Rating prime 10 challengers to potential Chiefs three-peat: Lions, 49ers amongst most promising 2024 contenders

The Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL’s present dynasty, rivaling the Tom Brady-era New England Patriots as soccer royalty. They usually haven’t any plans to decelerate, with reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes declaring instantly following 2023’s title that he has eyes on a possible three-peat. Might the Chiefs actually seize a 3rd straight Lombardi Trophy? Mahomes’ monitor file suggests as a lot. Within the meantime, we’re taking an early take a look at candidates to spoil such a run.

So much can change between now and the tip of the 2024 season. However listed here are 10 completely different golf equipment who’ve not less than some cause to consider they’ll dethrone Mahomes and Co. in February 2025:

Honorable mentions

• The Baltimore Ravens may as soon as once more use extra receiving energy for reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. However Derrick Henry’s bruising type ought to assist the run sport, and Justin Madubuike’s return ought to assist anchor the robust protection. Even with out Mike Macdonald, they register as a tricky, bodily contender.
• The Buffalo Bills turned over a giant chunk of the lineup for cap functions, and so they’ve struggled to recover from the hump. However they are going to be a menace so long as Josh Allen is below heart, and the upside of the James Cook dinner-Dalton Kincaid skill-weapon pairing is not getting practically sufficient consideration.
• The Dallas Cowboys are below immense strain up prime, with Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy nonetheless looking for their first deep playoff run collectively, however as soon as once more they seem poised to boast a sturdy line, and their greatest gamers — CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, and many others. — are among the many sport’s elite.
• The Green Bay Packers are nonetheless very younger, reliant on loads of up-and-comers at move catcher. However Josh Jacobs ought to preserve Matt LaFleur’s floor sport intact, and Jordan Love’s received such a excessive ceiling as a gifted gunslinger. Throw in an improved defensive backfield, and so they could be cooking with fuel.
• The New York Jets have an improved line for returning quarterback Aaron Rodgers, in addition to a confirmed protection. However Rodgers is a giant query mark at age 40, regardless of his Corridor of Fame resume from Inexperienced Bay. They usually’re depending on guys like Breece Hall and Mike Williams additionally staying upright.

High contenders

5. Detroit Lions

Jared Goff could also be extra stable than spectacular below heart, however a sterling offensive line goes a great distance, and he is nonetheless received one with Zeitler coming aboard and Graham Glasgow returning to a unit additionally that includes star deal with Penei Sewell. The dynamic younger duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown offers home-run pop, and the entrance seven must be barely improved, too. The most important hurdle could be recovering from 2023’s emotional street again to the playoffs below never-say-die coach Dan Campbell.

4. Philadelphia Eagles

This appears like an actual boom-or-bust operation right here — a crew that might make these rankings look extremely foolish if it might’t shed the dysfunctional stink that was the tip of their 2023 marketing campaign. On paper, that is nonetheless an all-star offense with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and a top-tier line welcoming Barkley’s dynamism. However embattled coach Nick Sirianni has new coordinators (Kellen Moore, Vic Fangio) on either side of the ball, so it could take time for all of the items to grow to be cohesive.

3. Houston Texans

Houston may benefit from a wide-open AFC South, however the greatest cause the Texans must be on everybody’s radar is second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, who flashed MVP stuff in 2023. So long as his entrance and out of doors weapons keep wholesome, he must be primed to sling it once more. DeMeco Ryans’ protection, in the meantime, must be even higher in help, with Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair bringing an imposing physicality to the entrance seven. The short- and long-term future appears to be like brilliant.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

Whereas everybody flocks to foretell one other Ravens run or a giant leap by the quarterback-shuffling Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals are busy making ready to reintroduce the Joe Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase-Tee Higgins triumvirate to the NFL. Neither Burrow nor Higgins was absolutely wholesome in 2023, and whereas contract talks loom over Chase, he isn’t going anyplace. Rankins and Stone are underrated defensive provides, but it surely comes again to the quarterback right here: When upright, Burrow is a game-changing level guard.

1. San Francisco 49ers

It is the simple reply, however that does not imply it is the mistaken one. San Francisco has doubled down on its front-seven investments, shortly changing leases like Chase Young with dependable vets like Collins and Floyd. Offensively, in the meantime, Brock Purdy remains to be coming into his personal because the poised figurehead of Kyle Shanahan’s multipurpose assault. The well being of key weapons Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel is all the time price monitoring, as is the contractual standing of Brandon Aiyuk, however the 2023 runner-ups stay one of many NFL’s most balanced groups, full with a virtually unmatched schemer.