NFC South 2024 Division Preview

By: Zach Jonkman

7/9/24

This is the third of eight division previews for the 2024 NFL season. Today, we will take a look at the NFC South.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2023 Record: 9-8)

Tampa didn't make any splashy moves in free agency or the draft, but they did retain two key players in Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans. They also drafted interior offensive lineman Graham Barton out of Duke. These moves will allow the Bucs to remain competitive within the NFC South in 2024 and may lead to them showing some offensive improvement as well. The Buccaneers were last in the NFL in total rushing (88.8 ypg) and could use the help that Barton will bring to the offensive line. Running back Rachaad White had somewhat of a breakout in the back half of last year as he was heavily involved in the passing game. He accumulated 64 total catches last year for 549 yards. I don't see Tampa taking much of a step backward next year, but they didn't do enough to take a massive step forward either. Baker will have to replicate his 2023 campaign for the Bucs to remain competitive within the division.

New Orleans Saints (2023 Record: 9-8)

The Saints had a somewhat disappointing season last year but were still in the race for the division title coming into week 18. They needed Tampa to lose against Carolina, but the Panthers couldn't get the job done for them to send the Saints to the postseason. Unlike the Bucs, the Saints did make a couple of big moves in the offseason. They drafted one of the better corners in the draft with Kool-Aid McKinstry and signed edge rusher Chase Young. They also addressed one of the bigger weaknesses on their roster at offensive line by drafting Taliese Fuaga in the first round. Fuaga shot up multiple draft boards throughout the offseason after a great showing during the senior bowl. The Saints slightly improved over the course of the offseason, but Derek Carr will either be the driving force behind success or an anchor holding this team back. He has to be better than he was last year if the Saints plan to keep up with Tampa and Atlanta for the division crown.

Atlanta Falcons (2023 Record: 7-10)

Out of all hte teams in this division, the Falcons intrigue me the most. Their offseason started with fireworks by landing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and finished with drafting ANOTHER quarterback at pick 8 in Michael Penix. At first, this move made absolutely zero sense to me and they could have benefitted from taking an edge rusher like Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu. After sitting on the information for a couple days, I can somewhat see what their thought process was. They want to draft a quarterback they view as a stud now before they are out of the top 15 pick range where the QBs are more unreliable in terms of hit rate. Penix can now sit for 2-3 years and learn behind a veteran quarterback. Kirk is coming off an achillies injury from last year which will be something to monitor. I don't think his game will be too reliant on his mobility to begin, but you can never be too sure. No matter which guy is starting, this was a very favorable situation to be coming into. Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson is a great trio of weapons to have. Personally, I think Bijan will be in contention for offensive player of the year in 2024. This Falcons team is much improved from last year at the most important position in the sport. That alone can take this team from only 7 wins to 11 or more wins next season.

Carolina Panthers (2023 Record: 2-15)

This team has had a wild year. They came into the 2023 season with a rookie quarterback in Bryce Young trying to make a name for himself. Instead, the situation around him crumbled and they finished with the worst record in the league. They must have added a difference maker with their first overall pick in the 2024 draft right? Nope. They traded it to Chicago when they moved up from nine to one in last years draft. In what looks to be one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory, the Panthers had to regroup and add talent outside the draft to help Young turn this team around. Deonte Johnson, Robert Hunt, and Damien Lewis are all new players around the second year quarterback in 2024 and look to give him a fighting chance. They also added receiver Xavier Legette in the draft after trading into the back of the first round. I will consider 2024 Bryce Young's first real year of criticism. That 2023 group was absolutely horrendous. That isn't even including the fact that they traded away star edge rusher Brian Burns to the Giants too. This year, the Panthers should be looking at some good improvement from individual players, but not much overall team success.

Standings Predictions

1. Atlanta Falcons (12-5)

2. New Orleans Saints (9-8)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)

4. Carolina Panthers (5-12)

This division as a whole got much better in the last year. The Falcons will make the biggest jump thanks to the addition of Kirk Cousins and can compete for the first seed in the NFC come playoff time. The Saints and Bucs will remain around the same as they lack serious star power at the top of each of their rosters. The Panthers won't win a ton of games but Bryce Young will prove he belongs in the NFL and will produce like an average starter despite the lackluster record.