2024 NFC knowledgeable picks: Most overrated and underrated groups, projected order of end, daring predictions, champ

The NFC was the San Francisco 49ers invitational final season, a convention that confirmed the 49ers supremacy over the course of the yr. In fact, San Francisco was challenged by the Green Bay Packers within the NFC divisional spherical and the Detroit Lions within the NFC Championship sport, setting the stage for a wide-open convention in 2024. 

Is the 49ers’ window closing? Will this be their final shot to win a Super Bowl with this core? Are the Lions able to make their first Super Bowl look ever? Can the Packers take the following step after a stunning 2023? What concerning the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys? Are the NFC East powerhouse groups nonetheless Tremendous Bowl contenders?

Our CBS Sports activities NFL consultants have offered their picks and predictions for the NFC forward of the 2024 season.

Most overrated workforce 

Cody Benjamin (Falcons): Can they win the NFC South? Completely. Will they? Most likely. But they have been fairly broadly topped the favorites regardless of their 36-year-old quarterback coming off a serious harm — a quarterback, we’d add, who does not precisely have the resume of a big-game juggernaut. This workforce ought to be good, however even in a weak division, it is laborious to name them a slam dunk.

John Breech (Saints): This feels prefer it may the ultimate yr for each Derek Carr and Dennis Allen in New Orleans. 

Jordan Dajani (Bears): Vegas is anticipating the Bears to have their first profitable season since 2018 with a rookie quarterback and new offensive coordinator. Let’s relax a bit right here.

Bryan DeArdo (Cowboys): Full disclosure, I do not suppose the Cowboys are that overrated. However given all of the media consideration they obtain, it is laborious to not give them stated title. Additionally they did little this offseason to enhance a protection that acquired torched by Inexperienced Bay in final yr’s playoff upset. 

Jared Dubin (Falcons): I am unsure why I ought to have a ton of confidence in a workforce whose 36-year-old quarterback is coming off a torn Achilles. I ended up selecting them to win the decrepit NFC South anyway, however that’s far more concerning the different groups within the division than it’s about them.

Josh Edwards (Packers): It’s harder to determine an underrated workforce within the NFC than it’s the AFC. Within the NFC, it looks like there’s a clear line of delineation in high quality between the highest of the convention and the underside, however I’ll go together with the Packers. It’s a robust division, the offensive line is a little bit of a thriller and Jeff Hafley’s defensive operation is new to the group. 

Jeff Kerr (Packers): Inexperienced Bay goes to be good in 2024, however is it a top-three workforce within the NFC? Undecided how the offensive line will play out and there are some professional issues at linebacker. The Packers are nonetheless a playoff workforce and may make a deep playoff run, however let’s not crown them as kings of the convention simply but. 

Garrett Podell (Eagles): It is a franchise that turned simply the second in NFL historical past to complete with at the very least seven losses, together with the postseason, after a 10-1 begin, becoming a member of the 1986 New York Jets. Six-time first-team All-Professional middle Jason Kelce retired after 13 seasons with the Eagles (2011-2023), thus robbing Philly of his soccer IQ and future Corridor of Fame play at one of many sport’s most essential offensive positions. The Eagles even have a brand new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore following his one-year stint with the Los Angeles Chargers. It is unclear if quarterback Jalen Hurts can function in an analogous method to that of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, the passer whom Moore has had his biggest NFL success. 

Defensively, Philadelphia is counting on rookies to patch up its leaky secondary. The protection ought to be higher in 2024, nevertheless it’s unclear how significantly better will probably be. For a workforce that’s tied for the fifth-best odds to win the Tremendous Bowl within the upcoming season (+1300 on Caesars Sportsbook), it has a number of query marks.

Dan Schneier (Eagles): Within the season’s ultimate stretch, they misplaced to the lowly Giants and acquired demolished within the playoffs. Whereas they changed their offensive coordinator who was made a scape goat, Nick Sirriani stays. A declining operating again does not make up for the lack of Jason Kelce, and Jalen Hurts must show he can defeat coordinators who will pressure him to interrupt pocket to his proper or left.

Tyler Sullivan (Bears): Understandably, there’s pleasure in Chicago. It lastly appears to have a franchise quarterback that may assist convey the group towards constant rivalry. Nevertheless, I do not imagine that’ll occur in Yr 1. Do I feel Caleb Williams will grow to be one of many prime 5 quarterbacks within the league sooner relatively than later? Sure. However to ask a rookie — even somebody as gifted as Williams — to elevate his workforce to the postseason out of the gate is a tall order. Nonetheless, there appears to be loads of people who’re penciling the Bears in for him to just do that. I feel that is a contact untimely.

Most underrated workforce

Cody Benjamin (Seahawks): Geno Smith might not be “it” at this stage of his profession, and their O-line stays iffy, however the ability weapons are elite, and now Mike Macdonald is accountable for a surprisingly well-stocked protection. If the San Francisco 49ers take even a light step again, it isn’t unreasonable to suppose this workforce may sneak up and problem for the NFC West.

John Breech (Rams): Everybody slept on the Rams final yr and it looks like they’re being slept on once more this yr. 

Jordan Dajani (Cardinals): In Jonathan Gannon’s first season as lead man, the Playing cards have been certainly one of two groups to beat each the Eagles and Cowboys, and so they had extra wins vs. playoff groups than the Dolphins and Chiefs COMBINED. I am excited to see what this workforce is able to in 2024, and  Marvin Harrison Jr. goes to have an instantaneous influence.

Bryan DeArdo (Cardinals, Commanders): I’ve acquired a tie between the Cardinals and Commanders. Arizona’s success final yr upon Kyler Murray’s return from harm was largely slept on. And the Commanders have a stable construction in place that’s complemented by a stable roster. 

Jared Dubin (Cardinals, at the very least on offense): Quietly, Arizona had a very good operating sport final yr. With Kyler Murray wholesome for the complete season and Marvin Harrison Jr. becoming a member of Trey McBride, Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch within the pass-catching corps, the passing sport ought to catch up. These dudes are going to be in a number of shootouts, as a result of the protection is…nonetheless not good.

Josh Edwards (Eagles): They nonetheless have one of the gifted, deepest rosters within the league. The coordinator adjustments made this offseason ought to be a internet constructive over final yr’s. 

Jeff Kerr (Cardinals): This workforce goes to win greater than 4 video games. They have been a stable workforce as soon as Kyler Murray returned at quarterback, and now they’ve the sport’s finest rookie in Marvin Harrison Jr. Arizona can even run the ball very effectively. Its protection remains to be a serious work in progress, however the Cardinals are heading in the right direction. 

Garrett Podell (Packers): The 49ers, Lions and Eagles are getting a number of consideration as potential NFC contenders, however the NFL’s youngest workforce to win a playoff sport for the reason that 1970 NFL/AFL merger (common age of 25 years and 214 days) feels missed compared to them. Quarterback Jordan Love’s Packers offense set NFL single-season information for many catches (302), receiving yards (3,642) and receiving touchdowns (31) by first- or second-year gamers in 2023. All of those key contributors — Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks — return in 2024, and are supplemented by 26-year-old, 2022 NFL speeding champion Josh Jacobs. 

Defensively, Inexperienced Bay has a brand new, way more aggressive defensive coordinator in Jeff Hafley after years of dropping again into extra passive zone coverages beneath Joe Barry. Common supervisor Brian Gutekunst additionally signed the NFL’s finest security in protection (91.2 Professional Soccer Focus protection grade, finest amongst safeties) in Xavier McKinney. Inexperienced Bay may explode for an enormous 2024 after sneaking into the postseason because the seventh seed in 2023.

Dan Schneier (Saints): Derek Carr is totally recovered from a shoulder harm that sapped New Orleans’ skill to make use of each blade of grass and the addition of Klint Kubiak will spark an offense that may lastly transfer into this century from a pre-snap movement and play-action passing fee standpoint. The schedule is without doubt one of the NFL’s best and the protection is as engrained on this scheme as all however a handful of groups.

Tyler Sullivan (Seahawks): I beloved the teaching overhaul. The hiring of former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to grow to be Seattle’s new head coach ought to elevate the play of what’s already an thrilling protection that has second-year defensive again Devon Witherspoon and rookie defensive sort out Byron Murphy II as younger constructing blocks. In the meantime, the Seahawks offense arguably has the very best three-headed monster at broad receiver within the league, and new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb ought to orchestrate a bounce-back yr for Geno Smith and firm. It is a playoff workforce and nobody appears to be noticing.

Daring predictions

Cody Benjamin: Three of the NFC’s seven playoff groups (or 43%) will come from the NFC North alone. The Lions have a top-shelf roster. The Packers have a dynamic coach-quarterback combo. The Bears have newfound razzle-dazzle round Caleb Williams. And the Minnesota Vikings have splashy starters on either side of the ball regardless of quarterback questions.

John Breech: Rams win the NFC West. The Rams have a loaded offense, and if the protection can survive the lack of Aaron Donald, this workforce has a legit probability to win the division over the 49ers. 

Bryan DeArdo: 49ers win all of it. OK, this is not a very daring prediction, nevertheless it considerably is given the historical past of Tremendous Bowl runner-ups. One other daring prediction is the Commanders incomes a wild-card berth. 

Jordan Dajani: Falcons have a top-10 protection. Regardless of the shortage of family names on the defensive aspect of the ball, and the truth that Atlanta handed on a first-round move rusher or cornerback for quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Raheem Morris will nonetheless have this workforce taking part in good protection. 

Jared Dubin: The Saints lastly backside out. The offensive line is dangerous. Derek Carr just isn’t it. Alvin Kamara is getting up there in age. So is sort of all the protection. This workforce loves nothing greater than pretending it’s nonetheless near rivalry, however that involves an finish this yr.

Josh Edwards: Sam Darnold lastly lives as much as draft decide. The veteran QB leads the Vikings to the postseason and a wild-card win. 

Jeff Kerr: Dennis Allen is the primary head coach fired. The Saints are previous and are not superb. Not fooled by final yr’s end. 

Garrett Podell: The Packers win the Tremendous Bowl. Inexperienced Bay’s youth fires on all cylinders after a yr of feeling out life within the NFL along with Love and Co. executing head coach Matt LaFleur’s wildest desires on the sphere. A season in the past, they almost knocked off the top-seeded, eventual NFC champion San Francisco 49ers on the highway. This yr, they make that leap and go all the way in which. 

Dan Schneier: Caleb Williams makes historical past. The No. 1 total decide breaks the rookie quarterback document for passing yards AND passing touchdowns whereas additionally changing into the primary Bears quarterback (rookie or non rookie) in NFL historical past to throw for 4,000-plus yards.

Tyler Sullivan: Packers hoist Lombardi Trophy. Inexperienced Bay — spearheaded by Jordan Love — grow to be the category of the NFC and win Tremendous Bowl LIX. 

Projected order of end 

Our CBS Sports activities NFL writers picked the division winners and playoff seeds whereas rating the NFC groups from 1 to 16.