10 Bold Predictions for the 2024 NFL Season
Brent SobleskiJuly 22, 202410 Bold Predictions for the 2024 NFL Season0 of 10
How far can the Detroit Lions go during the 2024 season? Is the Super Bowl too much of an ask? Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
How bold is bold?
Are we talking Star Trek levels of going where no man has gone before? Spoiler Alert: A few of the potential instances in this piece technically qualify for that particular standing.
Overall, the NFL is an ever-changing organism, where history is continually rewritten. The upcoming campaign feels like a potential turning point.
Everyone is trying to take down the Kansas City Chiefs, who will attempt to become the first team ever to win three consecutive Super Bowls. The league is littered with talented, young (under 30) quarterbacks. Defenses are preparing their counterpunches to hold scoring down in a pass-first league.
Sometimes, wild things happen. A year ago at this time…
Bill Belichick was going to be with the New England Patriots forever. Joe Flacco’s career was all but finished. No one really knew who Puka Nacua was. The Houston Texans were just trying to gain a footing after years of rebuilding.Aaron Rodgers was going to take the New York Jets to new heights.
Stuff happened. What may look like a bold prediction now could be the new norm in 12 months. But someone has to envision change for it to eventually happen. The following 10 predictions may seem audacious. They’re meant to be.
Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb Sets Regular-Season Receptions Record1 of 10
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Let’s start with a bang, with a couple of records that could fall, beginning with CeeDee Lamb’s work in Big D.
Eventually, Calvin Johnson’s historic season with 1,964 receiving yards will fall. It won’t be the year. However, Michael Thomas’ 149-catch campaign in 2019 is well within reach.
Lamb wasn’t far off the number last season. The Cowboys’ primary target led the league with 135 snags. Three factors play into the possibility of becoming the first wide receiver to grab 150 catches during the regular season.
First, Lamb needs to average nearly nine catches per contest to make it happen. He and quarterback Dak Prescott were humming late last season. During the Cowboys final seven games (including their playoff appearance), Lamb averaged 9.4 yards per catch.
Second, Dallas did next-to-nothing to improve the situation around Lamb, who played all 17 regular-season contests in back-to-back years. The team still lacks a legitimate WR2 and Brandin Cooks is now one year older.
Finally, Lamb is in a contract year. If he doesn’t sign an extension between now and the start of the regular season, the first-team All-Pro will have something to prove and a message to send to the organization.
Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams Shatters Rookie Passing Record2 of 10
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No Chicago Bears quarterback has every thrown for 4,000 yards in a single season. Some might view the proclamation of a Bears rookie shattering a passing record in his first year as a major stretch. But Caleb Williams is different. More importantly, his supporting cast is, too.
The Bears organization decided to move on from Justin Fields and replace him with Williams for multiple reasons. First, Fields hadn’t developed as expected as a passer. Second, the franchise benefited from the previous year’s draft trade with the Carolina Panthers to claim the No. 1 overall pick. Most importantly, Williams was viewed as a superior prospect entering the league.
“Caleb Williams is electric, plain and simple,” Bleacher Report scout Derrik Klassen wrote in the lead-up to this year’s draft.
“It all starts with arm talent. He doesn’t throw with quite the same velocity of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen or Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, but he can really spin it. Williams can also flick the ball 50 yards downfield like it’s nothing. Combine that with pretty consistent accuracy across the board, and you’ve got a scary passer.”
Andrew Luck’s rookie record of 4,374 yards continues to hold strong even after 12 years and a one-game expansion of the NFL’s regular season.
During a full 17-game slate, Williams will need to average 257.4 passing yards per game to beat the figure. Last season, 10 quarterbacks, who appeared in five or more games, averaged more, including rookie C.J. Stroud, though he only appeared in 15 contests.
Considering the Bears now have Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore at wide receiver, two talented receiving tight ends in Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett and a capable target out of the backfield in D’Andre Swift, the number seems easily attainable.
New Kickoff Rule Sees Surge in Special Teams Scoring3 of 10
Denver Broncos kicker returner and Pro Bowler Marvin Mims Jr. Sam Hodde/Getty Images
This particular prediction may not be as bold since the NFL intentionally changed the rules to make sure kickoffs weren’t wiped out of existence. Instead, the special teams play could be far more exciting with the new setup.
For those who have yet to absorb this year’s rule change, the traditional aspect of kickoffs is now gone. The line of scrimmage isn’t technically where the ball is set. Instead, the kicker will tee off from his own 35-yard line. Everyone else on the kicking team will line up at the opposition’s 40-yard line. They can’t release until the ball lands or is caught by the opponent.
The receiving squad will line up its players at its own 30- and 35-yard line. At least seven of them need to have one foot on the 35-yard line. They also can’t move until the ball is caught or hits the ground. A team can have a maximum of two returners on the field. Any ball caught in the field of play must be returned.
With those rules in mind, the approach to returns completely changes. The types of returners will likely vary. More variance will occur until special teams coaches can figure out what works.
“Every time we practice, we learn something new,” Kansas City Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub said, per The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen. “I draw up a play and it looks great on paper—and you can’t do it. You can’t get to certain blocks you think you can get to, so you throw it out. And it’s (on to) the next thing.”
The chaos should lead to more broken plays and big scoring opportunities.
Last season, four touchdowns were scored via kickoff returns. Ten seasons prior, seven occurred. In 2003, 13 happened. The number should experience an uptick as the current setup becomes normalized, with the right personnel and plays put in place.
Washington Commanders Go from Worst-to-First in NFC East4 of 10
Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden DanielsScott Taetsch/Getty Images
Last year, the Houston Texans rose from the ashes to claim a division title. The Jacksonville Jaguars did it the year before. The Cincinnati Bengals did so the year before that. And so on and so forth.
But which last-place finisher from the 2023 campaign is the best positioned to make the leap this fall?
The Washington Commanders are the obvious answer.
In Josh Harris’ first offseason as the principle owner, he hired a new general manager (Adam Peters) and head coach (Dan Quinn). The franchise’s new brain trust subsequently selected Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels with this year’s second overall draft pick. Furthermore, the front office added multiple reinforcements to the offensive line.
Daniels presence alone is a massive upgrade. His downfield passing and outstanding athleticism make him a dynamic dual-threat to drive defenses bonkers. Quinn, meanwhile, is one of the game’s best defensive minds. His staff should help drastically improve upon last season’s 32nd-ranked defense.
The Commanders’ potential ascension is also an indictment of the other NFC East squads.
The Dallas Cowboys did next-to-nothing this offseason to improve their roster. Thus they’re not as good today as the team that finished 12-5 last season.
The Philadelphia Eagles backed their way into the postseason and lost six of their last seven contests, including the lopsided playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They’re also transitioning on defense, while also losing Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce to retirement.
The New York Giants are struggling to find their way and may be closer to next year’s No. 1 overall draft pick than making the postseason again. The organization’s decision to bank on quarterback Daniel Jones appears disastrous in retrospect.
Washington has an opportunity to strike and claim its first divisional crown in four years.
Justin Fields Emerges as Pittsburgh Steelers’ Long-Term Solution at QB5 of 10
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Russell Wilson is QB1 in Pittsburgh for the Steelers. No one is denying this fact. But an NFL season is long and plenty of twists and turns occur along the way.
Justin Fields may no longer be a franchise quarterback after being traded from the Chicago Bears for the equivalent of a bag of balls. Still, the potential that had people intrigued for three seasons remains evident.
Fields joined his new squad without the promise of being a starter. The Steelers didn’t even pick up the 25-year-old’s fifth-year rookie option. Yet Fields understands Pittsburgh isn’t set behind center and he’s ready to push for playing time.
“I’m definitely competing,” Fields told reporters in May. “I think Russ knows that we’re competing against each other every day. Him being out there for me, that helps me getting better, especially each other.
“I definitely don’t have the mindset of me just sitting all year. I’m coming in every day giving it all I got and pushing him to be his best, and he’s pushing me to be my best each and every day.”
Considering the setup with both Wilson and Fields playing on one-year deals after coming off disappointing situations, no significant edge should be awarded to either. Wilson is the more experienced veteran, with plenty of success in his background. But he also turns 36 during the regular season and Fields is a different type of athlete at the position, who can completely change the offense’s complexion.
The Steelers will need to find out what they have at the game’s most important position before next offseason. Fields still presents significant upside, with the ability to become something more than a simple scratch-off lottery ticket.
Los Angeles Rams’ Kobie Turner Becomes Game-Wrecker, Enters DPOY Conversation6 of 10
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The Los Angeles’ Rams’ Kobie Turner made a strong argument to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, but the Houston Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. walked away with the hardware.
Turner led all rookies with nine sacks. Sacks aren’t always a full indication of ability or consistent pressure, though. They are in Turner’s case.
Before going any further, an obvious counterargument exists that last year’s 89th overall pick benefited greatly from playing alongside an all-time great in Aaron Donald and the sophomore’s effectiveness will wane after Donald’s retirement.
Two specific stats indicate that will not the case. Rather, Turner will continue to grow and become more disruptive.
First, the interior defender registered 17 pressures and six sacks on plays in which the quarterback took three or fewer drops, according to the Sporting News’ Doug Farrar.
Second, the rookie thrived even when double-teamed. He finished second behind the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams, a former first-team All-Pro, with 22 pressures when facing two or more blockers, per NFL Next Gen Stats (h/t J.B. Long).
Yes, an adjustment will need to be made by the entire Rams defense now that the greatest defensive player of his generation is no longer in the lineup. However, Turner’s obvious skill set, coupled with the natural growth expected from a young player, while also benefiting by learning from Donald, portends a long-term headache for every opponent.
“I don’t need to be anyone else other than who I am,” Turner told The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrique. “I don’t need to be chasing numbers, anything like that. … I think I already am growing so much. Keeping it in that right mentality, allowing it to build me up, and never letting it get overwhelming and keeping the focus on how I attack every single day—not on some sort of output, but the process.”
The Rams did help Turner this offseason when they sunk their first- and second-round draft picks into defensive end Jared Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske.
Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb Returns from Knee Injury to Lead NFL in Rushing7 of 10
Cooper Neill/Getty Images
No one can be Batman. Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb probably comes the closest, though.
Let’s harken back to the July 1993, when Bane broke the Bat. Bruce Wayne needed time, patience and perseverance to heal from a major injury, before he could triumphantly return as the premier instrument of justice.
Chubb was the NFL’s best pure runner, an elite package of power, speed, balance and vision. He had already assumed his place as the game’s best back, only to suffer a devastating knee injury during a Week 2 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Chubb’s latest knee injury isn’t his first. He suffered another during his sophomore season at Georgia. That specific injury occurred three weeks later in the year. He was back for the season-opener of the following campaign and even ran for 222 yards in that contest. Chubb ran for 1,130 yards that year despite sharing a backfield with future first-round pick Sony Michel.
The six-year veteran is now older, of course. Some load management is expected.
“It’s different now because I feel like I’m behind,” Chubb admitted in a video posted by JOC Films, which is shooting a documentary about the running back. “Usually I’m healthy and I’m working to get faster and stronger. Now I’m just trying to catch up to get to the person I once was.”
At the same time, Chubb is a unique specimen and a force in the weight room. His feats of strengths often inspire awe on social media. As an example, he’s less than a year out from major knee surgery yet doing squats with six plates on both sides.
If Chubb opens the season as Cleveland’s lead back, with a more stabilized quarterback situation and fewer runners actually eclipsing 1,100 yards, he can easily don his cape and cowl and regain his previous status as the best of the best.
Los Angeles Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh Wins NFL Coach of the Year8 of 10
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Jim Harbaugh is weird. His peccadillos are numerous. He has a lot of funny sayings. It took him 10 years to return to the NFL. But one thing is absolutely certain: Harbaugh knows how to coach.
Since becoming a head coach in 2004, only three of his squads didn’t achieve a winning record. Two of those occurred at Stanford, as Harbaugh built up a moribund program. The other came during the COVID19-shortened campaign. Otherwise, Harbaugh has brought success to everywhere he’s gone, with a 188-71-1 record across the board.
The former Michigan Wolverines boss finally left the collegiate ranks after leading his alma mater to its first national championship in 26 years, then he joined the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers are always packed with potential yet continually fall short of expectations. They’ve won double-digits games only twice since the start of the 2010 campaign. Three playoff appearances can be found within that same window.
Voters love to anoint new head coaches, who elevate their organizations. Sean McVay, Kevin Stefanski and Brian Daboll are recent examples of NFL Coach of the Year winners because of what they achieved in Year 1 with their respective franchises.
Harbaugh will lay a winning foundation based on his philosophical approach to the game.
The Chargers should be tougher, particularly in the trenches, while playing a hard-nosed brand of football. Quarterback Justin Herbert is the wild card. Potential elite quarterback play to go along with the coach’s schemes should make the Chargers a far more difficult matchup.
This isn’t to say that Los Angeles will knock off the Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West. But Harbaugh will almost certainly get far more out of the Chargers than previous coaches, and he’ll likely be recognized for the effort.
Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson Wins MVP Award9 of 10
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Anthony Richardson is unlike anything the NFL has ever seen at quarterback.
“He’s like a created player,” Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell told reporters at minicamp. “He’s like one of them players that can legit do anything on the field. You talk about arm strength? Crazy arm strength. This man can roll right, throw on the opposite hash to the left. It’s a lot of stuff I ain’t seen before.”
The previous statements aren’t hyperbole, either. Richardson is bigger than Lamar Jackson, faster than Cam Newton and has more juice in his arm than Jalen Hurts. The physical profile is literally off-the-charts.
What Richardson isn’t given enough credit for is his feel for the pocket and understanding of where to go with the football. Too often, his status was undermined publicly by those who didn’t really break down what he did during games and instead relied too heavily on limited starting experience and underwhelming numbers at the collegiate level.
The real issue for Richardson at this point isn’t playing from the pocket; it’s staying healthy once he leaves those confines. The 2023 fourth overall pick flashed special talent during his first four professional appearances. But his rookie campaign abruptly ended because of a shoulder injury. It wasn’t the only injury Richardson endured during that small sample size.
As long as the sophomore signal-caller learns how to protect himself, he can shine. The Colts have an underrated surrounding cast, with wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Mitchell, massive tight ends, running back Jonathan Taylor and one of the game’s best offensive lines. Also, head coach Shane Steichen happens to be one of the league’s best offensive play-callers.
The sky is the limit for a healthy Richardson, which means a breakout season should catapult him into MVP status.
Detroit Lions Win Their First Super Bowl10 of 10
Detroit Lions head coach Dan CampbellGregory Shamus/Getty Images
The Detroit Lions have yet to reach a Super Bowl, let alone win one. The standard in the Motor City has changed, though. It’s now Super Bowl or bust for Dan Campbell’s squad.
The new norm became immediately noticeable to this year’s first-round pick, cornerback Terrion Arnold.
“First day back, man. Rookies had a conditioning test. Rookies had to report early. Vets gotta come later. That conditioning test was no joke,” this year’s 24th overall draft pick posted on TikTok (h/t John Maakaron of Sports Illustrated). “These boys really trying to win a Super Bowl this year. I’ll tell y’all that, and I’m in shape.”
To be fair, the Lions held a 24-7 lead over the San Francisco 49ers entering the second half of the NFC Championship Game. Campbell’s preferred aggressive approach on fourth down backfired when pressure built, thanks to a couple of key drops. A poor outcome doesn’t invalidate the approach. It should prove that the Lions are going about things the right way.
Plus, the squad is more talented now than it was last season, particularly in the secondary.
As good as the Lions were last season, previous investments at cornerback failed. The secondary that finished among the league’s bottom six in pass defense replaced Cameron Sutton and Jerry Jacobs with Carlton Davis III, as well as rookies Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw III.
The unit also upgraded along the defensive interior with the addition of DJ Reader as a true 1-technique to play alongside Alim McNeill.
Beyond that point, the squad lost one primary starter from last year’s group. Guard Jonah Jackson signed with the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions will now rely on veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler, who already has 181 career starts under his belt.
The Lions nearly made their way to the top. Detroit stumbled. But it now understands what it takes to reach that point and push beyond it. The Lions are learning how to win at the highest level, and they have everything it takes to finally claim the top spot.
