We've finally crossed into July, which means NFL training camps are within sight. Just a couple of weeks from now, there will be no more breaks for football fans as teams will report for duty and the regular season will be in full swing. Our latest NFL power rankings are going to look a little bit deeper into what could be the "worst-case scenarios" for each NFL team.
As in, what is the potential floor for each team in 2024? Even though optimism should be high with every team having a clean slate, it's not a bad idea to start thinking about what could happen if things go poorly. Let's take a look at every NFL team's potential worst-case scenario in the 2024 season, but let's first address the obvious: Every team's worst-case scenario is a bunch of injuries derailing plans. We may mention injuries for a number of specific teams, but it's obvious that each team's best players getting hurt would be the worst.
We're talking mostly about on-field performance and what each team's "floor" can be as opposed to just great players getting hurt.
2024 NFL Power Rankings: Every team's worst-case scenario this season
32. Las Vegas Raiders: 2 or 3 wins, contend for #1 pick
Out of every team in the NFL, the Raiders are undoubtedly one of the toughest for me to figure out at this stage of the offseason. Are we supposed to buy into Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew? Are the Raiders going to be as good with Antonio Pierce as their full-time head coach as opposed to last year, when he was the proverbial savior from Josh McDaniels?
It’s hard to think about what a “best case” for the Raiders really is in 2024. Does Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew give this team a high enough ceiling to win nine games and sneak into the playoffs? Because of the floor at quarterback and because we don’t know how this team will look with Antonio Pierce as the full-time head coach, the Raiders’ floor this season has to be to potentially have the worst record in the league.
31. Carolina Panthers: 2 or 3 wins, contend for #1 pick
The Carolina Panthers had the worst record in the league this past season, and while Bryce Young has great potential if he can play the way we saw him play at Alabama, this team’s floor has to be considered as bad as it was last year. The Panthers have talent, but they are also breaking in a brand-new head coach in Dave Canales. They traded away arguably their best defensive player and maybe their best player overall in Brian Burns.
If the Panthers want to avoid the worst-case scenario in 2024, they need a breakout campaign from Bryce Young and a host of other players on this roster, and they will need a lot of good luck in the injury department. Otherwise, they might be in for a repeat of last season or marginal improvement in the win column. Maybe the worst thing that could happen for this team is Bryce Young not developing.