Now that we know what all 32 NFL teams’ rosters will look like, we can forecast what each team’s ceiling is — and what would make for a successful year.
With that all said, let’s dive into every NFL team’s best possible outcome for the 2024 season.
What’s the best outcome for your favorite NFL team next season?
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray Returns To Peak Form
The Cardinals are still several pieces away from realistically contending for a playoff berth in the NFC. So, the upcoming 2024 season will only be a success if quarterback Kyler Murray STAYS HEALTHY and returns to his Pro Bowl form we haven’t seen since 2021.
Murray has to stay healthy, produce and remind the Cardinals’ brass that he is their long-term answer at QB.
The Cardinals are still several pieces away from realistically contending for a playoff berth in the NFC. So, the upcoming 2024 season will only be a success if quarterback Kyler Murray STAYS HEALTHY and returns to his Pro Bowl form we haven’t seen since 2021.
Murray has to stay healthy, produce and remind the Cardinals’ brass that he is their long-term answer at QB.
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Atlanta Falcons: Win A Playoff Game
Having won the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes, the Falcons now have all the pieces in place to end their seven-year playoff drought. Cousins is far and away the best division in the NFC South, so it’d be a stunner if Atlanta somehow didn’t claim the division crown.
Winning the division shouldn’t be enough to please Falcons fans, though. 2024 will only be a success if the Falcons win at least one playoff game.
Baltimore Ravens: Super Bowl
The Ravens reached the AFC Championship Game for the first time in the Lamar Jackson era, only to lose a seven-point contest to the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs at home.
Baltimore has had more than enough regular season success with Jackson. They showed in 2023 that they CAN go on a deep playoff run. So of course, the best-case scenario is getting to the big dance and FINALLY winning the Super Bowl.
Buffalo Bills: AFC Championship Game Appearance
The Bills have been eliminated in the Divisional Round in each of the last three years. With Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Mitch Morse, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, and Tre’Davious White all departing this offseason, it’s hard to argue that 2024 is the year Buffalo breaks through.
Reaching the Super Bowl in the crowded AFC feels like a pipe dream for 2024. So Bills fans should keep their expectations reasonable and be happy if Josh Allen puts on the Superman cape and takes them to the AFC title game.
Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young Breaks Out
Carolina won’t be a playoff contender in 2024, BUT Panthers fans will feel a lot better if Bryce Young breaks out and shows the franchise that the massive investment in him will pay off.
He’s got a new coaching staff and a revamped supporting cast to bounce back, so let’s see if Young is up for the challenge.
Also Read: All 32 NFL Teams’ Most Regrettable Draft Move Since 2000
Chicago Bears: Win A Playoff Game
With Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen and D’Andre Swift coming aboard, all the pieces are in place for the Bears to churn out a top-five offense and emerge as a playoff contender.
If Williams comes as advertised in year one, the Bears should be a wild-card NFL team. And if they draw a favorable matchup, it’s not out of the question to think that Williams will lead Chicago to its first playoff victory since the 2010 season.
Cincinnati Bengals: Super Bowl
In Joe Burrow’s two healthy seasons, the Bengals have gone to one Super Bowl and two AFC Championship Games. As long as he’s healthy, Cincinnati is a player for the Lombardi Trophy.
We know Cincy can beat KC on any given day, so of course Burrow’s squad fits under the “Super Bowl or bust” category.
Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson Leads Browns To AFC Championship
The Browns’ insane investment in Watson has netted 12 game appearances and 14 touchdown passes. It made Watson look even worse in that the Browns’ offense functioned BETTER last year when 38-year-old Joe Flacco stepped in and guided Cleveland to the postseason following Watson’s season-ending shoulder injury.
So, in an ideal world for the Browns, Watson does three things: 1) Stays healthy, 2) Regains his Pro Bowl form, and 3) leads a star-studded Browns to the AFC title game.
Dallas Cowboys: Lose In NFC Championship Game
The Cowboys haven’t played in the NFC title game since 1995, the last year the franchise won the Super Bowl.
If Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy want to show Jerry Jones that THEY CAN get Dallas over the hump, the Cowboys at least reach the final four.
We know the Cowboys choke every year and won’t win a Super Bowl with this group. But they need to at least hold off the annual playoff collapse until the NFC title game. Otherwise, this will be another wasted year in Big D.
Denver Broncos: First Overall Pick
The Broncos cut ties with Russell Wilson, Jerry Jeudy, and Russell Wilson to begin a scorched-earth rebuild in Mile High City.
Denver hopes that Bo Nix will emerge as the new franchise signal-caller in Mile High City. In an ideal world, the rebuild gets a boost with the Broncos winning the first overall pick — which would allow them to take a game-changer on defense like Tennessee edge-rusher James Pierce Jr. or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.
Detroit Lions: Super Bowl
The Lions went to the NFC title game last season and would have upset the 49ers if not for a couple of costly second-half miscues.
This NFL team is clearly good enough to win all. Detroit is another club in the tier of “Super Bowl or bust” for 2024.
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl
The Packers were supposed to be bad last year. But Jordan Love came along quicker than expected and led Green Bay to a wild card berth — culminating in a blowout win over Dallas in the opening round.
The Pack barely lost to a much-deeper 49ers team in the Divisional Round. Love, his young set of weapons, and the defense can only improve after a transition year. It’s not at all out of the question for Love to take Green Bay to the Super Bowl after a surprisingly successful 2023 season.
Houston Texans: Play In AFC Championship Game
Expectations are much higher for a Houston team that won the AFC South and a Wild Card game last year. We understand if some Houston fans are treating 2024 as “Super Bowl or bust,” but let’s not put too much pressure on a young team that hasn’t been battle-tested enough.
The Texans have never played in the AFC Championship Game. CJ Stroud and the company aren’t far off from winning a Super Bowl, but their lack of experience — coupled with the gauntlet of the AFC — means Houston’s ceiling is a final four appearance.
That should be good enough for a Houston fanbase that has never seen its Texans advance past the Divisional Round.
Indianapolis Colts: Wild Card Berth
A healthy Anthony Richardson will bolster a Colts offense that was better than expected with backup Gardner Minshew last year. Indy is on the right track here, but they’re also a way’s away from contending with the big dogs in the AFC.
If the Colts’ star players stay healthy, they can salvage nine or ten wins and sneak in as a wild-card NFL team. Seeing how loaded the AFC is; however, a simple one-and-done postseason appearance is unquestionably the Colts’ ceiling this year.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Win AFC South & One Playoff Game
The Jaguars collapsed once star wideout Christian Kirk suffered a season-ending injury. As a result, they basically gift-wrapped the AFC South to the Houston Texans.
Jacksonville is too talented to disappoint that badly again. With Trevor Lawrence leading a prolific offense, the Jaguars are certainly capable of reclaiming the AFC South division crown.
But given the holes on the offensive line and in the secondary, it’s too early to call them a bonafide Super Bowl contender. If all breaks right, the Jags will win the division and a wild card game before bowing out in the Divisional Round.
Kansas City Chiefs: Complete The Three-Peat
The Chiefs have played in four of the last five Super Bowls, winning three Lombardi Trophies in the process. We’re at a point now where it’s championship or bust every year for Patrick Mahomes and company.
They just became the first NFL team to repeat in 19 years. Now it’s time to complete the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat. Anything less will be deemed a disappointment for the NFL’s new dynasty.
Las Vegas Raiders: Wild Card Berth
The Raiders won eight games last year despite lousy QB play and inept coaching from Josh McDaniels before he was replaced by Antonio Pierce.
Of course, the Raiders are capable of topping last year’s win total, with Brock Bowers and Christian Wilkins joining a team that isn’t lacking in playmakers.
The Raiders’ D and offensive weapons could propel them to a wild card berth, but there is no chance they win a postseason game with an Aidan O’Connell-Gardner Minshew QB tandem.
Los Angeles Chargers: A One-And-Done Postseason Appearance
Justin Herbert is arguably a top-5 quarterback in the league, and hiring Jim Harbaugh as head coach should pay major dividends in the long run.
But the Bolts gutted their wide receiver depth and barely shook up a constantly underachieving defense. As much as we love a Herbert-Harbaugh tandem, the lack of roster depth means LA’s ceiling is ten wins with a wild-card berth.
Los Angeles Rams: Win One Playoff Game
The Rams surprised everyone by winning ten games and returning to the postseason a year ago. They SHOULD be a playoff team again, but we do not see how they’ll reach the NFC title game over NFL teams like the 49ers, Lions, or Philadelphia Eagles.
Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp aren’t getting younger. Simply making the elite eight should be enough to please Rams fans this year.
Miami Dolphins: AFC East Division Title & A Playoff Victory
The Dolphins have recorded four straight winning seasons since Tua Tagovailoa’s arrival. Yet they don’t have a single playoff victory to show for it.
Miami had the AFC East in their hands before losing their final two games, allowing the Bills to swoop in and take it for themselves. Enough one-and-done appearances. With all that offensive firepower, Tua Tagovailoa’s company oughta at least win the AFC East and a single playoff game.
Minnesota Vikings: JJ McCarthy Makes His Mark
This is a year of transition in Minny. The postseason is a pipe dream, but 2024 will be a nice year for Vikings fans if JJ McCarthy can leave a great first impression and show that he’s indeed their long-term guy at QB.
New England Patriots: Drake Maye Shines
All Pats Nation can ask for is for Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick, to make a smooth transition to the NFL and display flashes of brilliance in year one. Not saying he has to have a CJ Stroud-like rookie season, but if Maye can just show Patriots fans in some fashion that he won’t be Mac Jones 2.0
New Orleans Saints: Win The NFC South
The Bucs won the NFC South in 2022 and 2023 with 8 and 9 wins, respectively. New Orleans went 9-and-8 last season but only lost out on the division via tiebreaker.
New Orleans’ best-case scenario is to win the wide-open division. But given the makeup of their roster, it’s hard to envision them even winning a wild card game. So, Saints fans, just be happy if you win the NFC South for the first time in four years.
New York Giants: Tanking For A Top-5 Pick
2023 was another reminder that Daniel Jones will never be the guy for the Giants. This NFL team isn’t quite bad enough to contend for the No. 1 selection, but a top-five pick will suffice for Big Blue.
A top-five pick would mean the G-Men get a top 2025 QB draft prospect like Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Georgia’s Carson Beck, or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Either one will do!
New York Jets: Super Bowl
We maintain that the Jets would have made the playoffs last year with a healthy Aaron Rodgers.
With an elite defense and a deep set of offensive weapons, the Jets hung around in the playoff race last year. With a future Hall of Famer coming back at QB, the Jets are Super Bowl contenders — and they have the talent level and depth to go all the way for the first time in almost six decades.
Philadelphia Eagles: The Lombardi Trophy
What more can we say? The Eagles almost won the Super Bowl two seasons ago and looked like bonafide contenders before inexplicably collapsing in the second half.
They are loaded with superstars on offense and defense, with Saquon Barkley, CJ Gardner-Johnson, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean joining the fold. So yes, this team’s ceiling is absolutely a Super Bowl championship.
Pittsburgh Steelers: First Playoff Win In Eight Years
The Steelers went to the playoffs last year with Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, and Mason Rudolph as their QBs.
Since they upgraded there with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, Pittsburgh should be more than a wild-card team. They have the game-changers and depth to win the franchise’s first playoff game in eight years.
San Francisco 49ers: Lucky No. 6
Two Super Bowl losses and a pair of NFC title game defeats dating back to 2019. How much more heartbreak can one team endure before finally breaking through?
The 49ers are easily the NFL team to beat in the NFC. If not for Mahomes’ Chiefs, they’d have two Super Bowls in the Kyle Shanahan era by now. Having come so close yet nowhere near, 2024 will only be a success for the 49ers if they FINALLY get their hands on Lombardi Trophy No. 6…
Seattle Seahawks: Return To The Postseason
The Seahawks finished 9-and-8 last year but missed out on the NFC’s final wild-card spot via a tiebreaker to Green Bay.
There’s plenty of talent on both sides of the ball – including DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Kenneth Walker, Devon Witherspoon, and Byron Murphy. The Hawks don’t have enough star power to win a Super Bowl this year, but they’re certainly good enough to return to the playoffs as a wild-card team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: NFC South Four-Peat
The Bucs are bringing back the same core players as last year. The only concern is that the NFC South rival Falcons got better with the Kirk Cousins signing.
Tampa overachieved last season, and Baker Mayfield will find it tough to repeat his career year. We don’t see the Bucs reaching the Divisional Round like last year, but this “been there, done that” core can at least salvage a fourth straight division title.
Tennessee Titans: No. 1 Pick
The Titans are on the small list of teams with practically no shot at the playoffs next year. Even if Will Levis asserts himself as “the guy” at QB, the Titans could use the top pick that would give them a franchise-altering pass-rusher…
Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels Flashes & A Top-5 Pick
The Commanders don’t want to be downright awful, and in the running for the first overall pick next year, that’s for sure.
In an ideal world, No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels shows signs of future stardom and asserts himself as a franchise QB. Ideally, the Commanders would get a top-five pick, which would ensure that they would be an elite pass-rusher or top offensive lineman prospect like LSU’s Will Campbell.
Also Read: One New NFL Team Name Idea For All 32 Teams
