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

20. Los Angeles Chargers

I would not expect big things from the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL Season.  The roster is not good, and their head coach has not coached in the NFL for an entire decade.  The Chargers are clearly building for the future, as both sides of the ball just need more talent.  The wide receiver room is quite empty and the running back room doesn’t have a true bell-cow.

Defensively, both Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa are likely not with the team beyond this year, so some EDGE help for the future is needed.  If Harbaugh can find immediate success in LA, that might look like eight wins at most, but talks of this team being a playoff contender are overblown and just not accurate.

The Chargers could make a ton of noise in 2025, though, and I believe that is when this team could get ultra-aggressive.

19. Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears could put the league on notice in 2024.  Everyone knew they were taking QB Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it was the right move.  The play-makers on offense for the Bears are talented and deep, and Williams may have a three-headed monster at WR in Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze.

They also have both Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett at tight end.  Defensively, the unit seemed to figure it out a bit last season after they swung a trade for Montez Sweat.  They held opponents to less than 20 points per game to end the 2023 NFL Season.  If the defense can keep that up, and if the offense is efficient in year one with Caleb Williams, watch out.

A winning record is very much in play here.  And for head coach Matt Eberflus, there are no more excuses.  If he wants to keep his job, it’s truly now or never, as their new OC, Shane Waldron, might be a perfect interim head coach.