Intro: For each team, for the next month or so, we’re going to look at the key offseason moves each team has made via trade, free agency, coaching and GM changes, and their NFL Draft to see if we scout/analyze these teams have improved or regressed or stayed flat, essentially – looking at it from a 2024 impact only...not long-term, just what could impact this season’s results.
We’ll judge these teams two at a time, pitting them against each other head-to-head to determine a ‘winner’ (which team we think impacted 2024 the best), and the winning teams will move on to the next round and compete until we get to the finals/Super Bowl.
We’re going division-by-division, seeded by 2023 order of finish.
Today we have an NFC North Finals matchup...
GREEN BAY
Key Adds: SAF Xavier McKinney (from NYG), RB Josh Jacobs (from LV)
Key Losses: OG Jon Runyan (to NYG), SAF Darnell Savage (to JAX), OT Yosh Nijman (to CAR), RB Aaron Jones (to MIN), SAF Jon Owens (to CHI)
Key Draft Adds: OL Jordan Morgan, LB Edgerrin Cooper, DB Javon Bullard, RB Mar’Shawn Lloyd, LB Ty’Ron Hopper, SAF Evan Williams, QB Michael Pratt
Key Coaching Changes: New D-C Jeff Hafley
Outlook: Free agency wasn’t much either way...RBs and SAFs in/out, and GB probably comes out ahead in both situations, but RB and SAF are two of the least impactful ‘things’ in the big picture NFL.
Their draft wasn’t terrible but wasn’t transformative. Overall, they got better...definitely didn’t get worse.
Additionally, the change at D-C is big...just to get away from the Joe Barry era. Anything is likely an upgrade, in theory.
-----------------------
DETROIT
Key Adds: DT D.J. Reader (from CIN), CB Amik Robertson (from LV), DE Marcus Davenport (from MIN), OG Kevin Zeitler (from BAL)
Traded for Carlton Davis.
Key Losses: OG Jonah Jackson (to LAR), Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (to PHI), WR Josh Reynolds (to DEN)
Key Draft Adds: CB Terrion Arnold, CB Ennis Rakestraw, OL Giovanni Manu, SAF/RB Sione Vaki, DT Mehki Wingo
Key Coaching Changes: None
Outlook: A big gain at DT if Reader comes back healthy.
Davis + Robertson + Arnold + Rakeshaw is a great jump in talent at DB, which well outweighs the loss of Gardner-Johnson.
The only dip/loss this offseason is at O-Line...the loss of Jonah Jackson.
The Lions had a huge problem at corner, and they did a great job addressing it. Everything else they did is icing on the cake.
-----------------------
Winner (most improved for 2024)...
It feels like, looking at these two teams’ 2024 offseason boils down to...
Green Bay lost some players, added some players and they came out ahead a bit in totality...but their upside/gains came more at RB and SAF, the two lower importance positions in the NFL.
Whereas Detroit had a real issue holding them back from being in the Super Bowl last year, and it was their terrible CB talent/play/availability – and they went out and addressed the issue relentlessly, a critical priority situation and the Lions attacked it and got much needed frontline starters plus added depth to it, so for that reason...the Lions get the win here and move on to the next round.
For more content from Fantasy Football Metrics: www.ffmetrics.com
Subscribe to FFM: FFM Subscription Information
Next Round Matchups...
2nd-Round to come...
NFC South: CAR v. ATL
-----------------------------
3rd-Round
AFC East (NYJ) v. AFC West (LAC)
AFC South (TEN) v. AFC North (PIT)
NFC East (WSH) v. NFC West (LAR)
NFC North: (DET) v. NFC South: ???
