3. New York Giants
Much like the Giants brass, I believed New York could make the jump to contend with Dallas and Philadelphia in 2023. Even with the two teams taking a step back last season, the Giants were far from their rivals’ level consistently, even if they defeated a battered Eagles team in Week 18.
Since that loss, there's been plenty of drama surrounding the team, of course including the Wink Martindale exit. Brian Daboll has hired Shane Bowen to be his defensive coordinator replacement, but the decision took much longer than expected.
Additionally, there’s questions regarding what the team will do on offense. Saquon Barkley is slated to become a free agent, and the Giants aren’t in position to select one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving them to rely on Daniel Jones, who’s working back from some major injuries suffered last season.
Now, the Giants could prove the world wrong and recapture that magic they had in 2022, but they’ll need a lot to go right. As we’ve learned over the last decade or so, it usually doesn’t for the Giants. They have a ton of question marks that Joe Schoen has to figure out before Week 1. Time will tell if Big Blue is able to fill their holes and get improved play out of the players set to return for 2024. Honestly, Daboll’s job specifically may depend on it, as well as Jones’ future. The pressure is on for this team in '24.