Each NFL season, all 32 groups are below some stage of stress. For contenders just like the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, it is mainly Tremendous Bowl or bust. For rebuilding golf equipment just like the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, even slight steps ahead may be thought of huge wins.
However what about particular individuals? Assume coaches, gamers, and others in between. Quarterbacks have a tendency to attract probably the most consideration, however this is a take a look at 12 different key names who determine to be closely scrutinized and/or burdened with excessive requirements in 2024:
Baltimore boasted an elite protection in 2023 en path to its AFC title-game look, however Mike Macdonald is gone, leaving Orr to take care of a championship-level tempo in his first gig as a defensive coordinator. Simply 32 after solely three years of expertise as a place coach, the previous Ravens linebacker is extremely regarded however has a lot to show as a complete unit’s play-caller.
New York additionally has Kayvon Thibodeaux to assist the cross rush, however Burns obtained a profitable dedication after arriving by way of commerce; particularly, his $28.2 million-per-year common ranks third amongst all edge rushers, behind solely Nick Bosa and Josh Allen, though he is had double-digit sacks in simply considered one of 4 NFL seasons. With Brian Daboll’s offense nonetheless a piece in progress, he could possibly be essential to their trajectory.
10. Browns HC Kevin Stefanski
The 2-time NFL Coach of the 12 months has performed a comparatively strong job over 4 seasons, particularly contemplating Deshaun Watson’s lack of availability and/or reliability. However Watson can’t be totally indifferent from Stefanski, both; coming into 12 months 3 of their polarizing partnership, it seems like now or by no means for the Browns coach to squeeze one thing worthwhile out of the oft-injured quarterback.
9. Broncos HC Sean Payton
There is a distinction between being below stress and having little job safety. Payton seems to have loads of the latter, contemplating group possession simply final yr spent draft picks to amass him, then allowed him to handpick this yr’s top-15 draft choose at quarterback. His 8-9 debut, nevertheless, was ugly and drama-filled, and if he is gonna have the keys to the operation, there’d higher be progress.
In reality, Houston would’ve been a well-liked choose amongst contenders even when it hadn’t landed Diggs by way of commerce. However now that he is in tow as a possible No. 1 for C.J. Stroud alongside Nico Collins and Tank Dell, the stress is on the Professional Bowler to show he is nonetheless elite occurring 31 and coming off a disgruntled ending in Buffalo. With 2025 free company on the horizon, can he totally restore his market?
For as loud because the Kelce brothers are in as we speak’s media area, it is type of astounding how little we have really mentioned what it means for Jason to be lacking from the middle of the Eagles’ vaunted offensive line, post-retirement. Jurgens is well-regarded, and Philly is famous for its O-line guru Jeff Stoutland, however nonetheless, these are huge sneakers to fill for the teen.
Although his Jacksonville Jaguars debut in 2023 proved extra streaky than particular, Ridley commanded high greenback this offseason, securing $23 million per yr from Tennessee occurring 30. That is a large wager for a group that simply final season seemed years away from really competing. DeAndre Hopkins can be onboard, however Ridley could possibly be key to quarterback Will Levis‘ improvement.
5. Panthers HC Dave Canales
On one hand, it will be fairly laborious for the previous Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator to not oversee enchancment in Carolina, one yr after Frank Reich was shortly axed and No. 1 choose Bryce Younger flailed his method by way of a 2-15 season. On the opposite, there is a truthful quantity of stress on Canales to “repair” Younger and/or present the teen with a respectable offensive setup.
4. Steelers OC Arthur Smith
Relieved from his head place with the Atlanta Falcons, Smith actually has higher choices at quarterback in Pittsburgh: the savvy, newly motivated Russell Wilson and the ultra-athletic Justin Fields. Even nonetheless, his ability weapons are so-so, and a yr after Kenny Pickett went to waste amid an in-season coordinator change, all eyes shall be on how his play calls assist — or damage — Metal Metropolis’s playoff hopes.
3. Eagles HC Nick Sirianni
Three playoff runs in three years, with the third-best successful proportion amongst all energetic coaches, and Sirianni is below stress? You wager he’s. That is what ending final season 1-6, together with playoffs, will do. The Eagles’ coordinator overhaul (and not-so-quiet consideration of Invoice Belichick) says all of it: With an all-star lineup, Sirianni wants this group to make one other deep run to revive true confidence from up high.
2. Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy
Not so dissimilar to Sirianni, his fellow NFC East figurehead, McCarthy has all of the numbers to justify a high job, with three straight playoff bids below his belt. He additionally has only a single postseason victory in his final six seasons as a head man. With Dak Prescott additionally on the new seat as he enters a contract yr, McCarthy is below stress to lastly make good on proprietor Jerry Jones’ roster, and ship a big-stage win.
There is not any group below extra stress to go the space, and albeit it does not really feel that shut. A yr after they went all in on Aaron Rodgers, solely to see all their sudden title hopes evaporate inside minutes of the quarterback’s anticipated debut, the Jets clearly stay depending on their growing older however adorned signal-caller. However Rodgers was onto one thing when he joked this offseason that everybody will in all probability be exiled if he does not dwell as much as his normal in 2024. Coach Robert Saleh and normal supervisor Joe Douglas, specifically, have as soon as once more put all their chips on the previous Inexperienced Bay Packers star staying wholesome, except in fact new backup Tyrod Taylor has a Tremendous Bowl run left within the tank.