong unit under Brian Flores if they can overcome a weak interior. They will look to tread water in what will be a down year in Minnesota.

Has Derek Carr or Dennis Allen instilled any confidence at all to believe in this version of the New Orleans Saints?

The Pittsburgh Steelers keep getting worse on paper but continue to find ways to finish middle-of-the-pack. Why is this year going to be any different?

I am actually a bit bullish on the Arizona Cardinals. Drew Petzing has brought structure to their offense, Kyler Murray is healthy, and Marvin Harrison Jr. will make an immediate impact. This is the NFL, however, so they will have to prove it first.

They have the quarterback and finally have a head coach with a backbone, but who is going to catch the football and take on carries in this offense?

After a breakout season in 2023, Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers are destined to come back to earth after the departure of Canales. It doesn’t help that their cornerback room is held together by duct tape.

All four NFC South teams burned in this NFL Power Rankings already? It’s just another year in that division.

The loss of Aaron Donald cannot be overstated here. Matthew Stafford continues to be a criminally underrated quarterback, and Sean McVay will get his weapons in the right spot. Can the protection upfront hold up and can they find a way to compensate defensively without Donald?

Offensively, the Chicago Bears are loaded up around Caleb Williams. They have plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball as well. They are a sneaky playoff team in 2024 as they enter a new era with their shiny No. 1 overall pick.

A first-year head coach, but a roster full of established veterans, the Seattle Seahawks could be a big-time sleeper team in the NFC this year. They are just a solid and consistent football team.

Followed by a massive collapse a year ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence enter the 2024 season hungry. The talent is there on both sides of the ball after upgrading the interior of their offensive line. Can they follow through this season? The Browns will see them in Week 2 after beating them a year ago.

The New York Jets are loaded on both sides of the ball, but there is an uneasy feeling about this football team. A 40-year-old quarterback off of an achilles injury and a lack of trust in the coaching staff and front office give the Jets an odd vibe entering the 2024 season.

I am all aboard the Shane Steichen and Anthony Richardson pairing. The Indianapolis Colts have one of the NFL’s premier play-callers and offensive minds, and Richardson possesses tools that no other player in the league has. If it clicks in Indianapolis, who has the weapons, it could be a dangerous year.

Nick Sirianni was on the hot seat at the end of last season and Jalen Hurts fell back down to earth without Shane Steichen. The Philadelphia Eagles will be a good football team, but I don’t buy the re-hyping of this football team.

The Browns enter as favorites at home over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, but they still win the NFC East this season again. But they did not upgrade their roster in free agency this past offseason and there is a lot weighing on the shoulders of Dak Prescott entering a contract year without a new deal. This team has the makings of an underachiever again once they get into the playoffs.

Like the Jets, the Browns are loaded on both sides of the ball. They still await the return of Nick Chubb, and their season will be defined by the arm of Deshaun Watson. For now, anticipating even top-16 play out of Watson, the Browns are a strong football team after boasting the NFL’s best defense and the NFL Coach of the Year from a year ago.

The Miami Dolphins will score points in bunches again in 2024. But can they prevent giving up points in bunches? Can they continue to score points once the cold season hits, which has been an issue for them under head coach Mike McDaniel? For now, they remain a lethal team given the talent and speed around quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

There has not been a team whose success is more dependent on one player than the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow. However, his top two pass catchers both enter 2024 without a new contract, and Ja’Marr Chase might not even play without one. The window is closing in Cincinnati, but it’s not closed yet in 2024.

The Buffalo Bills had too many issues with their roster going unaddressed. They didn’t add to the offensive line, most notably at right tackle. Their wide receiver room needed to be added to and all they did was swap out Stefon Diggs for rookie Keon Coleman, and Gabe Davis with Curtis Samuel. Their safety and linebacker rooms are cause for concern. They do, however, still have Josh Allen.

It was a magical season for C.J. Stroud, Demeco Ryans, and the Houston Texans a year ago. Now, they have loaded up even more, adding Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter, and more to their roster this offseason. This team is built to compete for quite some time, and 2024 may be a year they can catch some of the NFL’s blue bloods looking.

The Detroit Lions come back down to earth a bit in 2024. Their wide receiver unit is well below standard and they have holes on the defensive side of the ball still. At the end of the day, their play-caller Ben Johnson will still scheme guys open and they are a well-coached team. They’ll win a bunch of games again this season.

Want a darkhorse to win the NFC this year? Look no further than quarterback Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. After etching a playoff win last year, they may have just gotten the taste for blood. They are full of young receivers, added running back Josh Jacobs, and made a massive move at defensive coordinator to bring in Jeff Hafley. The Packers have the goods. Again.

Lamar Jackson is coming off of another dynamic MVP season, they have added the thunder to his lightning with Derrick Henry joining forces this year, and their defense will be on par for what you’d expect from the Baltimore Ravens. There is still plenty of room to question their pass catchers, a unit they did not make any upgrades to, but the Ravens will be a high-powered team once again in 2024.

Against all odds and an offseason of what felt like pulling teeth, the San Francisco 49ers managed to keep the band back together. This may be the last year they keep their competitive group together with Deebo Samuel’s contract becoming cuttable and with Trent Williams in the last year of his deal (and they’ll likely have to pay Brock Purdy a hefty contract in the offseason). It may be now or never for the Niners.