Training camp open up in a few weeks for the NFL and their 32 teams. The season will begin with the Hall of Fame Game on August 1 between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. There is always optimism for most teams and theor fans bases this time of year. It’s what makes the NFL as great as it is. You could out of it one year and then playing in the playoffs the next season. Here are five teams I think will take a step forward this season.
NFL Step Forward Teams: Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are one of the trendy NFL teams to take a step forward this season. After an 9-8 season last year in the regular season, the Packers went into Dallas and blew out the Cowboys in the Wild Card game. Unfortunately, the season ended the following week at San Francisco.
Green Bay does return essentially their entire core from last year with the exception of Aaron Jones. They replace him with Josh Jacobs. The receiving group is one of the deepest in the league. The defense should take a step forward under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans brought in some offensive weapons for second year quarterback Will Levis. In comes veterans Tony Pollard, Tyler Boyd, and Calvin Ridley to go with Trevon Burks. On the defensive side comes Kenneth Murray Jr, Chidobe Awuzie, and L’Jarius Snead. On paper, this should be a better NFL team than the roster that went 6-11 a season ago.
There is a ton of pressure on Levis. At the end of the day, if he does not improve or take a second year step, it doesn’t matter what the rest of the team does. I am excited to see what Levis can this offense can do this season.
Los Angeles Chargers
Over the last few seasons, there probably is not a team in the NFL that has under-achieved more than the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert, when healthy, is a top five quarterback in the league. Injuries have taken a toll on him the last few seasons.
Los Angeles does add former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh after a lengthy stint with the San Francisco 49ers previously. While they did lost Austin Eckler to the Washington Commanders, this is still team with talented receivers and an elite quarterback. Barring injuries, I can’t see this team going 5-12 like they did last season.
Cincinnati Bengals
Like Herbert, Joe Burrow is a top five NFL quarterback when healthy. Also like Herbet, Burrow has struggled to stay healthy this entire career. Burrow has made it to the Super Bowl, but in his fifth year now, Burrow and the Bengals should be better than the 9-8 record they had in 2023.
Cincinnati did lose Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon to free agency so they have some holes they have to fill when the season begins. However, when you have the duo of Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase in a really tough AFC North division, I have a hard time believe Cincinnati won’t at least be a playoff team this season.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are one of the best teams in the NFL going into this season. Who would have thought C.J. Stroud would have the rookie year he did with first year head coach DeMeco Ryans. This is a team that won 10 games last year that could easily win 12 or 13 in 2024.
With Stoud and Will Anderson Jr on rookie contracts, the Texans were able to add players such as Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon. On the defensive side, they added players like Danielle Hunter and Jeff Okudah, Kansas City runs the AFC, but I think we can add Houston in same circle as Buffalo and Baltimore that could challenge the defending Super Bowl champions.
