You thought my NFL life ended when the 49ers suffered another upsetting loss to the Chiefs? Think again.
The NFL is quick at giving fanatics a short memory.
A few weeks after the Super Bowl, the NFL held its combine for top draft prospects. In March, players hit the free agent market and big money was thrown around. The other week, teams upgraded their rosters during the NFL Draft. Next week, Atlanta and Washington will hold their Organized Team Activities — offseason workouts — with the rest of the league to follow a week later. Later this month, the NFL will release its 2024 schedule.
The future is all there for fans to assess, and criticize, as well as for some of us to look into futures bets.
Here’s a look at some of the teams that made — or didn’t make — big splashes heading into the upcoming NFL season:
Houston will be a problem
Not only do the Texans have a potential MVP in QB C.J. Stroud, they added high-end talent during free agency. Houston signed one of the top edge rushers in ex-Viking Danielle Hunter. They also traded with the Bills for WR Stefon Diggs and with the Bengals for RB Joe Mixon. In the draft, the Texans got help in the secondary with a corner and a safety. They didn’t have a first-round pick because they traded it away last year to move up to draft Will Anderson Jr., which paid off, as he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Vegasinsider.com has the Texans’ win total at 9.5. They might win 11.
Bears have the necessities
Chicago got a generational QB in Caleb Williams and also drafted a Larry Fitzgerald-like receiver in Rome Odunze. And it’s not like the Bears were lacking weapons. They also had DJ Moore and TE Cole Kmet, then added TE Gerald Everett, WR Keenan Allen and RB D’Andre Swift. On the defensive side, they traded for Montez Sweat last year, and have a strong core.
Chicago’s win total is 8.5. Even in a tough division with the more talented and experienced Lions and Packers, the Bears can get to 9 wins.
Eagles flying high and higher
Cowboys star DE Micah Parsons probably expressed how the rest of the league felt when the Eagles got an elite talent in CB Quinyon Mitchell at draft pick No. 22.
“I’m honestly utterly disgusted on how lucky the Eagles are,” Parsons said on his Bleacher Report livestream. What the Eagles got doesn’t end there. They also drafted another top CB in Cooper DeJean to basically cover up one of the team’s few weaknesses. During free agency, Philly stole the rival Giants’ best player in RB Saquon Barkley and got a top LB in former Buccaneer Devin White. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson also returned after leaving the Lions. The Eagles even signed edge ex-Jet Bryce Huff, making Haason Reddick expendable. (He was traded to the Jets.) They also upgraded on the coaching level with new OC Kellen Moore and DC Vic Fangio.
The Eagles look like the toast of the NFC so their 10.5 win projection should be easily topped.
49ers reloading and rebuilding
The 49ers were sneaky good in free agency, bringing in at least 10 defensive players, three of whom — DE Leonard Floyd, DT Maliek Collins and CB Isaac Yiadom — could start. Throw in draft picks CB Renardo Green and S Malik Mustapha as well as free agent signee LB De’Vondre Campbell to replace injured Dre Greenlaw, the Niners could have a handful of new defensive starters. They even paid undrafted free agent, run-stuffing 326-pound DT Evan Anderson $280,000 guaranteed to help a defense that slipped from No. 1 in 2022 to No. 12 in 2023.
Oh, don’t forget the offensive additions from the draft. WRs Ricky Pearsall is Cooper Kupp-like and Jacob Cowing is a better version of Ray Ray McCloud. RB Isaac Guerendo (6-0, 221, 4.33 speed, 41.5 vertical jump) has rare athletic traits. All could make incumbents expendable.
Still, so much change and a brutal schedule could make 11.5 wins tough to bet the over.
Rams tough
During free agency, the Rams upgraded by giving out nearly $100 million for guards Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson. In the draft, they addressed the defensive line after losing Aaron Donald to retirement by landing DE Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske, who are both active and athletic. They also drafted highly productive Blake Corum, hard-hitting S Kamren Kinchens and underrated DE Brennan Jackson.
This team nearly beat the Lions in the playoffs last season, so it should easily surpass the 8.5-win projection.
Chargers follow Harbaugh’s lead
New coach Jim Harbaugh is setting the tone, which is introducing the Chargers to power football. Before taking OT Joe Alt No. 5 overall, the Chargers signed free agents that fit the coach’s ground-and-pound mentality. TE Will Dissly, RB Gus Edwards and DT Poona Ford are rugged, downhill players. They also decided to keep both edges in Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. But they also added speed in draftee WR Ladd McConkey and free agent signee J.K. Dobbins.
With Harbaugh’s track record of immediate success, taking the over 8.5 wins look like a good bet.
Dolphins submerging
Miami lost the heart of its defense in DT Christian Wilkins (Raiders), along with a top contributor in LB Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings). Facing salary-cap hell, the Dolphins had to cut Jerome Baker (now with the Seahawks) and CB Xavien Howard. Even veteran DT Raekwon Davis (Colts) left. Also exiting was one of Tua Tagovailoa’s main protectors in G Robert Hunt (Panthers). Their draft netted edge Chop Robinson and OT Patrick Paul. But that won’t make up for a leaky defense and offensive line.
Miami’s win total is 9.5. Getting nine wins might be pushing it for a team that has lost so much.
Cowboys stuck in place
Not even the drafting of two offensive linemen will make America’s Team great again. The Cowboys did nothing during free agency to upgrade their roster. And they didn’t draft a running back, despite losing Tony Pollard to the Titans. While their main rivals, the Eagles, are soaring, the Cowboys seem to be running in place.
This looks like a 10-7 team, which falls under the 10.5 win total.
