6. Cleveland Browns
They owned the top defense in the league in terms of fewest yards allowed in 2023, and featured the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett. Kevin Stefanski earned NFL Coach of the Year honors as he led the Cleveland Browns to an 11-6 mark and playoff berth utilizing five different starting quarterbacks.
The team has loftier goals this season. The club hasn’t won a division title since 1989, and they are one of the four franchises that has never played on Super Sunday. Quarterback Deshaun Watson appears to be getting healthier, and the return of Nick Chubb would help. This club is extremely solid in both trenches.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Speaking of teams that have never made a Super Bowl appearance? Like the Carolina Panthers, the Jaguars will embark on their 30th campaign in 2024. The club is coming off consecutive 9-8 showings, but this past season Doug Pederson’s squad dropped five of its final six games and missed the postseason.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence just received a huge contract, and must rebound from a 2023 season in which he was battered down the stretch. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley is gone, but the club used a first-round pick on Brian Thomas Jr. Jacksonville forced 27 turnovers in 2023, but gave up the ball 30 times.
4. Los Angeles Chargers
It’s a somewhat sobering anniversary for a team that seemingly never recovered from a devastating 2022 playoff loss at Jacksonville. The Chargers squandered a 27-0 second-quarter lead on the way to a 31-30 setback. The Bolts never found their footing this past season (5-12), finishing dead last in the AFC West.
That aforementioned anniversary in 2024 will make 30 years since the franchise made its lone Super Bowl appearance. Enter new head coach Jim Harbaugh, back in the NFL for the first time since 2014. There’s been plenty of revamping throughout the team, and Greg Roman’s offense will stress power football.