Super Bowl LVIII is in the rearview mirror, as is the 2023 NFL season. As the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate their latest championship, the rest of the league is working hard to try to knock them off their pedestal and win the Lombardi Trophy. Over the next few months, key milestones in the roster-building process will take place, including free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.
As you can imagine, the offseason is filled with many twists and turns and by the time we kick off the 2024 regular season, some teams could look completely different. With that in mind, we’re going to take a first look at the offseason by highlighting a handful of key storylines as well as some of the teams that could make some of the loudest moves over the coming months. We’ll also take a look at who the oddsmakers’ favorites are currently to win Super Bowl LIX.
Five key offseason storylines
1. What do the Bears do with the No. 1 overall pick? Perhaps the most interesting story to follow this offseason will be what the Chicago Bears do with the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They found themselves in this situation a year ago and ended up trading the pick to Carolina for a treasure trove of assets. Do they follow the same course of action this time around or do they go with a generational talent like USC quarterback Caleb Williams at the top of most boards? If they do, how will it impact Justin Fields?
2. Is Stefon Diggs requesting a trade? An NFL offseason is usually good for at least one jaw-dropping trade. Could this end up happening in Orchard Park? All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs has had a turbulent calendar year with the Buffalo Bills and even cast doubt on his future with the franchise at the Pro Bowl. If he is unhappy with his situation, then all eyes will turn to the possibility that he will ask to leave town.
3. Where do veteran quarterbacks land? As is the case every offseason, quarterback movement will be a key story. This cycle features a number of flaggers who could change uniforms in the coming months. Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Ryan Tannehill are expected to become free agents, while Fields, Russell Wilson and Mac Jones could all be put on the trading block.
4. How do the Bengals handle the wide receiver position? Cincinnati is a team to watch this offseason as they are able to retool and be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2024 after an injury-filled season in 2023. Specifically, the wide receiver position is a standout for the Bengals. Superstar Ja’Marr Chase is eligible for an extension this offseason and could land a deal that would make him the highest-paid player at his position. In addition to Chase, fellow receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are expected to enter unrestricted free agency. The Bengals have $61.3 million in available cap space to play with this offseason, but it will be fascinating to see how they deploy those resources and who they prioritize.
5. Do running backs continue to have trouble finding lucrative contracts? One of the biggest stories of last offseason was the running back’s inability to find lucrative deals on the free agent market. Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard all played on the franchise tag (or a revised version of the one-year tender) in 2023. Now, this generation of backs is once again ready to find themselves at the negotiating table and it will be curious to see if anything has changed from the front office’s point of view by offering them longer offers. In addition to those three, Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler are also expected to hit the open market.
Five teams to watch
Early odds
Here are the top 10 candidates to win Super Bowl LIX (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook).
- San Francisco 49ers (+550)
- Kansas City Chiefs (+650)
- Baltimore Ravens (+900)
- Buffalo Tickets (+950)
- Detroit Lions (+1200)
- Cincinnati Bengals (+1200)
- Miami Dolphins (+1700)
- Philadelphia Eagles (+2000)
- Green Bay Packers (+2000)
- Dallas Cowboys (+2000)
To see the full odds summary, Click here.
