Biggest Questions We Can't Wait to Have Answered in Week 1 of 2024 NFL Season
Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season will just be one small step on the journey to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
However, that one small step has the potential to tell us so much about how the season will play out.
Every team has been busy this offseason molding its roster to either contend for the Super Bowl or put itself in a better position to do that in the near future.
There will be plenty of twists and turns along the way, but Week 1 is going to give us some answers to questions that have been building over the spring and summer.
With the Chiefs and Ravens set to kick things off on Thursday, we are finally going to get some answers to key questions that will drive narratives across the league this season.
Let's break down the biggest questions that will be answered on NFL opening weekend.
How Quickly Can Caleb Williams and the Bears Be Dangerous?
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If there's a team that can pull off a Houston Texans-esque turnaround in 2024, it's the Chicago Bears.
If Caleb Williams can have the same effect C.J. Stroud had as a rookie quarterback, everything could come together for the Bears, but this is a good time to remind everyone that Stroud and the Texans did not look like a force at the start of last season.
Houston dropped its 2023 season opener 25-9 to the Baltimore Ravens. The team didn't score a touchdown, and Stroud had just 242 yards on 44 pass attempts.
The then-rookie QB also didn't have experienced receivers such as DJ Moore and Keenan Allen in his corner, either.
The Bears have put together a supporting cast that should allow Williams to hit the ground running, adding Rome Odunze into the mix with Moore and Allen to create one of the most intriguing receiver trios in the league.
They'll get an opportunity to potentially show off against a Tennessee team that is in a transitional period of its own. Brian Callahan is taking over as head coach and has hired Dennard Wilson as his defensive coordinator. The Titans also traded for L'Jarius Sneed to give themselves a top-tier corner.
How Williams adjusts and what the Bears look like in Week 1 should give us an idea of just how scary this team can be.
Can Deshaun Watson Return to Form?
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The Cleveland Browns are a dark-horse contender to win the AFC.
Generally speaking, they don't get mentioned alongside the Texans, Ravens, Bills or Bengals as a potential contender. But when you look at how dominant they were on defense last season and how the offensive line and weapons stack up, it's hard to pick out any glaring holes in the roster.
The problem is that everything hinges on one guy, and that one player hasn't been on the field much. Deshaun Watson's play is going to determine just how high the ceiling is in Cleveland.
Since the Browns traded for the quarterback and signed him to a $230 million fully guaranteed contract, he's been plagued with injury and poor play. He played in just six games last season after injuring his shoulder in Week 3, he came back to play three more times before heading to the season-ending injury reserve.
The 28-year-old posted a 42.9 QBR while he was on the field, and the Browns had four other quarterback start at least one game. They were also without Nick Chubb for all but one game and still managed to finish 11-6 before losing to the Texans in the postseason.
Pairing that elite defense with a healthy Watson who can return to some semblance of his Pro Bowl form may cause major problems for the AFC. This is a Browns offense that added Jerry Jeudy and will get Chubb back at some point this season.
The Dallas Cowboys didn't have a great offseason, but they will provide a great test for Watson and the Browns offense in Week 1.
What Will the Chiefs Secondary Look Like Without L'Jarius Sneed?
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The Kansas City Chiefs will be a focal point for the season. It's not just because a certain pop star shows up to games, either. They will be going for a historic third-consecutive Super Bowl.
There are some questions on offense. The plan at left tackle could be problematic. The receiver group is bound to look different with Marquise Brown entering the fold.
But the biggest question is on defense where the Chiefs are going to have to try to continue being elite without L'Jarius Sneed.
The Chiefs traded the cornerback to the Tennessee Titans after initially using the franchise tag on him. The move was a near-necessity after inking Chris Jones to a five-year, $158.7 million extension.
It does muddy some things up in the secondary, though. Based on the team's official depth chart, Jaylen Watson will be the starting outside corner opposite Trent McDuffie, but the latter could also slide inside in the Chiefs' nickel packages.
That begs the question of who will be on the field next. Safety Chamarri Conner showed versatility in his rookie season and could play inside to allow McDuffie to stay on the outside. They could also bring Joshua Williams in to allow McDuffie to go to the slot where he has thrived in the past.
The opener against the Ravens will likely test the secondary in a somewhat unique way. Accounting for Lamar Jackson's mobility and the tight end pairing of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely can be difficult for any secondary.
We should get a good look at the answers the Chiefs have in mind for the season on Thursday night.
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Did the Eagles Hire the Right Coordinators?
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There shouldn't have been any doubt that the Philadelphia Eagles had the talent to make a deep postseason run last year. Instead, they fell flat down the stretch.
Their 1-5 run to end the season included a 32-9 playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Eagles did not take the epic collapse lightly and made major changes. Nick Sirianni held on to his job, but his two coordinators did not. Brian Johnson was let go and Kellen Moore was tabbed to replace him, while Vic Fangio was hired to replace Sean Desai on defense.
Both hires have a chance to be just what their respective units need, but there are also valid questions for the pair.
Moore has not designed an offense for a quarterback like Jalen Hurts. His previous roles had him serving as the play-caller for the Dallas Cowboys with Dak Prescott and then for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers last season.
Hurts told reporters this summer that the offense was "95 percent new." Whether that's a good thing is yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, Fangio is the godfather of several defenses that are run around the league right now. His coaching tree is a Who's Who of defensive coordinators. However, his last stop with the Miami Dolphins lasted just one season and he seemed to wear out his welcome with players.
Sirianni's seat is going to become warm very quickly if the Eagles don't show they can get back to the top of the NFC this season. They made several moves to address their personnel issues, drafting Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean for the secondary while bolstering the receiver corps by trading for Jahan Dotson among others.
It's going to be up to the new coordinators to get things back on track, starting with beating the Green Bay Packers on Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil.
How Do Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins Look After Achilles Tears?
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It wasn't that long ago that an Achilles tear was a potential death sentence for a football career.
However, recovery times for the injury are improving as sports medicine and training have improved.
Just how much and how quickly a veteran quarterback can improve will be put to the test this season. Aaron Rodgers was the most high-profile quarterback to switch teams last season, before Kirk Cousins took that honor this offseason.
Both will be attempting to make huge impacts on their new teams after recovering from a torn Achilles.
Both are in similar situations working with young weapons who are primed to take the next step.
Cousins could be the missing piece of the puzzle on an Atlanta offense that features former first-round picks Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson. In Week 1, they'll take on a quality Steelers defense with offensive questions of their own.
Rodgers, along with Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, will take on a major test with the New York Jets in Week 1. We'll see exactly how he looks against on the road against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
Both could go a long way in quieting any injury concerns with big performances to open the season.
Can the Lions Secondary Support a Super Bowl Run?
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The Detroit Lions were so close to breaking through to the Super Bowl last season. Unfortunately, their secondary was a fatal flaw that kept them from achieving their potential.
Detroit blew a 24-7 halftime lead in the NFC Championship and were a bottom-10 defense when it came to EPA allowed per pass.
General manager Brad Holmes was not conservative in attempting to fix the problem. The Lions traded for Carlton Davis, signed Amik Roberston and drafted both Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, completely overhauling the cornerback room.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has to put all of those pieces together, and he told reporters he is looking forward to working with a potentially upgraded group:
"The defensive backs that we brought in really fit my personality on how we want to get ready to play. The defensive linemen that we have, they really fit the personality of how we want to play. So, I'm excited to be able to do some things that I think overall as an organization that we want to do because we're an aggressive offense, we're an aggressive special teams and we want to be aggressive on defense also."
A matchup against Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and the Matthew Stafford-led Los Angeles Rams should give the Lions a good platform to show what they can do in the secondary.
Detroit doesn't have to prove it's ready for the Super Bowl, but it does have to show progress from where it was last season.
How Will the Raiders Use Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer?
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Michael Mayer came out of Notre Dame as the "top receiver" and "most pro-ready" tight end in the 2023 draft class on Bleacher Report's final big board. The Raiders used the 35th overall pick to take him in the draft.
Brock Bowers came out of Georgia as the No. 2 overall prospect, the top tight end and took home the same superlatives. Las Vegas used the 13th overall pick on him, making it the second consecutive year it's spent an early pick on the position.
That's a bold strategy, Cotton.
The idea of having two dynamic, young tight ends who happen to be strong receivers sounds like a good idea in theory. But it's going to take a strong offensive mind to put it all together in a way that makes sense.
We'll see if new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is up to the task in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. Bowers has been dealing with a foot injury, but he returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play in Week 1.
Getsy should have some idea how to work in two-tight end sets. He was the offensive coordinator for a Bears offense that used 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) at the eighth-highest rate last season.
It's safe to say the Mayer-Bowers combination is a bit more talented than the average tight end pairing. How creative the O.C. gets with the two versatile players is going to be a fun subplot in the first slate of games.
What Will Revamped Pittsburgh Steelers Offense Look Like?
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The Pittsburgh Steelers did a lot to renovate their offense in the 2024 offseason, but most of it was done under a tight budget.
Like a budget DIY project, we're about to find out if it's built to last or if it doesn't take long for the whole thing to come crumbling down.
Just about every aspect of the offense could be different this season.
The Steelers have swapped out Matt Canada for Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. Canada was relieved of his duties last November, while Smith was fired as Atlanta Falcons head coach at the end of the season.
Smith should bring a completely different philosophy on offense. Even his personnel usage was the total opposite of Canada and the Steelers last season.
Pittsburgh was sixth in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end) usage while ranking 25th in EPA on those players, per Sumer Sports. Meanwhile, the Falcons were first in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) usage.
Then there's the quarterback change to consider. The Steelers are only spending $1.2 million on starting quarterback Russell Wilson. That's an incredible value if Smith can get him playing well in his age-35 season, but there's no guarantee that happens.
There's also the added intrigue of whether Pittsburgh will use new backup Justin Fields in any capacity.
The Steelers are good enough on defense to be a tough out for anyone if the offense is even just average. The unit is one of the most radically changed in the league.
There's a lot to learn about the group when it goes up against Smith's former Falcons team in Week 1.
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