With just two days until Super Bowl LVIII, the other 30 teams in the NFL are searching for ways they could still be playing this time next year. Here are the five teams with the brightest futures.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have had one of the most talented rosters in the league for several years now, but they have continuously underachieved. That should no longer be the case after hiring former 49ers and Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach.
Los Angeles already has its franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert, in place. Now it must continue to build around him with aging veterans on both sides of the ball.
The team does have a difficult offseason ahead as it is projected to be $45.8M over the salary cap. But the first step to success is solidifying your head coach and quarterback and the Chargers seem to have both.
4. Green Bay Packers
The Packers just know how to draft quarterbacks. They have now gone from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, who looks like the real deal.
Love led a Green Bay team that became the youngest to make the playoffs in over 50 years with an average age of 25.58. And they defeated a very talented Cowboys team on the road.
The team isn’t heading into 2024 with a ton of cap space ($7K), but it doesn’t have many key free agents.
The most notable names are running back AJ Dillon and safety Darnell Savage. With another strong draft, the Packers could take back the division and become a real contender once again in 2024.
3. Detroit Lions
The Lions were the Cinderella story of the 2023 season. After going 3-13-1 just two years ago, Detroit finished 12-5, won the NFC North and came up just three points short in the NFC Championship Game. But the Lions won’t be catching anyone by surprise next season.
The team had arguably the best draft of the year, landing players like RB Jahmyr Gibbs, TE Sam LaPorta, LB Jack Campbell and CB Brian Branch, all of whom played large roles in its success this season.
The Lions also have the seventh-most salary cap space ($58.61M) in the league. If their 2024 free agent and draft classes can follow suit, they should be even more dominant next year.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are coming off a bit of a disappointing season that included a season-ending injury to QB Joe Burrow and missing the playoffs. But they seem to be set up for success better than ever in 2024.
Burrow is already locked up for the foreseeable future and Cincinnati has a lot of salary cap space ($59.43M) to play with. The team has several key free agents it must decide to retain or let go, including wide receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, DT D.J. Reader and CB Chidobe Awuzie.
But the Bengals can have an aggressive offseason that can make them one of the most complete teams in the league. The health of Burrow is the main concern, but as long as he is healthy, the window is always open.
1. Houston Texans
All these teams have very bright futures, but there’s no doubt the Texans have the brightest.
Their two 2023 first-round picks, QB C.J. Stroud and DE Will Anderson Jr., were named the Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year and DeMeco Ryans had a strong case to have won Coach of the Year.
Houston was criticized for its aggressiveness last offseason, but it made the postseason and won a playoff game in the first year under the new coaching regime.
The Texans have the third-most salary cap space ($69.95M) heading into 2024. If they can take advantage of Stroud being on his rookie deal for the next few years, they could certainly become one of the NFL’s elite teams sooner rather than later.