The NFL season is rapidly coming across the nook. Every week from at present, the primary NFL groups will report back to coaching camp because the prelude to a 2024 with numerous intrigue. From the rise of latest stars like CJ Stroud and Jordan Like to the Atlanta Falcons lastly being severe about soccer, there’s so many issues to get enthusiastic about this season.
Scorching take season can also be in full impact, and whereas these aren’t knock your socks off spicy, they’re absolutely all going to come back true and reveal us to be right about all the pieces. These takes vary from the QB competitors within the Metal Metropolis to the potential greatest offense within the NFL, really one thing for everybody.
Listed here are seven scorching takes for the 2024 NFL season simply earlier than coaching camp begins. Verify again in six or seven months and tell us how we did.
Justin Fields wins the beginning job in Pittsburgh
When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson — aided largely by an enormous contract offset the veteran quarterback had with the Denver Broncos — the intention was to have Wilson because the beginning quarterback this season. Even after the Steelers traded for Justin Fields, head coach Mike Tomlin referred to Wilson as the beginning, indicating that the veteran was in “pole place” to maintain the job.
However to maintain the analogy going, it’s not as if Wilson is Max Verstappen at this level in his profession.
The veteran might enter coaching camp because the starter, however Fields offers the offense extra massive play functionality with what he can do with each his arm and his legs. So whereas Wilson is likely to be on pole place, Fields goes to steer the primary lap of this race.
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Photograph by Michael Hickey/Getty Photographs
The Indianapolis Colts make the playoffs
There may be numerous buzz concerning the AFC South this season, beginning with the Houston Texans. Thanks largely to an amazing rookie marketing campaign from C.J. Stroud the Texans gained the division a season in the past, and gained a Wild Card sport in opposition to the visiting — and favored — Cleveland Browns. Whereas Houston’s stunning run to the playoffs ended the next week, with the group satisfied that Stroud is the franchise quarterback they hoped they have been drafting, they loaded up round him this offseason.
Then there are the Jacksonville Jaguars, who simply handed Trevor Lawrence an enormous contract and are only one season away from a division title and stunning Wild Card weekend win of their very own.
However don’t sleep on the Indianapolis Colts. They made a stunning postseason push of their very own final season, and whereas that effort fell brief, now they’re getting Anthony Richardson again. A full season of Richardson in Shane Steichen’s offense goes to place the Colts within the playoffs.
The Carolina Panthers will win the NFC South
Hear me out. There’s nothing that will lead you to consider the NFL-worst Panthers might bounce again to win their division, however in case you scratch the floor there’s one thing compelling brewing in Charlotte.
The Panthers have had an amazing offseason that addressed their largest deficiencies on the offensive line from a yr in the past, whereas including much-needed separation to their receiving corps in Diontae Johnson. The offense was so putrid a yr in the past that there’s miles of enchancment, and new coach Dave Canales, architect of Bake Mayfield’s success in 2023 is poised to do the identical factor for the Panthers.
Final yr all indicators pointed to the Bucs being the worst group within the South, and so they gained. That may be the Panthers in 2024, no matter what Atlanta has in retailer.
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Sam Darnold goes to create a QB controversy in Minnesota
All indicators level to the Vikings selecting to attend, and never push J.J. McCarthy right into a beginning job earlier than he’s prepared — which is completely the proper transfer. The factor is: Sam Darnold is nice sufficient to make lots of people have second ideas, and I feel he’s going to do exactly that.
At 27-years-old there’s loads of tread left on the tires right here, and the Kevin O’Connell offense will masks numerous Darnold’s deficiencies. Pair that with Justin Jefferson, who’s at all times an element, and there’s a particular situation right here the place Darnold surprises individuals, leads the Vikings again to the playoffs, and creates concern over whether or not or not McCarthy ought to take the job.
The Inexperienced Bay Packers end with one of the best offense within the NFL
The Packers completed final season in a flourish, throttling Dallas on the street within the playoffs and taking the San Francisco 49ers to the restrict within the Bay space. This was largely on the backs of development out of their younger QB Jordan Love and the emergence of a receiver group that’s extra committee than with one star. Add in head coach Matt LaFleur designing an unbelievable offense and you’ve got the right combination for a group that’s able to tear up the league in 2024.
With Love’s development persevering with in addition to the maturation of the younger ability place group, the Packers may be one of the best offense within the NFL in 2024.
3 AFC South groups make the playoffs
It feels just like the AFC South is able to step into the limelight this yr. With the QB expertise within the division at its’ highest and groups just like the Texans and Titans placing collectively star-studded teams of surrounding expertise, the division is actually an arms race. As different divisions within the AFC stay in flux, the AFC South can get three groups into the playoffs just like the AFC North did final yr. The Texans are the favorites to win the division, now boasting a protection complementary sufficient to assist an offense led by QB CJ Stroud. The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence primed for an enormous yr, and a protection now coached by Ryan Nielsen ought to give Jacksonville the enhance it wanted final yr. Indianapolis will hopefully get a full season of Anthony Richardson and Tennessee has the expertise to push onerous for a playoff spot. The AFC South is able to get out of the doldrums and into the NFL highlight.
Maxx Crosby wins Defensive Participant of the 12 months
It appears like Maxx Crosby has persistently been one of many 5 greatest EDGE defenders in the complete league for some time now, regardless of taking part in for a group within the midst of an id change. Crosby performs virtually each snap of each sport, and stays extremely productive. His stress fee stays excessive and he turns these pressures into sacks. Whereas the Raiders won’t have one of the best outlook for 2024, including Christian Wilkins to the defensive entrance frees up extra one-on-one alternatives for Crosby, who can have the identical soar as Myles Garrett did in 2023 en path to his first DPOY win.
