32. Carolina Panthers

31. New England Patriots

30. Denver Broncos

29. Washington Commanders

28. New York Giants

GREEN BAY

The Packers appear to have followed a policy of promoting from within as they announce who Mark Murphy’s successor will be.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Packers have found a successor to Mark Murphy.

Green Bay announced on Monday that Ed Policy will be the team’s next chairman, president, and CEO.

Murphy is set to retire from the role in July 2025.

“Congratulations to Ed on this well-deserved promotion to what I believe is the most unique and meaningful position in the world of professional sports,” Murphy said in a statement released by the team. “Ed has been a tremendous asset to the organization during his 12 years here and has been greatly instrumental in our success. His work on Titletown has been particularly impactful. He is highly respected — both in the building and within the NFL. I’ve enjoyed working with him and am confident he will be an excellent steward for the organization.

“In the coming year, he and I will continue to work closely together to ensure a smooth transition for our employees, players, and fans.

“Thank you to the search committee for their thorough work in this process. I’m excited about this coming season and the future of the Packers.”

Policy, 53, started working for the Packers in 2012 as vice president and general counsel. He was promoted to chief operating officer and general counsel in 2018.

Policy will continue in his role as COO through the transition period as he works with Murphy for the next year.

“I am incredibly honored, excited, and grateful to the search committee, the Board, the shareholders, and the entire organization for this treasured and one-of-a-kind opportunity,” Policy said in a statement. “I am particularly grateful to Mark for 12 years of mentorship. I am looking forward to building on his leadership and considerable success on and off the field.

“This is the absolute best job in sports. We are the stewards of the most iconic and unique organization in all of professional sports. I am excited to continue to work with so many talented teammates who have ensured the Packers’ consistent success on and off the field. We are the people’s team, and I love being a part of it.

“We will continue our relentless focus on building a winning culture that transcends the playing field. The Lombardi Trophy will always be our North Star and ensuring a positive impact on our community will continue to be paramount in our decision-making. We have the greatest fans in sports and will never take their commitment to the Packers for granted.”

Green Bay’s announcement noted that the team’s search committee went through a list of over 90 prospects, applicants, and referrals from several industries. Virtual and in-person interviews in June then led the search committee to recommend Policy.

Yes, the Notre Dame grad is the son of former 49ers exec and DeBartolo “consigliere” Carmen Policy.

CAROLINA

David Tepper has $650 million in public funding to play with at Bank of America Stadium.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The rich will get richer. As they often do.

Panthers owner David Tepper, who is worth roughly $20 billion, will get $650 million in taxpayer money for renovations to the team’s 29-year-old stadium.

Via Bret McCormick of Sports Business Journal, Charlotte City Council voted 7-3 to approve the proposal on Monday night. Tepper will contribute $150 million. He also will be responsible for cost overruns.

The renovations will begin in 2025 and it will be completed by 2029.

“Today’s vote by the Charlotte City Council is the culmination of many thoughtful discussions with city officials, local leaders, and our fans to create a shared vision for Bank of America stadium,” Tepper said in a statement. “Nicole and I are grateful for the collaboration and support of the project, as well as our ongoing partnership between Tepper Sports & Entertainment and the city.”

They should be grateful. City council did what the voters surely would not have done.

That continues to be the biggest disconnect when it comes to stadium politics. Elected officials will do what voters in most jurisdictions will not do.

So why do the elected officials continue to defy the will of the people? That’s a very good question. One that should be answered by the seven who voted “yes” when they are up for re-election.

SAN FRANCISCO

Can the 49ers calm down WR BRANDON AIYUK?  The two sides met Monday, although how it went has yet to leak.  Kyle Madson of USA TODAY:

Brandon Aiyuk requested a meeting with the 49ers in the midst of negotiations on a sizable contract extension according to ESPN’s Ryan Clark. It’s not entirely clear exactly what such a meeting means or what kind of fruit it will bear, but there are certainly clear best and worst case scenarios for San Francisco.

The best-case scenario is that Aiyuk wants to clear the air on some of the reporting surrounding the negotiations and his TikTok that appears to show Aiyuk telling a former college teammate that the 49ers don’t want him. Sometimes a face-to-face meeting is best and can help untangle some of the misconceptions one or both sides had in the negotiations.

Aiyuk in the absolute best-case scenario walks out of Monday’s meeting with a new contract in hand. The more realistic version is that he leaves Monday in a better place to negotiate a long-term extension.

The worst-case scenario is that Aiyuk is so displeased by the meeting that he demands a trade and vows to never play for the 49ers again. Even with this outcome he’s still under contract through 2024 and San Francisco may not feel inclined to oblige his demand, instead calling his bluff and having him play out the final year of his rookie contract before getting to unrestricted free agency.

Chances are the meeting winds up somewhere in the middle here. Perhaps some air gets cleared and the 49ers can ensure Aiyuk they want him on their team, while Aiyuk can make the case for any unease he has directly to the 49ers without having to go through an agent.

It’s unlikely Aiyuk is going to come down on his price with a face-to-face meeting, and it’s unlikely the 49ers are going to come way up from theirs. If the two sides can get through Monday without anything drastic happening, they’ll be in a good position moving forward on the typical closer-to-training-camp timeline the 49ers use to get these types of deals done.

This from Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com:

The latest report comes after more details emerged last Friday as Aiyuk and the 49ers worked toward a common ground. Contrary to what Aiyuk recently told Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 49ers want to keep him and have no desire to trade him, according to ESPN. The issue, however, is money, as the 49ers do not want to pay Aiyuk what he is currently asking for, per the report.

The two sides were reportedly close to getting a deal done earlier this offseason, but that was before the receiver market skyrocketed after Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Nico Collins each signed hefty new extensions.

Given what has recently transpired, it’s likely that Aiyuk wants an extension that is similar to the ones his peers recently signed, which would pay him somewhere in the ballpark of $30 million annually. Aiyuk, who is currently slated to make $14.124 million this season under his fifth-year option, has a projected market value of $26.5 million annually, according to Spotrac.

While they remain apart from a monetary standpoint, the 49ers have never seriously considered dealing Aiyuk this offseason. They did have talks with the Commanders prior to the draft, but those never never got off the ground, according to ESPN’s report.

At this point, it appears that Aiyuk and the 49ers are entrenched in a standstill. Either the two sides will find a middle ground, one side will decide give in, or a breakup will occur, either in the form of a yearlong holdout or a trade.

KANSAS CITY

WR RASHEE RICE is still a Chief, but the team has pruned another bad apple from the fringes of the roster.  ESPN.com:

The Kansas City Chiefs on Monday released defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs, who has been arrested multiple times in Alabama this offseason.

Buggs was booked on a domestic violence/burglary charge in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on June 16. That came after he was charged May 30 with two misdemeanor counts of second-degree animal cruelty in Tuscaloosa. Two dogs allegedly under his care — a pit bull and a rottweiler mix — were found to be neglected and severely malnourished. The pit bull had to be euthanized.

Buggs’ bail on the animal cruelty charges was revoked after his domestic violence arrest. He is currently in the Tuscaloosa County Jail after being booked last Monday.

Buggs’ agent, Trey Robinson, has alleged that his client is a victim of an ongoing “subversive campaign” to force the closure of the hookah lounge he owns in Tuscaloosa.

Buggs, 27, played two seasons for the University of Alabama and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. He played three seasons for the Steelers and two for the Detroit Lions before joining the Chiefs in January as a practice squad player. The Chiefs re-signed Buggs to a futures contract in February.

It has been an offseason of legal troubles for several Chiefs players this offseason. Wide receiver Rashee Rice was arrested in Dallas in March for his involvement in a six-car crash that injured at least seven people. Police say Rice was driving 119 mph on a freeway before causing the crash. Rice is facing one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury.

Rice is also a suspect in an alleged assault that injured a man in a Dallas nightclub. The man does not want police to file charges, however. That investigation remains ongoing, Dallas police said last month.

Offensive linemen Wanya Morris and Chukwuebuka Godrick, meanwhile, were arrested last month in Johnson County, Kansas, on misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges.

BALTIMORE

MALIK CUNNINGHAM, drafted by the Patriots as a QB, is now with the Ravens as a WR.

The Ravens are giving Malik Cunningham a chance to make their roster as a wide receiver after he played quarterback in college at Louisville, and worked mostly with the quarterbacks last year on the Patriots’ practice squad. Ravens coach John Harbaugh says Cunningham is picking things up nicely.

Harbaugh said that Cunningham’s understanding of the passing game as a quarterback is helping, and he has the athletic talent to play wide receiver in the NFL.

“[He’s] kind of a natural at the position,” Harbaugh said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “I’ve seen that he understands the game from the perspective of the quarterback, so [his] routes and coverage and timing and things like that have been excellent.”

Cunningham, who ran for 3,182 yards and 50 touchdowns in his college career, also could have the talent to return kickoffs, a skill that became increasingly important with this year’s rule change. Cunningham can do a lot on the football field, and the Ravens are giving him every opportunity to prove he belongs on the 53-man roster.

TENNESSEE

Every year at this time, Frank Schwab of YahooSports previews the teams 32 to 1.  We pick up here at #27:

There won’t be any statues built for the Mike Vrabel/Ryan Tannehill/Derrick Henry era Tennessee Titans. There won’t be any reunions either. But they had a pretty good run. Until, suddenly, everything turned sour.

Vrabel had four winning seasons in Tennessee to start his head coaching career. The Titans advanced to the AFC championship game at the end of the 2019 season. They had the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2021. Between 2020 and 2021 the Titans went 23-10. But Tennessee couldn’t get to a Super Bowl, and then it all crumbled.

After starting 7-3 in the 2022 season, the Titans went 6-18 for Vrabel’s last 24 games as Titans head coach. Tannehill suffered injuries and lost his starting job to 2023 rookie Will Levis. Henry’s contract ran out and he wasn’t brought back. Vrabel’s relationship with ownership and the front office reportedly was falling apart throughout 2023, and the Titans fired him despite a fairly successful run in Tennessee.

The drama between Vrabel and owner Amy Adams Strunk reportedly boiled over last season with a Week 15 home loss in overtime to the Houston Texans, who were without quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Titans made the curious decision to wear old Houston Oilers throwbacks in that game against the team currently from Houston, and after the loss Strunk was “visibly upset” according to The Athletic. Months of disagreements and a lack of communication came to a head and after that loss Strunk decided to move on from Vrabel, the report said.

Even though Vrabel did some good things in Tennessee, the new era won’t have much resemblance to the old one.

The Titans hired Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan to replace Vrabel. Callahan didn’t call plays for the Bengals but has a good reputation as a sharp offensive mind. With former NFL linebacker Vrabel in charge the Titans relied on defense, running the ball with Henry and a low volume play-action passing game. Callahan’s Titans will be way more pass-heavy, with much of it coming out of the shotgun formation.

“The teams that win the most games are generally the teams that pass the ball the best,” Callahan said before the 2023 season, according to longtime Titans beat reporter Paul Kuharsky. “Usually because they have really good quarterbacks and usually because they have guys that can make plays on the football outside. And so you’re seeing teams invest in that part of the game, really across the board.”

For Titans fans who got used to Henry leading the NFL in carries season after season, Callahan’s offense will be a big change.

And the Titans invested in the passing game this offseason. They paid Calvin Ridley $92 million over four years in free agency. They added former Bengals slot receiver Tyler Boyd on a much cheaper $2.4 million deal. They used the seventh pick of the draft on offensive tackle JC Latham, and also signed center Lloyd Cushenberry to a four-year, $50 million deal. That will help a line that had fallen into disrepair. The Titans still value running backs and paid Tony Pollard $21 million over three years, but Pollard is a much different back than Henry and his between-the-tackles style. The entire Titans offense will be overhauled.

The quarterback position won’t be entirely new because Titans fans got a look at Levis late last season. There were high points, such a four-touchdown masterpiece in his debut against the Atlanta Falcons and a startling comeback against the Miami Dolphins. There were also games in which Levis looked like the wild, undisciplined player that got a lot of hype before the NFL Draft but fell to the second round. The ups and downs weren’t anything unusual for a rookie, but Levis comes into the season having to prove himself to a new coaching staff.

The Titans got close to the peak of the NFL under Vrabel. Vrabel was pretty good at getting everything out of a flawed roster and then some. But the Titans felt it was time for a change. And it will be a complete shift from what Titans fans are used to seeing.

Offseason grade

The Titans had a lot of cap space and, unlike some other rebuilding teams in that situation, Tennessee spent early and often. They added receiver Calvin Ridley (four years, $92 million), center Lloyd Cushenberry (four years, $50 million), cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (three years, $36 million), running back Tony Pollard (three years, $21 million) and linebacker Kenneth Murray (two years, $15.5 million) as their expensive additions in free agency. They also traded for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed from the Chiefs and signed him to a four-year, $76.4 million deal. The Titans realized they had a serious talent deficiency and spent to fix it. There were also some losses, like linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, defensive lineman Denico Autry and running back Derrick Henry, a franchise icon.

The Titans’ draft wasn’t considered great. JC Latham, the No. 7 overall pick, is an interesting offensive line prospect but is being asked to move to left tackle after playing right tackle at Alabama. New offensive line coach Bill Callahan, one of the most respected line coaches in the NFL and the father of the Titans’ new head coach, will be crucial for Latham’s development. Second-round pick T’Vondre Sweat was a low-value run-stuffer with red flags and the Titans didn’t have a third-round pick. But a lot of quality additions in free agency help the grade.

Grade: B

Quarterback report

Will Levis was practically what draft analysts thought he would be, good and bad. His aggressive nature and physical gifts led to some really impressive big plays. He also was way too careless at times. Levis had a big-time throw (a Pro Football Focus metric) on 5.9% of his dropbacks, tied for fourth best in the NFL among QBs with at least 125 attempts. He also had a turnover-worthy play on 4.5% of his throws, third worst behind Mac Jones and Desmond Ridder. Basically, anything was possible when Levis dropped back.

Levis was a wild ride in his nine games as a rookie, and how he balances the line between fearless and reckless will determine if he succeeds in the NFL.

According to a story from SI.com, new Titans coach Brian Callahan told general manager Ran Carthon during his job interview that he wasn’t sure he’d rank any quarterback in the 2024 draft class — which had six QBs in the top 12 picks — ahead of Levis.

“I’d told Ran the truth,” Callahan says. “I said he has real talent, real ability and I think he’s got a chance to be a very good starting quarterback in the NFL. He’s got enough tools to where his ceiling is high. If he’s all the things mentally you need to be to play quarterback, his physical talent, it’s a high ceiling. He’s got a chance to be (a) really, really good, top-end starting quarterback.”

Callahan has worked with quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow and runs an offense that should lead to plenty of opportunities for Levis to put up numbers. The Titans have rarely been a high-volume passing offense since moving from Houston to Nashville, but that could change if Callahan and Levis are a good fit. If Levis is going to be an above-average NFL starter, we’ll probably find out this season.

BetMGM odds breakdown

The Titans are tied with the Patriots for the longest odds at BetMGM among AFC teams to win the Super Bowl (150-to-1) and to win the conference (80-to-1). Not surprisingly, there’s a big gap between the Titans’ odds to win the AFC South (+800) and the team above them (Colts, +340). If you think the new-look Titans can be a surprise team this season, the odds are favorable. Their win total is just 6.5.

Yahoo’s fantasy take

From Yahoo’s Scott Pianowski: “The early Yahoo draft market is cool on Calvin Ridley, and I think that’s the right approach. Ridley was drafted as the WR16 last year but returned a small loss, coming in at WR24 (half-point PPR scoring) for the relevant Weeks 1-17. And that grade came despite being a target priority in Jacksonville, tied to a quasi-star quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. Ridley now has to change teams in his age-30 season, and he’s working with an unknown commodity in second-year quarterback Will Levis.

“Ridley might not lead his receiver room in targets, given the presence of DeAndre Hopkins. And maybe the electric version of Ridley is gone for good; he averaged 9.3 yards per target in his first three Atlanta years, but he earned a modest 7.5 YPT in his one Jacksonville season. I grant you Ridley might seem tempting at a mere Yahoo ADP of WR37, but I’d rather be a year early than a year late with a possible player in decline.”

Stat to remember

For years, Cowboys fans and fantasy football players dreamed of a world in which hyper-efficient Tony Pollard would get a full workload without Ezekiel Elliott in the way. When it happened last season, Pollard went from a 5.1-yard career average to 4 yards per carry as the lead back. Pollard also had a career-worst 5.7 yards per reception. He just wasn’t the same back once he got more snaps. The Titans had a productive rookie back in Tyjae Spears, who seemed set to replace Derrick Henry. But the Titans decided that Pollard was worth a $21 million deal over three years, which probably puts Pollard back into a timeshare with Spears. That could be a good thing. Perhaps getting fewer carries will allow Pollard to rediscover his early-career Cowboys form. The Titans showed that even though they’ll be passing more, they also value running backs.

Burning question

Can Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins shine together?

There was a lot of excitement for Ridley last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and while he wasn’t bad, he wasn’t great either. He had 1,016 yards. It looked like perhaps his career had stalled a bit after such a promising beginning and then two mostly lost seasons, the latter for a gambling suspension. But it’s possible the Jaguars weren’t using him right. As Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon pointed out, Ridley was poor against press coverage, which he saw a lot of lining up as the X receiver. The Titans have Hopkins to be the X receiver, and perhaps that means less press coverage for Ridley. The Titans signed Ridley to a surprising $92 million deal over four years, so presumably they have diagnosed why Ridley didn’t take off with the Jaguars and have a plan to fix it.

Best case scenario

When you go 6-11, it’s not the worst thing to change everything. While Mike Vrabel was a respected coach, perhaps Brian Callahan is one of those first-year head coaches who surprises the league and leads the Titans to a big season. A new-look offense with Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Boyd, Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and an improved offensive line could be pretty good as long as Will Levis progresses. The defense will also look different, with new personnel like cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and a purportedly more aggressive scheme with new coordinator Dennard Wilson. If Levis hits his ceiling — you just have to imagine him repeating rookie year performances against the Falcons and Dolphins for most of this season — then the Titans are going to feel really good about their future.

Nightmare scenario

For all of the kind words about Brian Callahan, he has never called plays or been a head coach. We have no idea what to expect from him. And for all of Will Levis’ raw talent, there’s a reason he fell to the second round of the draft and had more turnover-worthy plays last season than any other NFL quarterback who will start this one. The Titans’ offseason spending spree was aggressive but we’ve seen many teams add a bunch of free agents and it doesn’t fix much. The Titans were bad last season and have a lot to prove before climbing out of last place in the AFC South.

The crystal ball says …

The Titans are a tough team to figure out. They will look much different on both sides of the ball, in scheme and personnel. Their most important player, Will Levis, shifted between electrifying and alarming as a rookie. The Titans’ big money addition, Calvin Ridley, also has a wide range of outcomes. While Mike Vrabel’s final season and a half with the Titans wasn’t good, he was excellent at maximizing the talent on hand. We don’t know what Brian Callahan will be as a coach. It doesn’t seem like the Titans are ready to take a big step, though it can’t be ruled out because there are so many variables. For now, we’ll proceed with caution on Tennessee before seeing what their new additions and Levis can do.

THIS AND THAT

OVERRATED AND UNDERRATED

Mike Jones of The Athletic offers his opinion of teams the media are not evaluating properly:

The NFL has officially reached the quiet period of the offseason. Players and coaches have largely gone underground after completing organized team activities and minicamps.

Hope reigns supreme a month before training camps kick into high gear, but every year teams with lofty expectations fall short. Conversely, some overlooked squads manage to contend for playoff spots.

Who might those teams be in 2024? Here’s a look at some of the candidates.

Underrated

Atlanta Falcons

Much of the discussion about the Falcons has centered on their eyebrow-raising draft selection of Michael Penix Jr., but the rookie quarterback is not why Atlanta has a chance to take a big step forward and contend for the NFC South title. Quarterback Kirk Cousins’ ability to elevate the games of Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson is one reason for hope. The Falcons’ devotion to improving overall depth via free agency and the draft is also why many NFL coaches and talent evaluators view Atlanta as a team on the rise under new head coach Raheem Morris.

Arizona Cardinals

It’s easy to get overlooked when you’re in the same division as the San Francisco 49ers, a perennial contender, and the ever-intriguing Los Angeles Rams. Back-to-back 4-13 seasons don’t help. But the Cardinals have reason for optimism and might take a leap forward this season. Second-year coach Jonathan Gannon and his assistants have enjoyed a healthy Kyler Murray throughout the offseason after Murray was restricted to eight games in 2023 while rehabbing his surgically repaired ACL. Murray worked with his receivers this spring during team-sanctioned sessions and on his own. The addition of Marvin Harrison Jr. should make life easier for Murray, as should support from an improved defense.

Cincinnati Bengals

A healthy Joe Burrow, the return of top receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, an upgraded offensive line (a pressing area of need), a reimagined offense after the elevation of quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher to coordinator — the Bengals seem to have a good shot at reclaiming their spot among the AFC’s elite. They might pose the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs’ quest to win a third straight Super Bowl.

Green Bay Packers

The Detroit Lions have garnered a lot of attention this offseason, and rightfully so after their march to the NFC Championship Game. But the Packers are flying under the radar and appear poised to make a surge in 2024 thanks to the growth of Jordan Love, addition of running back Josh Jacobs and veteran safety Xavier McKinney, and impact rookies like offensive tackle Jordan Morgan and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.

Overrated

Baltimore Ravens

After falling short in the AFC Championship Game, the Ravens crave a Super Bowl run more than ever. They still have MVP Lamar Jackson leading the way, and the addition of workhorse back Derrick Henry should help ease pressure on the quarterback. But is it realistic to expect the Ravens to just pick up where they left off considering the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, several other top assistants, multiple linebackers and most of their secondary? Baltimore also lost three starters on the offensive line. A rigorous opening stretch plus potential growing pains could put the Ravens in an early hole.

Indianapolis Colts

Yes, they exceeded expectations last season and also managed to re-sign 10 of 13 core players with expiring contracts. And, yes, the Colts expect to make significant strides in Year 2 under Shane Steichen. But Anthony Richardson is essentially still a rookie, having played only four games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery. Not only does the quarterback have rust to knock off, but he also still has quite a bit of learning to do.

Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh should be good for Justin Herbert and the Chargers in the long run; he was regarded as the top coach on the market this past winter. But an overnight turnaround might be far-fetched, particularly since Harbaugh hasn’t coached in the NFL in 10 years. Also, while the Chargers made an effort to bolster their defense, Herbert will be missing a number of go-to offensive players after the departures of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler.

San Francisco 49ers

Kyle Shanahan always gives them a chance, and Brock Purdy again has a talented supporting cast, although Brandon Aiyuk faces an uncertain future. Questions loom over the defense, however, with first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen directing a unit that lost Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw to free agency and must deal with the extended absence of Dre Greenlaw, who is recovering from Achilles surgery. The 49ers hope to put another heartbreaking Super Bowl defeat in the past and make another run at a ring, but doing so could prove more challenging than many expect.

PRESSURE TO PERFORM

Cody Benjamin identifies 12 NFL individuals (who can’t be QBs who always are under the gun) with more than usual pressure to “perform” in 2024 (many are coaches):

Every NFL season, all 32 teams are under some level of pressure. For contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, it’s basically Super Bowl or bust. For rebuilding clubs like the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, even slight steps forward might be considered big wins.

But what about specific people? Think coaches, players, and others in between. Quarterbacks tend to draw the most attention, but here’s a look at 12 other key names who figure to be heavily scrutinized and/or burdened with high standards in 2024:

12. Ravens DC Zach Orr

Baltimore boasted an elite defense in 2023 en route to its AFC title-game appearance, but Mike Macdonald is gone, leaving Orr to maintain a championship-level pace in his first gig as a defensive coordinator. Just 32 after only three years of experience as a position coach, the former Ravens linebacker is highly regarded but has plenty to prove as an entire unit’s play-caller.

11. Giants OLB Brian Burns

New York also has Kayvon Thibodeaux to help the pass rush, but Burns got a lucrative commitment after arriving via trade; specifically, his $28.2 million-per-year average ranks third among all edge rushers, behind only Nick Bosa and Josh Allen, even though he’s had double-digit sacks in just one of four NFL seasons. With Brian Daboll’s offense still a work in progress, he could be critical to their trajectory.

10. Browns HC Kevin Stefanski

The two-time NFL Coach of the Year has done a relatively solid job over four seasons, especially considering Deshaun Watson’s lack of availability and/or reliability. But Watson cannot be fully detached from Stefanski, either; entering Year 3 of their polarizing partnership, it feels like now or never for the Browns coach to squeeze something worthwhile out of the oft-injured quarterback.

9. Broncos HC Sean Payton

There’s a difference between being under pressure and having little job security. Payton appears to have plenty of the latter, considering team ownership just last year spent draft picks to acquire him, then allowed him to handpick this year’s top-15 draft pick at quarterback. His 8-9 debut, however, was ugly and drama-filled, and if he’s gonna have the keys to the operation, there’d better be progress.

8. Texans WR Stefon Diggs

In truth, Houston would’ve been a popular pick among contenders even if it hadn’t landed Diggs via trade. But now that he’s in tow as a potential No. 1 for C.J. Stroud alongside Nico Collins and Tank Dell, the pressure is on the Pro Bowler to prove he’s still elite going on 31 and coming off a disgruntled ending in Buffalo. With 2025 free agency on the horizon, can he fully restore his market?

7. Eagles C Cam Jurgens

For as loud as the Kelce brothers are in today’s media space, it’s kind of astounding how little we’ve actually discussed what it means for Jason to be missing from the center of the Eagles’ vaunted offensive line, post-retirement. Jurgens is well-regarded, and Philly is noted for its O-line guru Jeff Stoutland, but still, these are big shoes to fill for the youngster.

6. Titans WR Calvin Ridley

Even though his Jacksonville Jaguars debut in 2023 proved more streaky than special, Ridley commanded top dollar this offseason, securing $23 million per year from Tennessee going on 30. That’s a sizable bet for a team that just last season looked years away from truly competing. DeAndre Hopkins is also onboard, but Ridley could be key to quarterback Will Levis’ development.

5. Panthers HC Dave Canales

On one hand, it’ll be pretty hard for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator not to oversee improvement in Carolina, one year after Frank Reich was quickly axed and No. 1 pick Bryce Young flailed his way through a 2-15 season. On the other, there’s a fair amount of pressure on Canales to “fix” Young and/or provide the youngster with a legitimate offensive setup.

4. Steelers OC Arthur Smith

Relieved from his head position with the Atlanta Falcons, Smith certainly has better options at quarterback in Pittsburgh: the savvy, newly motivated Russell Wilson and the ultra-athletic Justin Fields. Even still, his skill weapons are so-so, and a year after Kenny Pickett went to waste amid an in-season coordinator change, all eyes will be on how his play calls help — or hurt — Steel City’s playoff hopes.

3. Eagles HC Nick Sirianni

Three playoff runs in three years, with the third-best winning percentage among all active coaches, and Sirianni is under pressure? You bet he is. That’s what finishing last season 1-6, including playoffs, will do. The Eagles’ coordinator overhaul (and not-so-quiet consideration of Bill Belichick) says it all: With an all-star lineup, Sirianni needs this team to make another deep run to restore true confidence from up top.

2. Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy

Not so dissimilar to Sirianni, his fellow NFC East figurehead, McCarthy has all the numbers to justify a top job, with three straight playoff bids under his belt. He also has just a single postseason victory in his last six seasons as a head man. With Dak Prescott also on the hot seat as he enters a contract year, McCarthy is under pressure to finally make good on owner Jerry Jones’ roster, and deliver a big-stage win.

1. Everyone on the New York Jets

There’s no team under more pressure to go the distance, and frankly it doesn’t feel that close. A year after they went all in on Aaron Rodgers, only to see all their sudden title hopes evaporate within minutes of the quarterback’s anticipated debut, the Jets obviously remain dependent on their aging but decorated signal-caller. But Rodgers was onto something when he joked this offseason that everyone will probably be exiled if he doesn’t live up to his standard in 2024. Coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, in particular, have once again put all their chips on the former Green Bay Packers star staying healthy, unless of course new backup Tyrod Taylor has a Super Bowl run left in the tank.