The 2024 NFL offseason has seen plenty of league-altering moves. Some free-agent signings, trades, and draft picks should benefit their respective teams, but not all of them made sense. Some moves may set particular clubs back, making their general managers wish they had a mulligan.
It’s still far too early to predict how things will turn out, but these problematic decisions will be scrutinized when the new campaign begins in September. With that in mind, we’ve evaluated the worst offseason decisions for 2024 based on the possible impact on a team’s salary budget, draft capital, and future prospects.
6. Chicago Bears Overpay Kevin Byard
Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick, has joined the Chicago Bears as their new franchise quarterback. While they appear stocked on offense after adding Williams, wide receivers Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze this offseason, they may have taken a step back on defense with safety Kevin Byard signing 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 approaching his age-31 season, his finest days are likely behind him. The eight-year veteran is more likely to decline than improve in his debut season with the Bears, making this a terrible signing. It may come back to haunt the Bears as they attempt to turn a corner in 2024.
5. Dallas Cowboys Run It Back With Ezekiel Elliott
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.
Elliott scored 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022, but he only gained 876 yards and averaged 3.8 yards per carry, a career low. That poor performance prompted Dallas to release Elliott with four seasons remaining on the six-year, $90 million agreement he signed in 2019—the last of his three Pro Bowl seasons. It’s absurd to expect Elliott to return to form after two consecutive dismal seasons and more than 2,400 touches in his career. The Cowboys should have brought in a top-tier prospect to lead their running back corps in 2024.
They’ll grow to regret not doing so if a weak ground game plays a role in yet another early playoff exit.
4. Carolina Panthers Get Little in Return for Brian Burns
The Carolina Panthers made one of the truly questionable moves of the 2024 offseason when they accepted a trade for far less value than most expected star pass-rusher Brian Burns to go for. It was an especially puzzling decision when you account for the reports that the team had already turned down far more lucrative offers in previous seasons.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Panthers rejected two first-round picks for Burns around the 2022 season’s trade deadline. The team was clearly open for business at that time too, having dealt star running back Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson for draft picks.
Burns went on to have his best year yet, racking up career highs in tackles (63) and sacks (12.5). His stats came down a bit in 2023, but Burns still posted a respectable 50 tackles and eight sacks while playing out the final year of his rookie deal.
Carolina appeared intent on keeping the Florida State product around on a second contract as recently as early March, even hitting Burns with the franchise tag just before the official start of the 2024 offseason to ensure he’d remain around at least one more year.,
However, less than a week after the franchise tag news leaked, the Panthers revealed that they came to terms on a trade agreement that would send Burns to the New York Giants. Burns immediately received a five-year, $150 million extension from the G-Men, a contract the Panthers would have likely been able to fit on their own books.
The report made shockwaves not only because one of the NFL’s best young edge rushers had just been dealt, but because of how good of a deal the Giants got in this move. New York only had to give up a meager 2024 second-round pick (No. 39 overall), a 2025 fifth-round pick and a swap of 2024 fifth-rounders (the Giants exchanged No. 141 for No. 166) to facilitate the trade.
Burns now fills a position of major need for the Giants, who had just 34 sacks in total last season, while leaving the Panthers—who had a league-worst 27 sacks in 2023—without their top edge defender with only Day 2 and 3 picks to show for it. Considering Carolina could have taken a pair of first-rounders for the same player just a year-and-a-half prior, this is a tough decision to defend.
3. Los Angeles Rams Overpay in a Draft-Day Trade-Up
The Los Angeles Rams made one of the more perplexing decisions of the offseason, trading up early on Day 2 of the 2024 draft. After selecting edge-rusher Jared Verse at No. 19 overall, the Rams decided to strengthen their defensive line in the second round. They traded a 2024 fifth-rounder (No. 155 overall) and a 2025 second-rounder for No. 52 overall, moving up only 13 spots. According to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, the Carolina Panthers received more than double the predicted draft-point value in this trade:
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 Braden 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.
Following Aaron Donald’s retirement, the Rams had a glaring need at defensive lineman, but they might have received a much better bargain from another team for a comparable selection place. They could also have waited to draft a youngster like Brandon Dorlus, who was ranked only six spots lower than Fiske by the B/R Scouting Department but did not come off the board until 109th overall. While general manager Les Snead stated that the organization had always intended to trade up for Fiske, this was an inefficient approach to achieve that aim. If he does not pan out, the Rams could suffer a big setback.
2. Las Vegas Raiders Whiff on Quarterbacks
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 was unlikely to land one of the top quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye) without a trade, it was expected to compete for second-tier players such as J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix. That wouldn’t happen either, as all three were chosen before the Raiders came on the clock at No. 13 overall. Brock Bowers, the Raiders’ No. 13 pick, has the potential to be a standout tight end. However, he will not have the same impact as a top QB prospect. The Raiders’ failure to get such a quarterback could cost them dearly. Aidan O’Connell, who entered the roster as a fourth-round rookie last year, and Minshew are now slated 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.
1. Atlanta Falcons Draft Michael Penix Jr. After Signing Kirk Cousins
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 Russini, Cousins 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.
