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Even while the free agency craze may have subsided for the time being, the decisions taken in March will still be remembered come September of 2024 when the NFL season begins, particularly in terms of divisional races. Although free agents rarely move a team from last to first place, they can change the relative strength of the competitors.
I decided to highlight one free-agent signing in each division that has the ability to have a significant impact on the competition for the top slot in 2024 after spending some time to go through the transaction sheet from the previous few weeks.
Without a question, the Jets signed this big-play expert with the intention of winning now. Against one-on-one coverage, Williams provides Aaron Rodgers with a powerful playmaker to target down the field, especially on back-shoulder fades. Williams is also a dangerous option in the red zone, as teams are trying to bracket Garrett Wilson in crucial situations due to his effectiveness on 50/50 balls.
Miami and Buffalo both had 11 victories in 2023, but neither club is a sure thing to win the division in 2024. Williams’ presence should guarantee the Jets’ offense has the firepower to assist Rodgers in leading this franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010—assuming he can maintain his health. Williams missed 18 games in the previous two seasons, including the most of 2023 due to an ACL tear.
Defense coordinators will be awake at night just thinking about Henry and Lamar Jackson running different variations of power-read plays. The addition of the extra-large sledgehammer improves the option attack for the Ravens. With his size, strength, and power, Henry can go downhill and gain the difficult yards in between tackles. Jackson’s quickness and Henry’s strength should force opponents to respect the Ravens’ play-action approach.
where Jackson already excels; according to Next Gen Stats, he had the highest overall EPA (67.4) in the league on play-action in 2023. Although Baltimore won the AFC North last season, the division is far from easy. For the first season since 2018–19, the Ravens should have a better chance of winning back-to-back crowns with the former NFL rushing champion in the backfield.
The Jaguars and Colts are expected to be just as competitive in 2024 as they were in 2023, when the AFC South came down to the last week of the regular season. As C.J. Stroud prepared to take over as the leader of a potent offense, head coach DeMeco Ryans sought to bolster the bullpen with a fourth-quarter closer who could help secure victories. With 87.5 career sacks and 11 forced fumbles, Hunter comes to H-Town. The former Viking uses a range of powerful pass-rush techniques to go around edge blockers.
Houston had the fourth-most pressures in the NFL last season thanks to the combined efforts of Jonathan Greenard and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson, according to NGS. With the addition of this four-time Pro Bowler, the Texans enter 2024 with two elite pass rushers who can harass quarterbacks in critical situations—especially when opposing offenses chase points in an attempt to keep up with Stroud and Co.—even though Greenard may be gone (ironically, he signed with Hunter’s former team).
Although it will be difficult to unseat Kansas City as the AFC West’s top team, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce managed to lead the team to a second-place finish in 2023 despite coming over in the middle of the season. In addition, they managed to stop the Chiefs to 235 passing yards and force four sacks on quarterback Patrick Mahomes in their most recent game at Arrowhead Stadium. Undoubtedly, this acquisition energizes a defense that placed in the upper half of the NFL in terms of points and yards conceded.
For Maxx Crosby to be able to rush passes more easily, he sorely needed another top-tier defender on the front line. Wilkins has outstanding first-step quickness and aggressive hands, making him a dangerous interior defender. As seen by his nine sacks with the Dolphins in 2023 using diverse pass-rush techniques, he can win with brute force or subtlety. More one-on-one opportunities on key downs with a reliable pass-rushing threat positioned inside should help Crosby and company.
In 2023, the Eagles’ offense ranked in the top 10 (both in terms of yards and points); however, the team failed to produce enough yards in two consecutive losses in Weeks 17 and 18, which gave Dallas the advantage in the NFC East. That no Philly running back gained more than 62 rushing yards in any of two contests undoubtedly didn’t help. With his explosive playmaking and ability to score from anywhere, Barkley enhances an offense that already had two 1,000-yard receivers with big-play potential in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
With a tough dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts who can make big plays both via the air and on the ground, Barkley’s additions provide one of the NFL’s most potent offenses a new angle. With elite players at every key position, the Eagles can field an unstoppable attack and potentially win the championship if the two-time Pro Bowler stays healthy.
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