NFL 2024 Season Preview: 6 Familiar Faces In New Places
The march toward another NFL season is nearing its conclusion. Baseball did what it could to scratch the itch; still, that can only get football fans so far. The good news is the soft launch that is the preseason is here. The bad news? It’ll likely be a few more weeks until the guys synonymous with the NFL’s biggest moments will take the field. In the meantime, though, some NFL players who flipped allegiances in the offseason suited up for their new teams during NFL training camp. The sight of some of these guys taking the practice field was all it took to evoke some impatience on the part of fans of teams that signed 2024 NFL free agents.
To help bridge the gap between now and kickoff, here’s a look at six of the biggest NFL players who changed teams and what they might bring to their new cities.
Which NFL players are switching teams?
These following six names obviously aren’t the only guys who exchanged their threads for new colors leading up to the season. Still, it’s not outlandish to say these six guys are positioned to make the biggest impact on their new squads. There are upstart teams, like the Texans, and teams like the Falcons, who thought they might’ve just been little Kohl’s Cash short of a playoff berth. In any case, these teams made the biggest waves in free agency.
Derrick Henry - Tennessee Titans → Baltimore Ravens
Since Lamar Jackson took over as starting quarterback for the Ravens in 2019, his legs have powered his team's offensive approach. He’s led the team in rushing in each of his five seasons as the starter. While this output might look impressive for Jackson, it also underscores the lack of a difference-making running back in both Greg Roman and Todd Monken’s respective schemes. The likes of Mark Ingram, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards did what they could. Future Hall-of-Famer Derrick Henry is in a different stratosphere, though. Even at 30.
The thought of Henry and Jackson in the same backfield has tantalized many fans since Henry signed. Barring injury, Jackson should have a weapon next to him that transcends any he’s played with up to this point. The Ravens should be dangerous; by land or by air.
Brian Burns - Carolina Panthers → New York Giants
Training camp “highlights” of Daniel Jones aside, the Giants might argue that not all publicity is good publicity. The Hard Knocks experience led to clips and stories that probably shouldn’t have reached the public. Still, they did, and social media did its thing. The 2022 playoff run has to feel like it happened 10 years ago for this team.
It’s not all bad, though. The Giants have quietly constructed a defensive front capable of keeping NFC East coordinators up at night. A prominent piece is Brian Burns, a castoff of one of the few teams that might currently look worse than the Giants. Despite its steadfast commitment to Burns – a commitment that may have cost the team significantly – Carolina finally parted with the pass rusher for a package of picks. He’ll join All-Pro Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeux, and Leonard Williams on a formidable defensive line. For a Giants team that finished with the fourth-fewest sacks in the NFL last season, Burns should help that number trend upward.
Stefon Diggs - Buffalo Bills → Houston Texans
Houston finally put an end to the Stefon Diggs trade rumors when it dealt for Buffalo’s veteran wideout in April. By his standards, the production dipped a bit last season for Diggs. Diggs is 30, which might lead to pause for fans attempting to project the Texans. Still, there’s a lot to like. He’s coming off a 107/1,183/8 season in which he picked up 7.4 receiving yards per target. Joining Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, and Tank Dell makes for a deep group of pass catchers, which bodes well for the outlook of C.J. Stroud’s development.
After Stroud’s big-time arrival last season, expectations have returned to Houston. The Diggs deal will likely have some kind of bearing on what happens next.
Saquon Barkley - NY Giants → Philadelphia Eagles
This wasn’t a quiet move. And if you watched the Giants Hard Knocks this offseason, this move will only add fuel to an already fiery rivalry between the Giants and Eagles. From the contract speculation, to the commentary on Saquon Barkley’s negotiations with the Giants, this move wasn’t as simple as turning the page. If the heightened contention between the fan bases is any indication, there’s bad blood here. How will that translate to the field? Well, it might lead to a motivated Barkley. He played in 14 games last season, rushing for 962 yards on 247 carries and catching 41 passes for 280 yards. Barkley ranked second-to-last in the NFL with 80 tackle-for-loss yards and averaged just 2.1 yards before contact. For reference, D’Andre Swift posted 54 tackle-for-loss yards and 3 yards before contact running behind the Eagles offensive line in 2023.
The loss of Hall-of-Fame center Jason Kelce is a variable here. Still, Cam Jergens looks to be a capable replacement. Howie Roseman hasn’t traditionally invested much in the running back position, banking on rental players or low-priced veterans. The fact that 27-year-old Barkley was offered significant money by Philadelphia seems to suggest they view him as more than a traditional running back.
Kirk Cousins - Minnesota Vikings → Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix’s 45-million-dollar mentor. Future plans aside, the Falcons are at least committed to Kirk Cousins in the short-term. The skill players are already in place for Cousins to succeed. Returns on Drake London have generally been solid given the quarterback play. Kyle Pitts is a gifted tight end and seems to have finally entered post-hype sleeper territory with a coach that plans on getting him the ball. Bijan Robinson is primed for a sophomore explosion. Even Bears castoff Darnell Mooney is intriguing. Cousins and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson have all of the pieces to contend for a weak NFC South.
What happens after this year, though, is anyone’s guess. If General Manager Terry Fontenot has proven anything, it’s that he’s not afraid to operate in a way some fans might describe as unorthodox. Winning can make up for a lot, though.
Josh Jacobs - Oakland Raiders → Green Bay Packers
The Raiders just weren’t willing to pay the man. It seems like Josh Jacobs won’t be complaining too much, though. Now playing in a rising offense, captained by now-franchise quarterback Jordan Love, the opportunity is there for Jacobs to recapture some variation of his 2022 form. As a result of the Jacobs signing, though, longtime Packer Aaron Jones flipped to a bitter rival, joining the Minnesota Vikings. If nothing else, there’s some pretty special revenge game potential for Jones. Still, Jacobs is only 26. The three-year age difference between Jacobs and Jones is more like 9 in running back years. Given his 2022 production with a functioning offense, Jacobs seems to make a little more sense for the timeline the Packers are currently on.
Who is the biggest NFL Free Agent Signing of 2024?
This is a really difficult question to answer. All six of these players will likely make a significant impact on their respective teams. If only one can be crowned the biggest signing, it would be easy to go with the only quarterback on the list. That Falcons offense has felt like a sleeping giant for the last couple of seasons. When the dust settles, it could very well be Cousins. Still, picking the quarterback feels like a cop out. Let’s dig deeper. Biggest signing of 2024 is going to come down to one of the three running backs. Giving Lamar Jackson a wrecking ball in Derrick Henry as a running mate is perfect for the physical nature of the AFC North. Featuring a weapon like Saquon Barkley with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Devonta Smith, then factoring in that Eagles offensive line, also feels like a move that could make last season’s collapse feel like an anomaly. Josh Jacobs complimenting a young star in Jordan Love with his physical style makes a ton of sense, too. His presence has the potential to open the passing game further and help the team’s young receivers take another step.
The best signing, though, goes to Derrick Henry. Baltimore and Lamar Jackson will be scary with a bell cow.
