Sorting all 32 NFL teams: Offensively or defensively geared, five total-package contenders for 2024 season

Football is a team sport, which means no unit — offense, defense, special teams — is irrelevant in the chase for a Lombardi Trophy. But the NFL is also built on parity, requiring teams to navigate the salary cap and risk resetting at premium positions on both sides of the ball. The result? Sometimes — nay, oftentimes — even the best contenders are forced to lean on one unit more than the other.

As we look ahead to 2024, which of the NFL’s 32 teams are more dependent on their offense? Which figure to lean more heavily upon their defense? And which select few register as total packages?

Here’s how we’d sort them ahead of the summer:

Evenly balanced (9)

These teams aren’t necessarily elite in the context of the entire NFL, but they strike a relatively clear balance between offensive and defensive strengths.

USATSI

Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray has Marvin Harrison Jr. out wide now, but Jonathan Gannon still runs the show. This lineup still feels like a major work in progress.

Atlanta Falcons: Kirk Cousins adds stability under center for a solid crop of young skill weapons, while Raheem Morris should maximize the in-progress defense, which is best at the back end.

Dallas Cowboys: There’s a case to be made they belong with the “total packages” below, considering Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland give them four of the game’s top playmakers across the board, but their coaching and big-game questions are monumental.

Denver Broncos: Sean Payton now has rookie Bo Nix to run his offensive system, but some of their toughest starters still reside on “D,” where Alex Singleton and Patrick Surtain II are pillars.

Las Vegas Raiders: Davante Adams and Brock Bowers could give them a dynamic 1-2 punch at pass catcher, but with which…

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Author : Cody Benjamin

Publish date : 2024-05-23 16:29:43

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