• The return of Joe Burrow in Cincinnati: The Bengals were competitive to their last breath in 2023 without Burrow at the helm, and they’ll have one of the best quarterbacks in the league back in 2024.
• A new era in New England: It’s time for change in New England, and a fresh start could be exactly what the franchise needs.
• Teams still have great quarterbacks: The 2023 season didn't work out for the Jaguars and Chargers, but they both have excellent young quarterbacks.
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Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes
The NFL playoffs are underway, and even though the attention of the league turns to postseason football, now is an important time even for teams eliminated from contention. Head coach hirings and firings are in full swing, and plans for the 2024 season will already be in the works.
Through all of the mess, all of the decisions and all of the lost hope in 2023, a silver lining remains: there is always next year. It might be harder for some teams to see than others, but every team eliminated from the postseason has a reason for optimism in 2024 and beyond.
JUMP TO A TEAM:
ARZ | ATL | CAR | CIN | CHI | DEN | IND | JAX | LVR | LAC | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | SEA | TEN | WSH
Arizona Cardinals: A clear path with Kyler Murray under center
Despite winning just four games in 2023, Arizona impressed under first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals played hard on every down, and once Kyler Murray stepped back into the fold, the team managed to win three of its last eight games. Now, heading into the offseason, there should be no debate about who starts at quarterback in Arizona.
Murray is this team's present and future, and the front office has consistently said that. Gannon and the front office can now focus on the offseason and find ways to strengthen the team around Murray.
Atlanta Falcons: An excellent group of skill players
The 2023 season might feel like a missed opportunity for the Falcons. Once again, the entire NFC South struggled, but the Falcons — with an improved defense and a group of exciting young skill players — couldn’t capitalize, falling to an 8-9 record. Poor coaching and an in-house game of musical chairs at quarterback held the team back, and the penance for that was head coach Arthur Smith losing his job.
However, that core of Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London — as well as a strong offensive line when fully healthy — will carry over to the new regime, and the likely addition of a new quarterback could help elevate those players.
Carolina Panthers: Progress might not be too far away in the NFC South
It’s easier to get excited about some teams than others. The Panthers were the NFL's worst squad this year, and their ambitions last offseason cost them the No. 1 overall pick this offseason. The potential for Bryce Young to settle into the NFL and succeed is still real, but the hope for the Panthers comes from the weakness of the NFC South.
The division is a crapshoot year after year, and though the Buccaneers have won the division three seasons in a row, there is no discounting the fact that a strong offseason could comfortably put the Panthers back into a position to make the playoffs in 2024. That luxury isn’t afforded anywhere else but the NFC South — especially when a team feels this far from success.
Chicago Bears: The No. 1 pick and a chance to draft a new franchise quarterback
The Bears could still go down the route of sticking with Justin Fields into his fourth year, but it doesn’t feel like the former Buckeye has made enough tangible progress under this regime to trust those instincts. He could be a great NFL starter, but it shouldn't be in Chicago.
The Bears have a unique opportunity this offseason with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They can draft Caleb Willams or Drake Maye and take the franchise in a new direction with a new signal-caller. Both Williams and Maye have the potential to be stars in the NFL; it’s just up to the Bears to pick their guy and nurture him.
Cincinnati Bengals: The return of Joe Burrow
It’s impressive enough that the Bengals finished 4-3 down the stretch with Jake Browning at quarterback. Although there’ll likely be some decisions to be made regarding the futures of Tee Higgins and others, the Bengals will undoubtedly be back in contention once Burrow returns in 2024.
The former No. 1 overall pick was beginning to find his groove after a slow start to the season, and it was a testament to Zac Taylor's coaching ability and the overall strength of the roster that the team finished the way it did — with a 9-8 record and narrowly missing out on the playoffs. It’s easy to see the vision. The Bengals are Super Bowl contenders with a healthy Joe Burrow.
Denver Broncos: Season-long defensive improvements
Any defensive improvement would have been a silver lining for the Broncos. Through the first five weeks of the season, the defense's 49.1 grade was by far the worst in the NFL and they ranked dead last in expected points added per play. The Broncos weren’t far removed from allowing the Miami Dolphins to hang 70 points on them. Objectively speaking, it was one of the worst defensive performances ever.
From Week 6 onward, though, the defense made strides. The inclusion of players like cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian in the lineup and the emergence of their young edge rushers, as well as a steady influx of takeaways, saw the defense rank sixth in EPA per play. The idea that the defense could be stronger in 2024 has legs.
Indianapolis Colts: The offensive line is great again
The return of strong offensive line play in Indianapolis should come as a relief to Colts fans. The offensive line struggled to cement itself in 2022 and was one of the most disappointing units in the league — especially as a unit that boasts the likes of Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith. However, the group showed stark improvement in 2023 and resolidified itself as one of the league’s better lines.
The offensive lines run-blocking and pass-blocking grades both ranked seventh in the NFL in 2023, and only three teams allowed a lower pressure rate (28%). The emergence of left tackle Bernhard Raimann in his second season was a welcomed surprise, and Nelson returning to an All-Pro level of play was the catalyst. They’ll protect Anthony Richardson for years to come.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence is still a top-10 quarterback
The Jaguars should take a step back and reevaluate. After an 8-3 start to the season, they dropped five of their next six games and missed the playoffs in embarrassing fashion. That shouldn’t happen for any team, especially not one with an excellent quarterback at the helm.
That’s why there is obvious reason for optimism. Lawrence still played well in 2023 but needs to cut down on the turnovers. He is only 24 years old and already a top-10 quarterback by most estimations. Now, the Jaguars' attention should turn to putting the right supporting cast around him.
Las Vegas Raiders: An improved defense that can built around Maxx Crosby
The Raiders' defensive improvements once Antonio Pierce took over at head coach caught everyone by surprise. From Week 9 onward, the Raiders allowed just 16 points per game and were a top-five defense in expected points added per play. Pierce’s impact on the team and Patrick Graham’s play calling were significantly positive factors in the second half of the season, but carrying that success over in 2024 could be difficult.
There’s optimism for the Raiders in the fact that they can build around one of the best defensive players in football: Maxx Crosby. The former fourth-round pick has racked up a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2023 and is still just 26 years old. A perennial All-Pro candidate, Crosby is someone the Raiders need to hold on to.
Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert is Justin Herbert
There should be no hard conversations or revisionist takes centering on Justin Herbert. He’s one of the five or six best quarterbacks in the league and still only 25 years old. He remains the face of the Chargers franchise — an easy avenue for optimism.
The Chargers will step into the 2024 NFL season with a new head coach and renewed hope that Herbert can help get them over the hump. As long as he’s under center and healthy, the Chargers will have a chance.
Minnesota Vikings: A competitive roster that needs its quarterback back
The Vikings showed a lot of competitive spirit in 2023. After starting 1-4, they responded with three straight wins before losing Kirk Cousins to a season-ending injury. It would have been fair to write off Minnesota, but the team never quit, finishing with a 7-10 record despite a revolving door at quarterback.
The defense looked reinvigorated under Brian Flores, and the offense is full of playmakers. If the Vikings re-sign Cousins in the offseason, they’ll likely walk into 2024 with justified optimism.
New England Patriots: A fresh start and the No. 3 overall pick
The winds of change have finally swept through New England. The Patriots moved on from Bill Belichick and hired Jerod Mayo as the team’s new head coach. It’s a fresh start in New England, despite Mayo’s ties to the previous regime.
On top of that, the Patriots own the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and have the perfect opportunity to draft a quarterback and kickstart the new era. Or, they could draft wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The opportunities in play are exciting.
New Orleans Saints: A quality CB room
The Derek Carr signing didn’t materialize quite how the Saints would have expected in year one, and even though Carr looked better in the final stretch, there were rough patches that made the offense almost unwatchable at times. However, the play of the cornerback room in 2023 is reason for optimism.
Paulson Adebo and Isaac Yiadom both earned top-20 overall grades at the position, and Marshon Lattimore recorded a solid 67.4 grade. Alontae Taylor’s play took a step back in 2023, but the 2022 second-round pick should rebound. This cornerback room has the potential to be a lockdown unit in 2024.
New York Giants: Dexter Lawrence’s continued ascension
There was no better defensive tackle than Dexter Lawrence in 2023. For the past two years, Lawrence has taken the leap from a solid starter to an All-Pro-caliber player, and his 93.0 grade in 2023 reflects that. Only the Browns' Myles Garrett earned a better overall grade on the defensive side of the ball.
Lawrence’s jump stemmed from his increased pass-rushing success. His 92.6 pass-rushing grade was the highest among all interior defenders this season, and although he managed only 4.5 sacks, he was a constant presence in the backfield. The Giants can build their defense around one of the NFL's truly great players.
New York Jets: Having Aaron Rodgers on the field
The Jets' 2023 campaign went down the drain within the first few snaps. Aaron Rodgers‘ torn Achilles left the team with little chance to make a playoff run, although the defense did make the team competitive at times.
They’ll get Rodgers back on the field and fully healthy in 2024. From there, we can truly assess whether the Jets can be true contenders.
Seattle Seahawks: A talented roster for a new head coach
The Seahawks missing out on the playoffs felt like one of the real disappointments this season. The end result was the team and Pete Carroll parting ways, ending his 14-year association with Seattle. The veteran coach does leave behind a talented roster.
Whoever takes over the job will inherit a team that’s ready to compete now. The Seahawks have the quarterback and the young stars, and with a few more pieces and the right hire, they could easily make noise in 2024.
Tennessee Titans: A full season to assess Will Levis
Levis impressed in his rookie season, but nine games isn’t enough of a sample size to get a true reading on who he could be in the NFL. The 2024 season will have its ups and downs with Levis at quarterback — he is that type of player — but it will be an important time for the Titans.
They can use the 2024 campaign to improve a young roster with a new head coach, but gauging Levis’ performances and assessing whether he can be the long-term starter is the goal. It’s an exciting prospect.
Washington Commanders: It’s Caleb Williams or Drake Maye season
Despite an impressive start to the season, the Commanders didn’t see enough evidence to suggest that Sam Howell can be the long-term starter. They may have given him another shot in 2024 if not for the team earning the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
Washington's attention will undoubtedly turn to picking a quarterback — whether it’s Drake Maye or Caleb Williams. Either would be an upgrade at the position, and the Commanders would have a real franchise moving forward, ending a few years of quarterback purgatory.
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