The 2024 NFL offseason has seen its fair share of league-altering moves.
A number of free-agent signings, trades and draft selections should help their respective teams, but not all of them made sense. Some moves might set certain teams back, leaving their general managers to wish they had a mulligan on them.
It’s still far too early to tell exactly how things will play out, but these questionable choices will be under the microscope when the new campaign kicks off in September.
With that in mind, we’ve ranked the worst decisions of the 2024 offseason based on the potential damage to a team’s salary cap, draft capital and future outlook.
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The Chicago Bears have a new franchise quarterback in No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. While they appear loaded on offense after landing Williams and wide receivers Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze this offseason, they may have taken a step back on defense after signing safety Kevin Byard to a two-year, $15 million contract.
The 30-year-old Byard is a two-time first-team All-Pro, but he struggled mightily during his recent stint with the Philadelphia Eagles. According to Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Byard allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a 103.3 passer rating (which ranked 66th out of 92 safeties who played at least 200 snaps in 2023) and complete 75 percent of their throws (ranking 77th) during his short tenure in Philly.
Byard did have a pick and three pass defenses along with 75 tackles for the Eagles, but his Pro Football Focus grade of 74.0 was well off the 90.2 mark he earned in his 2021 Pro Bowl season and a noticeable dip from the 79.5 he notched in 2022. The Eagles gave up safety Terrell Edmunds along with fifth- and sixth-round draft picks to pry Byard away from the Tennessee Titans ahead of last year’s trade deadline, but they cut him after only 10 games.
With Byard now entering his age-31 season, his best days are likely well behind him. The eight-year veteran is likely to further regress rather than improve in his first Bears season, which makes this a poor signing. It could come back to haunt the Bears as they look to turn a corner in 2024.
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The Dallas Cowboys seemed like a lock to land one of the top running back prospects in the 2024 draft after allowing incumbent starter Tony Pollard to walk in free agency and failing to replace him with any of the veterans available this offseason.
However, the Cowboys didn’t spend any of their eight draft picks on a running back. Instead, they came to terms on a one-year deal with former starter Ezekiel Elliott shortly after the draft concluded.
Although Elliott posted a career-low 642 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 184 carries last season with the New England Patriots, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is still clearly high on the veteran’s ability to play a major role in his team’s offense.
“I saw him play his last games with New England,” Jones told reporters during the draft. “I thought he played well enough to be a starter.”
Given the alternatives in Dallas’ backfield—namely Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and fellow free-agent pickup Royce Freeman—the Cowboys may have no better option than to trust Elliott. However, he struggled to produce for the Cowboys prior to his exit after the 2022 campaign.
While Elliott did punch in 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022, he tallied only 876 yards on the ground and averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry. That underwhelming showing led Dallas to release Elliott with four seasons still remaining on the blockbuster six-year, $90 million extension he signed in 2019—the last of his three Pro Bowl campaigns.
It’s foolish to think Elliott can return to form on the heels of two consecutive poor seasons and having logged more than 2,400 touches in his career. The Cowboys should have brought in a high-end prospect to lead their running back platoon in 2024.
They’ll grow to regret not doing so if a weak ground game plays a role in yet another early playoff exit.
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Ahead of the 2022 NFL trade deadline, the Carolina Panthers turned down an offer of two first-round picks for star pass-rusher Brian Burns, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This offseason, they traded him to the New York Giants for a 2024 second-round pick, a swap of fifth-round picks and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
The Panthers appeared intent on keeping the Burns as recently as early March. They even franchise-tagged him to prevent him from hitting free agency. Less than a week later, they shipped him to the Giants for a fraction of what they could have received a year-and-a-half ago.
Burns racked up a respectable eight sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 50 total tackles with the Panthers last season. But they slogged through a lost 2-15 campaign and then sold low on him this offseason.
Burns now fills a position of major need for the Giants, who had only 34 sacks last season. The Panthers—who had a league-worst 27 sacks in 2023—are now without their top edge defender with only Day 2 and 3 picks to show for it.
Considering Carolina could have received a pair of first-rounders for the same player less than two years ago, this is a tough decision to defend.
Rams GM Les Snead Ric Tapia/Getty Images
The Los Angeles Rams made one of the most puzzling moves of the offseason when they traded up early on Day 2 of the 2024 draft.
After the Rams acquired edge-rusher Jared Verse at No. 19 overall, they opted to further upgrade their defensive line in the second round. They gave up a 2024 fifth-rounder (No. 155 overall) and a 2025 second-rounder along with No. 52 overall to jump up only 13 spots.
Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap noted that the Carolina Panthers landed more than double the projected draft-point value in this deal:
Not only did the Rams get fleeced— ESPN’s Seth Walder noted that it was the “most expensive Day 2 overpay of at least the last six drafts”— but the player whom they selected also could be considered a reach.
Defensive tackle Brad Fiske was the No. 53 overall prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s final big board. While he moves extremely well for a 6’4″, 292-pound defensive lineman, Fiske is still a raw prospect who needs to improve his hand usage and add more strength before he can be a difference-maker in the NFL.
Defensive tackle was a position of clear need for the Rams following Aaron Donald’s retirement, but they likely could have gotten a far better deal from another team for a similar draft slot. They also could have waited to take a prospect like Brandon Dorluswhom the B/R Scouting Department ranked only six spots lower than Fiske but didn’t come off the board until No. 109 overall.
While general manager Les Snead revealed that the team always planned to trade up for Fiske, this was an inefficient way to accomplish that goal. It could set the Rams back significantly if he doesn’t pan out.
Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell Ian Maule/Getty Images
The Las Vegas Raiders were one of many teams that desperately needed to land a new quarterback this offseason. Unfortunately, they were one of the few teams that failed to land a high-end one once the carousel stopped.
Rather than splurge on Kirk Cousins in free agency, the Raiders settled for signing journeyman Gardner Minshew II to a two-year, $25 million deal. He would have been a perfect stopgap for a developmental prospect being brought up to speed.
While Las Vegas wasn’t in position to get one of the blue-chip quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye) without a trade-up, it figured to be in the running for second-tier options like J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. That wouldn’t come to pass either, as all three were selected before the Raiders got on the clock at No. 13 overall.
Tight end Brock Bowerswhom the Raiders selected at No. 13, could be a special player. But he won’t have the same impact as a high-end quarterback prospect would have.
The Raiders’ inability to land such a quarterback could cost them dearly. Incumbent Aidan O’Connell—who was thrust into the lineup as a fourth-round rookie last year—and Minshew are now set to compete for the starting job in training camp. That uninspiring battle likely won’t result in many wins regardless of who claims the job.
The Raiders now field the weakest quarterback room in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. For a team in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs (whom PFF ranked as having the league’s best quarterbacks), that’s an especially painful position to be in.
Had Las Vegas been more aggressive this offseason, it would be in far better shape for the future—whether that was with Cousins in the lineup or a rookie developing behind MInshew. The Raiders are now a strong candidate to struggle in 2024, with little in the way of quarterback prizes to be excited about in the 2025 draft class.
QB Michael Penix Jr. Kara Durrette/Getty Images
Few NFL draft decisions have sparked more confusion than the Atlanta Falcons taking Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall.
Penix had plenty of red flags from his four-year tenure at Indiana, where he tore his ACL twice and played in only 21 total games. He rehabilitated his body and draft stock at Washington, but he was still only the No. 87 overall player on the B/R Scouting Department’s final big board and the seventh-ranked quarterback.
While the Falcons are clearly hoping that Penix resembles his Washington self and not the player who struggled with the Hoosiers, there’s a real chance that he won’t even earn the starting job until he’s almost 30 years old. That’s because they also signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed in free agency.
The Cousins signing was initially praised for addressing the Falcons’ most glaring issue. However, the signing has since lost some luster following Atlanta’s head-scratching decision to take Penix.
Penix’s four-year rookie contract will run concurrently with Cousins’ deal. If Cousins plays out his full contract, the Falcons will have to make a tough decision on picking up Penix’s pricey fifth-year option in 2027.
While much could change for both Cousins and Penix over the next few years, there’s a real chance of that exact scenario playing out in Atlanta. Cousins isn’t happy about, either.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna RussiniCousins was reportedly not informed about Atlanta’s decision to draft Penix until it was on the clock. He was reportedly miffed by the decision since it won’t help the Falcons win in the short term.
While the two quarterbacks have since spoken and seem excited to work together, this was still one of the most boneheaded draft picks in recent memory. It was easily the worst overall decision of the 2024 offseason.
2024-05-14 14:19:22
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