AFC West
Denver Broncos - Broncos become NFL's surprise breakout team
The Denver Broncos have the formula to be the NFL’s surprise breakout team in 2024. They’ve got the rookie QB that fits their offense, a top-tier head coach, a strong offensive line, and solid enough personnel on offense to help rookie QB Bo Nix develop.
Denver also added talent along the defensive line and in the secondary this offseason, which were two of their weakest spots on the roster in 2024. This team also won eight games in 2023 after starting 1-5, so let’s not pretend that the Broncos are some bottom-feeding team. They’re not, but they are if you aren’t paying attention.
Kansas City Chiefs - Chiefs do not three-peat as Super Bowl champions
So much has to go right for a team to even make the playoffs, let alone win a Super Bowl… let alone trying to win three of those things in a row. While the Kansas City Chiefs are clearly the NFL’s top team until further notice, they will not win their third-straight title in 2024. There are too many good teams in both conferences, and I tend to think the Chiefs roster isn’t nearly as good as some think.
Look for the Houston Texans to win the Super Bowl in 2024. At least, that is my prediction.
Los Angeles Chargers - Chargers end up being magnificently average in 2024
Besides Justin Herbert, who is closer to being a bigger and stronger Kirk Cousins than being in the tier with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson, the Los Angeles Chargers roster isn’t that special, and it’s going to take a year or two for this team to truly be competitive. Jim Harbaugh returns to coach in the NFL for the first time in a decade, so concerns about whether Harbaugh’s methods still work in the big leagues are valid.
The Chargers won’t be a bad team by any means in the 2024 NFL Season, but look for them to be extremely average up and down.
Las Vegas Raiders - Raiders earn top-3 pick in 2025 NFL Draft
The Las Vegas Raiders have bad a brutal offseason that no one is talking about. First off, they hired Antonio Pierce to be their full-time head coach, but Pierce was only a position coach in 2023 and was also in just his second year as a coach in the NFL. They also hired Tom Telesco, a failed, re-tread GM who spent years with the Los Angeles Chargers.
They overpaid for DT Christian Wilkins in free agency, overpaid for QB Gardner Minshew, missed out on a first-round QB, and instead decided to take TE Brock Bowers with their top pick. So now you have a TE room in Vegas with a second and first-round pick. That is an awful allocation of resources. You also do not have a potential franchise QB in the building and an awful roster outside of Davante Adams, Kolton Miller, Maxx Crosby, and Wilkins.
The Raiders are going to be awful in 2024.