The Super Bowl is behind us and now it's time to start making NFL offseason predictions for 2024. Are there some big trades on the horizon? How will the draft be implemented? Will there be some surprise cuts? Which players might bet on the franchise tag this season? More importantly, where do the biggest stars hit the open market in free agency?
Bold predictions for 2024 NFL free agency and the offseason
There are a lot of unanswered questions this holiday season. So, we have some bold predictions for the 2024 NFL offseason.
As with all bold predictions, we cannot guarantee that things will turn out this way. But we wanted to take some chances to predict how the 2024 NFL season will go.
Bears stick with Justin Fields
One of the biggest moves of the upcoming offseason won't be a move at all. Instead, the Bears will be committed to sticking with Justin Fields at quarterback for at least one more season.
Chicago must realize that starting over with a new quarterback offers no guarantees of better success. With Fields showing enough promise last season to provide a glimmer of hope, the Bears will admit that sticking with Fields is the best decision for 2024.
Falcons trade up for top overall pick
With Fields still around, the Bears would be open to trading the top overall pick in the draft, which should have belonged to the Panthers.
Atlanta has a new head coach but is not in a position to compete with Desmond Rader at the quarterback position. However, the Falcons have a strong offensive line and talented players. They would take a risk and trade Caleb Williams, believing he would be ready to play in Week 1 and win with a strong supporting cast around him.
Steelers trade quarterback
In one of our boldest predictions outside of the 2024 NFL season, the Steelers trade to the Patriots, who are always happy to trade up again, for the third overall pick.
They are using this pick to select Drake Maye. This creates a non-stop quarterback battle between Maye and Kenny Pickett that starts during the preseason but continues throughout the season.
Kirk Cousins remains with the Vikings
There's bound to be a lot of intrigue surrounding Kirk Cousins this season. He would be a great fit for any team that has a good roster but no starting quarterback.
Cousins will have options, but he will ultimately decide to stay in Minnesota. He has a comfort level with Kevin O'Connell and now has both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. This will convince Cousins that his best chance at a Super Bowl was in Minnesota.
Joe Flacco signs with Giants
It was shocking to everyone to see Joe Flacco lead the Browns to the playoffs and play like he did at his age.
Why wouldn't the team be willing to see if they still have something left in the tank in 2024? We think this team will be the Giants. In the event that Daniel Jones can't get his act together, the G-Men will have Flacco on standby, believing he can salvage the 2024 season if necessary.
T. Higgins joins Jaguars
Tee Higgins is arguably the best wide receiver on the free agent market and should have plenty of suitors. It's a legitimate number. 1 receiver who won't want to stay in Cincinnati and will still be overshadowed by Ja'Marr Chase. That would lead him to Jacksonville, where the Jags are desperate for a No. One recipient after missing the playoffs in 2023.
Jacksonville also has Higgins College quarterback Trevor Lawrence and former college teammate Travis Etienne. The fit is too perfect for Higgins to end up with the Jags.
Jets trade for Davante Adams
Last season, things didn't go well for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. But the Jets will double their investment in Rodgers and give the aging quarterback one of his favorite receivers ever.
New York will reach a deal with the Raiders for Davante Adams. Garrett Wilson won't be enough for the Jets to make a splash in the AFC East, but with Adams coming to New York to play for Rodgers, the Jets will put themselves in a good position to become serious contenders in the division.
Lions sign Danielle Hunter, Devin White and LaJarius Snead
With plenty of cap space, a ton of momentum, and some holes to plug on defense, the Lions will go on a huge shopping spree this offseason. They will sign one impact player for all three levels of the defense with Danielle Hunter, Devin White and LaJarius Snead.
Hunter will pair with Aidan Hutchinson as an outside forward. White would be an immediate upgrade at linebacker and would eventually be paired with former first-round pick Jack Campbell. Finally, Snead is the shutdown corner they need alongside Cameron Sutton and Brian Branch to bolster a promising secondary.
Chris Jones signs with Bengals
Last season, the Bengals tried to help themselves and hurt the Chiefs by signing Orlando Brown.
Why not do the same this year on the other side of the ball?
Cincinnati will make a big push to sign Chris Jones to anchor their defensive line and be an upgrade for free agent DJ Reader. Keep in mind that if Joe Burrow is healthy, the Bengals are a legitimate threat to the Chiefs, making this a big move in the AFC.
Travis Kelce retires
In a surprising but not shocking move, Travis Kelce will decide to retire later this offseason. He's 34 years old, already has three Super Bowl rings, and is among the greatest tight ends in NFL history.
He had nothing else left to prove on the football field. Given his thriving personal life and clear desire to do things outside of football, the timing is right for Kelce to leave.
