Final Grades For Every NFL Team For the 2024 Season

The NFL season is in the books. Here is how every team graded out this year.

The NFL season is finally in the books, and we can hand out grades to all 32 teams.

These grades take into account expectations, roster strength, and how this season will impact the team into the future. A team with high expectations is graded differently than a team with low expectations.

Arizona Cardinals (8-9): B

I think most Arizona Cardinals fans would’ve taken an 8-9 season at the beginning of the season, so they get a solid grade here. But, The Cardinals controlled their destiny in the heading into their Week 11 bye at 6-4. They stumbled down the stretch, though, and that will leave a poor taste in the mouth of many. Still, it was a positive step forward in their rebuild.

Atlanta Falcons (8-9): D-

There’s not a lot of sugarcoating here. The Atlanta Falcons were built to win the division this year after bringing in Kirk Cousins into a loaded offense and making some upgrades on defense, and flat-out couldn’t get it done. They even swept division champions Tampa Bay and still found a way to not win the division. The Kirk Cousins contract looks like a sunk cost, too. Overall, a very bad year for the Atlanta Falcons.

Baltimore Ravens (12-5): B+

Yes, the Baltimore Ravens fell short in the playoffs once again in dramatic fashion, as once again they made too many mistakes in crucial moments. So, why the high grade for a team that has Super Bowl expectations? Lamar Jackson continues to develop as a pocket passer, and he’s now one of the league’s best pure passers. That means that the Ravens are going to be Super Bowl contenders for the better part of the next decade. Many expected this team to take a step back in 2024 given some key losses, and they really didn’t do that.

Buffalo BIlls (13-4): B+

Like the Ravens, many expected the Bills to take a bit of a step back in 2024 after they let some key pieces walk away. For better or worse, it was deja vu for Buffalo. They had a chance late in a playoff game to knock off the Kansas City Chiefs and couldn’t get it done. That being said, the fact that they got to the AFC Championship Game with their worst roster, on paper, in a few years is quite the accomplishment. As this roster turns over, it’s only going to get better and better. A Super Bowl is coming, Buffalo. It’s just a matter of time.

Carolina Panthers (5-12: B+

The Carolina Panthers came into the season with essentially no expectations, and the only real goal in the first year of the Dave Canales era was to see improvement out of Bryce Young. Young was benched after two games to start the year. But, he returned to the starting gig midway through the season and both he and the Panthers showed a lot of improvement. This was the first positive season in Charlotte in quite sometime. They have a long ways to go to be a contender, but they are moving towards respectability.

Chicago Bears (5-12): D-

The Bears just needed to defend a Hail Mary against the Commanders in Week 7 to move to 4-2. Instead, they gave up the game-losing touchdown, and the wheels completely fell off of a team that was much more talented than their record suggests. A ten game losing streak ensued that resulted in Matt Eberflus being relieved of his head coaching duties midseason after offensive coordinator Shane Waldron had already been fired.

Frankly, the entire season was a dumpster fire. First-overall pick Caleb Williams showed flashes, but was hampered by awful play-calling and offensive line play. The team looked disinterested at times, as well. Overall, it was a lost season for a team that really should’ve been a playoff team.

The only reason that this grade isn’t an F is because Caleb Williams showed flashes of brilliance at times.

Cincinnati Bengals(9-8): D

The Bengals doomed themselves with a 1-4 start and wasted Joe Burrow’s best season of his career so far with a terrible defense. Frankly, in the modern NFL, it’s hard to only win nine games with a quarterback playing as well as Burrow did this year. Ja’Marr Chase was terrific, as well, but, again, the defense was so bad that it didn’t matter. They finished the season strong, but wasting a year of Joe Burrow in his prime with Ja’Marr Chase still on a rookie deal is a huge missed opportunity.

Cleveland Browns (3-14): F

The Browns get a dreaded F grade, and it’s well-deserved. The Deshaun Watson experiment is officially one of the very worst trades and contracts in NFL history. A Browns team that looked to be perennial postseason contenders just a few years ago was one of the worst teams in the league this year and really wasn’t good in any facet. They were so bad, in fact, that Myles Garrett demanded a trade. It’s hard to have a season that bad. This franchise is heading in the wrong direction, to say the least.

Dallas Cowboys (7-10): D-

Dallas’s season never really got off the ground, and the tone was set in the preseason when CeeDee Lamb held out due to contract negotiations. By the time Dak Prescott was lost for the season, they were 3-4 and it was clear this was not the same team that went 12-5 three consecutive seasons from 2021-2023. Health of star players like Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons certainly impacted the team, but it became clear that this team has a ton of holes, especially up front on both sides of the ball and at the skill positions outside of Lamb. With the emergence of Washington and Philadelphia’s consistent success, it’s hard to see Dallas winning the NFC East anytime soon.

Denver Broncos (10-7): A

Not much was expected of rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos in 2024. But, they exceeded all expectations by winning ten games and making their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade. The biggest story was Bo Nix, who showed that he should be a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL for a decade. And, the defense emerged as one of the league’s best, with Patrick Surtain Jr. winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The future is bright in Denver, as bright as it can be when sharing a division with Patrick Mahomes.

Detroit Lions (15-2): B-

The Detroit Lions, when healthy, were the best team in the National Football League this year and I don’t think it was particularly close. At their best, they had the most balanced offense in the league with a defense full of ballhawks and headlined by Aidan Hutchinson, who played at an All-Pro level before breaking his leg in October. That was one of a rash of injuries that completely decimated the defense to the point that they couldn’t stop anybody. It wasn’t necessarily their fault that they fell short of their goals. But, it’s still disappointing to have arguably the best roster in the league and not win a playoff game.

Green Bay Packers (11-6): C

The Green Bay Packers were a trendy Super Bowl pick for many after nearly making the NFC Championship Game as the league’s youngest team in 2023. And, for a while, it looked like they were one of the NFL’s best teams. But, honestly, they never really played up to their full potential all year, and stumbled down the stretch. That stumble resulted in them being the 7-seed in the NFC Playoffs and a loss to Philadelphia. It wasn’t a bad season, but expectations were certainly higher for this group. The natives will start getting very restless if next season doesn’t result in a playoff run.

Houston Texans (10-7): C+

The Houston Texans had an up-and-down season in 2024. The offense was a huge disappointment. Some of the regression from 2023 was due to poor play-calling from now-fired offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, some was due to injuries both up front and on the outside, and some of it was due to a bit of a sophomore slump from CJ Stroud. The offense was pretty ugly for most of the season, but the defense was tremendous. Will Anderson emerged as one of the best pass-rushers in the league, and formed a dynamic duo with free agent acquisition Danielle Hunter. Derek Stingley Jr. played at an All-Pro level on the outside too.

Still, the offensive regression was too hard to ignore. This grade did improve by two solid showings in the postseason for Houston, but the overall record is inflated by playing in the dreadful AFC South.

Indianapolis Colts (8-9): D

The 8-9 record alone doesn’t warrant this bad of a grade, as the roster is pretty average in terms of talent. But, the main objective of the season was to see progress out of 2023 fourth-overall pick Anthony Richardson. That didn’t happen. Instead, he looked worse than he did in an injury-riddled rookie season, and head coach Shane Steichen seemed to be out of answers in terms of how to help him. Despite all this, they were still in contention for a playoff spot, only for an embarrassing late season loss to the lowly Giants to pretty much take them out of contention. Both GM Chris Ballard and Steichen are on the hot seat entering next season. Will they bet their jobs on Anthony Richardson?

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13): F

The Jacksonville Jaguars were a complete mess in 2024. Outside of rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and some improvement from former number-one pick Travon Walker, bright spots were few and far between. After signing a massive extension in the offseason, Trevor Lawrence was mediocre at best before suffering a season-ending injury, and the Jaguars were bullied up front on both sides of the ball. The secondary was pretty abysmal, too. The good news is that existing pieces on the roster and a weak division presents an opportunity for a modest turnaround next season.

Kansas City Chiefs (15-2): B+

Not getting the unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat is going to sting. But, Kansas City came closer than anyone ever has to doing it, going a remarkable 17-2 in games that their starters contested. It wasn’t always pretty, and the roster is in a bit of a state of flux right now. But, they won, week after week after week (until they didn’t). This is not the best roster in the AFC. It may not even be a top-three roster. They will probably be better on paper next year after Rashee Rice returns and they patch the hole at left tackle. This season proved that as long as Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are working together, the Chiefs will be contenders.

Las Vegas Raiders (4-13): D

2024 was yet another lost season for the Las Vegas Raiders. There wasn’t much expected of them to begin with, but they failed to meet even those mediocre expectations. They weren’t particularly good at anything, though rookie first-rounder Brock Bowers looks like a superstar for years to come. The quarterback situation wasn’t good all year, and needs answered this offseason. Antonio Pierce was fired after just one full season in charge.

Los Angeles Chargers (11-6): A

Yes, the disappointing playoff loss that saw Justin Herbert play his worst game of the season left a bad taste in the mouth of Chargers fans. But, overall, Jim Harbaugh’s first season in Los Angeles was a rousing success. The team’s culture had deteriorated under Brandon Staley. But, Harbaugh quickly turned it around. They played a more physical and clean brand of football on both sides of the ball, and Herbert had an outstanding season until the postseason. The defense is aging a bit, but the future is looking bright for the Chargers.

Los Angeles Rams (10-7): B+

In some ways, the 2024 season seemed to rejuvenate that Rams as a franchise. It would be natural to expect the team to have taken a step back after the retirement of Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford continuing to age. But, after a rough start to the season that saw them get out to a 1-4 start, they were one of the best teams in the NFL. Stafford was solid and held it together when Cooper Kupp, who will be moved this offseason, and Puka Nacua were injured. The run game improved, as well. Most notably, a young defense played better than expected, and rookies Jared Verse and Braeden Fiske made huge impacts up front. They nearly upset Philadelphia in the NFC Divisional Round, and should be considered contenders next season.

Miami Dolphins(8-9): D

The story of Miami’s season was the health of Tua Tagovailoa. His Week 2 concussion was so scary that some wondered if he would ever play again. He did return midseason, and the Dolphins were 6-5 in the games he played. But, they really struggled without him, as a defense that lacked talent and experience up front struggled, and the quarterback play without him was abysmal. That being said, this is a team that has big contracts on the books to win now. Missing the playoffs means that it was a failed season.

Minnesota Vikings(14-3): B+

The Vikings were a tough team to grade, because their regular season was a rousing success. But, the disappointment in the final week of the regular season, a blowout loss to the Lions with the division on the line, and then a blowout loss to the Rams in the playoffs, knocks the grade down. Sam Darnold was fantastic until the very end of the season, and the defense was really good, too. Darnold is likely to be gone, as they will turn to 2024 first-rounder JJ McCarthy. He will walk into a core that won 14 games, and that means this season was definitely a success.

New England Patriots (4-13): C-

The New England Patriots were poorly coached on both sides of the ball in 2024, and when you consider that they were not a talented group to begin with, you can understand their 4-13 record. The good news is that third-overall pick Drake Maye looks every bit like a quarterback that can return the Patriots to glory. But, they have a ways to go to put a roster around him, as there are holes pretty much everywhere on both sides of the ball. A long rebuild awaits for new head coach Mike Vrabel.

New Orleans Saints (5-12): D-

The Saints have been putting off a much-needed rebuild for years, but things finally came to a head in 2024. They got out to a fantastic 2-0 start with two blowout wins, but went 3-12 the rest of the way as a roster with more warts than strengths was routinely exposed. Derek Carr missed considerable time, and Spencer Rattler showed nothing that would suggest he could be the quarterback of the future. The Saints did play hard all year, but they were a very bad football team.

New York Giants (3-14): F

The Giants are a complete dumpster fire at all levels of the organization, from ownership to the front office to the coaching staff to the on-field product. They’ve been a franchise lost in the wilderness for over a decade now, and this year was no exception. Bright spots were few and far between. Brian Burns Jr. didn’t live up to the contract he was given, though he was solid altogether. The offensive line stunk, the secondary was terrible, Daniel Jones was so bad he got cut in the middle of the season, and the on-field product was often the joke of the NFL. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl with the most rushing yards in a single season including playoffs in NFL history.

Malik Nabers looked good as a rookie. Dexter Lawrence was dominant. That’s where the positives end.

New York Jets (5-12): F

Expectations were high for the New York Jets. On paper, the roster looked great. Aaron Rodgers was back under center and supposedly healthy. He had good skill players. The defense had been one of the best units in the NFL in 2023. In typical Jets fashion, it was an unmitigated disaster. There’s not much use going more in-depth than that. It was simply an unmitigated disaster. The Jets are starting over from square one once again.

Philadelphia Eagles(14-3): A+

At 2-2 after four games, many Eagles fans wanted Nick Sirianni fired. Philadelphia never lost a game that Jalen Hurts finished again. The Eagles capped off a phenomenal season with a dominant victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl last night, 40-22. Saquon Barkley proved to be one of the all-time great free agent signings in league history. Young defensive backs Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell revolutionized the defense as the unit got accustomed to Vic Fangio’s scheme. They had the best offensive line in football. Jalen Hurts was rock-solid. Add it up, and you have one of the most complete Super Bowl champions in league history.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): C

On one hand, the fact that Mike Tomlin found a way to get ten wins out of a very mediocre roster in a pretty good division is quite the accomplishment. Based on talent, this team is not a playoff team. But, the franchise is simply not progressing. It’s been a decade since their last playoff win, and they’re not close to the upper echelon of contenders in the AFC. There are holes all over the offense, and TJ Watt showed real signs of aging on defense. The Steelers are stuck in neutral.

San Francisco 49ers (6-11): F

The 49ers entered the year as the favorites to make the Super Bowl out of the NFC. But, injuries to key players like Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, and others, plus a huge regression from Brock Purdy, saw the 49ers have a lost season. And, the window for this team is now. To waste a season as core ages and before Brock Purdy gets a contract extension is a huge setback for the franchise. I don’t think any 49ers fans will disagree with this grade.

Seattle Seahawks (10-7): B+

Yes, the Seattle Seahawks missed the playoffs. But, Mike MacDonald’s first year in charge can only be viewed as a massive success. Expectations were not high, but he quickly turned the defense around into one of the better units in the league. The offense struggled to block up front. But, despite a few too many turnovers, Geno Smith found a way to consistently move the ball. Most importantly, the entire culture of the franchise changed from one stuck in the past success of the 2010s and one more focused on getting back to that level. Upgrade the offensive line this offseason, and the Seahawks could easily win the NFC West next season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7): B+

At 4-6, and having been already been swept by division-leading Atlanta, things looked grim for a Tampa Bay team that had lost a ton of close games. But, They rallied to win 6 of their last 7 games behind a spectacular Baker Mayfield and key contributions from young players up and down the lineup. The playoff loss to Washington was a big disappointment, however. That being said, Baker Mayfield truly established himself as a franchise quarterback. That’s a lot of stability going forward, and the should be considered the favorites in the NFC South the next year.

Tennessee Titans (3-14): C-

The Tennessee Titans are picking first-overall in the 2025 NFL Draft for a reason: they were a really bad football team. The offense, especially struggled, and the team essentially wasted a draft pick and two years on Will Levis, who is not good enough to be an NFL starter. But, there were bright spots. Rookie offensive lineman JC Latham showed flashes of greatness, and the defense was pretty solid, all things considered. I like head coach Brian Callahan. Still, 3-14 is 3-14

Washington Commanders (12-5): A+

Not since Tom Brady took the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory back in the 2001 season has the vibes around a franchise shifted as quickly and strongly as things have in the nation’s capitol. Second-overall pick Jayden Daniels played like an absolute superstar all season long and Dan Quinn, in my opinion, did the NFL’s best coaching job. Every time it looked like the clock would hit midnight for the Commanders, they’d find a way to rally the next week and get back into the winning column. Needless to say, a new owner, GM, head coach, and quarterback has the future very bright in Washington for a long, long, time.