3 Biggest Priorities for Each of 2024 NFL Offseason's Most Interesting Teams

Wild Card Weekend will arrive soon, but we're now in multi-tasking NFL mode as 18 teams embark on their 2024 offseasons in hopes of being alive at this time next year.

How might some of this offseason's most intriguing teams ensure that happens?

Here's a rundown, along with commentary on what makes these five teams particularly interesting this winter, spring and summer.

* Salary information courtesy of Spotrac

Why they're particularly interesting: There are still valid questions regarding quarterback Kyler Murray's future for an Arizona Cardinals team that holds the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and possesses over $50 million in salary-cap space.

Priority No. 1: Make a call on Murray

The former No. 1 overall pick's dead-cap-heavy contract means he certainly cannot be released, but a trade is not out of the question. The Cardinals need to know before the start of free agency if Murray can be moved in reasonable fashion, or they need to commit and move forward with a talented still-only-26-year-old at the sport's most critical position.

Priority No. 2: Add an elite weapon

Murray (or whoever quarterbacks the Cardinals in 2024) needs at least one more reliable pass-catcher with the potential to be a game-changer, even if impending free agent Marquise Brown is re-signed. Marvin Harrison Jr. should absolutely be a target with that No. 4 pick, but a free agent like Tee Higgins or Michael Pittman Jr. could work wonders too.

Priority No. 3: Load up on defenders in the draft

This is still a rebuild, and this was still the league's second-lowest-ranked scoring defense in 2023. You've got six rolls of the dice in the first three rounds. Use them all and maximize your chances of landing difference-makers, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Why they're particularly interesting: No head coach, no franchise quarterback, a top-10 draft pick and a decent amount of cap space for an Atlanta Falcons team that isn't good but also isn't horrible coming off of three consecutive seven-win campaigns.

Priority No. 1: Get Eric Bieniemy

The former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator has earned his opportunity to run an NFL organization, and it makes sense for Atlanta to bring him in and let him work with a new quarterback from the get-go. Just look what happened to the Chiefs offense with Bieniemy in Washington in 2023....

Priority No. 2: Draft Jayden Daniels or Michael Penix Jr.

The answer at quarterback isn't on the current roster so it's time to make a splash in the draft. But it's important the Falcons do that without moving up. Teams have to learn from the 2023 Panthers, 2021 49ers (Trey Lance), 2018 Jets (Sam Darnold), 2018 Cardinals (Josh Rosen) and 2017 Bears (Mitchell Trubisky).

Priority No. 3: Bolster the pass rush

That unit was a considerable weakness in 2023 and 37-year-old Calais Campbell is slated to hit free agency. Josh Allen and Brian Burns make the most sense but the team couldn't be faulted for giving Chase Young a shot at a significantly lower cost.

Why they're particularly interesting: For the second consecutive year, the Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 pick in the draft. But that's not their only top-10 selection. They also pick ninth, and all of that draft capital makes their looming decision regarding the future of quarterback Justin Fields extra intriguing.

Priority No. 1: Make a call on Fields

Duh. The 24-year-old is uniquely talented but has yet to become a consistently reliable franchise quarterback and now the Bears have to make a decision on his fifth-year option for 2025. The good news is they can wait for the draft, but considering the anticipated interest in likely No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, the Bears would be smart to hold onto Fields for at least 2024, trade down and load up in support of the 2021 No. 11 overall pick.

Priority No. 2: Lock in Jaylon Johnson

Whether it be via the franchise tag or a long-term deal, the Bears can't afford the step backward associated with losing an impending free agent as talented as the 24-year-old Johnson. He's become elite following a four-interception Pro Bowl 2023 campaign.

Priority No. 3: Marvin Harrison Jr.

With those two top-10 selections, the Bears have the ability to control the draft board and ensure they land a potential generational receiving talent in support of Fields. At the very least, they'd be maximizing their chances of making this core work.

Why they're particularly interesting: Bill Belichick's future is up in the air for a New England Patriots franchise that has a glaring hole at quarterback, is loaded with salary-cap space and is bizarrely in possession of the third pick in the 2024 draft.

Priority No. 1: Cut ties with Belichick

We're still awaiting word on Belichick's future, but the best route for the Patriots would be to politely part ways and move on. The man is undoubtedly a legend, but nothing is forever and everything has become stale in New England. The team hasn't won a playoff game in five years.

Priority No. 2: Hire Mike Vrabel

The former Patriot just became available following his ouster from the Tennessee Titans. That was a bad decision by Tennessee, as Vrabel consistently overachieved for the majority of his six-year tenure there before roster talent reduction became too much to overcome. But even then, the 48-year-old often found ways to keep the Titans competitive. He makes a ton of sense for the next chapter in New England.

Priority No. 3: Replace Mac Jones

That era should also be over, but we're leaving this broad because the Pats do have several valid options. They could go with Williams, Daniels or Drake Maye with that No. 3 pick, as at least one will be available in that spot. But I wouldn't fault them for using that pick on someone like Harrison and instead giving another shot to a proven or semi-proven veteran like Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield, Murray, Fields or even Kirk Cousins.

Why they're particularly interesting: The recipe is all there for the Washington Commanders, who have a head-coaching vacancy, more cap space than anyone else in football, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, five other picks in the first three rounds, and two top-end impending free agents in Kendall Fuller and Kamren Curl. That'll result in a lot of eyeballs on new team owner Josh Harris.

Priority No. 1: Hire Brian Flores

I'm not opposed to the team chasing Jim Harbaugh (I doubt Washington would top Harbaugh's list) or promoting Bieniemy (might be odd considering they're apparently cleaning house), but Flores deserves another shot following a superb tenure in Miami and a successful season running the Minnesota Vikings' defense. That Flores is suing the league and three of its teams makes things awkward, but YOLO.

Priority No. 2: Find the next franchise quarterback

Ideally in the draft, since this is great class and you don't always get to enjoy this much draft capital. Plus, it's the cheaper route for the purposes of a rebuild. That could mean Williams, Maye or Daniels with the No. 2 pick, or they could take advantage of another team's desperation and move down while still landing an intriguing quarterback talent like Penix Jr.

Priority No. 3: Make calls on Fuller and Curl

It'll be tempting to re-sign them with all that cap space, but that runs out fast when you're dealing with big veteran contracts. I wouldn't fault the Commanders for letting at least one of the top starting defenders go, especially considering that Fuller might have peaked and Curl is coming off a bit of a down year. Keep in mind this rebuild won't be completed overnight.