Ranking every 2024 NFL coaching staff: Chiefs, Lions among best; Cowboys, Jets face questions for new season
Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports
CREAM OF THE CROP
Head coach: John Harbaugh | Offensive coordinator: Todd Monken | Defensive coordinator: Zach Orr
Harbaugh is undoubtedly one of the best head coaches in the NFL, and the addition of Monken on the offensive side helped Lamar Jackson win his second MVP. Mike Macdonald was another great coach for Harbaugh as he fielded the best defense in the league this year. That led to him being one of the hottest head-coaching prospects, and he has now taken over for Pete Carroll in Seattle. Meanwhile, Orr, who is a former Raven linebacker, appears to be a solid replacement, having been with the organization for several seasons now.
The 2024 NFL Quarterback Commitment Index
Danny Heifetz, The Ringer
Right Guy, Wrong Time?
Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen
Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson
Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow
Los Angeles Chargers and Justin Herbert
All of these couples are in love, all are married, and each had an extravagant wedding. And by “extravagant wedding,” I mean that each of these quarterbacks is signed to a contract worth a quarter of a billion dollars. But the billion-dollar question for this group is whether these teams found the right man at the wrong time. None of these relationships will feel fulfilled until they win a Super Bowl. But until that happens, these couples will just be secondary characters in Mahomes and Kansas City’s love story.
Mahomes has ended three of Buffalo’s past four playoff runs. He just went into Baltimore and ended the season for the best Ravens team of Jackson’s career. Herbert’s lone playoff appearance was an epic Chargers collapse versus Jacksonville, Mahomes is 8-2 vs. the Chargers since he entered the league, and the Chiefs are on an eight-year winning streak in the AFC West. Burrow is the only quarterback not named Tom Brady to beat Mahomes in the playoffs, but even Burrow needed overtime to do it—and he didn’t finish the job for the Bengals in the Super Bowl.
All of these quarterbacks will need to go through Mahomes if they want to have their own love story—or else their version of the Mahomes era will just be a tragedy.
2024 NFL offseason: All 32 teams’ WR situations ahead of free agency, draft
Kevin Patra, NFL.com
Top WRs under contract for 2024: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace
Key free agents: Odell Beckham Jr. (void), Devin Duvernay (UFA)
Flowers is a keeper. The recent decision to hang onto Agholor with a one-year contract makes sense. The question milling around Owings Mills is whether Baltimore exercises Bateman’s fifth-year option for 2025 at roughly $13.78 million. The former first-rounder finally showed signs of life late in the season, but that figure is rich for a wideout who has yet to eclipse 600 yards in any campaign. However, do the Ravens want to create a massive need at the position next offseason by declining? The decision could come down to how free agency goes. Beckham played well in spurts, but it isn’t worth doubling down on a $15 million deal. Lamar Jackson showed progress in a new offense with better weapons, winning his second MVP in the process. Baltimore must keep that going by ensuring there are enough playmakers in the passing game.
Position Review/Preview: Wide Receivers
Clifton Brown, BaltimoreRavens.com
Season in Review
Flowers set the franchise rookie record for both receptions (77) and receiving yards (858), and was the team’s leading receiver. Beckham led the team in yards per catch (16.1) but was hampered by injuries and scored just three touchdowns. Bateman (32 catches, 367 yards, one touchdown) played a career high 16 games and Agholor (35 catches, 381 yards, four touchdowns) was steady as a complementary receiver.
What to Watch This Offseason
Agholor agreed to a one-year contract Sunday and became the first piece of the offseason puzzle to fall into place. It remains to be seen if Beckham will return, but either way, the Ravens could draft another wide receiver Day 1 or 2 or sign a veteran wideout this offseason to add depth to the room. Wallace could move up the depth chart and take over as the returner if Duvernay does not re-sign.
2024 NFL Free Agency: Potential landing spots for top edge defenders
Brad Spielberger, PFF
5. EDGE BRIAN BURNS, CAROLINA PANTHERS
Potential landing spot(s): Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans
Burns is a fit in multiple defensive fronts that deploy a healthy dose of even and odd fronts, and he could form a dynamic duo with two young ascending edge rushers in Odafe Oweh or Will Anderson Jr.
28. EDGE CHASE YOUNG, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Potential landing spot(s): Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans
Young had a strong Super Bowl showing after a bit of a lackluster playoff run to that point, and it looks like a one-year mercenary deal may still be favorable before he looks to cash in on a multi-year contract. Baltimore has cycled through these types of pass rushers in recent years, and Texans general manager Nick Caserio has taken this approach in free agency since he arrived in Houston.
40. EDGE JADEVEON CLOWNEY, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Potential landing spot(s): Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Clowney could be something of a Leonard Floyd replacement coming off one of the best seasons of his career, as a long, freakishly athletic edge who defends the run very well.
The Dolphins hired former Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver to be their new defensive coordinator, so naturally, we consider a reunion here with Clowney playing a very prominent role early in the season while Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb recover from major injuries.
99. EDGE CARL LAWSON, NEW YORK JETS
Potential landing spot(s): Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs
Smart teams looking to buy low on a player who was still recovering from a torn Achilles sustained in 2021 and also was buried on a deep edge defender depth chart with the New York Jets will give Lawson a look. Hence, the Ravens and Chiefs are potential suitors.
NFL beat writer mock draft 2024: Trades shake up top 10 picks and QB landscape
Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic
30. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Morgan, G, Arizona
When nine offensive linemen went within the first 24 picks, it was looking like Baltimore would have to go in another direction. However, Morgan is a solid consolation prize. The Ravens’ starting guards, Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson, are pending free agents, and their starting tackles are older and coming off injury-plagued seasons. So, the Ravens have needs at both guard and tackle. Morgan (6-4, 312) isn’t physically imposing, but he is extremely athletic. And though he played tackle at Arizona, some evaluators feel his skill set profiles best at guard. His versatility should allow him to be a plug-and-play guy.