NFL power rankings: Where all teams stand approaching Week 1 of 2024 season

8. Los Angeles Rams

With the Los Angeles Rams, we are now in the fringe-Super Bowl contender window. The team wen 10-7 in the 2023 NFL Season, perhaps shockingly, and made it to the playoffs.  QB Matthew Stafford did not light the world on fire, but he was very, very good once again.  He’s somehow still underrated heading into his age-36 season in the NFL.

The Rams had a very young rookie foundation that played extremely well in 2023, and they look to again have success with their 2024 rookie class this season.  LA also as active in free agency, signing several players in the secondary and bringing in Jonah Jackson along the offensive line.

It’s been another strong offseason from Rams GM Les Snead, and the coaching job done by Sean McVay in 2023 was easily the best of his coaching career.  Look out for the Los Angeles Rams being a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and they could even give the San Francisco 49ers trouble in the NFC West this season.

7. Baltimore Ravens

I definitely do not see the Baltimore Ravens winning as many games in 2024 as they did in 2023.  Not only did they lose two starters along their offensive line, but they also lost stud inside linebacker Patrick Queen and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.  Macdonald went to the Seattle Seahawks to coach them, so this could be more of a reset year for the Ravens.  They’ll again be among the better teams in the NFL, but I don’t see them being nearly as dominant.

The health of Lamar Jackson is always a concern.  Can be win his second-straight MVP award?  The award perhaps controversially went to him last year, which gives him his second MVP of his career.  Baltimore is always well-run and well-coached, so don’t expect them to struggle, but I see this team a lot closer to 10 wins than I do anything more than that.