AFC North
Ravens – Can they consistently bring their A game in the playoffs?
The Ravens in the Lamar Jackson era have consistently been the most dominant regular season team but have consistently faltered come postseason time. They have shown improvements in the past couple of seasons but still have left much to be desired.
Bengals – Can they return to being a contender?
The Bengals, in the first two seasons with a healthy Joe Burrow came within a possession of winning one Super Bowl and came within a possession of reaching another one. In the third season with Burrow healthy the team failed to even make the postseason. For the most part they retained much of their old form but consistently failed to close out games where they had the game in their grasp. Inconsistency on the offensive line and on defense also haunted Cincinnati this past season as well. If they can improve on defense and on the offensive line while also closing out games at a far better rate than they did last season, they absolutely can reach the Super Bowl.
Steelers – What will they get out of their QB spot?
The Steelers will likely sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers but that has yet to happen. Even if he were to be signed it remains to be seen how effective he would be for Pittsburgh. The rest of the team has little to no question marks. The defense is elite and outside of Philadelphia is as good as any defense in the NFL. The offensive personnel is strong although there are some question marks at wide out and running back with the departure of Najee Harris and George Pickens. Head coach Mike Tomlin has been to multiple Super Bowls, winning one, and is one of the most decorated head coaches in the NFL today. The QB spot is the only big question mark currently on the team.
Browns – What will they get out of their QB spot?
The Browns are in a similar boat to the Steelers as the rest of their team is stout outside of the QB position. Their defense is one of the more talented defenses in the league and Jim Schwartz is one of the best defensive coordinators as well. On offense, just like the Steelers, they have talented players but just like Pittsburgh they have some question marks at running back and wide receiver. Just like the Steelers, they have one of the most decorated head coaches in the NFL today. As Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is the only current NFL head coach to win multiple AP NFL coach of the year awards and one of only sixteen coaches ever to have accomplished that feat. They currently have five quarterbacks on their roster as of now in Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, and Kenny Pickett. Seeing who wins the starting job will be one of the biggest storylines entering the season. How that player will produce will also be very interesting to watch. The team will likely utilize multiple quarterbacks throughout the season and I could certainly see them starting off with the veteran option in Flacco and then eventually transitioning to one or both of the two rookies in Gabriel and Sanders.
AFC East
Bills – Can they finally get over the hump of the Chiefs in the playoffs?
The Bills in the Josh Allen era are 4-1 against the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes in the regular season but 0-4 against them in the postseason. The first of the four postseason losses was before this Bills team with Allen and McDermott really came into their own as Buffalo lost that game by three possessions. The last three postseason losses the Bills have suffered vs Kansas City have gone down to the wire and have been essentially coin flips. With one of the losses literally being a coin flip where the Bills were unable to gain the initial possession in overtime and lost right away after Mahomes got the ball first in overtime and led a game ending touchdown drive after the Chiefs won the coin toss. The Bills’ record against the Chiefs in the regular season along with their consistent toe to toe play vs Kansas City come playoff time would indicate that the Bills are neck and neck with the Chiefs. The results in terms of postseason wins and losses unfortunately indicate otherwise for Buffalo.
Dolphins – Can Tua overcome his two biggest weaknesses?
The Dolphins in the Mike McDaniel – Tua Tagovailoa era have consistently been screwed by two things in relation to their starting quarterback. His lack of availability due to injury and his lack of ability to perform in cold inclement weather. Those two concerns have led to Miami’s season ending in the first three seasons of the Mike McDaniel – Tua Tagovailoa era. In the first season he was unavailable due to injury in a very narrow postseason loss to the Bills. In the second season he was unable to produce at nearly the level he otherwise does in more temperate conditions in a frigid 26-7 road loss to the Chiefs in the playoffs which was amongst the coldest games in NFL history. In the third season he missed several regular season games due to injury, many of which Miami unfortunately lost without him, and Miami narrowly missed the postseason as a result. Those two concerns directly led to the Dolphins season ending in the first three seasons of this era with Tua and Mike McDaniel and have also cost the team from time to time otherwise. As Tua had tremendous injury concerns entering the NFL and Tua grew up in warm weather Hawaii, played college football in warm weather Alabama, and now plays in warm weather Miami.
Patriots – How good will Maye and Vrabel be in year 1 together?
Drake Maye, who was the third overall pick in last year’s draft, had a very effective rookie season. This was despite being surrounded by amongst the league’s weakest offensive personnel and a rookie defensive minded head coach who was terminated right after the season. Mike Vrabel had a very successful tenure with the Titans and is already amongst the premier head coaches in the NFL and is already also in the discussion for being the premier defensive head coach in the league despite not coaching at all last season. On paper the pairing is very strong but they have not proven it on the field yet. Even if the pairing ends up working out, how effective they will be in year 1 together remains a question mark. As the pairing of Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson had dynasty written all over them before they even took the field together. But three years since Pederson was hired, the pairing has now been split up with one combined playoff appearance and one combined playoff win together to show for it.
Jets – Is Justin Fields the long-term answer at quarterback?
The New York Jets have been one of the weakest franchises in the league for almost all of recent memory and have had a distressing QB situation for almost all of recent memory as well. They have since signed now journeyman and former first round quarterback Justin Fields to a two year contract and are optimistic he can be the long term starter. Fields I think is very talented but is on his third team since being drafted in 2021 for a reason as well. The evaluation of whether or not he is the future of the franchise will indeed begin this upcoming season.
AFC South
Jaguars – Have they finally found the right coach to pair with Trevor Lawrence?
Trevor Lawrence was heralded as a generational quarterback prospect who would be the next John Elway or Tom Brady at some point. Although he has certainly not been a bust he has not lived up to nearly those lofty expectations entering the NFL. He has yet to truly enter his prime, he has struggled with injuries, and above all else has not been paired with the right head coach. The Jaguars made two big name hires in Urban Meyer and Doug Pederson to bring the best out of Lawrence but neither coach worked out. Perhaps hiring the young smart upcoming coordinator over the coach with the fancy resume such as Pederson or Meyer would be the better route of option to take. That is the option that the Jaguars have indeed taken with the hire of Liam Coen who was the Buccaneers offensive coordinator this past season. I like the hire of Coen but it remains to be seen if he will be the right coach to get the best out of Lawrence at QB.
Texans – Are they trending in no man’s land?
The Texans have looked solid but not spectacular in the first two seasons of the C.J Stroud era but I question the direction of their franchise. They have consistently de-emphasized the offensive line which is not a formula for seeing success in the modern NFL. C.J Stroud is good but had a sophomore slump season in large part due to the weak offensive line play. C.J Stroud is talented but certainly not a tier 1 caliber quarterback in today’s NFL and the weak offensive lines that Houston has consistently put out dating back to the Deshaun Watson era simply are not going to cut it. Stroud as of now is still closer to average at quarterback, the offensive line is subpar, and the skill players outside of star wide out Nico Collins are still closer to average. Although DeMeco Ryans clearly is a very bright defensive mind as the Texans defense had perhaps the highest ceiling of any defense in the NFL a season ago. The Texans are still a defensive culture with a defensive minded head coach having a ton of offensive question marks in a league that is transitioning to the offensive side of the ball. In year 1 of the Stroud era, they were good but not special, and in year 2 of the Stroud era they were also good but not special. Whether or not they can take the leap into the special realm remains to be seen as I still question many components of their franchise going forward.
Colts – Can Anthony Richardson refine his passing?
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is a physical freak of nature who struggles with consistency in regards to throwing the football. He is just like Bills quarterback Josh Allen in that regard who also was a physical freak of nature entering the NFL but struggled to consistently and accurately throw the football. Josh Allen is recognized by many if not most as the 2nd best overall quarterback in the league today to Patrick Mahomes. Going into year three in the NFL, which is also his second full season as starter, Richardson will be on the clock to take his game up a notch with Daniel Jones now on his tail for the starting job. Richardson out of 44 qualified quarterbacks finished last in passer rating by a margin this past season which was his first full season starting. He did show some flashes of throwing the ball very well at times this past season, however. Anthony Richardson in terms of raw athletic ability, size, arm strength, and foot speed is something unique and special at the QB position. If he can refine his throwing, the sky will be the limit for him in the NFL.
Titans – Is Cam Ward anything special at the quarterback position?
This past draft was regarded as a weak one for the quarterback position as no quarterback including eventual #1 overall pick Cam Ward was heralded as a franchise saver. However, Ward still was drafted #1 overall and projects to be an effective professional quarterback. Whether or not he can provide the Titans with something special at the quarterback position instead of just being a solid starter remains to be seen, however.
AFC West
Chiefs – Can they avoid the New England 10-year drought?
The Patriots led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick won three Super Bowls in four seasons in the early 2000s just like the Chiefs won three Super Bowls in five seasons prior to their most recent Super Bowl defeat to Philadelphia. New England then went ten years without winning another Super Bowl. Coming off such an embarrassing Super Bowl defeat, the Chiefs are staring at a similar type of proposition going into next season forward. The Bills, Bengals, Ravens, and Chargers feel like they could be right on the same level as the Chiefs in the conference and will all be on the Chiefs’ tail going forward. Kansas City has struggled offensively the past two seasons including in the 2023 season where they won it all. Getting back into the full flow of things offensively as they were earlier in the Mahomes/Reid era will be imperative for avoiding a Super Bowl drought similar to New England’s.
Chargers – Can they take it up a notch in year 2 of the Harbaugh – Herbert era?
In year 1 of the Jim Harbaugh – Justin Herbert era the Chargers went from 5-12 the previous season to 11-6 along with a postseason berth. They left much to be desired come playoff time however in a three-possession defeat to the Texans in the opening round. Justin Herbert remains without a playoff win in five seasons in the NFL still as a result. Jim Harbaugh is as good of a football coach I have ever seen and Justin Herbert is amongst the most talented quarterbacks I have ever seen. Can they now take it up a notch and be special as a tandem going forward will be the question.
Raiders – Can Pete Carroll turn around the Raiders culture?
The Raiders for all of recent memory have been perhaps the weakest culture and team not just in the NFL but in all of professional sports. Pete Carroll is one of the most decorated football coaches ever and will seek to turn around this Raiders franchise. Him and the new general manager have brought along Carroll’s former running mate with the Seahawks at quarterback in Geno Smith as well. The Raiders have borderline elite offensive personnel with a stout defensive line led by Maxx Crosby who is amongst the premier defensive players in the sport. How they will look in year 1 under Carroll will be interesting to see.
Broncos – Is our offensive line and defense enough?
The Broncos combination of defense and offensive line is in the definitive discussion for being the best in the league. Their defense finished 3rd in points allowed last season and have now added two big name defenders from the 49ers in Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga. The offensive line was graded as the best pass blocking unit in the league a season ago as well. However, the Broncos combination of skill position players was amongst the weakest in the NFL a season ago and it remains to be seen if it will cost them next year as well. Quarterback Bo Nix, who had a strong rookie season, still has not proven to be special at the quarterback position and whether or not he will be, is certainly something to watch. Sean Payton, although very decorated and smart as an offensive coach, is still flawed as a head coach although I certainly would have hired him.
