AP Photo/Wade Payne

Last week’s rank: 32

David Tepper reeled in quite a big fish in Dave Canales, and he had to pay the “Tepper Tax,” too, in the form of a six-year contract. If there’s anyone who can salvage Bryce Young, it’s the guy who turned Baker Mayfield into a viable starting quarterback. However, Carolina needs a wholesale offensive roster overhaul before Canales can even start working his coaching magic. — Robert Zeglinski

Denny Simmons/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week’s rank: 27

Brian Callahan will have to work the magic that made Jake Browning an above-average quarterback on Will Levis… or maybe Malik Willis? Either way, it’s a wholesale rebuild in Nashville, and expectations will be low for 2024. — Christian D’Andrea

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 31

Jerod Mayo takes on one of the most unenviable jobs in football — replacing the legendary Bill Belichick. Early accounts from Mayo say he’s going to leave his own mark on the Patriots instead of trying to emulate his mentor. That is the best sign Mayo will be different from all the other professional doofuses who have tried and failed to be like “The Hoodie” the moment they had to coach their own team. — RZ

Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic

Last week’s rank: 28

With Kyler Murray healthy, this offense gained at least 436 total yards in three of its last four games. The next step is drafting an impact wide receiver and finding the defensive upgrades needed to stay afloat in the NFC West. — CD

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 30

Ben Johnson won’t be coming to Washington D.C. Mike Macdonald won’t be either. Which is puzzling considering that 1. The vile Dan Snyder no longer owns the team, and 2. Whoever coaches the Commanders gets their hands on one of Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Regardless of who their next head coach is, the future should be bright for the Commanders. Emphasis on should. — RZ

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

Last week’s rank: 26

Welp, Daniel Jones will be healthy again. And Brian Daboll will, at least in theory, have a defensive coordinator who doesn’t actively hate him. The bar is once again set low enough for New York to soar over it. Of course, crashing out and landing a top draft position to select a new franchise quarterback would be great as well. — CD

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 19

Russell Wilson doesn’t seem long for the Mile High City, but it’s worth wondering whether the Broncos even have a choice. With the No. 12 overall pick in April’s draft, it’s unlikely that Denver gets any of the top quarterback prospects barring a blockbuster trade-up. That means the Broncos are a lot closer to Purgatory than contention. It’s not ideal, but if I were Sean Payton, I’d start groveling for forgiveness at Wilson’s feet sooner rather than later. — RZ

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 29

Jim Harbaugh is a great hire, but I need to see proof this team can do anything more than raise its fans’ hopes before crashing down on top of them spectacularly and stupidly. That’s great news for Justin Herbert, however. He’s probably the most talented passer Harbaugh’s ever coached, and the former Michigan/49ers czar has a proven record of pushing his quarterbacks to new heights. — CD

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 24

Raheem Morris steps in, trying to do what his bumbling predecessor couldn’t: getting Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London a proportional and reasonable number of touches. Weirdly enough, this will also be the second time Morris coaches the Falcons. They’re betting he’s learned a lot since an interim 2020 stint. After working side by side with Sean McVay for the last few years, that’s not an illogical projection. — RZ

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

Last week’s rank: 25

Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old. He played four snaps last season. His 2022 campaign was his worst as a starting quarterback. Are we really sure he’s going to be the panacea the Jets so badly need? — CD

Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 20

The Justin Fields vs. Caleb Williams/Drake Maye “debate” is perfunctory and silly. Any general manager worth their salt would be taking a talented rookie contract quarterback over the damaged goods fourth-year starter, hoping he’ll maybe put it together before you have to pay him hundreds of millions of dollars on a second contract. Chicago has a solid contending foundation in place and will not be the typical landing spot for whoever becomes the No. 1 overall pick. This decision should be a lay-up. — RZ

Candice Ward/Getty Images

Last week’s rank: 23

Antonio Pierce took a defense with a few stars and a bunch of spare parts and made it the league’s second-most efficient unit over the second half of 2023. Sure, some of that was spite from a bunch of guys who hated, hated, *hated* Josh McDaniels, but that’s still a remarkable feat. If Las Vegas can get even average production at quarterback, this will be a playoff team. — CD

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 17

Is Derek Carr still the quarterback? Is Dennis Allen still the coach? I’m sorry, Saints fans, but you can probably just memory-hole the 2024 season, too. — RZ

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 22

If not for Kirk Cousins tearing his Achilles, we’d probably remember the latest Vikings season a lot more fondly. Between a gifted offense and a well-schooled defense under Brian Flores, Kevin O’Connell might be building something special in the Twin Cities. Whether it blossoms as hoped likely hinges on how well Cousins recovers by September. — RZ

Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 21

It doesn’t matter what your record is. If the only team you beat after November is the Carolina Panthers, this is where you end up. The Jaguars are a tangled ball of potential that Doug Pederson has been thus far unable to straighten out. Trevor Lawrence was done in by late-season injuries in Jacksonville’s collapse, but it’s safe to say he’s yet to be the prince who was promised. If he can’t get it done in 2024, it’s time to lower his ceiling accordingly. — CD

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Last week’s rank: 18

Expectations will be high for Anthony Richardson after Gardner Minshew led this team to the brink of the playoffs in 2023. Richardson has the traits of a franchise quarterback but so much work to do, and having his rookie season cut short due to injury after fewer than four games didn’t help. Still, the support network is there for him to thrive — especially if Indianapolis can bring back top wideout Michael Pittman Jr. — CD

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Last week’s rank: 13

Hiring Arthur Smith means we’re a few months away from the signing of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 starting quarterback: Ryan Tannehill. Ah well, the defense remains great, some wideout drafted in the third round will step up after George Pickens and Smith butt heads after a two-target primetime game and Mike Tomlin will drag this team to nine wins. — CD

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 15

A new horizon awaits now that Pete Carroll is in the front office rather than on the sideline. The good news is the offense is loaded with rising young talent. The bad news is the defense played a lot worse than it looked on paper. Fixing that problem will go a long way in putting off any talk of a rebuild. Bringing in Mike Macdonald makes so, so much sense. — CD

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Last week’s rank: 7

Can Baker Mayfield return and be as effective as he was in a comeback 2023 season without offensive coordinator Dave Canales? Will Mike Evans be back (i.e. would Tampa be stupid enough to let him leave)? Most importantly, will the NFC South be disappointing enough yet again to allow Todd Bowles to make the playoffs in three straight seasons? — CD

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Last week’s rank: 14

Philadelphia badly needs to overhaul an aging secondary. While former five-star prospects like Eli Ricks and Kelee Ringo wait in the wings, the Eagles need proven production in order to keep 2023’s slide from extending into the new year. — CD

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Last week’s rank: 11

Joe Flacco’s magic carpet ride is over. Deshaun Watson now returns, who once faced more than 20 allegations of sexual misconduct in what the NFL would later characterize as “predatory behavior.” The Browns are a championship contender if they can revitalize Watson. They’re an also-ran with everything but a quality quarterback destined to fall short if they don’t. — RZ

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 12

Each year of Mike McDaniel’s rule has been proof there are levels to this game. Miami has been good each of those seasons, but even with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa in 2023, the Dolphins haven’t been great. This upcoming season may be Tagovailoa’s last chance to prove he can make the leap between the two worlds. — CD

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 9

Last season was arguably the finest coaching job of Sean McVay’s career. Despite a parade of injuries and a no-name defense, L.A. was a bounce or two away from an appearance in the divisional round. With better health and some reinforcements added for Aaron Donald on defense this spring, Matthew Stafford and Co. should have at least one more deep playoff run in them. — RZ

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 10

The world anxiously awaits another 12-5 season and postseason choke job. What else could we expect after three years of Mike McCarthy and only a few meaningful changes to this Cowboys team? — CD

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 6

The 2023 Packers were one of the NFL’s youngest teams. The 2024 Packers will also be one of the NFL’s youngest teams, but this time, they’ll be much more battle-tested. Green Bay must solve a defense that was woeful under Joe Barry, but that shouldn’t be a big ask or concern. The green and gold will be an NFC powerhouse, first and foremost, if Jordan Love develops more consistency. From this vantage point, I would not doubt Matt LaFleur. — RZ

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

Last week’s rank: 8

The Texans traded away a future first-round pick, and it was the right thing to do. Will Anderson looks like a future All-Pro, and the pick the Cardinals received, in part, in exchange for him clocks in at 27th in this year’s draft. It’s a new day in Houston, and this wayward team looks competent once more — thanks in large part to the arrivals of Anderson, DeMeco Ryans, and C.J. Stroud. — CD

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 16

A pivotal offseason awaits the Bengals as they enter the final year of Joe Burrow’s rookie contract. Tee Higgins either needs an extension or a trade that will recoup premium draft assets for Cincinnati. The same can be said for Ja’Marr Chase (though he’s more likely to get extended). While the Bengals will never be out of Super Bowl contention with Burrow as their quarterback, it’s about to get a lot tougher if they can’t capitalize during the next calendar year. — RZ

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 5

Buffalo is more than $50 million over next year’s salary cap, and several key defensive players are on the wrong side of 30. But Josh Allen was as good as ever despite his interception woes, and 2024’s offseason will likely be spent searching for a cost-effective target to expand the offense beyond Stefon Diggs and the rising contributions of Dalton Kincaid. Find a proper WR2, and the Bills could thrive again. — CD

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 1

What has to sting most for the Ravens was that this winter was probably their best shot. Mike Macdonald is in Seattle now. Justin Madubuike will be demanding a salary cap-eating contract. And the AFC, haunted by a litany of starting quarterback injuries, was never (NEVER) easier on paper. Baltimore should, theoretically, run it back this fall because the team is still good enough for a Super Bowl run. But this is the NFL, a league that indiscriminately passes out poor fortune and cruelty to “just good enough” teams every year. — RZ

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Last week’s rank: 3

Make no mistake; getting Ben Johnson back as offensive coordinator is a big deal. Jared Goff played arguably his finest season and undoubtedly his best postseason, thanks in large part to the playoff afforded him. Now he gets to run it back against the backdrop of a young defense that should trend upward in 2024. Maybe this year’s NFC title game was the team’s best shot at a Super Bowl, but it doesn’t feel that way. — CD

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 2

The 49ers had every opportunity to win their first Super Bowl championship since 1994. They got every bounce and, for a time, even held what felt like an insurmountable 10-point lead. It’s also hard to fault much of San Francisco’s latest approach to the big game. They moved the ball well, they didn’t stray away from the run, and the defense held Kansas City in check for the most part. But letting Patrick Mahomes hang around is playing with fire. As a result, the reigning NFC champs once again enter the offseason with a bitter taste in their mouths. — RZ

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Last week’s rank: 4

What else is there to say about these Chiefs? In mid-December, they were just 8-5. They didn’t finish with a top-two seed in the AFC for the first time in the Mahomes era. Everything was stacked against them, and they still went on one of the most impressive playoff runs of all time. The rest of the NFL couldn’t prevent the first repeat championship in two decades anyway. Mahomes turns 29 in September. Good luck stopping the NFL’s red and gold standard any time soon. The first-ever Super Bowl three-peat is decidedly in play. — RZ