The start date of the NFL regular season may still be a long way off, but it's not too early to make preseason predictions for the 2024 NFL.
Even though the NFL preseason schedule is a bit shorter than it was a few years ago, there’s still a lot going on. There are contract disputes, position battles, and other forms of drama, not to mention stories that no one could have predicted.
Bold Predictions for the 2024 NFL Preseason
Naturally, we have our own ideas about what’s going to happen during the preseason. Who are the players to watch in the preseason? Which players will make headlines? How will the key position battles play out? We’ve tried to cover it all and let our imaginations run wild as we come up with some bold predictions for the 2024 NFL preseason.
Aaron Rodgers gets injured
Doesn't it seem crazy that Aaron Rodgers would be injured in the preseason after missing most of last season with an injury? But that shouldn't be out of the question; after all, Rodgers is 40 years old.
Plus, good things don't usually happen to the Jets.
The Jets will obviously try to limit Rodgers’ presence during preseason games to avoid injury. But he also needs some time during the preseason to help shake off some of the rust after missing last season. That could leave Rodgers vulnerable to a preseason injury that could derail New York’s 2024 hopes.
49ers trade Brandon Aiyuk
With all due respect, Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t had a career that would make him one of the greatest receivers of all time. But he certainly believes he’s worth a lot and appears willing to hold out during the offseason for a new contract.
If that doesn’t happen, the 49ers could end up trading him during the offseason. There are already plenty of rumors and proposed deals circulating around the league, so there will be suitors for Aiyuk who will trade him and give him a lucrative contract. The 49ers are clearly hoping to come to a resolution because Aiyuk is important to their 2024 hopes. But it’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which he is traded before the offseason.
Justin Fields outperforms Russell Wilson
We’re not even sure the Steelers have an open competition. All signs point to Russell Wilson as the starter and Justin Fields as the backup. However, it’s not hard to imagine Fields being the better player in the preseason.
Wilson is playing for his fourth team in three years, has little to prove, and hasn’t been great in recent years. Fields, on the other hand, is still developing and in a much better position than he was in Chicago. We expect a strong preseason from Fields, though whether that’s enough to make him a Week 1 starter for Pittsburgh is another question.
Michael Penix Gives Falcons Something to Think About
Frankly, it would be fitting to see Michael Penix have a great preseason. The Falcons gave Kirk Cousins this huge contract and then made the controversial decision to draft Penix, believing that Cousins was the present and Penix was the future.
But if Penix performs well during the preseason, the Falcons could face a quarterback controversy sooner than they think. That would put Atlanta in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
New rules for the start of the match did not work
One of the stories to watch during the preseason is how teams adapt to the new kickoff rules. But will the new rule matter? Will teams want to experiment or will they just allow kickers to kick the ball through the end zone?
Ultimately, all the attention and hype surrounding the new kick-off rules is likely to go to waste. Teams may try to kick the ball once or twice, but by the end of the preseason, most teams will be content with the back kick.
